HD200 Woes - Fixed: Cable Issue

[ptaylor]

Fixed! Final Update:
Well, I can hardly believe it, but it appears that the DVI end of my HDMI -> DVI cable not screwed in tightly was the problem. Running out of options, I screwed it in (after my previous update questioning whether 720P rides on different pins than 1080i) and was shocked that it started working. I'm guessing that they probably don't actually run on different pins, but perhaps the video signal for the SageTV logo is sent out all outputs, whether anything in detected there or not. I'm guessing that with the cable not tight, perhaps a slight jar loosened it to the point that it was no longer detecting a device there, so it sent the output at bootup time, but then determined nothing was there, so it stopped sending it?

Anyhow, that's as much sense as I can make of this. Moral of the story: Always tighten your video cables all the way down, even if you are testing a new device!

Update:
I did some more playing around this morning while waiting for a reply from Sage's support. When I attached the HD200 via the Component input (that was being used by my AppleTV), it came back to life. It appears that after the initial bootup when the SageTV logo shows, the HDMI output stops working. I've made sure the HD200 was set to HDMI, but it doesn't matter.
Component continues to work, but HDMI doesn't. In my case, I use an HDMI to DVI cable to attach to my TV (since it was made before HDMI was in widespread use, I suppose). I know the cable is good because it does show up with the SageTV logo after initially applying power. Unless 720P rides on different pins than 1080i.. (Sounds dumb, but I don't know??)

Original post:
My HD200 came in yesterday. I hooked it up, followed the directions, and it worked great. Tonight, I loaded PlayOn on the machine that my HD200 replaced to see how Hulu looked through it. I was happy to see that it looked almost as good as broadcast quality and it was very crisp and fluid.

While looking at Hulu, I saw the option of Sage to "Copy to library" and selected it, for the fun of it. It asked me where to save it and I selected a folder on my ReadyNAS. I had somewhere to go, so when the completion counter started slowly counting up 1% at a time (with a good while between), I left. It finished a while after I returned, and gave an error. I browsed to the folder that I had selected and saw the file there, but it wouldn't play when I tried. I ended up turning it off and on via the remote, I believe. The unit restarted and I ended up at the normal starting point. I went to PlayOn again, but it hung. I noted that my Windows server had periods where the PlayOn process was taking 100% of the processor. I killed it and restarted it, and it seemed good again. (Perhaps it didn't like me trying the "copy" operation..??)

Anyhow, I powered the HD200 off again via the power button on the remote. Strange things started happening. The red light would come on, but I'd get no video. I hit power again, the red light would go off. I hit power again, it did NOT come back on.

Since the normal things weren't working, I pulled the power connector from the back of the HD200, then plugged it back in. A bit later, I was greeted with the large SageTV logo in 1920 x 1080 (not my selected resolution of 720p). I waited, only to have the screen go blank seconds later. I expected it to come back in 720p, but it didn't. I waited and waited, but it didn't do much of anything. The only odd thing I noticed was that it seemed really busy on the Network connection. This lasted a few minutes, then it also stopped. I was wondering if it was performing some sort of auto-repair or something, but hitting the power button on the remote still gave me unusual results. Unplugged/replugged again, but still getting the large SageTV logo, then the process seems to repeat itself. I've taken a trace on my router and see that it isn't communicating outside of the local network. From what I can tell, it's communicating to my ReadyNAS, so perhaps it is scanning my media directories.. (Rescans Imported directories on startup, perhaps?)

Anyhow, after the SageTV logo goes away and I wait a bit longer, I've tried hitting the Video Output button many times, waiting several seconds in between each press, but I still get no video. I've tried to follow the "Delete" process to clear my settings, but that doesn't seem to work either.

Any advice?

Thanks,
Paul

[ojosch]

Did you update the firmware?

[ptaylor]

Yes, I did that the night it came in. Before the update, the video was showing up with various shades of purple instead of the normal Sage blue, but after the upgrade, everything looked like the screenshots I had seen.

At this point, I can't get any video except the large SageTV logo at 1920x1080.

[ptaylor]

Updated original post - Issue fixed... Leaving here for posterity in case anyone else runs into this issue.

