hdmi audio problem
fwellers
Newbie

Hi,

 Newbie here with a question.

I can't get audio anymore from my hdmi input. So I switched to regular rca input and it works, but of course no HD available.

So I'm going to go buy a new hdmi cable, but from problems in the past, I suspect the TV hdmi circuit may have an audio issue.

If that becomes the case, how can I hook up my fios hd dvr to the tv so that I can get HD ?

I know nothing about component video, I see there is a component video output on the fios dvr, and I also have a component input on my tv.

If i hook up cables to those, will I get HD and sound ?

Any ideas ?

Thanks Much.

Floyd

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Re: hdmi audio problem
Justin46
Legend

Yes, you can use the component connections for the video, and the audio connections for the sound, and you will receive an HD picture.

I would doubt that the HDMI cable would fail. Before you do anything else, turn off the STB, remove the power plug, wait 30 seconds, plug it back in, turn it on, and see if you get any audio. The Motorola STBs that Verizon use occasionally get themselves kinda confused in a number of areas, and removing the power frequently fixes it (until something gets it confused again...).

If removing the power doesn't work, do you have a second HD TV that you could hook up to the existing STB and cable? If that works it isn't the cable, its the first TV - just trying to make sure the cable is really the culprit. Or of course it could be the STB, in which case you need to contact Verizon for a replacement.

If you wind up needing to get a new HDMI cable, don't go buy one of those over-priced things at places like Best Buy or Circuit City, unless you just have to have it today. Try www.monoprice.com or one of the other web sellers of HDMI cables, you can usually get one for 10% to 25% of the cost at one of the big box stores, and it will work just as well.

And finally, if you hook up the component and sound connections, you may find that you are perfectly satisfied with the results, and decide to just leave it that way. Not everyone agrees that HDMI is better than component, some feel just the opposite.

Justin
Verizon FiOS TV, Internet, and phone
IMG 1.5.0
Keller, TX

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Re: hdmi audio problem
fwellers
Newbie

Thanks Justin.

I did all the rebooting. I just bought an HDMI cable from Target for $34.00. It didn't work.

So, I think I either have a bad hdmi card/circuit in my Tv or in the STB. I do have an hd dvr stb up in my bedroom, but no hd tv up there. So I'm gonna bring that stb down here and try it. If it still doesn't do audio down here, then that means my tv has a bad hdmi audio.

Then, at that point, from your advice, I'll go get a compoment video cable set and try and hook it up. I guess that would just be the p y and whatever,  those 3 would go to the same 3 on the tv, and then I need to find the audio out on the verizon stb to hook to my tv audio for the compoment section.

Thanks,

floyd

 

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Re: hdmi audio problem
Justin46
Legend

Floyd,

Sounds like a very good plan. Lets hope it is the STB and not your TV, Verizon should replace the STB at no charge if it is broken.

Make sure you take the HDMI cable back to Target and get your money back! (I tend to be lazy and forget to do that...)

And you are correct, you need to connect the 3 component cables between the STB and the TV, make sure you match the colors at each end. And then you need two audio cables for the sound, again matching the colors and/or L/R.

And as I said before, you may be perfectly happy with the component connection, and decide to stay with it (but if the STB is bad, i would go ahead and get it replaced).

Good luck.

Justin
Verizon FiOS TV, Internet, and phone
IMG 1.5.0
Keller, TX 

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Re: hdmi audio problem
fwellers
Newbie

Unfortunately, the problem is with the audio portion of the TV's hdmi circuitry. I verified that by bringing the upstairs stb downstairs.

But, you were a big help Justin, as I successfully hooked up the component video and audio, and now have perfectly fine HD TV ( with sound 🙂 )

My wife is taking the hdmi cable back as we speak.

Thanks so much for your help.

Floyd

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Re: hdmi audio problem
tp0d
Newbie

try contacting the TV manufacturer before giving up. I know one of the methods the HDCP uses for copy protection is to blank the audio channel if a proper sync is not made. 

There may be some sort of a HDCP protocol update for your tv. Mine has a USB port on the back for this purpose, tho I havent had to use it luckily..

good luck

-j

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Re: hdmi audio problem
fwellers
Newbie

very interesting.

Thanks for the tip. I haven't had much luck in the past on with Sony support, and probably not too much for a 3 year old tv, but who knows. :-))

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Re: hdmi audio problem
BigC1
Newbie

I too had a similar problem after installing my HD-DRV set top box. I had audio on all the HD channels but when I switched to a non HD channel,

no audo. I called Verizon and they had me go to all the settings for audio on the STB nd my TV. Still no audio on the non HD channels, so they sent

me another STD and received it the next morning. I installed the new one and had the same problem. Then I decided to call the TV manufactor,

Insignia for help. After I explained the problem I was having, he said that the problem is a known problem with the HDMI connection on my TV. I tried using a component cable and guess what, audio on all channels. Since the TV is new, they are sending the Geek Squad from Best Buy to do

something to the HDMI ports on my TV. Not sure yet what that will be, we shall see. In the mean time, don't really notice that big of difference

between HDMI and component.

Regards from Maryland

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