Intermittent Audio/Video Dropout Through HDMI

[The History Kid]

Mods, if this is not the appropriate forum, can you please move it?

So there's a bit of story here, and I want to be sure I cover all of it.

My setup (relevant to this issue) consists of an Emotiva Fusion 8100, four video devices (an Oppo BDP, a mini-desktop computer, a PS3 and a PS4), and now an LG 4K TV.

The beginning of this tale takes us back to late January, where I started noticing issues with my aging Sony Bravia LED TV. It was having some serious internal programming issues, and I was having difficulties running multiple sources through it. There would be times that it would insist that there was no antenna nor the Fusion hooked up to it. It'd do the same thing for the PS2 on the component inputs. Nothing.

It is worth noting, however, that when the TV itself worked, all of the sources worked wonderfully. The Fusion would switch between the sources and generally there were no issues coming from the video end.

With that TV causing issues though, I decided it was time to upgrade and (reluctantly) did so to the LG 4K TV that I have now - which I got at factory price.

I actually don't mind this TV, it's nice, sleek, responds well and has good picture......but something does not like it. Somewhere in this upgrade, my PS3 has decided it no longer likes being passed thru the Fusion. I can boot the PS3 and it will operate fine...for about two minutes. After two minutes or so, the screen will cut out at intermittent intervals, and so will the audio. Sometimes this interval is 5 seconds, sometimes it's more like 20. It does this regardless of whether or not it's plugged into HDMI 1, 2, 3, or 4, and regardless of wire. HOWEVER, when the PS3 is directly connected to the TV, it responds fine. The PS4 works fine through the Fusion, as does the Oppo an the computer, there are absolutely no issues.

It is only the PS3 that has the issue with the Fusion, and it's only since the screen changed. Why? Does anyone have any idea what could have caused this? I'd say it's a faulty PS3, but if it's working on a direct line to the TV, that surely can't be the case. I'd say it was the Fusion, but other sources work in HDMI 1 (where I had the PS3 plugged in), and so do the rest of the inputs. I'd say it's the TV, but if it was, I'd think there'd be a handshaking issue when the Fusion input was selected, or even when the PS3 input was selected.

Any thoughts, anyone?

[teaman]

I have not heard good things about the LG televisions, not saying that is what it is....just saying. Two different guys in my place working on appliances inquired about my Panasonic plasmas because they thought the picture looked fantastic. They both came back with "Good to see you never bought an LG, they are junk". Now I have seen quite a few people in the forums that own LG screens and love them so I can't say anything from personal experience, but I did find it odd that two repair guys from two different companies at two different times mentioned the same thing.

I know with my Sherbourn set ups I have the 2-5 second audio drop outs when a 2.0 commercial comes on while watching a 5.1 decoded show or movie but that has to do with my Xfinity cable boxes. They have done that all along and some drop out more than others. That's the part that sucks about trying to get everything to market before your competition....sometimes the bugs are not out of everything.


Tim

[The History Kid]

See, and this TV came from a company that does installs and endorses LG and Vizio out the wazoo. I'm sure there's a manufacture incentive for both of the parties we've spoken to, just which is more remains to be known. That being said, I can't imagine what'd cause this. I can only think there's some special setting on the PS3 that's out of whack, but I've even initialized the thing with no luck. It's frustrating.

[The History Kid]

Some more troubleshooting turned up that if the PS3 runs with 2 channels active (that is, via HDMI with no 5.1, or 7.1 formats) the issue does not occur. This leads me to believe further it might be a setting on the PS3...I'm still open to ideas?

[leonski]

Jun 9, 2017 1:34:42 GMT -5 teaman said:

I have not heard good things about the LG televisions, not saying that is what it is....just saying. Two different guys in my place working on appliances inquired about my Panasonic plasmas because they thought the picture looked fantastic. They both came back with "Good to see you never bought an LG, they are junk". Now I have seen quite a few people in the forums that own LG screens and love them so I can't say anything from personal experience, but I did find it odd that two repair guys from two different companies at two different times mentioned the same thing.

I know with my Sherbourn set ups I have the 2-5 second audio drop outs when a 2.0 commercial comes on while watching a 5.1 decoded show or movie but that has to do with my Xfinity cable boxes. They have done that all along and some drop out more than others. That's the part that sucks about trying to get everything to market before your competition....sometimes the bugs are not out of everything.


Tim

Not that it proves anything, but my brothers 6 or so year old LG Plasma is flawless with a fairly good picture with few motion artifacts.      He has left the picture mostly un-adjusted and as issued I have no complaints.    My S30 Panasonic plasma, a few years older has some problems I need to diagnose down to stuff like is it input or specific cable related.
My current B6 LG OLED is perfect.  Or nearly so.    PS3 is directly connected with optical sound thru an external DAC.   Older 722k DishNetwork receiver is fine as well, as is my SONY NEX-7 camera when playing back 1080 recorded in-camera.    The last looks better than ANY broadcast 1080 I've yet seen.  No compression, I think.

All that being said?    Could the OPs problem be some kind of HDMI handshake or compatibility issue?    I know they have revised the 'standard' a few times, and maybe the copy protection stuff is a little 'iffy'?    The pre-pro?  Does it have an update available to try?    Would or COULD that help?  

Does the PS3 have the Latest software installed?    How about the TV?     

And yeah, first to market sometimes isn't the best but later comes back to 'bite' you where you sit.  

The OP's last post, right above, leads me to believe it IS an HDMI handshake issue.         I haven't the slightest idea of a 'cure'.  

[Gary Cook]

Hand shaking issues through a processor are generally audio, not so much video. So my first guess would be cables, try swapping them around, a lot, every combination. Next I'd try different HDMI inputs in the processor. Lastly since it's a 4K TV, the processor and the PS3 are all very different vintages of HDMI/HDCP which is really asking for problems. You may well have to compromise and run audio to the processor and video direct to the TV, which may necessitate a HDMI splitter on the output of the PS3.

Cheers
Gary

[leonski]

PS3 has optical out, which is the way I run it. HDMI direct to the TV. I CAN take an optical feed FROM the TV to a DAC, in this case a Cambridge Audio DACMagic+ which works just fine.
DAC Magic to the preamp is also LOUDER by what must be 6db when switching to the same audio feed thru another input.

I also have everything set for PCM only, since I'm not a HT guy. The Non-Help at Dish initially told me some wrong information and the sound on HD Movie channels would mute. Once I set
the receiver (722k) up for PCM only, problem solved.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HDMI#Version_comparison

Link is to the HDMI Comparison Chart Wiki. Good luck figuring THAT mess out! We are apparently up to Version 2.1 but most are 2.0 at the 'latest'.

[The History Kid]

I wanted to get back to update everyone on this - I've been away dealing with getting a new job and such, so things have been hectic.

Stereo through HDMI is where I've left things for now. I've had the PS3 send Stereo through HDMI, and then have the Fusion 8100 use Pro Logic IIx to compensate for the surround. I am only using this as a temporary fix until I get to my new place, and have a chance to set things up differently. Considering that most of the soundtracks on the PS3 - at least what I have - do not have any of the HD audio formats (Dolby Digital is the standard), TOSLINK seems practical going forward.