Expert Advice please! HDTV Incompatable?

[freaky57]

I have just had voom installed a week ago. I have having a few problems that I need expert advice with.

I have a 57" Hitachi Ultravision widescreen 57T600 model TV it is less than a year old.

http://www.hitachi.us/tv/browse/projection/16-9digital/57T600.shtml

I can only get 480i none of the other settings work. The TV is capable of 480i, 480p, 720p, and 1080i.
When I switch to 1080i (yes, I tried the red button)I get a partial picture, mainly with a 3/4 split screen and black bars that run diagnolly, I can see th pretty 1080 picture behind the mess though. It looks like when you had a Nintendo hooked up (back in the old days) on channel 3 instead of 4. The problem isnt that simple with this issue. I do see a similarity with ANT C as it looks like the same messed up format 3/4th of the picture with black bars as mentioned above. There is nothing hooked up to ANT C.
I have already had 3 separate visits from technitians over to look at it and they have no idea (2 Voom techs and 1 TV techs). The Voom tech said it was the TV. The TV Techs said it was the voom reciever.
The receiver has been switched along with the DVI cable to no avail.
We have tried every possible setting in the STB and in the TV.
We have tried switching to component but it still only works with 480i
I would really like to keep voom but it looks like I am going to have to cancel if I cant get a better resolution on my TV than 480i. I have spoken with a Hitachi tech and they place the blame on the STB. No other setting other than 480i works.

Please help me to keep my voom service. I have had several techs from both the TV and Voom service to my home I really need an expert that knows what he is doing. The people that came to my home didnt know anymore than I did. The last bit of advice I got was that my TV was incompatible with the Voom STB. Can anyone help me with this issue?

 

[Conjuror]

I doubt it is Voom. Call the Voom guy again and ask him to try another box. If new box doesn't fix the problem then it is your TV.

 

[rgarbonzo]

Try hooking up V* with component cables. Problem might be your DVI input is not HDCP-compliant

 

[Sean Mota]

Freaky,

if component does not work, send "Wilt Hildenbrand" wilth@optonline.net an email describing the problem you are having. He may be able to come up with something.

 

[LuRcH1080i]

After looking at your manual, I see you do have a DVI input on the "Input-1" section on the back of your TV.

I would suggest if you have not already is hook the DVI cable from the Voom box directly to the "Input-1 DVI" on the TV and just use your TV like a Monitor. Setting your TV input to that selected "Input-1".

That TV also has a built in HDTV receiver, not sure if there are settings on screen to look at, maybe disable it if you can for testing.

Also make sure no Coax is going to your TV from the Voom. I would just remove any for this test. YOU ONLY WANT Coax to the Voom STB from the Satellite in the exception if a combiner,diplexer, etc.... is used.

Not sure if this will help or not.

 

[Ilya]

Something to try:
1. Make sure that the DVI (or component) is the only connection to your TV set. No coax cables, no composite, no s-video!
2. Make sure the correct video input is selected on your TV set (VID1, not ANT!)
3. Switch the STB to the 1080i-fixed mode (the upper bar lit) and leave it that way.
4. Try turning the TV set off and then on and the same with STB. Some TV's have problems changing DVI resolution on the fly, so the sequence in which you do things might be important.

 

[TechCop]

You right, Ilya.

My sony rp doesn't like "on the fly" changes in resolution. I usually swap inputs and swap back to see if the change helped. I had similar experience when I hooked up voom the first time.

My sony also supports 2 different component types on the one hd input. That had to be adjusted in the tv set menu. I have another component input, but it is NOT HD capable, only 480i. You might want to check that possibility out, too.


Good luck.

 

[cmslick3]

OK let's try this.. Take the off air antenna coax off the back of your Voom receiver and hook it up to the ant C input on the TV. Run the channel wizard and see what happens. If the picture is still F'ed up it is a problem with the TV. If not it looks like a problem with the Voom box.

Based on what you said that you get 3/4 of a screen on both DVI and ant C. It sounds like a problem with the tv's HD "guts" / settings. Hopefully no one has gone into the service menu and started changing things without knowing what they were doing and writing down original values. It could be that the Hfreq detection setting has been set to 480i only and not AUTO like it should be.

Let me also ask if you have only 1 source per input going to your tv? I would assume Voom would be on input 1 DVI, maybe DVD on 2 component. Is this how it's hooked up?? If so does your DVD picture look ok?

