HDMI question

The Coffee Shop
1

So I now have Verizon and Vizio tech support pointing fingers at each other. The issue is that my set-top box keeps resetting its output from 1080i to 720p every time I turn off the TV. This is over an HDMI connection. There seems to be nothing on the TV that I can access to tell it to configure for 1080i. There is a setting on the set-top box where I can configure the output to 1080i, which I do. Turning off the set-top box doesn’t change the setting; turning off the TV resets it to 720p. Verizon says that there is some auto-config over the HDMI connection that causes the change; Vizio says there’s nothing on the TV that can do this. I don’t know enough about HDMI to understand what’s really going on. I’m just tired of resetting it every time I turn on the TV.

Any insight?

2

That seems weird. I’m no techy guru but how would the TV power effect the STB’s settings? Have you tried keeping the box on with it set at 1080 and turning the TV off (with the box left on)? If so, what happens?

A quick Google search did not give much results but it seems Vizio’s have a history of wonky HDMI problems.

Hope you figure it out. I know how frustrating these home entertainment tech issues can get!

3

Motorolla box? If so, you turn the box off…hit setup (it will be in 4x3 mode and 75ohm Coax only). You change the setting - turn the box back on and it sticks.

I can get you screen shots if need be - presuming it is Motorolla

4

Change your HDMI cable and see it that corrects the problem. A shorter cable or higher quality one would be better.

The way it works is very simple. Each TV or monitor has a 256 byte memory chip that the cable box or DVD player reads on startup. This memory chip contains all the information about the capabilities of the TV or monitor. It has information such as the display type it can handle (1080p,1080i,720p,576p,480p or 480i), color information, sound information (stereo, DTS, or Dolby). After the cable box or DVD player turns on, it is suppose to default to the maximum rate that the display can handle.

Usually this data exchange is more trouble than the picture information sent over the cable itself. Cables the are capacitance challenged can create issues with this data exchange way before the actual picture will suffer.

From what you stated, I would say possible bad cable, possible bad cable box, then possible bad TV. I would think that for some reason, the cable box cannot read the memory information from the TV and is defaulting to 720p. You can also try different HDMI input and verify the cable/HDMI input with a HDMI DVD player (Blu Ray or upscaling DVD player).

5

Change your HDMI cable and see it that corrects the problem. A shorter cable or higher quality one would be better.

The way it works is very simple. Each TV or monitor has a 256 byte memory chip that the cable box or DVD player reads on startup. This memory chip contains all the information about the capabilities of the TV or monitor. It has information such as the display type it can handle (1080p,1080i,720p,576p,480p or 480i), color information, sound information (stereo, DTS, or Dolby). After the cable box or DVD player turns on, it is suppose to default to the maximum rate that the display can handle.

Usually this data exchange is more trouble than the picture information sent over the cable itself. Cables the are capacitance challenged can create issues with this data exchange way before the actual picture will suffer.

From what you stated, I would say possible bad cable, possible bad cable box, then possible bad TV. I would think that for some reason, the cable box cannot read the memory information from the TV and is defaulting to 720p. You can also try different HDMI input and verify the cable/HDMI input with a HDMI DVD player (Blu Ray or upscaling DVD player).

Three different cables, two HDMI ports on the TV, two set-top boxes (Motorola/Verizon), and still it comes up 720p. If I set it to 1080i via the STB and turn off the STB, when I turn it back on it is set to 1080i. If I turn off the TV, when I turn it back on it is set to 720p. When I switch to my up-converting DVD player, the TV says it is 1080p.

I must say that when today I first switched to the second HDMI port, the TV instantly (I mean within a second or two, as opposed to the usual 5 seconds or so) came up 1080i. It never did again, unfortunately.

Here’s the email I got from Vizio:

As the TV is just receiving the signal, it displays the resolution received from your device; the resolutions are supplied by your Cable Company or satellite,
You need to change the resolution on your device not the TV set.
For example, if you are watching HD, you should adjust the resolution on your DVD player.

  1. Press and release the Wide button on the television to set the aspect ratio to 16.9 or wide
  2. Contact your content provider and have them reflash the firmware on your box
  3. Have them walk you through setting up your Set Top Box to output to a 16.9 format and the 4.3 override

I’m not sure what the aspect ratio has to do with the resolution…

6

I had the same thing man. It is a setting in the cable box, but not in the main menu - you have to get there with the system off.

Check out page 17 if this pdf

http://www.motorola.com/staticfiles/Business/Products/TV%20Video%20Distribution/Set-tops/QAM%20Set-tops/Digital-Analog%20QAM%20Set-tops/DCT6200/_Documents/Static%20Files/DCT_6200_Series_User_Manual_New.pdf?localeId=33

7

I would say that the problem is with the STB. When the STB reads the contents of the memory from the TV, it does not understand the 1080i parameters of the TV. It does recognize the 720p parameters so it sets the output to that format. When you set the output rate manually throught the STB, you are overriding the setting that STB defaulted to.

The issue most likely is with the STB. You might try calling the STB manufacturer to see if they are aware of the incompatability issue. Other than that, you would need to get a product called an EDID Minder which is designed to override the TV’s memory content. I am not sure which company makes it.

The product that I manage currently has this EDID Minder feature in it for that exact problem that you are having. Unfortunately, it is a little expensive to correct your problem.

Another option would be to use the component output jacks. The signal would be analog, and you might not notice any difference. It may be worth a try. On the component output, the user has full control of the output format.

8

That really wouldn’t be worth it. The current situation means that I have to take the extra :15 to set the output to 1080i whenever I turn on the TV. The wife doesn’t seem to notice if it’s 720p.

I looked at the Motorola manual for my STB (QIP 6412 or whatever). It says to turn on the TV and turn off the STB, then hit “Menu” on the STB, which should bring up the control settings. It doesn’t: I get nothing on the TV. Go figure.