XPS17 and HDMI / HDCP hell

Ah, a happy new forum.

2 day old XPS17, had nothing but fun trying to get HDMI in my setup to work properly.

Setup is a bit odd, I grant: XPS > 25' HDMI cable > 4x1 HDMI switch > Integra 9.8 > Kuro Pro-150FD

I have tested, of course, removing the HDMI switch from the equation, tried different (high quality) HDMI cables, and whatever I plug into the Integra I have the same issue, making me believe that the switch and cable length is not the cause of the issue. Connecting the cable directly to the television DOES in fact work, meaning that the issue is, I take it, problems with proper EDID connection between the Dell and the receiver.

Note that when the second device in windows shows up, it shows up as the DTC 9.8, =not= the TV (which is at the end of the HDMI chain).

Two unique issues:

1) HDCP
Whatever my settings, any Blu Ray playback using PowerDVD 9 results in HDCP error. I've got an HD-DVD player and two Blu Ray players (ps3/oppo) plugged into the Integra with zero issues regarding HDCP. From the laptop, it won't play at all.

AnyDVD Pro =does= allow for playback by spoofing HDCP, but that's a pretty silly workaround. In a legitimate setup, I shouldn't have to jump through hoops to get a disc to play, naturally.

2) 1080p 60hz results in black screen on TV.
This is the major pain. On my previous Dell, I could simply slip the HDMI in and easily get 1080p/60hz without trouble. Now, when first plugged in, the screen remains black. My solution is to force it to 24hz, or choose 1080i, whereupon I get signal. I saw somewhere in a myriad of forum posts that turning of HDMI CEC could hypothetically do the trick, so I ensured that all HDMI control is disabled on both the Kuro and the Integra. I had it working, timed to this removal, for about an hour, both displays in clone showing at 60hz (even tried 120/60 for the two monitors and it seemed to work on extended), and 60hz worked on "projector only"
Rebooted the computer the next morning, making no changes to the HT setup, and it's all kaput again.
Further issue that maybe tied: If I boot the computer with the HDMI plugged in, I get no image on the plasma NOR any image on the laptop. Unplugging the HDMI leaves my laptop with a black screen. I have to do a hardboot to get things back, any attempts to change mode (via FN keys or faking a windows-P switch) do nothing.

My preamp has FW 1.07 (the latest is 1.08, which only made minor changes, yet I'm working on getting the update anyway). I've yet to experience this issue with any other HDMI input, including from tablets, other laptops, etc.

Vid driver was temporarily the beta NVDIA so that I could try 3D Youtube, but reverted for testing purposes back to the latest on the Dell site.

Called dell support regarding the loose power cable issue that's documented elsewhere, had them look for any knowledgebase articles about these issues and they came up with nada.

So, any suggestions, other than getting a new pre/pro? Because I assure you getting a new Laptop is a far cheaper option...

 

I had the same issues you had and also was using the same length HDMI cord. The solution for me was the video card. I opened my nVidia Control Panel and it was already telling my that HDCP was an issue. After fiddling around with it for a few minutes(don't remember exactly what I did) the video card recognized my TV and the HDCP and I was good to go.

 

heh, thanks for the response... I'll try some more "fiddling" in the control panel just for fun. Did you have the hdcp issues or the black screen/1080p issue as well?

 

Well, well!

Had a bunch of Monoprice 1.3 cables that have served me well for a while, but decided to go to my supplier and get a 40' 24awg HDMI 1.4 cable and try that out.

Remember, I "rented" from Best Buy the THX blah blah blah Monster cable, cert'd 1.4, and was still unable to pass the signal directly into the receiver.

Plugged the new beast into the switch, with another new cable from the switch to the receiver, and... 60hz. First time. Rebooted the TV/system, so far so good. 25' $250 cable, fail. 40' $35 cable, win.

I always knew Monster was way overpriced, but I thought at least you were getting a decent cable at exorbitant prices.

So, still testing things out, HDCP is still showing as pooched (meaning I've got to run AnyDVD to play back BD), but we're at least making progress.

 

I really don't see the point in "high quality" digital cables. Unlike an analog signal, either it works or it doesn't, there's no signal degredation as such, and if it doesn't work then they wouldn't be able to sell it as it's not fit for purpose, therefore you come to the conclusion that they all should work equally well.

The only reason I can see a high end cable outperforming a lower priced cable is if you had a weak signal coming out of your computer in the first place.

 

this is my point... with a 1.3 30' cable from Monoprice that I was running for, I dunno, 3 years from my other Dell laptop, things were fine. With the XPS, I got nada. Buy a 1.4 cert'd cable from Monster, it didn't work any better than my 1.3 monoprice. Bought a "techcraft" cable, and it worked.

Again, was never, ever going to keep the Monster, just was using it as a random and easy-to-return 1.4 cable. A bit shocked that it didn't pass this particular test, but 24awg seem to do the trick with =this= particular laptop.

again, HDCP is still dead, and I take it nobody else has had an experience like it...

 

Anybody ever hear of bluejeanscable.com? These guys are awesome. I've ordered cables from these guys for years. Blows away Monster by a mile. Monster cable even sued these guys for claims they made about how their cables out performed Monster cable, but when Monster figured out they actually had a better product than Monster they dropped the lawsuit.

They have every audio and video cable you can think of and they custom make the cables from 1 foot lengths to 100 foot lengths. Sorry for the propaganda, I just think there's no reason to overspend on inferior products when there's no reason to.