[WhiteVan Lifestyle]

I just read through a bunch of threads regarding HBO and DirecTV.

I got a call from a client today asking me if I could meet the DirecTV Service Tech at his house to help troubleshoot the problem. When I arrived the Tech began telling me everything he had done so far to try and figure out why the TV (new Sony XBR-65HX929 - Couple months old) would flash the picture (go black for a half a second)
It looked like a very short HDMI handshake kind of thing that would happen in no specific pattern. Sometimes every couple seconds and sometimes every five or ten minutes.
This all started when the customers original DirecTV receiver took a crap and they installed 2 new HR-24s in his house a couple weeks ago.
The tech switched those boxes and the box with the problem acted fine on the older TV while the box from the older TV picked up doing exactly what the other one was doing.
I removed everything from the system except for the HR-24 to the TV direct via the Existing HDMI cable and the problem continued. I then switched to a new input on the TV and used a new HDMI cable that passed Bluray 1080P without problem only to find the problem continued.
HR24 has the latest update and the XBR firmware is current.

Happens on all resolutions and resolution is currently locked on 1080i.

Any Ideas????

This is 100% an HDCP issue in my opinion.

Keep in mind we might have 10 seconds of clearly playing movie before 1/2 second black screen flash or we might have 10 or 15 minutes between happenings.

The TV authenticates every time and never an error.

This is a strange hiccup in the constant handshake process that goes like this.

2 Sec.) Good
2 Sec.) Good
2 Sec.) Good
2 Sec.) Good
2 Sec.) Good
2 Sec.) Good
2 Sec.) Bad (Black flash)
2 Sec.) Good
2 Sec.) Good
(Minutes Later)
2 Sec.) Good
2 Sec.) Good
2 Sec.) Good
2 Sec.) Bad (Black flash)
2 Sec.) Good
2 Sec.) Good
2 Sec.) Good

Its 100% a DirecTV thing but I want to know what exactly is going on, why its going on and what they are doing to fix it.
Or at least that they are working on it and not just telling people to use a format that officially died in January and is not even available on most new equipment.

Anybody have any insight?

PS. if this thread is in the wrong place please feel free to move it.

 

[RunnerFL]

Is this occurring on every channel or just movie channels like HBO, Cinemax, etc?

If the DVR were not able to get a "proper" HDCP handshake from the TV you'd have an onscreen message regarding your inability to play that content.

 

[WhiteVan Lifestyle]

Only on HBO. Subscriber has no other premium channels to test with.

 

[RunnerFL]

What sub-model/manufacturer of the HR24?

 

[WhiteVan Lifestyle]

I didnt get that info which could prove important.
I will be back on site next week and will post it.

 

[inf0z]

Channels 100 and 200 are both HDCP test channels. You can use these channels to find out if the issue is strictly with HBO or if it is in-fact an HDCP related issue.

 

[RBTO]

This may be way off base, but it may give you something to try.

Quite some time back, I had a similar problem (symptom-wise) with my HR20 although it affected all channels. Could be 10 minutes or 30, but the HDMI would drop out for about 3 seconds.

It turned out that the HDMI line power (pin 18) from the HR20 was unstable (really stumped me when a cheap cable would work better than a high quality cable, though neither worked completely), and load dependent. I got an HDMI power inserter and placed it following the HR20 output and all problems solved.

http://www.yourcablehookup.com/cables-rapidrunreg-digital-hdmireg-voltage-inserter-42223-p-22224.html

One thing different in my case was I was using a device downstream from the receiver that needed HDMI power to function, but since then, I've found that some display devices need this power to enable, so that might be the case for your Sony. The problem was really flaky and intermittent, and the fact that I got different results with different cables threw me off track for quite a while.

In any case, I think you're right - it's an HDMI/HDCP problem (Oh sorry, no such thing).

 

[RunnerFL]

I didnt get that info which could prove important.
I will be back on site next week and will post it.

Yes it can be very important because the output on the HR24-500 is different from the -100 and -200. The HR24-500 uses an RGB colorspace rather than the YCrCb colorspace of most other DVRs.

Maybe check the TV input to make sure it's accepting either RGB or YCrCb.

 

[Shades228]

Did you try component cables? What is the current version of software on the receiver.

 

[WhiteVan Lifestyle]

Channels 100 and 200 are both HDCP test channels. You can use these channels to find out if the issue is strictly with HBO or if it is in-fact an HDCP related issue.

Thats great information. I will check that out.

 

[WhiteVan Lifestyle]

This may be way off base, but it may give you something to try.

Quite some time back, I had a similar problem (symptom-wise) with my HR20 although it affected all channels. Could be 10 minutes or 30, but the HDMI would drop out for about 3 seconds.

It turned out that the HDMI line power (pin 18) from the HR20 was unstable (really stumped me when a cheap cable would work better than a high quality cable, though neither worked completely), and load dependent. I got an HDMI power inserter and placed it following the HR20 output and all problems solved.

One thing different in my case was I was using a device downstream from the receiver that needed HDMI power to function, but since then, I've found that some display devices need this power to enable, so that might be the case for your Sony. The problem was really flaky and intermittent, and the fact that I got different results with different cables threw me off track for quite a while.

In any case, I think you're right - it's an HDMI/HDCP problem (Oh sorry, no such thing).

2 different HR24s with 2 different cables hooked to 2 different inputs on the TV. I have considered what you are getting at and would gladly add an Ethereal HDMI-DAD into the mix but want to be sure its going to fix the problem before spending the money only to find out its something in the key process that can only be corrected through a firmware update.

 

[WhiteVan Lifestyle]

Yes it can be very important because the output on the HR24-500 is different from the -100 and -200. The HR24-500 uses an RGB colorspace rather than the YCrCb colorspace of most other DVRs.

Maybe check the TV input to make sure it's accepting either RGB or YCrCb.

Excellent information but wouldn't this affect all channels?

 

[WhiteVan Lifestyle]

Did you try component cables? What is the current version of software on the receiver.

Component is not an option and according to the tech, the software was the latest. I believe it was about 2 weeks old.

 

[Rockywwf]

I have an HR-24 in my bedroom hooked up to a Sony plasma (2006 last year Sony produced plasmas). I am getting the message stating to change the HDMI wire or switch to component to view theses stations...bla, bla, bla I was told by a CSR that it is a software issue with certain TV and Sony branded ones seem to be the culprit. She assured me that DTV is well aware of this "software" issue and are working on it. Now I had a service call about 2 weeks later for a different issue and I showed him this problem I was having and he said he could easily fix it because he's seen this many times before. He agreed it is a software issue on their part but there was a work around. He said there is a setting in the TV's menu for handshake and to de activate it and we will have no problem. Well my set does not have this so he suggested hooking up the component cable. I said no I shouldn't have to do that and DTV should correct this issue! I have left it at that for now but I am going to start putting up a stink with DTV to get some sort of compensation for not being able to watch premiums on all my sets.

I have been a little disappointed with DTV ever since the HD GUI was implemented. It is just buggy and when it could take 20-30 seconds to change a channel that is inexcusable!!