SJMaye

[SJMaye]

Swoon,

Just wanted you to know I went through the HTPC this weekend and solved all my oddities.  The built in display had a loose connection and the ON/Off button lead to the main board had become unplugged.  I even got AHCI working, but no change in video playback of recordedtv.  I am creating a separate post. I would appreciate your perspective.

[SJMaye]

Swoon,

I don’t know whether to be embarrassed or frustrated.  Pulled out the DVI to HDMI adapter.  The same one I thought that did not give a picture before.  While windows desktop was up I pulled the HDMI from the HDMI video card port over to the DVI to HDMI adapter.  Picture came right back up. I plugged a USB keyboard in to a USB port on the back panel. I rebooted and was able to enter the bios!  Next I thought I would try something else. I shutdown and switched the HDMI cable back to the HDMI port and booted.  I was able to enter the bios there too!

There is only one thing that has come to me that could be a possible answer.  You will notice I underlined plugging in the keyboard to the back panel.  In most attempts before I was using the USB ports on the front panel.  It is possible that all the problems entering the bios are related to those ports.  I know for sure I was using those ports the other morning when it would go blank for a moment andstart over again while trying to enter the bios.  Strange. I thought it would either work or not work.

So it appears my video card works OK and I can change my bios now, but all this has brought to light some things that I may have not gotten right in last year’s main board, cpu and ram upgrade.  I am pretty sure I have some USB headers I need to check.

Thank you for your help.  As usual, Missing Remote is more help than I got from anywhere else.

 

 

 

[SJMaye]

Can do.  Will try after work tonight

[SJMaye]

Hi Swoon,

Everything worked back with the 8600GT, but as was pointed out here my memory is failing.  I think the issue with the case display screen is totally separate from the inability to access the bios while viewing via an HDMI connected TV.  The way it worked with the 8600GT was the case display would be on until Windows started to load upon which time it would shut off.  It was sort of the default display before the windows drivers loaded (at least as I saw it).  That worked fine as I only used it for troubleshooting and bios access anyway. 

 

It appears clear that the video card is working OK.  I need to find out what is wrong with the display.  Could be something related to the upgrade in main board, processor, …. while I was reassembling.  That all happened around the addition of the 5670.

Still, sure seems weird the computer will not allow me to access the bios through a HDMI connection.  Just checked it again.  Screen goes black for a second or two and comes back as if rebooting and you see the POST screen start all over again. 

 

[SJMaye]

While I am at it here let me ask you something else.  The reason I needed the HTPC case screen was the HMDI connection to the TV would not allow me to enter the bios.  I need to enter the bios to make a change.

While on HDMI from HTPC to TV I have a picture.  During POST I hit the delete key to enter the bios.  For whatever reason when I hit the delete key it does blinks for a second then goes back to POST again.  Will not enter the bios.

I tried calling Gigabyte (motherboard) and AMD (video card) which got me no where.  Do you have any ideas?

 

 

 

 

 

[SJMaye]

I guess I needed to look at that little display more often.  I was able to connect the DVI-VGA to a VGA monitor.  The HTPC detected it right away and the screen came up.  Now I am sure, unfortunately, there is something wrong with the touchscreen display on my HTPC case.  Will try to figure that out now. I doubt the fix will be cheap.

Thanks for the help.  Just goes to show my memory is not what it used to be.

[SJMaye]

Hi Swoon,

It is this one SAPPHIRE 100287L

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102870

I would have assumed VGA could work on the DVI as they supplied a DVI to VGA adapter. 

 

There is a remote chance the display is not working.  I will try a known good VGA monitor and try it again/.

 

[SJMaye]

I did not mean to imply monifo did.  That comment was aimed at thoughts to change my power settings to keep my display on 24/7.  I don’t want to do that.

monifo sounds more like what I am trying to get at; get the HDMI signal to reinitialize once the display turns back on.

 

[SJMaye]

I don’t want to eliminate the HTPC shutting down the display after a time at idle.  It plays well with my TV.  Once the display shuts down the TV will shutdown a few minutes thereafter.  Nice for protection from burn-in.

moninfo.exe sounds interesting.  Will read more.  I would like to understand how it fixes it.

 

[SJMaye]

I don’t think my problem is standby as I never allow mine to go in to standby.  It is always on.  The only thing that does happen is the screen times out and goes blank after 10 minutes of inactivity.

Will a standby helper do anything for that?

[SJMaye]

Thank you both for your replies.  When this first cropped up HDMI-Yo was just coming out.  Since the problem disappeared I never had need to try it.  At the same time people were claiming W7 SP1 would cure it and to hang on until released.  SP1 came and went and I still have the problem. 

I appreciate the keystroke sequence.  For me it would be OK, but I travel a bunch.  I don’t see my wife pulling the keyboard out.   You know the wife factor.

[SJMaye]

[quote=Crim]

I just now tried it but had to delete the “playready” DRM file for it to work.

It works great now. 🙂

 They had it fixed and then tried again this morning and it is not working again.  Says I need to sign in to my account which I was signed in to already.  I did not bother because in the past it did nothing to fix the problem.  Can you tell me how to delete the playready file you mention?

[/quote]

[SJMaye]

[quote=swoon]

Be aware that any source device sending Dolby Digital (or any other compressed format) will not be able to control the volume of that audio unless it decodes it, changes the volume and then re-encodes it.

[/quote]

Well that sort of bites.  But makes sense. 

[SJMaye]

Thanks for the reminder.  I remember now that Windows MC can be a pain to switch between audio devices.  Based on all the input here the options are clearcut since I want the sound levels controlled by the windows MC and the MC remote.  It is between using the TV digital audio out and just going off the back panel of the MC.  I will run a test today connecting the digital audio out to my old receiver and see how it functions.  I hope to set a fixed amplification level and MC will control volume other than that.

[SJMaye]

[quote=Mike Garcen]

first, i agree with Aaron. If all this is for the simplicity of a single remote, buy a cheap Harmony (probably $30-40), it will cost WAY less than any speaker setup.

I was about to say even computer speakers wouldn’t be able to connect SPDIF, but then I realized that my speakers are extremely old and that technology evolves 🙂 Looks like Logitech’s higher end speakers have digital coax

[/quote]

I know this will sound bizarre, but it really is not about cost of solution…..to a point.  As I mentioned I have a Harmony One remote as well as about 4 other Harmony remotes.  The logitech speakers you mention are the ones I considering.  The Z906 specifically. 

The question though still remains; Do the TV audio out (digital or analog) ports raise and lower the volume or will they require volume set by the connected speakers.

While reading all the replies they reminded me of a more simple solution.  I got so hung up on HDMI sending all audio and video to the TV that I forgot I can route the audio to the back panel of the HTPC and have dolby in both analog and digital.  And the HTPC would control the volume. 

This opens many possibilities.  Now I can use analog and get dolby where analog TV audio out on my TV is plain stereo. 

Thanks for help thinking this through.  🙂

 

 

 

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