Re the boot situation.

It occured to me that I was always on the same channel at the time of reboot, 129 (Mystery). This is not surprising since it almost always happens at the same time. Today, I went to another channel at 5:35 with the info screen on. Signal strength was 4 db, well within normal. There was no reboot! Maybe it is channel related. Tomorrow I'll put it on the info screen again but on 129 and see what happens.

Be back tomorrow.

Badpoppa

horlicks It's probably not the HDMI connection, it's the probably calibration on your TV. A proper calibration of each input is required for the PQ to be "Equal". See the following posts:

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=76161 TV Setup

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

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=57741 Info for those new to the forum

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

Update re reboot: today I left it on channel 129 with the info screen on to watch siganl strength. Signal stayed ar 2/3 and there was no reboot. Now I don't know if the info screen being on had anything to do with it or if the ptoblem was not there today. Try it again tomorrow on ch 129 but no info screen.

OK, first post here. It's about every 8 years I hook up a TV, so sorry if I sound a bit confused.

I've spent the past three days back and forth from the Rogers Store, on the phone, to Best Buy, and around the forums. Still, I'm waiting for closure on what I am sure is a simple issue.

Particulars: a small Samsung LN26A330 LCD HDTV, with a SA 4250HD STB that I picked up yesterday at the Rogers Store to replace my old box. I could not get HDMI cables to work no matter what I did - no idea why.

Decided to pick up component cables at Best Buy, where I purchased the TV. These are not hard to get in the right ports so this should not be the problem.

After going through various efforts at settings of both TV and STB, including reading various threads here, although the TV is operating close to normally, I am getting only a snowy picture with that pink type snow wherever there is a white background.

So at this point, after many problems, with high quality component cables and an apparently properly configured STB, I have no HD reception, in fact not even normal quality reception.

All channels work fine, all at the correct 16:9 width, and the sound is fine. So just a crap picture.

Any thoughts? Is this STB the culprit?

I am also very disappointed in the difficulty in using HDMI. The Best Buy guy suggested this was because my HDMI cable is "green" (1080i) and my TV is compatible with "780" or whatnot. I doubt this explanation.

I appreciate any thoughts.

Let's tackle a few things.

1. There are lots of issues with HDMI and certain equipment - note that most Samsungs do not accept 480i via HDMI. The BB guy was incorrect - you have a 768P TV, but it accepts HDMI to 1080i, however - See the following thread on the HDMI issues topic. There's also a link at the bottom of the HDMI thread on "things to check":

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

2. You should have received component video cables with the STB from Rogers. They are fine and there was no need to purchase others. You can return the ones you probably paid a lot of money for.

3. Here's a thread on properly setting up the STB:

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

4. Here's a thread on the proper setup of the TV, which you may not need until things are functioning better:

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=76161

5. Here's a thread useful for those new to the forum.

I just realized that these are the same links supplied in post 162.

Update re 4250 HD self-rebooting:
1-it only happens on channel 129, Mystery
2- does not happen if info screen is up, no signal change seen
3- does not happen if voltmeter is hooked up, no volt change seen
4- does not happen if kettle is plugged in same circuit
So it seems to be current related but only on one channel
There must be internal damping in the voltmeter because no change is seen. The heating element in the kettle must do the same thing.

I guess a surge supressor is the way to go although I don't get why it happens on only one channel. Any thoughts?

Last update re self-rebooting SA4250HD, see previous message. To put this one to bed, I installes a surge suppressor and have been tropuble-free all week. Case closed I guess.

Maybe what we REALLY need is for Cisco (maker of Scientific Atlanta STBs) to start building surge suppressors into ALL of their STBs. It seems that my SA3250HD is also a victim of this behavior even though NONE of my OTHER components are affected by my power source.

i have my 4250HD hooked up to a DVD recorder using s-video cables.

when i record from the DVDR or watch TV from the DVDR, the picture quality is obviously inferior which I can accept because S-video is only SD quality but what I can't get over is it only displays in 4:3... even if the source is 16:9.

So what it does is it'll have black bars all the way around. when i view the recording, i have to set my TV to 4:3 mode. if i use 16:9, the picture is stretched sideways because there are "two" sets of black bars top and bottom.

Does my problem make sense? Am I explaining the issue clearly?

how do i get around it? is it possible for S-Video to send 16:9 in SD? Or is SD by definition 4:3?

You would "zoom" the windowboxed picture on the TV to avoid the windowboxed look, however, the quality may be so poor when zoomed, that you may wish to watch it windowboxed. This is the zoom, not stretch option. See the black bar link in the link below:

Here's a thread that will either clarify or confuse.. ;)

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=91522 Posts 9, 10.

