# HDMI output not working



## FrequentFlyer (Sep 22, 2004)

I am a new 942 owner. My 942 is a replacement for my 921 which I have had for a year (and fortunately I never had the problems that many 921 owners had). 

My initial setup was to use all the same connections that my 921 had: digital audio out and DVI out. I carefully unhooked the 921 and connected the 942 to the same cables (mostly). Since the 942 has HDMI out, I used the included HDMI to DVI adapter on my existing cable (to Panasonic plasma). Upon initial boot I got no picture. After a couple of hours of fiddling and searching this forum, I hooked up a composite video cable and was able to get a picture and go in and adjust the HDTV output settings. Surprisingly there was still no picture on HDMI. Next I removed the existing DVI cable with HDMI adapter and used the included HDMI to DVI cable. Even that yielded no output. At some point with all the experimentation the output appeared on the HDMI. I brought up the guide and tuned ESPN HD. The screen went dark and I could not get the signal back. Finally I hooked up component cables and thankfully that is working.

Question: any idea why my HDMI output is not working? I see from searching that some others have this as an intermittent problem but for me it is much worse. I can't get HDMI to work at all. And it always worked fine on the 921.

By the way, I am using L281 which was downloaded shortly after initial setup.


----------



## zephyr (Jun 25, 2005)

I had the issue of a blank screen a few times when I was first setting up and connecting the system. The HDMI seems to be looking for a response or acknowledgement from the TV. Turning the TV off and on and/or the receiver off and on fixed it. It seemed to be triggered by disconnecting and reconnecting the HDMI cable and has not happened since. I am using the supplied HDMI>DVI cable.


----------



## M Sparks (Sep 28, 2005)

Frequent, I'm also a new 942 owner, and have the same problem. I can get it working if I change the HD setting. But as soon as you switch from an SD to an HD channel (or vice versa), it disapears.

Sounds like it has to do with support for each individual TV- they actually have to talk to each other, which is different from any other output. I have an off-brand LCD, so I'm not going to hold my breath. The Componant output looks as good or better than the HDMI does when working. I left the HDMI hooked up, and I will check it after a software release, or I hear it's fixed.

BTW, I immediately got a picture when I plugged it in, it was just after I got it activated I had problems. Others only have problems "occasionally". This seems to support the idea that it has to do with the TV itself.


----------



## FrequentFlyer (Sep 22, 2004)

I have further searched this forum as well as other sites. I have come to the following hypotheses:

1. There IS some kind of problem with the HDMI output on the 942 that affects ability to display on many but not all TVs (or perhaps it is just confined to certain shipments of 942s). Sometimes the problem is correctable by making adjustments to HDTV settings but this must be repeated after each 942 reboot or channel change between SD and HD channels.

2. This may be either a software or a hardware problem. I am leaning toward hardware since there has been no fix in the months that these problems have been reported sporadically.

3. One posted solution was to discard the HDMI-DVI cable and adapter that shipped with the 942 and use a third party HDMI-DVI cable. That poster claimed that solved the problem for him/her. I'm not in a situation where I can easily try that because there are no stores nearby that carry such cables. If anyone who is having this problem is willing and able to try this solution, please post your results.

If there is anyone here who has inside information with Dish as to the nature and potential solution of this problem, please post your comments. Without the 942's DVI output, my DVD and 942 both have to use component, and now I'll have to go out and buy some kind of component input switching hardware (pain, hassle, clutter).

Thanks for any assistance.


----------



## Tom-Tx (May 23, 2005)

I initially tried the supplied cable and found my PQ was washed out and as expected I had no sound passed through on the DVI connector.
I then purchased a true HDMI - HDMI cable, hooked it up, had the same washed out PQ but this time with sound. 
Went back to component cables untill one day I tried the HDMI input again. This time it froze my TV (Mits DLP), giving me a black screen and not allowing me to switch anything. I had to re-boot the TV (or should I say computer w/ a TV tuner in it). Called Mits and Dish.
Mits told me the TV and input box had to handshake with one another, that I had the most current software for the TV and the problem might be the satellite box.
Dish Tech support told me there were known problems (unspecified by the rep.) with the HDMI output that they were working on. Ask me what TV I had and told me there was one other Mits TV reported problem on file. Also stated that if others reported a problem with Mits sets, they would work with the TV manufacturer for a solution. 
Thus my suggestion is to call Dish Tech Support and report any and all problems so that they will record them and possibly work on a fix.


