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New member Username: BobhWildomar, CA United States Post Number: 1 Registered: Jan-08 | HELP! Hi all! New here. And do I need help. Bought Onkyo TX-SR705 receiver after reading rave reviews. Have Verizon FIOS STB/DVR, HDMI capable, Panasonic TH-42PS9UK 480P 42-inch monitor w/HDMI Terminal Board added. Plus Panasonic DVD w/HDMI output. Now my problem: Everything's hooked up HDMI. When I hooked up the Onkyo, I noticed whenever I changed channels on the STB, say from channel 340 (SD) to 835 (HD), I encountered signal loss and had to turn the receiver off/on to retrieve it. If I go from 340 to 385, no loss. If it's 84(SD) to 340 (SD), I lose it. When I turn on the DVD, I encounter "no signal". I have turn on/off the DVD player AND receiver a few times and eventually get a signal and everything's fine from there. So I call Verizon out, and they say the receiver's the problem. I call Onkyo, and they have me run a test. Clear all info to receiver, assign DVD input only through HDMI, turn both units on. No signal, Onkyo says receiver defective, send it back to Amazon. He eliminates STB as culprit because we just tried signal from DVD to receiver to monitor. If I hook up DVD directly to monitor, video's fine. So Amazon sends me another TX-SR705 and it behave's exactly the same. Amazon says it must be a bad batch, will refund or I buy something else. So I buy TX-SR805. You guessed it, same exact problems. Now I find it impossible to believe 3 receivers are having the same defective issues, especially when the third one is a different model altogether. But if I call Onkyo and run the same test, I'll get the same result. I tried unplugging STB and tried to play DVD. Same problem. Have to turn receiver and DVD player on/off a few times to generate a signal. So, Onkyo can't help, Verizon's off the hook, and I haven't a clue where to find solution. Anyone have an idea? Sorry for length, but w/o all the info I was afraid of generating questions, not answers. Would appreciate any input. Thanks |
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Platinum Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 12089 Registered: May-04 | . I don't know why you're surprised three receivers have the same problem. I can't imagine the HDMI switching is any different in the 705 than in the 805. Most receiver lines are built on a similar chassis used for several models and additional features are simply hung on the more expensive versions. If you were to look inside the receiver, you would probably see locations on the circuit boards where jumpers fit in lower priced models and components take up the space in higher priced models. Like CD/DVD players from the mass market companies building the entire line on two chassis - one low and the other high priced - saves lots of cash. Ordering multiples of the same swicth and using them in all your receievrs saves more. This sounds like a defective product from Onkyo though you might want to try another test before you give up on Onkyo. If the receivers are at fault, I would say you have two choices. You can have the 805 repaired if Onkyo has put out a service bulletin on his problem. It's not at all uncommon for mass market companies to build a product - sometimes even knowing of particular problems but needing to meet production schedules - and fix problems as they arise in the field. Hifi companies, car companies, Microsoft and lots of other mass market companies do this all the time today. Call the regional Onkyo service center and ask if they have a fix then decide of you want to trust Onkyo enough to be their guinea pig. Otherwise, you can return the defective component and buy something else from a different company. If both your HDMI cables are the same brand, you might try a different cable just to be sure it's actually the receiver that had a bad run of components before you do anything else. No matter what, I think I'd be on the phone to Onkyo rather than dealing with Amazon. . |
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New member Username: BobhWildomar, CA United States Post Number: 2 Registered: Jan-08 | Jan, Thanks for your response and shedding some light on the problem. I understand the one chassis, several model concept. What befuddles me is that every 705 or 805 model out there is going to have the same issue? How'd they get the good reviews? Or if it's just a significant number in a batch, I would have expected to see a few negative reviews. Anyway, I have 3 cables and they all came from different suppliers. I did try switching them around. I also tried component video input and optical audio with HDMI out to monitor just to satisfy my curiosity and, sure enough, with component input, the problems disappear. And each time I discovered my problem I did call Onkyo tech support, but it's just somebody reading from a manual. Calls to Amazon were just to get the units replaced, which they have done. I did talk to service center today, and they said pretty much what you're saying--that it should be no surprise that problems may be inherent with HDMI, and that if a defect knowingly existed, Onkyo's not going to come out and announce it. At any rate, they say they're positive they can repair it if I insist on using HDMI, which I thought a curious statement. I mean, even if HDMI offered no greater audio or video than component, would you be content buying a brand new unit knowing something didn't work out of the box? And, as of now, I have component/optical in from the STB, HDMI in from DVD and HDMI out to monitor for both and having experimented both ways do find the HDMI audio superior to optical. Can't decide about video. Once again, thanks for input (yuk, yuk). Not real comfortable with the guinea pig label but I guess I'll be off to the service center soon. |