[devodl]

I have connected my HD200 to an LCD monitor with a HDMI to DVI-D cable/adapter and although the initial SageTV logo displays (low res?) once the HD200 initializes I no longer see a display via HDMI/DVI-D. I suspect that this may be due to the HDMI==> DVI-D adapter I am using since it is a single link adapter and it is missing the middle pins (4,5,12,13,20,21). My adapter is HDMI female to DVI-D 18+1 male. My LCD monitor has a DVI-D 24+1 female connector and supports HDCP.

My understanding of the nomenclature is that 18+1 means 18 digital pins with one flat analog ground pin on one side and 24+1 means 24 digital pins with one flat analog pin. You can learn more about the DVI connectors at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DVI-D It appears that the 6 center pins (missing from my adapter) are for the second data link (RGB signals).

Questions
What are you using for the display (you called it a TV)? Is it a TV or an LCD with DVI-D/HDCP? Is the connector DVI-D 24+1 female?
What HDMI/DVI-D cable are you using? Is it HDMI male to DVI-D 24+1 male?

Your answers to these questions would be appreciated.

[ptaylor]

Originally Posted by devodl

Questions
What are you using for the display (you called it a TV)? Is it a TV or an LCD with DVI-D/HDCP? Is the connector DVI-D 24+1 female?
What HDMI/DVI-D cable are you using? Is it HDMI male to DVI-D 24+1 male?

That does sound similar to my experience.

I'm not at home now, so I can't check the connector at the moment, but the TV is this one:

http://www.amazon.com/ViewSonic-27-I.../dp/B0007CYAAC

It's a ViewSonic 27 inch LCD TV (only 720p, but who needs more in a 27 inch TV). I didn't think it had HDCP, as I bought it about 3-4 years ago, but according to the Amazon listing, it does. The manual (linked there on the Amazon page) is there and may go into more detail.

The cable I have is this one:

http://www.amazon.com/Xtremehd-2M-HD...13290&sr=1-109

It's an XtremeHD cable. I bought it from the Apple store last year when I bought an AppleTV. (I'm using component for it now, though)

As I said in my post, I too would get the initial SageTV logo, then nothing. I believe the HD200 sends a video signal on bootup out all available video ports, but with HDMI, I believe it can tell if anything is attached or not. It didn't see anything there once it checked, so it stopped delivering anything out that interface. I ended up swapping the component cables to my HD200 and everything worked fine, but then my AppleTV didn't have any video at all. Further experimentation turned up the loose connector.

[ptaylor]

Oh - Just noticed this on the Amazon listing for the cable, after hitting the "more tech specs" link:

18 pin digital DVI (Single-Link)

So, it sounds like it's the 18+1 that you mentioned.

[electronics4lif]

Originally Posted by devodl

I have connected my HD200 to an LCD monitor with a HDMI to DVI-D cable/adapter and although the initial SageTV logo displays (low res?) once the HD200 initializes I no longer see a display via HDMI/DVI-D. I suspect that this may be due to the HDMI==> DVI-D adapter I am using since it is a single link adapter and it is missing the middle pins (4,5,12,13,20,21). My adapter is HDMI female to DVI-D 18+1 male. My LCD monitor has a DVI-D 24+1 female connector and supports HDCP.

My understanding of the nomenclature is that 18+1 means 18 digital pins with one flat analog ground pin on one side and 24+1 means 24 digital pins with one flat analog pin. You can learn more about the DVI connectors at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DVI-D It appears that the 6 center pins (missing from my adapter) are for the second data link (RGB signals).

Questions
What are you using for the display (you called it a TV)? Is it a TV or an LCD with DVI-D/HDCP? Is the connector DVI-D 24+1 female?
What HDMI/DVI-D cable are you using? Is it HDMI male to DVI-D 24+1 male?

Your answers to these questions would be appreciated.

I think you might be on to something. I have same problem when using a HDMI to DVI-D adapter going to a projector. My adapter is also of the single link variety. I am currently researching to see if a dual link version is available.

[Peter_h]

Originally Posted by electronics4lif

I think you might be on to something. I have same problem when using a HDMI to DVI-D adapter going to a projector. My adapter is also of the single link variety. I am currently researching to see if a dual link version is available.

