Cable/DVR Issue - blacking out for a few seconds

[planet_tv]

I did Google this and found others who had this issue but with different cable companies then mine. I am asking here because I want to see what the helpful members of Gateworld have to say.

This issue for me seems to have subsided for now but for my Mom it has not. What happens is the cable will black out for a few seconds, then come back and then every now and again it will repeat that. She originally had hooked up her DVR to her Samsung TV with the 2 coaxial cables option (wall to cable in and cable out to TV) and the issue didn't seem to be there but now she has it hooked up with an hdmi cable and the issue started shortly after that.

1. Could this issue be HDMI cable related issue?

2. Would it be a good idea to go back to the 2 coaxial cables option (wall to cable in and cable out to TV)?

Feel free to give other suggestions too.

[Chaka-Z0]

I have the exact same issue at home sporadicly. I tried numerous combinations and by process of elimination I concluded that the problem must originate from the DVR itself. For some reason the cable guys gave me one of these old huge box and I think it's the hardware at fault. I don't know if that's the same case as your Mom's, but you should call your service provider and request a new one. Just say its broken or something, usually they will do it for free. It's their fault after all that the hardware is faulty.

In the meantime next time it happens I suggest a complete reboot of the DVR. It takes a good 5 minutes but it usually works for me.

Hope that helps!

[planet_tv]

I have the exact same issue at home sporadicly. I tried numerous combinations and by process of elimination I concluded that the problem must originate from the DVR itself. For some reason the cable guys gave me one of these old huge box and I think it's the hardware at fault. I don't know if that's the same case as your Mom's, but you should call your service provider and request a new one. Just say its broken or something, usually they will do it for free. It's their fault after all that the hardware is faulty.

In the meantime next time it happens I suggest a complete reboot of the DVR. It takes a good 5 minutes but it usually works for me.

Hope that helps!

My Mom has rebooted a numbers of times, but it didn't fix the issue when hooked up to the HDMI cable and she has replaced her DVR a number of times too but mostly for other reasons. The HDMI cable she is using is one that she bought for her Blu-ray player, and since she hasn't gotten around to hooking it we decided to use it on the DVR but she hasn't used it for long, maybe a few weeks. All the time she had the DVR hooked with the 2 coaxial cables the flashing black issue was not really an issue. Her brand of DVR is the same as mine, Cisco, but mine uses an HDMI cable that I got with the DVR. The third TV also used a Cisco DVR and since it's hooked up with 2 coaxial cables the flashing black issue has not really been an issue with that TV.

[Annoyed]

You may be hitting effects of HDCP (High Definition Copy Protection) which is a part of the HDMI standard. It's a technology intended to prevent people from copying HD content, but it isn't perfect. It can err on the blocking side to be sure no one copies anything. I have to use component connection between one of my DVR's and the HT receiver for that very reason; the HDCP says no, and blocks it. You may be seeing a system where blocking is intermittent.

[planet_tv]

You may be hitting effects of HDCP (High Definition Copy Protection) which is a part of the HDMI standard. It's a technology intended to prevent people from copying HD content, but it isn't perfect. It can err on the blocking side to be sure no one copies anything. I have to use component connection between one of my DVR's and the HT receiver for that very reason; the HDCP says no, and blocks it. You may be seeing a system where blocking is intermittent.

Thanks for mentioning this as I don't remember if I have heard of HDCP. I do have some older HDMI cables that I use to hook my dvd player and vcr/dvd combo to my TV. Would it be worth it to try one of them?

This article, https://www.howtogeek.com/208917/htg...how-to-fix-it/, mentions an HDMI splitter. Would that possibly work?

I should probably mention that my Mom's TV is about 2 years old.

[Annoyed]

Thanks for mentioning this as I don't remember if I have heard of HDCP. I do have some older HDMI cables that I use to hook my dvd player and vcr/dvd combo to my TV. Would it be worth it to try one of them?

This article, https://www.howtogeek.com/208917/htg...how-to-fix-it/, mentions an HDMI splitter. Would that possibly work?

I should probably mention that my Mom's TV is about 2 years old.

HDCP is not in the cables, it's in the hardware. This stuff is all computerized, and the 2 computers talk to each other and decide if it should play the content or not.

But you might have a bad cable, maybe try replacing?

