I'm having a slightly different problem.

I am getting signal through the HDMI cable to the TV, a Sharp Aquos (46D62U). However, even after adjusting the settings on the 8300HD (appropriately, I think), I'm still getting a faded picture, no pass-through and micro-blocking on some HD channels after I've been tuned to them for a while -- in short, a much worse experience than with component cables.

Some of these problems are no doubt due to the fact that I haven't made the right adjustments on the TV. The manual, however, mystifies me.

The Sharp's HDMI setup wants to know what "signal type" the PVR is putting out. The alternatives are: RGB, YCbCr 4:4.4 and YCbCr 4:2.2.2. Anyone know what type of signal the HDMI output on the 8300 puts out?

Sharp also gives me the option of enabling or disabling "Auto View". In the manual, this is described as "Set whether or not to use View Mode based on signal recognition including an HDMI signal." My poor mind has difficulty parsing this explanation.

I saw the issue about HDMI audio being cut off when you turn off the TV. I can understand that since the handshake is lost. However, the same thing happens when I use the coax audio output from the 8300HD and HDMI for the video portion since my receiver only passes HDMI audio. It does not process it. I have the Digital Audio setting to Dolby Digital (not HDMI) and when I turn off the TV while tuned to a Galaxy channel it cuts the audio. When I had YPbPr video connections it worked fine.

Jake - Item 31 of the HDMI issues thread.

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=71112

I thought that was fixed with the last firmware, but I guess it wasn't? (perhaps it was one of those "hoped for" fixes)

Is there any known issues/fixes for the 8300HD running hot? This is a stock unit that I picked up a few months back. Compared to my other (older) unit, the new one is a lot hotter; hot enough that I'm worried about the life expectancy.

It seems to be working fine otherwise, so I doubt if I'll have much luck taking it in under warranty. This unit sits idle 99% of the time, since I've not scheduled any recordings on it.

This is the HDMI issues thread, nevertheless I haven't heard of a significant heat issue with the SA8300HDs - provided that there is ventillation room around the unit and especially there is nothing on top of the unit. Also, do not have it sitting on top of another device that generates heat like an AVR. An enclosed cabinet is also often not a good idea.

Do you turn the unit off when you're not watching?

Yes; (obviously you mean soft-off, since if it's unplugged, it better not be generating any heat!!! ;-).

I tried reformating the drive last night; and to me, it seems a bit cooler this morning. Also, it's significantly hotter up in the loft where this one is located, so the ambient temperature will have some effect.

Just wanted to check if there was any obvious solution I should be aware of. Thanks.

I just set up a brand new Sharp LED TV with an 8300hd pvr. The bluray (also sharp) seems to work perfectly fine and is doing super. The PVR, however is not.

I have two cable options to test with right now - a cheap no-name 10 bucks cable, and an 80 dollar monster (don't worry, I only have it because Sears offered it free with the PVR purchase and the PVR was at the same sale price there as everywhere else). I'm going direct from PVR to TV.

On two of the TV's inputs I get blinking (black... signal... black... signal) at random intervals. On one input I get signal, but every second or so there is a 1 or 2 pixel vertical jump (the picture moves up for an instant and then drops back down).

On the fourth input I believe the box works properly, BUT this input is the one on the side of the TV (the ez access input) and I really don't want my cable box going in there (it won't fit well into its wall unit with a cable there.)

With one input working and three having two different issues, is this likely a handshake issue, or likely a hardware problem with either the box or the TV (the Bluray works fine it seems on at least one of the inputs that flickers, and the one that has the vertical jump).

The pvr is brand new - will soon-to-download latest firmware help any? And finally, if my last resort is going with component cables, am I right in understanding that this won't make any appreciable difference in the signal quality (even though that's analogue and hdmi is digital)?

Thanks guys.

I have an 8300HD and for some reason the HDMI port seems to have died on it. I switched to component and it is unlikely that you will see a difference in quality.

Another quick question about that - Right now the TV is running with it's own speakers. I know when a receiver goes in the pvr has digital output for that - right now though, is the TV having any worse sound via analogue (red/white RCA) connection as opposed to the digital that hdmi would bring (tv doesn't have input for optical audio in - just out)

TheHYPO - in response to your two posts in reverse order:

Digital audio cables are required for Dolby Digital surround sound, but the TV does not reproduce these sounds. Analogue will be fine. The digital audio (optical or coaxial) should be used when you add a receiver, and they should be connected from the PVR to the receiver.

