Solution to HDMI @ 1080p receiver/display HDCP handshake problems

Is you screen going blank, flash white noise blocks or display a HDCP incompatibility error when you put your receiver between an HDCP source such as PS3, XBOX or Motorola DVR and your display? Does everything work fine when directly connected?

It could be an HDCP handshake problem. The receiver is not being recognised by the display as being HDCP complaint and is refusing to play.

I have found a cheap and easy solution for these kind of HDCP handshake problems. Try putting in a HDMI/HDCP compliant switch between the receiver and display. The receiver then handshakes with the switch, the switch regenerates the handshake protocol and then handshakes with the display.

It seems that the HDCP protocol is very sensitive to small deviations and will fail safe (for hollywood) by refusing to authenticate the signal if there is any doubt. Each HDCP compliant unit generates its own HDCP output code. All display manufacturers will test with the common sources such as the PS3, however they won't test will all receivers and nor will the receiver manufacturers test all display devices (some lame excuse about the number of combinations being to great). The HDCP authentication relaibility does not only seem to vary between product lines but also between units in the same line. By putting a switch in between compliant, but not authenticating, units at least you have another chance to complete the handshaking.

Believe me, this is cheaper and easier than going through the manufacturers' finger pointing tech supports who whine that it is the other guys fault and nothing to do with them - their stuff is perfect!

You may have to try various different switches until you find the right one, but that is still cheaper then junking equipment which is perfectly adequate in all other respect.

An no, I don't work for for a HDMI switch manufacturer. I have earned my living from troubleshooting IT systems since they stopped making computers out of wood and still expected them to work!

Yeah, but we could wait until hell freezes over for the manufacturers to get their acts together.

Yup, that's what I said "TRY putting.......". A $30 4x1 switch worked for me! Rock solid picture.

I guess my $30 switch uses magic pixie dust then

Seriously though - clearly something is going on in the switch that allows the two boxes to play together now, it might just be a marginal difference between them and the switch just stabilizes the handshake or it might be processing within (the switch was discounted from $90). But it is certainly worth a try if you are pulling your hair out because your $1800 receiver won't talk to your $2500 projector.

This is the switch that works for me (monoprice product id 5081):
http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2

It does not sound like the splitter as it is passing the signal to your projector.
It may be a 'non compliant' (if there is such a thing) hdmi cable, you might want to try swapping cables around to see if you can find a workable combo for the tv and identify the 'bad' one.

Clearly HDCP is a way of punishing law-abiding consumers, the pirates seem to work around it with no problems

good luck