AVR switching inputs randomly when watching satellite

[maverick22]

My Denon AVR/TV is randomly switching inputs when I'm watching DirecTV (satellite service). Everything has been working fine the past few months. Sometimes the AVR is a little quirky (DirecTV remote won't turn on TV and AVR, sometimes it does), but this issue is new.

This issue just started a few days ago though where we will be watching DTV, and it switches inputs out of nowhere to the TV input on the AVR. We have to grab the Denon AVR remote and manually switch it back to CBL/satellite.

Any ideas?

I don't have 4k service through DirecTV so I'm using a standard old HDMI cable. It had been working fine. Do you think you need a certified premium high speed HDMI cable like the rest of the components in my chain ? Could that be messing up my whole chain? I hear things are picky when it comes to 4k. Like I said they have been mainly fine the past few months though. This issue came out of nowhere.

I have tried unplugging everything, and that didn’t help.

Thanks in advance!

Thanks in advance!

[Trace Buster Buster]

Originally Posted by maverick22

My Denon AVR/TV is randomly switching inputs when I'm watching DirecTV (satellite service). Everything has been working fine the past few months. Sometimes the AVR is a little quirky (DirecTV remote won't turn on TV and AVR, sometimes it does), but this issue is new.

This issue just started a few days ago though where we will be watching DTV, and it switches inputs out of nowhere to the TV input on the AVR. We have to grab the Denon AVR remote and manually switch it back to CBL/satellite.

Any ideas?

I don't have 4k service through DirecTV so I'm using a standard old HDMI cable. It had been working fine. Do you think you need a certified premium high speed HDMI cable like the rest of the components in my chain ? Could that be messing up my whole chain? I hear things are picky when it comes to 4k. Like I said they have been mainly fine the past few months though. This issue came out of nowhere.

I have tried unplugging everything, and that didn’t help.

Thanks in advance!

Thanks in advance!

Have you tried plugging the Direct TV box into a different input?

[maverick22]

Originally Posted by Trace Buster Buster

Have you tried plugging the Direct TV box into a different input?

I haven’t. Thanks for the suggestion!

I’m a little hesitant as it probably means I have to change something else in the menu of my AVR if I do that. I’m a complete dummy with all of this connection stuff and options in AVRs.

[Wingman1977]

Originally Posted by maverick22

I haven’t. Thanks for the suggestion!

I’m a little hesitant as it probably means I have to change something else in the menu of my AVR if I do that. I’m a complete dummy with all of this connection stuff and options in AVRs.

I would contact Denon and ask them about it. I'm pretty sure they'll be more than happy to help you out.

[maverick22]

Originally Posted by Wingman1977

I would contact Denon and ask them about it. I'm pretty sure they'll be more than happy to help you out.

I messed around with with some settings, and then things went wrong again, but after messing around some more things seem okay for now (knock on wood). If it acts up anymore I'll try to contact them.

Thanks!

[maverick22]

And....the problem is back. Switches to TV input while watching DirecTV (cable/satellite) input.

It’s pretty annoying.

Thanks

Edit: I switched out an old HDMI cable with a new premium certified one from Monoprice but that didn’t help. Wonder if Denon has tech support that helps with this stuff. Had some family over, and it’s annoying having to grab the remote and switch it back to satellite every 10 minutes.

[maverick22]

Update: Well, I restarted my DTV receiver (hit red button), and it seems better. Still early to tell.

[ZoetMB]

Originally Posted by maverick22

Update: Well, I restarted my DTV receiver (hit red button), and it seems better. Still early to tell.

If it happens again, shut off HDMI CEC control on the receiver and if it's an option on the satellite receiver, shut it off there as well. If you have a Blu-ray player, shut it off there - just keep it on on the TV.

You can get caught in these loops where the receiver senses the TV is on, so it switches to the TV input. Or, you've watched a Blu-ray and now want to watch TV. You power off the Blu-ray player and the TV shuts off, but you didn't want it to. You switch the TV back on. Now the A/V receiver toggles off. Etc. So just keep HDMI control ON on the TV only.

[maverick22]

Originally Posted by ZoetMB

If it happens again, shut off HDMI CEC control on the receiver and if it's an option on the satellite receiver, shut it off there as well. If you have a Blu-ray player, shut it off there - just keep it on on the TV.

You can get caught in these loops where the receiver senses the TV is on, so it switches to the TV input. Or, you've watched a Blu-ray and now want to watch TV. You power off the Blu-ray player and the TV shuts off, but you didn't want it to. You switch the TV back on. Now the A/V receiver toggles off. Etc. So just keep HDMI control ON on the TV only.

Thanks for the reply!

I don’t even know where to find CEC control on those other pieces of equipment other than the Denon receiver. Seems like when I tried in the past to turn off CEC on the receiver, certain things were not working correctly.

My most recent issue has been watching the Netflix through the TV’s app. The AVR usually switches the external speakers on when I do this. However I had the issue yesterday (and often) where the AVR won’t turn those speakers on, and I have no sound or have to use the TV’s speakers. I finally got things working by unplugging my TV and AVR.

Seems like every week some problem repeats itself. It’s getting old and frustrating messing with unplugging things every single week!

Any suggestions?

[JurassicBD]

As the other poster suggested, disabling any and all forms of hdmi control is often the fix. Sadly, HDMI isn't half as "smart" as it's supposed to be. Different components call the various hdmi controls by different names. After disabling them, you'll just have to remember to turn off each device separately. Turning on one won't activate the whole system anymore. If that doesn't do it, you've likely got a problem with the circuitry in the avr. We have an indoor Sherwood we use in our shop, which is in a very humid environment. It does all kinds of crazy stuff: the power button will change the speaker selection from a to b, the radio tuning buttons will change the input. We usually have to play with it for a few minutes every time we turn it on to get it working how we want it. But we can't seem to find outdoor models anymore to replace it.

[maverick22]

Originally Posted by JurassicBD

As the other poster suggested, disabling any and all forms of hdmi control is often the fix. Sadly, HDMI isn't half as "smart" as it's supposed to be. Different components call the various hdmi controls by different names. After disabling them, you'll just have to remember to turn off each device separately. Turning on one won't activate the whole system anymore. If that doesn't do it, you've likely got a problem with the circuitry in the avr. We have an indoor Sherwood we use in our shop, which is in a very humid environment. It does all kinds of crazy stuff: the power button will change the speaker selection from a to b, the radio tuning buttons will change the input. We usually have to play with it for a few minutes every time we turn it on to get it working how we want it. But we can't seem to find outdoor models anymore to replace it.

I don't mind having to turn each device off.

I have the following:

Denon 1100 AVR
LG TV
LG 4k player
Apple 4k tv box
DirecTV receiver

My TV and 4k player are Dolby Vision capable, but my AVR is not. I have that trick going in where 2 HDMI cables are being run to let me still get the best possible audio from HDMI and letting me get DV through everything (Apple TV included).

In the past I have tried disabling HDMI control on my AVR, and things just weren't working properly. I'm a complete dummy when it comes to AVRs, settings in the AVR, all these connections, and the settings within the other devices. I'm afraid to mess with anything because with my luck, I won't get sound while watching different inputs, DV might not work properly, etc.

I have no idea how to disable CEC on the 4k player, Apple 4k TV, and my DirecTV receiver (if there are even settings for those).

thanks