MC1 Processor freezes intermittently

[qualityaudio]

I have been enjoying my MC1 processor for about a year now, but in the last few weeks it's developed a problem where it freezes. This happens while it's playing, independent of source, and I only know it has happened when i try to change anything on it such as input or volume and it doesn't respond. It doesn't matter whether I'm trying to control it with the remote or with the front panel controls. It just keeps doing whatever it was doing, and the only way to restore it is to power down using the main power switch on the back. Then it's fine for a few days until it happens again. I always put the unit in standby when it's not in use. 

Prior to this I had some issues where the TV would intermittently lose it's connection to the processor ("No Signal") and rebooting everything may or may not resolve it, but then I changed the HDMI cable between them and this problem went away. Can't be sure if these two issues are related. 

Has anyone else reported this and what was the resolution? I've checked for a firmware upgrade but none appear to be available at this time. 

[novisnick]

Im not sure whats going on with your system but for a starter are you using a hi quality HDMI cable?
Secondly, have you contacted Emotiva.
Good luck.

[405x5]

Dec 24, 2023 20:11:39 GMT -5 qualityaudio said:

I have been enjoying my MC1 processor for about a year now, but in the last few weeks it's developed a problem where it freezes. This happens while it's playing, independent of source, and I only know it has happened when i try to change anything on it such as input or volume and it doesn't respond. It doesn't matter whether I'm trying to control it with the remote or with the front panel controls. It just keeps doing whatever it was doing, and the only way to restore it is to power down using the main power switch on the back. Then it's fine for a few days until it happens again. I always put the unit in standby when it's not in use. 

Prior to this I had some issues where the TV would intermittently lose it's connection to the processor ("No Signal") and rebooting everything may or may not resolve it, but then I changed the HDMI cable between them and this problem went away. Can't be sure if these two issues are related. 

Has anyone else reported this and what was the resolution? I've checked for a firmware upgrade but none appear to be available at this time. 

ITS CHRISTMAS 🤶 🎄 🎅 (everything freezes) SORRY I couldn’t resist….hope it’s an easy fix!

[qualityaudio]

I replaced the cable between the processor and TV with one rated for 4K 60Hz, which resolved the problem I was having with the TV losing connection to the processor, so I'm not sure what capabilities the cable would need beyond that. The cable I replaced had the same capabilities, or so the manufacturer claimed, and that problem developed nearly a year after first using it, so who knows what's going on there. If it turns out to be the cable, then I say it proves that some of these cable manufacturers aren't delivering what you pay for. The cable I'm using now is not long enough to hide so I'll be replacing that shortly anyway. If there's something else I need to look for in a cable please let me know. I'm confident that the cables I'm using on my disk player and streamer are sufficient since this problem developed long after they were put into use. 

I see Emotiva staff often respond to posts here, but I'll contact them directly once I've eliminated all but the processor as the culprit. 

[KeithL]

Hi... about HDMI cables...

First off, yes, cable manufacturers tend to be quite... err... optimistic... about HDMI cables.

The first thing to get out of the way is to note that, with HDMI cables, it is the total length of the cable between the source and the monitor that counts.
So, if you have a long cable between your processor or AVR and your monitor or projector, AND long cables between your AVR or processor and your sources, they get added together.
That said, most folks have pretty short cables between their sources and their processor, so this is not an issue.

It's also true that both extra cable length, and extra active components in the signal path, can make life more complicated.
So, if your Blu-Ray works when it's connected straight to the cable going to that projector across the room...
When you add a processor or AVR, you are adding another cable, another device, and two more connectors, to the signal path.
And this does make the details of that one long wire somewhat more critical.

The next thing worth mentioning is that 4k is a LOT more particular than 1080p ("HD").
For really short cables, in the six foot range, it's not all that critical, although you're probably STILL better off making sure to use "4k rated" cables.
For anything longer than that you really should be using 4k cables for 4k video...
In general a good quality passive cable rated for 4k should work OK up to about 20 feet or so...
However, for anything much over 20 or 25 feet, you're better off with a powered optical cable...
Yes, you can buy 4k cables rated for fifty feet or longer...
And, yes, some of them will work, with some equipment, sometimes quite well...
And yes, that's even more likely to be true with a passive cable that says it's rated for 8k...

BUT, FROM OUR EXPERIENCE, IF YOU PLAN TO GO MUCH OVER 20 FEET, WITH 4k, YOU ARE BETTER OFF USING A POWERED OPTICAL CABLE.

Please note that we're NOT saying that, if you have a 35 foot "4k cable" in your wall, it isn't going to work...
What we're saying is that, if you have a cable that's 20 feet or longer, and you're having problems, there's a good chance that a better cable will make your problems go away...
We do NOT recommend buying expensive passive cables (because we haven't seen any proof that they work better than good cheap ones).
Around here we usually use powered optical cables made by a company named RUIPRO...
They're one of the cheapest brands of powered optical cables on Amazon... and we usually buy the "8k" ones...
(They cost about $5 more than the equivalent "4k" ones and seem to be a bit more consistently good.)

Note that, with optical cables, you DO need to be a bit more careful about not walking on them, or slamming them in doors, or otherwise bending them too sharply.
However, in case you weren't aware of it, you should also avoid sharp bends and kinks with passive HDMI cables, because they CAN affect signal quality there too.
And cables can deteriorate over time... or get bad connections... especially right near where the cable enters the connector.

Dec 26, 2023 9:54:45 GMT -5 qualityaudio said:

I replaced the cable between the processor and TV with one rated for 4K 60Hz, which resolved the problem I was having with the TV losing connection to the processor, so I'm not sure what capabilities the cable would need beyond that. The cable I replaced had the same capabilities, or so the manufacturer claimed, and that problem developed nearly a year after first using it, so who knows what's going on there. If it turns out to be the cable, then I say it proves that some of these cable manufacturers aren't delivering what you pay for. The cable I'm using now is not long enough to hide so I'll be replacing that shortly anyway. If there's something else I need to look for in a cable please let me know. I'm confident that the cables I'm using on my disk player and streamer are sufficient since this problem developed long after they were put into use. 

I see Emotiva staff often respond to posts here, but I'll contact them directly once I've eliminated all but the processor as the culprit. 

[qualityaudio]

Thanks Keith. Lot's of good information here. Cable length might be my problem The run from my processor to TV is about 25 feet, plus another three for the source interconnects. What blew my mind here was learning that there is such a thing as optical HDMI cables. In all of the searches I've done for long HDMI cables, not once did I get a hit on optical cables. Now I have a whole new thing to learn about and try.

Companies marketing conventional HDMI cables should be required to include a warning on everything over 25 feet that they may not be able to deliver all of the performance advertised. Seems many consumers aren't getting what they are paying for.

Thanks again for the post.

[qualityaudio]

Following Keith's advice, I picked up a 25 ft optical HDMI cable from Blue Rigger, about $35, and after about three weeks of flawless service, I'm ready to say this has solved the problem, touch wood. It also seems to have fixed a problem with my Apple TV device that would frequently pause when playing music for no apparent reason. So happy nothing is wrong with any of my hardware!