Just out of curiosity, what brand DVD/VCR combo? I've got a JVC that is a bit flakey, have to use component to connect it to the audio/video receiver, but it works ok if I go direct to the TV.

[planet_tv]

HDCP is not in the cables, it's in the hardware. This stuff is all computerized, and the 2 computers talk to each other and decide if it should play the content or not.

But you might have a bad cable, maybe try replacing?

Well I could always take the HDMI cable that connects my VCR/DVD combo to my TV and try replacing it with that since it's different brand, Insignia. Not that the brand makes any difference. I think that's what I might do and if that works, she can decide if she wants keep it that way or go back to the 2 coaxial cables option at some point.

Just out of curiosity, what brand DVD/VCR combo? I've got a JVC that is a bit flakey, have to use component to connect it to the audio/video receiver, but it works ok if I go direct to the TV.

I have an LG Model: RC897T. I don't have it hooked up to my DVR only my TV, so I don't if there would be any issues with the DVR. I do know that never really got it to work with my AMD/ATI TV tuner so I don't know if it can even be used with something like that.

[Annoyed]

Well I could always take the HDMI cable that connects my VCR/DVD combo to my TV and try replacing it with that since it's different brand, Insignia. Not that the brand makes any difference. I think that's what I might do and if that works, she can decide if she wants keep it that way or go back to the 2 coaxial cables option at some point.

That's a tough drop in picture quality to swallow, presuming you're going back to either coax for RF transmission (screw-on connectors) or composite video with an audio channel (RCA jacks; plug in).

If the hardware can support it, consider going to component video and audio cables or perhaps a digital audio output. While component can't do 1080 resolution, it can at least do a 16:9 format, and 720 resolution is way better than either coax or composite. And component doesn't know about HDCP.

[planet_tv]

That's a tough drop in picture quality to swallow, presuming you're going back to either coax for RF transmission (screw-on connectors) or composite video with an audio channel (RCA jacks; plug in).

If the hardware can support it, consider going to component video and audio cables or perhaps a digital audio output. While component can't do 1080 resolution, it can at least do a 16:9 format, and 720 resolution is way better than either coax or composite. And component doesn't know about HDCP.

Today my Mom said there was no flashing blacking happening and my Mom and I did nothing, so she's going to keep an eye on it and we will do something if need be. I will keep the component cables in mind should we need to go that route but only if her TV has a spot for those cables like the DVR does. Thanks for the help you have given me.

One final question: You wouldn't happen to know if BBC America got rid of the Standard Def version of there channel would you? (This why I'm asking: https://forum.gateworld.net/threads/...ut-BBC-America)

[Annoyed]

Today my Mom said there was no flashing blacking happening and my Mom and I did nothing, so she's going to keep an eye on it and we will do something if need be. I will keep the component cables in mind should we need to go that route but only if her TV has a spot for those cables like the DVR does. Thanks for the help you have given me.

One final question: You wouldn't happen to know if BBC America got rid of the Standard Def version of there channel would you? (This why I'm asking: https://forum.gateworld.net/threads/...ut-BBC-America)

I have no idea if it's still offered in SD. As far as I know, it has always been HD here since the cable system picked it up.

[planet_tv]

I have no idea if it's still offered in SD. As far as I know, it has always been HD here since the cable system picked it up.

Thanks for the reply. It might just be goof by my cable company and on the plus side, it will get me to remember the channel for the HD version.

[Chaka-Z0]

Thanks for the reply. It might just be goof by my cable company and on the plus side, it will get me to remember the channel for the HD version.

We probably have two very different system you and I, but here the HD versions of every channel is 1000 + channel number.

AKA if History channel is 705, the HD version will be 1705.

[mad_gater]

could always just ditch cable altogether and go with internet service only from the cable company and Netflix

[Chaka-Z0]

could always just ditch cable altogether and go with internet service only from the cable company and Netflix

You know what, I had so many issues with my service provider that I'm probably going to do it.

[Annoyed]

Long term, I plan on ditching cable, they're getting way to expensive.
The delay is access and recordability of local channels. Doing so will require rebuild of my head end machine; it acts a limited media server now, but it was never planned to do what I'm planning with it, so a rebuild is needed. Just gotta get the time to do it.