No signal via HDMI to DVI cable - Toshiba HD-A2 HD-DVD Player - Westinghouse LTV-19w6?

Question

I don't have a HDMI port on the HDTV I'm using so I bought a HDMI to DVI-D cable.

I haven't had problems using backed up SD DVDs... I recently got Ratatouille (SD) and I wasn't able to get a signal on my HDTV via component OR the HDMI->DVI-D cables. I just got Troy (HD) and I still can't get a signal via the HDMI to DVI-D cable. I can however get video via component.

Below are the cables I bought:

HDMI->DVI-D
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10231&cs_id=1023104&p_id=2405&seq=1&format=2

Component
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10235&cs_id=1023502&p_id=960&seq=1&format=2

I don't have another HDTV to test the cable but it worked fine with my backed up SD DVDs that I played.

Is there something wrong with this player?

To sirbobx:
This isn't an instance where the SD or HD DVD was running and then I went away for a while... I won't get a signal PERIOD.... meaning I boot up the player and put the disc in... I get no signal via the HDMI-DVI-D cable...

I sent an email to toshiba asking about this... also I will post in avsforums.com after this since it's a more dedicated site.

UPDATE: I've updated the firmware to 2.7 and the same problem occurs with the Troy... haven't tried ratatouille, yet.

Answer 1

As I understand it you can get video from SD DVDs (except for Ratatouille) over component or HDMI/DVI, and from HD disks (e.g. Troy) over component, but not HDMI/DVI.

Well, I saw your earlier post re Ratatouille, and as I recall there was a tentative conclusion the disk was "bad". If so, your present problem is less likely your HD DVD player than the HDMI/DVI cable. Also, given you get HDMI to work with SD disks shows it isn't a 'menu setting' (e.g. output-input selection) issue.


Monoprice cables have a pretty good reputation (for budget cables) BUT the 28 awg version is borderline at 10 ft length. Yes, it should work, but your symptoms sound to me like the HDMI cable isn't able to pass an HD signal but IS able to pass an SD signal. (see the link for a short article that shows this type of effect). Component has no trouble with the video at that length (although I'd expect that HDCP (or the player itself) will be preventing an HD picture from the HD DVDs, and you are actually seeing a "downrezzed" image.

HDMI is actually a pretty poor spec for video, and to work at distance (i.e. anything over 5-6 ft) low end cables can begin to have problems at high bitrate (i.e. HD) ... see the second link.

Anyway ... if I understand your problem ... there's my analysis. Try a second HDMI cable.

Hope that helps.

Answer 2

I think it's a great deal and what sparked me to upgrade. I'm in the same boat as you. Bought and HDTV in 2001, had a pretty good player from 2002 (The Panasonic RP-91), but decided to upgrade to HD-DVD. Amazon has a nice price on it for Memorial Day. The Good: At worst a good DVD player, plus you can start buying/renting HD-DVDs. Pretty cheap price, plus you get the 5 free movies from Toshiba. The Bad: The format war will prevent some titles from being on HD-DVD, at least for now (i.e. Sony/Columbia titles are one studio exclusive to HD-DVD). I don't see an end coming to that war anytime soon. Total sales remain small, and although Blue Ray has been winning the recent sales, HD-DVD should make a huge dent with the Toshiba promotion. The Bad2: I'm not 100% on this, but I'm asking a similar question on yahoo answers. I'm guess your old TV does not have HDMI or even DVI. Without an HDMI hook-up, I'm not sure how much benefit you get from upconversion. Although if you upgrade your TV, you're ready to go for the future. I made the plunge, so I personally think it's a worthwhile investment. I like movies, I'd love to have HD-DVD capabilities, and the price was reasonably low. So I did it. And even if HD-DVD loses, I'll still have a player to play any discs I own.

Answer 3

I think your trouble is the A2 which has problems with hdcp and older chipsets. I was running my A2 thru a switch to a HDMI/DVI cable to a transcoder (BG-DVI) to a Barco 808. It took 1 to 3 minutes to get a picture each time I started the A2, but it worked. But with firmware 2.5 (and 2.7) I no longer get a signal to the transcoder (altho it does still light up the switch). Tried re-initializing, etc. No other HDMI source has this problem, so it is clearly the A2's handshake process that is screwed up.

Answer 4

Turn off the player and turn it back on.

This exact same thing happened to me. I was watching a standard def DVD in my HD-A2 and I hit stop. I came back about half hour later, hit play and the show picked up where it left off (I could tell from the sound). But the TV said "Searching for Signal". I had to cycle the power on the A2 to get video working.

I suspect sitting there with nothing going on the 'handshake' went stale and did not start up again when I just hit "play". The power cycle reset things.

PS: I am also using a HDMI-DVI cable.