Do you know how to get into the service menu? If you do then I will send you a PM with the items you should check. If not then I would call back Hitachi and get a good tech out there with test equipment that can provide HD test patterns.

 

[Dvlos]

Well he says the picture works on 480i (a totally non-HD format what'so'ever)... so when he puts it on 480i (how can you do 480i from the Voom box? DOesn't it only do 480p?? Unless it's Svideo cable?).

To me it sounds like something got seriously screwed in your service menu settings on my Phillips I can have it AUTO detect HD signals or just default it to 1080i or 480p.. if you've already changed the box and it works, if you are getting a complete signal from 480i .. then I highly hihgly doubt its the box. I'm going to go with your Hitachi tech support guy was a lazy ass and didn't want to help.

Call Hitachi back and tell them you want them to walk you through checking all the SERVICE MENU settings. Or you can search online for some help in doing so.

 

[freaky57]

Thanks for everyones support and help with this issue.
I will try those suggestions today and post a reply.

Just a few things.
The boxed has been switched along with the DVI cable - didnt work.
Tried switching to component cabeles only - didnt work
My DVI is HDCP Compliant
I have been through the menu a million times and I dont see an option to change the resolution. Hitachi Techs told me that it should work just like a monitor and should be automatic. The only option to change resolution is a feature called Virtual HD where I have a choice between 540P (weird, I know) and 1080i. This feature is bypassed when hooked up to a Digital input signal.
I am wondering if maybe there is a hidden menu of some sort I will call Hitachi and ask for a walkthrough.
Please if you have any more suggestions let me know. I heard that Voom is going to offer the Mike Tyson fight for free in HD for showtime plus pack subscribers and I want to get 1080 i working before the fight! THANKS a ton to everyone that posted.

 

[cmslick3]

they will probably not tell you how to get into the service menu but it's worth a try. I would still suggest connecting the off air antenna to the ANT C jack just to see if any HD works with the tv.

 

[wasch_24]

No need for Showtime subscription to get the fight.

 

[Dvlos]

If Hitachi will not walk you through the Service Menu then you can find that information online.

 

[Augurr]

Freaky,

if component does not work, send "Wilt Hildenbrand" wilth@optonline.net an email describing the problem you are having. He may be able to come up with something.

Poor Wilt! His email box is going to explode if it hasn't already ;-) I emailed him a few weeks ago about getting a bigger dish to accomodate rain fade, and the last response I got was "checking, wilt". That was the entire reply. So I gave up. Nobody cares about us hicks in the South

 

[freaky57]

Anyone know how to access the service menu in the Hitachi Ultravision 57T600?
I have looked all over the net and cant find anything. If there is a secret menu then maybe that will do the trick.

Thanks.

 

[TechCop]

Get a tech to look at it.

It's real easy to screw up your set from the service menu. It's almost impossible to fix without the manual. Take my advice, hire a pro.

Everything is coded in the service menu anyway, you probably won't know what you are looking at.

 

[cmslick3]

I will send you a private message with some service menu items to look at. I hope it's listed the same on your set.

Is it possible for you to post a picture of what your screen looks like when you try inputing 1080i?

 

[freaky57]

Pictures of how it looks in 1080i

Here are some pictures of what it looks like in 1080i, 480i and ANT C.The camera wasnt able to capture the black bars running across the screen. Behind the 3/4th formating and the bars it looks like a really niced picture in the 1080i mode. Notice how Ant C looks just like 1080i mode with the picture in the same place? Note nothing is hooked up to ANT C.

 

[freaky57]

Well,

I just got off the phone with Hitachi Phone support and I think I finally got a solid answer. He said that it sounded to him that it was a equipment problem with the HD equip module inside the TV. I tried every suggestion from everyone and really appreciate all your help - unfortunity none of it worked. I think at this point I am going to demand an authorized hitachi tech to test my HD TV and replace the guts. I will post if this solves the problem. It really is the only thing that make sense. The DVD player works with component and not the HD receiver. Well, it looks like I wont get this fixed in time to see the tyson fight next friday, but I guess he has a few more fights to go before he gets out of debt.

 

[Ilya]

Since you are seeing a similar problem on the ANT C input (which has nothing to do with VOOM), the problem must be in your TV set.