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Platinum Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 12092 Registered: May-04 | . As far as "guinea pig" goes, just remember two things. First, when you agreed to buy the leading edge technology you agreed to be a ginuea pig of some sort. I understand the Catch-22 of wanting a product that won't be outdated next year but, if you're buying technolgy, it will be outdated sooner or later. In the mass market world of home theater, sooner has become more likely than later. Second, for the most part the same people who put the defective component into your receiver are the ones suggesting this fix. In my experience most of these repairs solve the problem and you shake hands with the Devil and go on knowing the feature you "fixed" will be obsolete in two years time. I don't know what the solution is or could become. No major receiver manufacturer has a working service department at this time and the home electronics market has, at least in the mass market lines, operated similar to the computer industry for a decade. There are a few companies that offer high performance, reliable products but they are not in the mass market. Furthermore, higher priced products generally offer better build quality, higher reliability and longer life but are still following the lead of the mass market producers when it comes to features. I can understand the repair shops suggestion you abandon HDMI just as I can understand your frustration with products that don't work as advertised. The only real solution I can offer is to tell the mass market companies to take a hike. Buy a high end two channel system that has a good chance of operating well and lasting for years due as much to simplicity as quality of construction. The only advantage most mass market brands have given you is backwards compatibility to such a system because whatever you buy as "new" today will be outdated soon. I don't know that my advice offers any real solution however other than removing lots of the headaches of a swiftly changing (you'll have to decide whether it's an improving) technology. The divide between what we would like to have and what we are sold is widening every year. . |
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New member Username: BobhWildomar, CA United States Post Number: 3 Registered: Jan-08 | "Leading edge guinea pig". Kind of like an oxymoron. I don't know whether I've been chastised or -- wait, I get it. Take away the oxy and you have . . . Hey, I can't be all bad. My first receiver was a Marantz 2275. Remember that one, dinosaur? It's still in the family. Don't know if he's pleased or p-ssed, but I gave it to my son. |
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Platinum Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 12098 Registered: May-04 | . I'd place "leading edge ginuea pig" more in the "ox" camp. You bear the burden that the rest of us would rather not deal with. Admittedly, you do so by choice and not by anyone placing the burden upon you but none the less, you have your burden to bear. As a dinosaur I do remember the 2275 and the 2275B. I was selling audio at the time. The classic joke amongst audio salespeople of the day was the Marantz ad featuring a charred 2275B and the verbage, "We replaced the power cord and - amazingly - it worked!" No one suggested in the ad what might have started the fire that burned the house down around the receiver, but those of us selling the 2275B had a good idea. Turning it on for a demo was always a risky affair. You never said what was going to happen, you waited until it had be done and then exclaimed how wonderful it was that it had occurred. Glad your son still enjoys something other than leading edge technology. . |
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Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 9639 Registered: Dec-04 | https://www.ecoustics.com/electronics/forum/home-audio/131682.html |
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Platinum Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 12103 Registered: May-04 | . Bored, Nuck? |
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Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 9641 Registered: Dec-04 | Hotel room in L.A. |
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Platinum Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 12109 Registered: May-04 | . Same thing. |