I’m having a frustrating problem with my Pioneer PDP-5080HD.

My setup: The television, a Scientific Atlanta Explorer 8300HDC HD/DVR cable box and a three-foot HDMI cable (from Blue Jeans Cable) going from the HDMI output on the cable box into Input 4 on the television.

The problem: Whenever I switch from a high-definition channel to a standard definition channel, there is a delay and tons of green lines flicker on the screen as the television searches for what I think is the correct size for the channel just switched to. Eventually, when the TV is done, the display in the upper-right hand corner eventually reads:

HDMI
480i
Dynamic
Full

Then, when I switch back to a high-definition channel, the same delay as described above happens before the screen eventually reads:

HDMI
1080i (or 720p, depending on the channel switched to)
Dynamic
Auto

Since most of those display readings make sense, I am guessing that the problem is the switch from “Full” to “Auto” and back again. A few other things:

- I called Pioneer, and they told me that the TV automatically resizes when using HDMI cable and that there was nothing I could do about this. But I find it hard to believe that everyone with a PDP-5080HD and using HDMI cable suffers through this delay. Not to mention, the flickering and green lines can’t be great for the screen.

- This delay does not happen when using component cable. It is unique to when I use HDMI.

- The cable box itself has a fairly substantial delay. At my prior residence with a different cable box (with my roommate’s HD television) the delay was shorter. I spoke with Time Warner, my provider, and was told that the box I currently have is one of the new ones which they are giving out to everyone, and acknowledged that there is more of a delay, which is apparently offset by some enhanced interactive features down the road (wasn’t really able to get a straight answer, but apparently there is no reason to have one now other than that it’s the “new” box).

- I looked at the ‘Settings’ menu on my cable box and the ‘Home Menu’ on my tv and nothing that I altered eliminates this delay.

Anyone have any thoughts? I’d really like to solve this problem. Thanks in advance.

Interesting. I don't own one but I am considering the 5080. Maybe you should post in the owner's thread instead (sticky):
The Official Pioneer 8G KURO Owner's Discussions Thread

There is a discussion above about this very thing. Sounds like it is the cable box. Since it doesn't happen with component, maybe you should just use that, you won't see any difference in the picture quality.

This is an unavoidable occurrence when a set-top-box is set to 'native'. The box and display must resynch whenever you tune from one channel of one resolution to a different one with a different resolution.

ALL TVs do this! There is nothing wrong with your Pioneer. If you want to avoid this issue, do what I do, set your box to a constant 1080i output and you'll have fast channel surfing. I've been doing it for years since I got tired of that resynching with my Fujitsus and always felt it couldn't help prolong longevity in the display.

Thanks for the replies.

Ken, what you say makes sense, but I cannot alter my output on my cable box when using a HDMI cable -- it literally says "This setting cannot be altered when using a DVI or HDMI connection." Says the same thing for Aspect Ratio. Sounds like I just need a new cable box (which is actually an "old" Time Warner box, which has less of a delay, in my experience).

ADB, there's no difference in picture quality b/w component cable and HDMI? I'm clearly a novice, but I thought there was supposed to be. What's the benefit of HDMI then?

Thanks for the replies.

ADB, there's no difference in picture quality b/w component cable and HDMI? I'm clearly a novice, but I thought there was supposed to be. What's the benefit of HDMI then?

Supposedly there is a benefit but in the real world most of us cannot tell any difference and many times the ability of Hdmi to communicate between units is a problem.

This is an unavoidable occurrence when a set-top-box is set to 'native'. The box and display must resynch whenever you tune from one channel of one resolution to a different one with a different resolution.

ALL TVs do this! There is nothing wrong with your Pioneer. If you want to avoid this issue, do what I do, set your box to a constant 1080i output and you'll have fast channel surfing. I've been doing it for years since I got tired of that resynching with my Fujitsus and always felt it couldn't help prolong longevity in the display.

Ken

The problem I have with setting it on 1080i is not being able to let the set determine the screen settings which in my experience is usually better than the stretch modes of the receivers when watching SD, which is what we watch 85% of the time.

abl54:

I have no issues switching between HD and SD channels via HDMI from an SA 3250HD cable box. It is connected to a Samsung LN-T3242H LCD display. I have a SA 8300HD DVR connected to a Pioneer 503CMX via component and have no issues there either. Channel changes between HD and SD with either cable box are almost instantaneous, perhaps 1 to 2 seconds, and there are no problems like the ones you're seeing. Perhaps there are issues with software versions or our different cable companies. Is your 8300 Passport or SARA?