----------



## zephyr (Jun 25, 2005)

Tom-Tx said:


> I initially tried the supplied cable and found my PQ was washed out and as expected I had no sound passed through on the DVI connector.
> I then purchased a true HDMI - HDMI cable, hooked it up, had the same washed out PQ but this time with sound.


HDMI > DVI on my Sony looked washed out at first. I went into the TV service menu and changed picture settings (color, black level, white level). It is now excellent. On the Sony, many of the picture settings are different for each input and at each resolution level. If you adjust the ones that are input-specific, not global, other inputs such as component from DVD are not affected.


----------



## Tom-Tx (May 23, 2005)

zephyr:
I have tried that a few times, but nothing looked as good as the component input. If I had the lock up problem solved, I might go for the expense of a professional calibration.


----------



## zephyr (Jun 25, 2005)

Tom-Tx said:


> zephyr:
> I have tried that a few times, but nothing looked as good as the component input. If I had the lock up problem solved, I might go for the expense of a professional calibration.


The biggest difference is in the blacks. Component may actually be set too dark, which is what I found when comparing intuitive picture settings to those that resulted from Digital Video Essentials DVD. There are also test patterns on HDNet 8:00 - 8:10 Tuesday mornings, which allow some calibration to the 942 output. With calibration, the snap of the very black blacks is replaced by detail in dark areas that is also satisfying but different.

But I totally understand the lockup problem taking precedence, and the component can be calibrated just as well as the HDMI. Actually, I'm just trying to edge one post closer to 100.  Thanks.


----------



## Tom-Tx (May 23, 2005)

Ok, you can say thanks to this...
I now understand that the HDNet test pattern has been discontinued until Oct 18th when it will be broadcast on Tuesdays at 7:00 - 7:10 AM Eastern.

PS I have a long way to go to get to 100. Posts that is.


----------



## zephyr (Jun 25, 2005)

Tom-Tx said:


> Ok, you can say thanks to this...
> I now understand that the HDNet test pattern has been discontinued until Oct 18th when it will be broadcast on Tuesdays at 7:00 - 7:10 AM Eastern.
> 
> PS I have a long way to go to get to 100. Posts that is.


Thanks!

woohoo!


----------



## FrequentFlyer (Sep 22, 2004)

I called Dish today. They confirmed that this is a known problem "with certain TVs" on the 942. At this time there is no solution and the receivers are not being replaced under warranty. It is possible that a software solution will be forthcoming.

If anyone can confirm that a "no signal" was resolved by replacing the included cable with a third party cable, I'm interested in knowing about it. Thanks.


----------



## zephyr (Jun 25, 2005)

Tom-Tx said:


> zephyr:
> I have tried that a few times, but nothing looked as good as the component input. If I had the lock up problem solved, I might go for the expense of a professional calibration.


Went back and did an A/B comparison last night. Component does look better, even after adjusting blacks up. Definitely richer. Probably could be calibrated either way, but will stick with component for now. Plus no audio synch issue on OTA CBS!


----------



## FrequentFlyer (Sep 22, 2004)

zephyr said:


> Went back and did an A/B comparison last night. Component does look better, even after adjusting blacks up. Definitely richer. Probably could be calibrated either way, but will stick with component for now. Plus no audio synch issue on OTA CBS!


With my 921 I was truly surprised at how much sharper the DVI connection was versus the component. I had not really expected to be able to tell the difference.

Unfortunately I can't compare on the 942


----------



## FrequentFlyer (Sep 22, 2004)

Update: I obtained an alternate HDMI-DVI cable today and tried it in place of the included cable. Result: no difference. Therefore, for the moment, I am concluding that this is not a cabling issue but rather either a hardware or software problem on the 942. This is consistent with the information I received from Dish tech support. Too bad it wasn't just a cable; that would have been much easier on all of us.


----------