The HDMI issue is less clear. What formats do you have enabled on the PVR via the wizard? You should likely have 1080i, 720p, and 480p as a start to see if this makes a difference. You should also try a hard reboot of the PVR (unplug and wait for 15 secs then replug). Do the same with the TV and then try the problematic HDMI ports again.

If this fails it may indicate a problem with the TV rather than the PVR, but it is strange that one port would work and not the others. If this fails then use component cables. There are suggestions that HDMI will provide better blacks but you will likely not notice the difference.

You already have the latest firmware on the PVR, and do not expect any subsequent release to make a difference in this area.

Finally, if the firmware on your TV is user upgradeable then you could give that a try as a last resort.

We went with component cabling. I checked again afterwards, and the one I thought was working was doing the same vertical jump thing that the other was - but the fact that two ports were intermittent and two had this jumpiness seemed odd to me. I did indeed bring over my WDTV (hard-drive based video player) which connects via HDMI and it to works fine, so my guess is that it's a PVR issue(?)

One wierd thing is that I did not get that setup screen when I started up the PVR for the first time. I know I have in the past with other boxes, but I didn't with this one. I'll have to look around here on the "how to" to get the setup screen manually again.

Thanks

Setup FAQ:

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=17719

Useful post:

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=57741

So I've been looking around here and haven't quite found exactly what my problem seems to be....

I used to have a 4250HD, yesterday I went and ''upgraded'' to the 8300HD PVR. My connection is simple - STB - HDMI - TV (Samsung LN52A550).

With the 4250 stb, I had zero issues whatsoever. Now after making the swap, with what I'm assuming is a refurbished box (I rent), the HDMI connection doesn't work properly.

The picture on it is jumpy, ie it stutters/shakes vertically. Audio works fine.

If I hook it up via component, the picture is fine, but the audio is really low and I have to crank up the tv volume.

I made sure the HDMI connection wasn't loose, even wiggled it around to see if maybe the port in the back of the STB was finicky. No idea why it's jumping.

Should I just go exchange it and try my luck with box #3 (first one I got didn't even power on). Or is there something that could easily fix this?

Thanks

Hold the HDMI cable into the back of the PVR to ensure a good electrical/mechanical connection. Sounds like a poor connection at one end or the other.

When using component video cables (and analogue audio I assume) go into the Audio settings of the PVR (press settings button twice) and select "fixed" instead of variable. Also choose narrow, instead of normal or wide. This should provide plenty of volume to the TV.

You can programme the Rogers remote to control the TV's volume - read the remote's operating manual and look at global or master volume.

I did (''I made sure the HDMI connection wasn't loose, even wiggled it around to see if maybe the port in the back of the STB was finicky. No idea why it's jumping.'')

Thanks for the audio fix in the meantime.

Since it's a rental you just received, I'd say call Rogers and tell them to fix it. If you still have the 4250, you can use it to show the tech the problem is with the VCR and not your set.

Unplug and replug the HDMI cable at both ends several times. Sometimes the port may have some dirt/oxidation in/on it and you don't get a good electrical connection. Probably the PVR end is the issue, but sometimes strange stuff happens.

I have a purchased 8300 and the HDMI connection became irratic after a couple of months of use and I had to go back to component and separate audio connections. Sometimes it would pass a signal and sometimes it wouldn't. Wiggling the connector worked for awhile but even that stopped. The HDMI cable worked fine on the Bluray player so I know it is the connector on the PVR. It is out of warranty and I could not find anyone who would take a look at it to fix it. They all said either it was propriatary information to diagnose the problem or it would be too expensive to make fixing worthwhile. So much for having one simple wire connection from the receiver to the TV.

when the picture jumps and shakes vertically on mine i do a cold reboot by unplugging the STB and when it reboots its fine. I thought it was the HDMI cables and switched with my downstairs tv but that didnt change anything.

I recently changed the connection between our PVR (HD8300) and our TV to HDMI. At about the same time, our PVR started going through BOOT cycles 4-5 times a day. It seemed to do this shortly after turning off the TV and PVR, however it did not always happen when turning off the units. Additionally the PVR did BOOT at other times of the day and night - including during recording.
I have tested the actual cable by swapping it with the HDMI cable from our Blue ray player and the PVR behavoiur continued.
I have now diconnected the HDMI cable and reverted to component cables and so far have not experienced a (re)BOOT.
Is it possible that the HDMI cable could cause the PVR to recycle?