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Anyone have problems with Directv and HDMI?

post #1 of 8
6/13/08 at 3:05pm
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I just had Directv out to set me with HD and HD DVR and the installer said that I may have to use component cables instead of HDMI because they have been having problems with some of the HDMI connections losing sound and or picture. Anyone else heard of this? I really want to use HDMI for the best picture quality, and I just bought a new HDMI cable for it. I can't try it out yet because my new Panasonic that was delivered today came in cracked!
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post #2 of 8
6/13/08 at 3:18pm
Be specific. What is the model number of your DirecTV unit?
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post #3 of 8
6/13/08 at 4:20pm
Sometimes it is the case that there are HDMI compatibility issues with DirecTV receivers, and with pretty much any HDMI device for that matter. I connect D* receivers to HDTVs every week, and haven't had an HDMI issue for the better part of a year. Most of the problems were with older Sanyo sets and some Westinghouse models. Anything you've bought recently should be fine, and I don't think I ever had any problems with Panasonic and HDMI anyway.
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post #4 of 8
6/13/08 at 6:14pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ken H View Post

Be specific. What is the model number of your DirecTV unit?

It is the HR 21 DVR but I have not been able to try the HDMI yet, I am going by what the installer told me. He said Directv has been aware of it for a couple months now and is looking into the problem.
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post #5 of 8
6/13/08 at 6:59pm
The "handshake" issue is not an uncommon problem between receivers and TV sets. Some are more prone to it than others. I use component probably as much or more than HDMI. I doubt if you will be able to tell any difference in PQ between the two, at least that has been my experience.
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post #6 of 8
6/14/08 at 8:19am
Quote:
Originally Posted by curtmich View Post

It is the HR 21 DVR but I have not been able to try the HDMI yet, I am going by what the installer told me. He said Directv has been aware of it for a couple months now and is looking into the problem.

I have the HR 21 DVR and every once in a while (once - twice a day maybe) the picture goes out for 1 second. I've noticed the problem running the HTPC as well. So it could be a cable problem, receiver problem, or TV problem -- not necessarily D* problem. Bottomline is component looks great. Hook it up both ways. If you can't see any difference go with component. If you can see a difference try the HDMI and see if you have any problems.
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post #7 of 8
6/14/08 at 8:25am
From time to time there are issues with DirecTv boxes and certain models of TV. Some of those get fixed by new DirecTV firmware, some by new firmware in the TV. This is nothing that DirecTV "has been aware of for a couple of months" nor is it something that "DirecTv is looking into", it's just an issue that comes up occasionally. Other set top box providers (including cable) see these problems occasionally as well. I haven't seen anything posted about Panasonic recently but with so many new models of TV appearing all the time you never know when someone is going to use an HMMI chip with incompatibilities.
Component video should be just as good as HDMI by the way - and I hope you did not buy an expensive HDMI cable by the way, they are just a rip-off. You will not get any better picture quality with a 6ft cable that costs you $100 than you get with the one the DirecTv installers use. If you need to buy your own cables, go to monoprice or bluejeanscable.
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post #8 of 8
6/14/08 at 8:37am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by texasbrit View Post

From time to time there are issues with DirecTv boxes and certain models of TV. Some of those get fixed by new DirecTV firmware, some by new firmware in the TV. This is nothing that DirecTV "has been aware of for a couple of months" nor is it something that "DirecTv is looking into", it's just an issue that comes up occasionally. Other set top box providers (including cable) see these problems occasionally as well. I haven't seen anything posted about Panasonic recently but with so many new models of TV appearing all the time you never know when someone is going to use an HMMI chip with incompatibilities.
Component video should be just as good as HDMI by the way - and I hope you did not buy an expensive HDMI cable by the way, they are just a rip-off. You will not get any better picture quality with a 6ft cable that costs you $100 than you get with the one the DirecTv installers use. If you need to buy your own cables, go to monoprice or bluejeanscable.


I actually did buy my cables from Monoprice.....great cables too. I worked in electronics for years and I know that the "high end" cables are a rip off, I felt guilty when I had to sell them. The handshake issue is what the installer told me about. Thanks for the info, I will try the HDMI first.
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