DVI Conundrum

D

diddl

New Member
I have just purchased a refurbished HDR-FOXT2-G direct from Humax and am experiencing an hitherto insurmountable issue regarding connection to a DVI equipped Hitachi Plasma TV:
  • The Humax is on the latest officially released firmware 1.02.29
  • The display used is a Hitachi 32PD5200 Plasma equipped with a HDCP compliant DVI-D (24 Pin) connector. It is capable of producing 1080i, 480i, 480p, 575i, 575p (NOT 720p) resolutions.
  • There is no HDMI connection on the set as it was an early "HD Ready" compliant set many years ago!
The problem encountered is as follows:
  • When I connect the Humax via HDMI OUT to other HDMI equipped displays all is good.
  • When I connect the Humax via HDMI OUT to the display using a DVI-D Dual Link connector, directly, then all is OK although the initial "Humax" logo is purple!
  • When I connect the Humax via HDMI OUT to the Hitachi (and a more recently purchased LG) display using a DVI-D Dual Link connector, indirectly, via an Onkyo TX NR509 AV (latest firmware) receiver (i.e. Humax HDMI OUT to Onkyo HDMI IN and then Onkyo HDMI OUT to TV DVI) then the picture is purple.
I'd like to add that I also have an exact set-up for a TechniSat HDFS set top box and a Sony BDP-S790 Bluray player which have posed no problems.

I suspect the problem indicates that the colour space of the Humax HDMI OUT is, somehow, not set correctly to RGB (as opposed to YCbCr). My TechniSat and Sony equipment have, as user selected options in the configuration menu, explicit parameters for colour space, i.e. RGB, YCbCr 4:2:2 and YCbCr 4:4:4 whereas the Humax does not provide such an option.

I have tried all available options, such as the V-Format setting as well as other long-shot settings such as power management - to no avail. Naturally, I also fear that the machine itself may have a hardware fault. However that is something that I can not verify without trying out a machine known to be in perfect working condition.

Clearly this is a problem which I have researched extensively and need urgently resolved if I am to keep the Humax PVR and not not return it for a refund. I have sent an email to Humax technical support and await their response. I recognize that it is a minor issue in the grand scheme of things and that I may not get a satisfactory resolution and have to simply ditch the machine. I am hoping for a bright spark here to suggest an explanation and/or solution.
 
The set does not have an HDMI input - only DVI ( and SCART and component). It was one of the first sets to be "declared" HD Ready and HDMI was not as widely available as it is today.
 
diddl said:
The set does not have an HDMI input - only DVI ( and SCART and component). It was one of the first sets to be "declared" HD Ready.
Click to expand...
I'm no expert but my understanding is that DVI is for connecting a PC to a TV and that it is possible to connect using HDMI. DVI >> HDMI using a converter. Not sure it works the other way around. What happens if you select PC input in the TV menu?
 
4291 said:
I'm no expert but my understanding is that DVI is for connecting a PC to a TV and that it is possible to connect using HDMI. DVI >> HDMI using a converter. Not sure it works the other way around. What happens if you select PC input in the TV menu?
Click to expand...
Good point; I have tried both the PC input and STB (set top box) input settings of the DVI on the TV (together with all the different HDMI resolutions of the Humax) and the only change is the frame size but the color remains the same - purple!

HDMI is supposed to be backward compliant with DVI. However, to quote from WiKi

"To ensure baseline compatibility between different HDMI sources and displays (as well as backward compatibility with the electrically compatible DVI standard) all HDMI devices must support the sRGB color space at 8 bits per component.Support for the YCbCr color space and higher color depths ("deep color") is optional. HDMI permits sRGB 4:4:4 (8–16 bits per component), xvYCC 4:4:4 (8–16 bits per component), YCbCr 4:4:4 (8–16 bits per component), or YCbCr 4:2:2 (8–12 bits per component).The color spaces that can be used by HDMI are ITU-R BT.601, ITU-R BT.709-5 and IEC 61966-2-4."​

This is what my TechniSat STB and Sony Bluray players have explicit "user-settable" options for and I fear is something that Humax may have overlooked!
 
I have just dug out my HD manual :eek: and it does show such a connection as you describe.
 
I have a HDMI to DVI connector somewhere. If I can find it I will give it a try this end and see what happens. It could take a while!
 
What confuses me (hence the conundrum) is the fact that DVI colour switching (hand-shaking) does, ultimately, work but only when the Humax is connected directly to the display but not when the HDMI signal goes (indirectly) through the Onkyo AV set which, to all intents and purposes, passes the video signal through, unaltered. I say "ultimately" because the initial "Humax" logo is always purple when, of cours,e it should not be.

4291 said:
I have a HDMI to DVI connector somewhere. If I can find it I will give it a try this end and see what happens. It could take a while!
Click to expand...
Much appreciated! That'd kind of rule out my set being faulty at the hardware level.
 
Sorry to disappoint. I have hunted high and low but no luck. It's been several years since I last saw it. :(
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top