Alienware 18, HDMI IN Port, Help !

Hello forum,

in short the HDMI IN port on my mid 2013 Alienware 18 doesn't work any longer. The HDMI OUT works just fine. Roughly 9 months ago on windows 10 i was able to use my HDMI IN using the same setup and cables with no issues at all 9 months later the port just doesn't work any longer. I did several tests and researches in the past 7 days, and doesn't look to be the windows version, i did a fresh install of win 10, 1703, (no luck) but if related could be a nvidia or intel hd driver ?! or maybe just a hardware issue. Now hopefully someone here knows what are the drivers that are responsible for the HDMI IN port ??

 

I think it may be hardware issue. I suggest to get a LiveUSB Ubuntu Linux, boot it and test it HDMI In works, it should.

 

I Will give it a try

 

The HDMI IN option should be enabled in the display tab ?

 

Which display tab?

 

settings -> display tab

 

There's no such option on M18xR1. Sorry for long delay im not here often

 

the question was when you're in ubuntu how do switch to hdmi in ?? in windows i press "f9" which stands for hdmi in

 

FN+F8 on M18xR1

 

Do you have the Alienware On Screen Display driver installed?

Even if you do, try installing this, restart, then try again: https://www.dell.com/support/home/u...d=XFKFC&oscode=WT64A&productcode=alienware-18

 

apparently i have installed a later version that the one you suggested, but i will uninstall and install the version you suggested instead. BRB

followed you're suggestion uninstall ran smooth, i restarted the machine immediately and after this windows ran crazy, some apps are not working properly, bitdefender became slow, the machine itself had many issues to restart or shut down. After a couple of hours of playing around now seems that i'm able to restart or shut down properly. But something feels wrong. Another thing that i noticed was that INTEL XTU wasn't able to read my CPU properly, wasn't able to show many of the cpu specs.

I did try again UBUNTU to see if i'm able to use the hdmi in and no luck at all....

 

I would recommend a reinstall of windows...also if you do reinstall, don't use any internet. Download all of the drivers from Dell website for aw18 windows 10 and install them first, then restart and enable internet.

 

This is what i did a couple of weeks ago when i did a fresh install on my ssd, i will give it another go, Thanks !

 

Hi,

I had a problem with the HDMI out on my M18xR2 a couple of years back and I tried in vain for ages to find a solution.

I found a video about the HDMI ports being placed a little bit too far back which stopped the cable making a full connection with the port.

If you have a spare HDMI cable you can test with, try cutting some more off the end of the cable so that the HDMI cable can be pushed into the port further. It worked for me.

You never know. Sometimes it's just something simple that causes problems.

Good luck!!

 

no mate i'm not affected by that problem. i think the problem is hardware related...

 

i just performed a fresh install of windows 10 last release available but didn't work out, still can.t connect the HDMI IN.

 

Have you tried an "ACTIVE" HDMI cable? This was my problem in the past, on Alienware 18 (October 2014 model).

 

how i said at the very beginning the same cables use to work fine with the laptop, and still they work if i test the HDMI OUT

I think i want to try an early version of win 10 the 1703 i guess, maybe the issue is windows ?

 

So when I first received my Alienware 18 I used a standard HDMI cable and it worked, but sometime after upgrading to Windows 10 it stopped working. That is when I switched to an Active HDMI cable. Not 100% sure it was the cable, but that's what fixed the issue for me.

Best of luck!


-imest

 

I still bet on hardware fault as @I_AM_MUSTANG suggested or some bios issue. As I told you before I don't have your model but also model with HDMI IN, M18xR1 in which this feature always worked and even without drivers. With Radeon 6990M, with 880M, and even Intel HD 3000. I am using it every day with both PS4 and Xbox One and it worked with past-gen consoles too.

If you are still thinking it's software issue please check on fresh Windows 7 install and also bios. There's no option for it on M18xR1 but there may be on 18.

Currently, I'm running 1709 as we talked before and here's fresh photo to prove it's working. I really wish I could help you more.





This device below appears after installing sound drivers but HDMI IN worked without them, just no sound.

 

What if is a bios problem ? Let me explain.... i did updated the bios from the stock one to the A12 Unlocked which changed the service tag of my system with the one that was included in that bios. As far as i know there's no option in the bios for any HDMI settings. Looking to you're last picture the "Sounds" windows it does shows you're HDMI iN it doesn't show the HDMI IN in my "Sounds" tab i just checked, therefore clearly the HDMI IN is not seen by the system....

 

As I said this position appears only after installing sound drivers and it reroutes audio from HDMI IN to speakers. Im not sure if AW18 should have it but even without it, it should work, just without sound. On my current laptop system doesn't even know that I am using it. Chip just switches display input to the HDMI IN while Windows runs in background without even knowing that something changed.

You can check how it works on AW18 on the internet, that's for M18xR1/R2:

 

nice, i will inspect the mobo soon

 

@giogrig, any luck? Apperently ive got the same issue. wonder if its an NVIDIA driver issue. kinda Janky, running a 1060 in a system that doesnt technically support it, with a hardware qwirk(hdmi in) that isnt really widely used. haha

 

This seems to be very common on AW 18 vs. the M18x series.

I have 1060 in my M18xR2 and HDMI IN works even on latest Windows build.

Have either of you tried running a windows 7 install from separate HDD and see if it works there? That way you can rule out the OS.

 

I reset my pc, reset bios back to A12 instead of the unlocked, fresh installed drivers, then swapped back to unlocked bios. (alot of work) but after resetting it back to the old bios and resetting windows, it began working.

then to get the PS4 working properly with it i had to turn off HDCP in settings- but every once in awhile it still kicks out and back in. dunno why. Guessing some of the issues with hdmi in currently is with the content protection

I was going to try installling ubuntu on my spare ssd, but couldnt find a usb key to install from for the life of me