I assume you're talking about recording HD (16:9) programmes, since SD programmes would be 4:3 and not windowboxed.

no zoom function
the HD's zoom/stretch functions have no bearing on the picture format.
the dvdr does not have zoom/stretch functions.

i'm starting to wonder whether s-video can output 16:9 at all. or whether it outputs everything in 4:3 mode (even 16:9 shows with black bars top and bottom).

no zoom functionAre you talking about the zoom function on the TV? Most HDTVs have a zoom mode, however, some do not work on HD signals, so since you have an upconverting recorder, you'll need to set it to send 480P so the TV can zoom, or you may find a zoom function in the DVD recorder setup somewhere (maybe, maybe not). This really has nothing to do with the STB, if you want, I can move these posts into the DVD recorder forum if you like - you may get more help there.

it doesn't have to do with the dvd recorder. my question is with the STB.

i know its not the recorder because the programming shows up fine when i set the input to coax cable (SD programming, bypassing the STB).

when i play 4:3 programming through the STB on the DVDR, it shows up in as a 4:3 signal, with black bars on all four sides, with an additional two sets of bars within that for 4:3.

so to view it without distortion, i need to set my tv on 4:3 mode, which will show the picture in 16:9 format WITHIN the 4:3 mode. but since the programming is 4:3, it will show it as 4:3 within 16:9 within 4:3.

so again - back to my original question... does anyone know whether the s-video output on this STB can actually output 16:9 programming? Or does it only do 4:3?

I assume that you're having this issue with the HD channels (and specifically SD upconverted programming on the HD channels). The SD channels via the STB should record in a manner identical to the RF-coax input.

The HD channels only take up the 16:9 space of the 4:3 signal and if you then record a 4:3 upconvert, your image will be "windowboxed" (bars all around). Since it's windowboxed in 4:3 format, when you then display this "natively" on a 16:9 screen, it gets worse still. You should be recording any SD programming on the SD channels and then you'll only have bars on the sides.

S-video is SD, therefore 4:3 (on this STB). (The reason I added "on this STB" is because I understand that some service providers have the option to send an anamorphic image out the S-video port, which helps when recording 16:9)

Hello

As you will soon discover from my post, I’m a newbie here. I have read almost all of the posts and searched for a solution to my audio problem, but I have yet to determine the cause. I recently purchased a Sony KDL-40S4100 and have connected it to my Phillips DVDR 3575H/37. I have been very impressed by the image quality of DVDs and recorded programs. Unfortunately, I have encountered a small glitch.

When recording through the E1 connection my recordings lack sound. As I said, I have poured through the forum and examined the wiring diagrams, but a solution eludes me. My Explorer 4250HD (Rogers) cable box is connected to the DVDR 3575H/37 with an S-Video cable and standard audio cables. I have managed to record the digital channels, but they lack audio. However, the recordings I have made of “standard” channels have been fine. The cable connection from the wall is connected directly to the DVDR 3575H/37 and then it is connected to the cable box. For movies, I have used an optical cable to connect the DVDR 3575H/37 to my Yamaha RX-V459. The cable box is also connected to the Yamaha with an optical connection. Both the cable box and the DVDR 3575H/37 are connected to the Sony KDL-40S4100 with HDMI cables.

I have confirmed that the S-Video and audio cables are properly connected to the DVDR 3575H/37. I can watch digital and “regular” channels through the DVDR 3575H/37 and can hear the audio through the Yamaha. By the way, I have turned off the sound on the television and listen to programs through the Yamaha.

I would appreciate it if any of you can help me resolve this annoying issue.

Here's a thread on connecting a STB and DVD recorder:

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=76077

It sounds as though you've done it correctly, but the following statement has me confused:

from the wall is connected directly to the DVDR 3575H/37 and then it is connected to the cable box.
There is no need for the DVDR to be connected to the STB, it's the other way around and not by coax. Perhaps the link above will help.

If the above doesn't work, try disconnecting the HDMI cable from the STB and use component video cables. If I recall, there have been issues when HDMI was used. See the following post:

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=71112 (Item 27)


See also the following post, useful for those new to the forum:

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

Thanks 57.

I’ll try the solutions you recommend and report back. To clarify, I use the pass through feature of the DVDR 3575H/37 before connecting to the Explorer 4250HD. Apparently, there is no signal loss when running through the DVDR 3575H/37 and tests have indicated that there may even be an improvement in signal quality. I can also record (some) channels while watching others.

I also wanted to add that the Phillips DVDR 3575H/37 contains an analog tuner (NTSC), a digital tuner (ATSC), and a digital cable tuner (QAM).

Thanks again for the helpful tips.

The passthrough may be causing the issues - I'd suggest that you use a splitter instead. Also, having the recorder upstream of the STB may prevent the return signal from the STB getting back to the head end - not good. The splitter should be rated 5-1000 MHz and bidirectional.

I have the LN46A550 Samsung and the 4250HD box.
I Can't get the HD quality image to work! I've tried plugging in a hdmi cable and it says that my TV is not HDCP compliant (even though it is). I've plugged in component cables and can't figure out how to get the box to recognize them. I go to Rogers settings and have tried all set: picture settings to no effect. HelP!

Please read the following post on the proper setup of the STB. Before starting, do a cold reboot of the STB, as discussed there. Make sure you only have one connection from the STB to the TV - either HDMI or CV and certainly not RF-coax.

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


Then check out the following post, useful for those new to the forum:

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