Three HDMIs, each from PS3, 360, TWC box =>
Onkyo HT-R960 receiver =>
TV
For some reason (starting about 6 months ago or so), when I switch on my remote from say, “Watch TV” to “Play Xbox”, it takes a LONG time for the receiver to actually send the picture to the TV. It really only does it w/ the 360/PS3. The cable box seems fine.
What will happen is it switches to the respective input for the gaming system, then on the receiver display it’ll say “dialog: normal -5” or something like that and then immediately the picture shows up. The problem is that it is now taking the system a long time for that “dialog” part to show up. The receiver is about 2.5yrs old, and has worked perfectly before this. From what little I have read about this, it seems to be an issue between the “handshaking” from the game systems to the receiver?
If this means I need to get a new receiver, any recommendations for one that’s not really expensive? Only real requirements are 7.1 surround and at least three HDMI inputs, as well as a regular A/V input for something like the Wii.
Just sounds like the reciever is taking a bit of time to see the signal off the xbox and PS3
if everything else is working fine and its just taking a bit of time to switch inputs id just roll with it for now unless you just want a nice excuse to upgrade :lol
I have the Pioneer VSKs 1022’s little brother which is 5.1 instead of 7.1 for about 6 months now and its been great
the 1022 is about 400-500 bucks IIRC, has 6 3D ready HDMI ports 7.1 and all the bells and whistles for a Mid range reciever
if you want to spend money the money pioneers elites are pretty fucking spectacular as well.
How are Yamahas? Harmon Kardon? I was curious about Denon but was told years ago that they’re iffy by someone (so I don’t know how credible the source was).
Good to know they’re not bad.
It’s just pissing me off that if I want to watch a movie, it’s taking like 15 min for any picture to show up. Same with game stuff. I’m tempted to try to sell this for a couple hundred bucks and buying something new.
I have a yamaha surround system, I dont know the model number of the reciever off the top of my head but Ive had it for over 4 years and its been great.
Yamahas higher end receivers are quite good from what I’ve seen with a few friends having a few though I have never had one myself… Harmon Kardons are great recievers again, i only know of higher mid range higher ends that people have had im not sure about their “cheaper” recievers though harmon kardon has been in the game for years and I have not heard much bad about them.
if it is only taking a few moments it’s because the xbox and ps3 auto detect the hdmi cable each time you start up. Then it sends a signal to the tv usually whole process takes about 3-5 seconds.
Yea man… I’ll go through and turn everything on, then I’ll go take my dogs out or take a shit, sometimes both. Usually the signal will be on the TV by then, but sometimes not still. It’s a pain in the balls.
I’m sure I could run all of the HDMIs to the TV, and then only used the receiver for audio, but it kinda defeats the purpose of having a receiver, no?
I’m prolly not gonna fuck with it until I put new carpet in my living room and run new wiring for all of the surround sound since I’ll be moving shit around and re-installing stuff anyways.
HDMI cables either work or they dont, if there was a break in the connection it would not be this persistent and it would be random. Switching them around will do nothing. Its probably a bad resistor on the AV Receiver, somewhat like when one goes bad on an LCD monitor and it takes forever to power up
Start with the cheapest solutions first. Try swapping the cables out for different ones (for $0 you can try the cable that is currently plugged into the cable box). If no change, try connecting the ps3 and xbox into the input the cable box was on. So if it was cable box = hdmi1, ps2 = hdmi2, xbox = hdmi3, then plug the ps3 into hdmi1 and see if there is any improvement, then do the same with the xbox. While doing all this, try plugging the cable box into hdmi2 and hdmi3 and see it still works fine, or if the cable box starts to have the same issues as the ps3 and xbox.
Following those steps should help you figure out if its the inputs on the AVR, the cables themselves, or perhaps the outputs of the xbox and ps3.
As far as quality companies, Denon is in fact a good brand if you can get one at a good price. I’d also recommend the Pioneer Elite series of AVR’s, Yamaha has some good stuff too, Integra too (the Lexus to Onkyo’s Toyota). But again, there’s plenty you can do to troubleshoot your existing AVR before calling it quits and grabbing a new one. It’s just up to you if you want to go through the trouble, or just use this as an excuse to make some upgrades :).
BTW - I use to sell HT equipment while I was going through college. Feel free to do what you want with my advice:lol. Currently I’m rocking a Denon 2808 + 3ch Emotiva amp with some DefTech’s, but I’d like to one day get some Martin Logan’s.