# Blocked HD PPV with Philips TV and HDMI



## beetzme (Oct 7, 2008)

Greetings!

Long-time lurker, first time posting...

I have a two-year-old Philips 47" LCD HDTV that supports 1080p/24 over HDMI, just never from my HR21-700. The HR21 has always refused to go above 1080i (1080p option is grayed out), which is a symptom of HDMI protocol incompatibility, but not a real problem (I couldn't see the difference from across the room anyway). Philips claims the issue stems from DirecTV's HDMI protocol implementation (they did release one firmware patch which I applied shortly after getting the TV).

A few software revisions ago, the HR21 began to refuse to show HD PPV programming including DTV Cinema and VOD, claiming that "an HDMI connection is required". Very confusing since HDMI is the only way it has ever been connected to the TV. After the message is displayed, all channels are blocked, and the TV or HR21 has to be power cycled to renegotiate HDMI and get any channels to display again.

I called DirecTV customer service several times over the last few months only to be told that I am "one of thousands" affected by this issue, and that engineers are "working on it". It's obviously not a priority, though.

I guess I'm just looking for any feedback from anyone else in the same boat. Without working HD DTV Cinema or VOD, it seems Netflix would be a better way to spend my money.

Thanks!

UPDATE:
Thanks for all your suggestions. I did the simplest thing which was to swap out the HDMI for Component Video (the HR21 won't let me use 1080p over HDMI with the Philips TV anyway, so no loss there). I was fearful that D* would have already disabled analog outputs for VOD and DTV Cinema by now. I'm happy that's not the case yet (but Hollywood *will* have their way, eventually).


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## lwilli201 (Dec 22, 2006)

Welcome to DBSTalk.com. Not sure why the experts round here have not chimed in on your problem. The only thing I know about HDMI cables is that they have evolved with different versions. (1.0 through 1.4) If you have an old HDMI cable it may not work properly.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HDMI_cable#Cable

This article explains the differences in the different versions of HDMI cables.

Good luck.


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## naijai (Aug 19, 2006)

The reason you get that message is due to HDCP requirements. If you get that message it means your tv is not HDCP compatible and you will have to watch the PPV using Component cables. If your tv is HDCP compliant then i would say it due to HDMI compatibility


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

Any HDMI cable will work as long as it isn't broken.

naijai hit the nail on the head. Even if the Philips TV supports HDCP, it may do so in a way that isn't recognized by the DVR. Samsung TVs used to be quite famous for this problem.

It is unlikely that the OP's TV doesn't support HDCP.


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## beetzme (Oct 7, 2008)

I think the HDCP version may be the issue. The TV is stuck with whatever features Philips shipped it with. The DVR is software upgradable to follow whatever new DRM scheme Hollywood dreams up. Sucks to be anyone in my position I guess.

I wonder if newer HDMI Dolby/Dbx receivers have the ability to solve this problem by communicating with the DVR at the higher HDCP version and the TV at the lower one. I think I'll try it out and let you know. Cheaper than buying a new TV!

Thanks for all your suggestions!


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

beetzme said:


> I wonder if newer HDMI Dolby/Dbx receivers have the ability to solve this problem by communicating with the DVR at the higher HDCP version and the TV at the lower one.


Relay devices aren't able to speak for the display. Since part of the negotiation is an encryption key, it wouldn't do any good for the AVR to speak for the TV.

Don't be so sure that the TV isn't upgradeable. It may not be user upgradeable but that doesn't mean it can't be flashed.

There aren't "newer versions" of HDCP. There's just bad implementations that may (or may not) be worked around by the sending device.


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