HDMI autoswitcher in standby

[mihaid]

I have just aquired an autoswitcher and it works admirably. However, if I have say source 1 on, then the HDR comes on in preparation for recording 15 min ahead of start time although it does not output a picture it does send power telling my autoswitcher to change on source 2 (hummy's).

Is there a way to disable HDMI when in standby and recording?

 

[Ezra Pound]

It seems very strange that the Humax is not sending out video in this 'Half Awake' state but that it is sending something that the auto switcher is seeing, I though the whole point of the 'Half awake' mode was to allow the Humax to record without forcing an HDMI auto switch

 

[Black Hole]

There is almost bound to be some kind of DC shift on the HDMI signals when the Humax powers up, even if it does not actually send any data. The switch is probably too sensitive for its own good, with no intelligence.

 

[mihaid]

There is almost bound to be some kind of DC shift on the HDMI signals when the Humax powers up, even if it does not actually send any data. The switch is probably too sensitive for its own good, with no intelligence.

Why would you send DC when no other data is sent, crazy. It just defeats the purpose Ezra mentioned above.
Imagine sending the switch back because it's too sensitive.

 

[Black Hole]

That's just electronics. It is likely the HDMI driver module is not on a separate power supply rail, so unless specific precautions have been taken to suppress any DC shift (similar to the thump you get in the speakers when you turn on a power amp before they had turn-on suppression) the output lines will go to their "0" state - in the case of a differential line that means one wire at 0V and the other at some higher voltage (they switch around to send a "1"). This is the way you get to about 500Mbps down a few metres of wire.

There's no actual data, a switch could be designed to ignore any DC shifts, and we have not heard of TVs with multiple HDMI inputs switching unwantedly. There is no particular reason for Humax to go to the trouble of suppressing the output, except to suit poorly designed HDMI switches.

 

[gomezz]

I have a similar problem with my Foxsat HDR as it keeps the optical audio alive when it is put into standby while still recording something. This is weird as it does not activate the optical audio when it starts recording something from standby. The problem with this is that the optical link on my AV amp shares the same logical input as the analogue phono feed from the TV so I need to force the amp to use the analogue feed rather than let it rely on it auto-detecting the presence or absence of the optical feed.

 

[aciddad]

I have the same problem with two hummys and a sat receiver which maintains an active hdmi output in standby.
I programmed the av button on my multi-remote to step the switch inputs and have got used to doing it.
It's not ideal but is more convenient than the manual switch.....well, it saves me getting up!

 

[mihaid]

so acidad presumably your telly has the autoswitch in it?

 

[mihaid]

, and we have not heard of TVs with multiple HDMI inputs switching unwantedly. There is no particular reason for Humax to go to the trouble of suppressing the output, except to suit poorly designed HDMI switches.

Could you/anyone give examples of TVs with multiple HDMI auto switching which are properly designed?
Barring that, are there any autoswitchers which are designed to cope with the Humax behaviour?
I have since noticed that the Foxsat hdr outputs DC when recording from standby also.

 

[aciddad]

mihaid,
No, I have a Kinivo 501BN 5-port autoswitch with remote control. I just programmed the av button on my multi-remote to be "input step" for each of the three receiver modes and "input select" for the tv mode. All my current kit including a dvd player is hdmi so the tv pretty well stays on hdmi.

 

[gomezz]

I use a Thor switch but that is strictly manual which is the way I prefer it as I often like to have different video and audio sources playing.

 

[mihaid]

Ok, so far no trace of ideally designed auto switchers. That's no big problem because mine does have a button to change manually.
I suppose the problem is how to define what is the active source when 2 or more sources are on. In my book it should be the last thing turned on. It's just spoiled by the hummys coming out of standby.

 

[Black Hole]

Could you/anyone give examples of TVs with multiple HDMI auto switching which are properly designed?

I can't verify that it is properly designed, but my LG seems to behave itself. All that is needed is to detect actual handshake on the particular HDMI input - not difficult for a piece of kit that actively interfaces with HDMI, but not so easy for a cheap auto-selector which blindly passes the data through. The alternative is to turn off the auto-switching function and do it manually.

 

[mihaid]

I can't verify that it is properly designed, but my LG seems to behave itself. .

Could you give me some examples of your LG auto switching several sources. Say hummy1 is on hdmi1 input then you want to watch hummy2 I suppose LG switches to hdmi2. You turn off hummy1 then hummy1 records from standby I presume your LG stays on hdmi2.

Or another real example which you use.

 

[Black Hole]

I'll set something up... (now HDR2 is elsewhere I do not normally have two HDMI sources on the same telly)

 

[aciddad]

It's just spoiled by the hummys coming out of standby.

You are absolutely right.
The one good thing about my sat receiver is that because the hdmi is always active, even when it switches on to do a timed recording the switch doesn't see a change and so doesn't select it. My dvd player is the same.
As long as the Humaxes continue to have this "feature" I doubt any switch will operate correctly, i.e fully automatically.
I put up with my setup for the reason stated, I can stay sat down!

 

[mihaid]

As long as the Humaxes continue to have this "feature" I doubt any switch will operate correctly, i.e fully automatically.
!

I hear that apple tv has this feature and probably others.
I was thinking of having both hummys on to avoid this. with the one I want to watch turned on last in sequence. But if you want to switch to the other one you'll have to do it manually, which is just the same as switching input on my telly in the first place.