FYI: If you are looking for an HDMI to DVI-dual link, you won't find it. By definition, it doesn't exist. HDMI is an all digital signal, DVI-dual link is analog and digital. Therefore an HDMI to DVI dual link does not exist. That is why you only see HDMI (digital) to DVI-D (digital). That is also why the middle pins (RGB) are missing. Those are for an analog signal.

[devodl]

Peter, et. al.
I picked up a HDMI to DVI-D 24+1 adapter on my way home from work yesterday. Unfortunately it did not solve my HD200 to LCD monitor problem. No signal after boot screen.

Then I tested using the HD200 set to 480p connected to a different DVI-D monitor and it reported "Signal out of Range". I spent some time reading wikipedia and several forums where others tried the same approach (i.e. HDMI to low cost LCD that does WGXA+ 1440x900 with DVI-D/HDCP). Even though my LCD does WGXA+ the scan frequency may not be appropriate.

My conclusion: I need an LCD monitor that has HDMI input and states that it supports 1080p.
Sigh...

Steve

[gplasky]

Originally Posted by devodl

Peter, et. al.
I picked up a HDMI to DVI-D 24+1 adapter on my way home from work yesterday. Unfortunately it did not solve my HD200 to LCD monitor problem. No signal after boot screen.

Then I tested using the HD200 set to 480p connected to a different DVI-D monitor and it reported "Signal out of Range". I spent some time reading wikipedia and several forums where others tried the same approach (i.e. HDMI to low cost LCD that does WGXA+ 1440x900 with DVI-D/HDCP). Even though my LCD does WGXA+ the scan frequency may not be appropriate.

My conclusion: I need an LCD monitor that has HDMI input and states that it supports 1080p.
Sigh...

Steve

Try this. Get the HD-200 remote and cycle thru with the Video Out button until you get your screen.

Gerry

[troll5501]

I'm having the same problem with the HD200 when using an HDMI<->DVI cable. I get the Sage logo when the extender is powered on, then my TV goes into "no signal" mode.

Interestingly, this does *not* happen with the HD100 and it works perfectly fine with the same TV and cable. Could there be some problem with the way the HD200 is trying to detect a device on the HDMI port?

As suggested I've tried tightening the cable and I cycled through the video modes with the remote but no luck. I know the extender is working because I also connected a CRT to the S-video port to verify.

[gplasky]

When you cycled thru did you give your monitor enough time to sync with it? Did you try one cycle and then maybe turn the monitor on and off to see if it can sync that way? Make sure to remove the power cable and plug it back in before starting.

Gerry

[Target]

Has anyone solved this? I just got a new Dell 23 inch monitor. Didn't figure there would be a problem as the monitor was designed to take an HD signal (though no HDMI port). Hooked it up, and I'm getting the same problem as everyone else. Any suggestions? Did someone say the HD100 works? I have one of each, and can swap them out for now. Any hope of a fix coming?

Target

[_Demo_]

Originally Posted by Target

Has anyone solved this? I just got a new Dell 23 inch monitor. Didn't figure there would be a problem as the monitor was designed to take an HD signal (though no HDMI port). Hooked it up, and I'm getting the same problem as everyone else. Any suggestions? Did someone say the HD100 works? I have one of each, and can swap them out for now. Any hope of a fix coming?

Target

Have you tried the Force HDMI Display Mode option?

_Demo_

[Target]

Well I can't get the screen working to try that. I can bring it out to another TV and do it there. Will the setting hold after being transported?

Target

[_Demo_]

Originally Posted by Target

Well I can't get the screen working to try that. I can bring it out to another TV and do it there. Will the setting hold after being transported?

Target

Yes, that's fine you should be able to use svideo or composite connection to set it on another TV.

_Demo_

[Target]

Will do it Thursday and report back.

Target

[Target]

I hooked the extender up to another TV, but there was no force HDMI mode. Where would this be found? Can I get a confirmation that the HDMI to DVI cable works with the old extender? I can swap them out if absolutely necessary.

Target

[Target]

Well, I can confirm that the old HD 100 works no porblem with HDMI to DVI. Any reason the new one is having a problem?

Target