Picture shaking horizontally - 8300PVR

[jterpstr]

For the past while my display off a 8300PVR hooked up through HDMI will all of a sudden start shaking from side to side. This started happening shortly after the fw update, but I thought maybe it was a incompatibility with my Samsung Plasma and let it slide. Unplugging the PVR and plugging it back in makes it go away for a while...

Anyways, I was at a friends place on the weekend and noticed his PVR hooked to his Panasonic plasma doing the exact same thing. I asked him, he cursed a few words then told me its been happening for a while, and he has to unplug it to fix it.

Does anyone have a solution for this other than unplugging and plugging the PVR back in? This is driving me nuts, and in some cases I'm having to do this 2-3 times per day.

btw - I own this PVR so I can't swap it for a new one. I can't believe Rogers is getting away with this mess.

[57]

Don't recall seeing this issue - certainly not a problem for all customers. Are you going through an AVR? Have you unplugged/replugged the HDMI cable at both ends a few times to ensure a good connection? What is the length and gauge of the HDMI cable(s)? Are you using the 1080i/Fixed setting, or do you have it set for Auto-HDMI - some Samsungs can have issues with that setting.

You can do a soft reboot - easier on the PVR from the quickstart menu:

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

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

[Jake]

Can you quantify the shift? How many mm? I noticed on mine. It is about 1-2mm. It might be the pixel shift function in the plasma. I can only notice it during static images.

PS: I don't have a Rogers PVR so I would not accuse them without doing a little research first.

[jterpstr]

My PVR is plugged in directly to the TV via a Monoprice 6ft HDMI cable. I have nothing else around that would cause interference, and nothing has changed in my setup, or settings that I am aware of. I've tried 3 other HDMI cables and still see the problem.

I have checked my pixel shift function and it set to shift pixels by 2 every 2 minutes. If this was the problem, I'd assume that since its a global function I would also see it on my Sony BR player but that is not the case.

After a rebeet of the PVR the problem will disappear for a few days, then it will magically reappear and stay until I perform another reboot. I don't know for sure, but it seems like it always starts when switching from a stddef channel back to an HD channel, although, because I don't notice it right away I can't tell for sure.

The shaking isn't constant, it quickly shifts, then shifts back maybe once every 1-2 seconds, but it is very noticeable and makes the television unwatchable.

Originally after the firmware upgrade the settings were at Auto-HDMI, but I changed it to upconvert after reading that other people had some unrelated problems with the setting and Samsung TVs, but it too did not help.

I kept reading and waiting for someone else to post with this issue hoping that it was not my TV. It wasn't until I was at a friends on the weekend watching his 8300 hooked to his Panasonic plasma doing the exact same thing that I was convinced it was not isolated to me. In fact, he too said it started around Christmas time, and he found the only way to clear it was to reboot the PVR.

[57]

...it always starts when switching from a stddef channel back to an HD channel,...I changed it to upconvert

Upconvert is probably still sending two different formats to your TV causing the (handshake) issue. Have you tried 1080i Fixed?

Here's the HDMI FAQ in case there's anything helpful there:

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

[Jake]

The shaking isn't constant, it quickly shifts, then shifts back maybe once every 1-2 seconds

Again. How large is the shift?

[jterpstr]

Sorry, the pixel shift is only a few pixels, always to the right. it is only for a a fraction of a second and then goes back to the original starting location.

The picture remains sharp, never pixelates, its merely displaced a few pixels to the right.

[jterpstr]

57 - I wonder if you're on to something here. I just checked and it appears that my video format settings had been blown away, probably after the fw update.

However, I went in and reran the setup wizard again by turning off the PVR, and holding the Guide/Info buttons down. I walked through the setup, this time unselecting everything but the 720P option. I then go into the PVR and set the Video to "FIXED", which to my understanding should force everything out of the Rogers box at 720P. When I first power on the Box (Default is SportsnetHD) everything reverts back to 1080i (Rogers box shows 1080i and my tv info shows 1920x1080i coming in on a 720P tv). If I go back into the setup, I see that only the 720P video format is selected.

Even with 720P selected my SD chennels come up as 480i/p

This also explains why my SD channels that used to have bars on them started to display stretched. I noticed this immediately, but didn't take the time to look into it any further.

Am I missing something? Is it possible the firmware update has frigged up my box and its not storing these types of settings?

[Jake]

I agree this sounds like it may be a conversion issue (1 or 2 pixels). Make sure your TV is set to its native resolution and it is not scaling a second time. Since this happens with static images (at least for me) it may rule out improper de-interlacing.

[57]

If you're using HDMI, the new firmware will check for appropriate formats each time the PVR starts and the wizard is useless. Tune to a 1080i channel, select fixed, then do a reboot and make sure that it's still set to 1080i/Fixed. I see no reason to set 720P since most TVs prefer a 1080i signal and there are almost no 720P TVs - they're 768P and the conversion from 1080i is superior. See the firmware thread, post 1.

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=131572

Alternatively switch to component video.

[Digitalme]

I had a similar issue recently. For me it seems to have corrected itself. The image started shifting horizontally, which concerned me, but it only did it a few times. I am wondering if the firmware update has something to do with this?

[PFD]

Not sure if this is the same thing; but I noticed something odd just now. My picture tends to "jump", almost "shake". I notice it on static image such as: The Rogers on Demand Page, the Guide or the Galaxy Channels. Havent' really noticed it on normal images. It seems more of a vertical shift than a horizontal one. I'm gonna do a reboot now. Im using an 8300 with HDMI cables.

EDIT: A reboot seems to have fixed this. We'll see if it lasts.

[PFD]

^^^^^

Lasted two weeks or so. Yesterday after my box rebooted itself following a power outage during a storm, I noticed the vertical shaking once again. Another reboot fixed it. Anyone know anything about this?

[57]

I had this happen to me once over a year ago and a reboot fixed it.

[jcat35]

I started having this issue as well.
I have a samsung with HDMI 6 ft connection from monoprice and an 8300hd prv.
I will get crystal clear picture but everything on the screen shakes vertically (including the guide when I open up the guide).
I will do a re-boot and most of the time it goes away.
At first I thought it was my external drive failing but it occurred a few times without the external drive connected.
I own my box some I really hope this isn't a re-occurring issue or at the very least it has to do with the hdmi set-up, not the stb.