HC3000 can't get a picture

[zachd73]

Well, the journey continues. Why can't it ever work or be easy the first time?

MITS HC 3000

Well, I edited my post from the original freak-out...

I get video through component. Some issues there that need fine tuning but trying to get HDMI to work.
I have a 1.3 OK cable. I checked the settings in my dvd player. There is an option for tv or monitor. That seems to be the only relevent setting. I set output to 480P to be safe.

Hmmm..

I will keep trying, if there is any hdmi troubleshooting I can do please let me know!

[Beta Man]

It's a DVD player and not a Blu-ray player???

What model is it? I'd try a spare cable to be safe also.

[Brain Sturgeon]

So you are not getting an image through HDMI?

As Beta mentioned, try a different (shorter) HDMI cable to start with. If it works, then your 35 ft HDMI cable is likely defective and/or cannot pass a reliable signal over that length. HDMI handshaking can be a real headache with long cable runs.

[zachd73]

Originally Posted by Brain Sturgeon

So you are not getting an image through HDMI?

As Beta mentioned, try a different (shorter) HDMI cable to start with. If it works, then your 35 ft HDMI cable is likely defective and/or cannot pass a reliable signal over that length. HDMI handshaking can be a real headache with long cable runs.

Thanks all, I will try that, only have 1 cable right now. I will try out a shorter one and see.

I have a samsung bdp-2500 blu-ray player.

Do I need to turn one or the other on first or should it matter?

Also the player has output settings like 480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p... will that matter with hdmi - will it determine the best output on its own?

I dont have a blu-ray disc handy so using a regular dvd so far to test.

A few of the settings in the projector menu are locked. I assume that is normal. Most of them are active when I have component running video.

HDMI shouldn't be that hard right? It should probably work without a lot of settings changing?!

[Brain Sturgeon]

Originally Posted by zachd73

Thanks all, I will try that, only have 1 cable right now. I will try out a shorter one and see.

Yup-- let us know what happens.

I have a samsung bdp-2500 blu-ray player.

Do I need to turn one or the other on first or should it matter?

Doesn't matter.

Also the player has output settings like 480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p... will that matter with hdmi - will it determine the best output on its own?

I would leave it on the maximum that you PJ can accept, and that would be either 1080i or 720p (which are essentially equal). Or you can leave it set to "auto".

A few of the settings in the projector menu are locked. I assume that is normal. Most of them are active when I have component running video.

I presume so. There are certainly some things that you can adjust with component outputs that are not an option with HDMI video output.

HDMI shouldn't be that hard right? It should probably work without a lot of settings changing?!

You would think so, but HDCP handshaking can be a major headache, and HDMI is not robust over long runs whereas analog is. That's why a lot of custom installers still prefer component cables. The problem is that most players will not output a 1080p signal via component.

[zachd73]

Originally Posted by Brain Sturgeon

Yup-- let us know what happens.



Doesn't matter.



I would leave it on the maximum that you PJ can accept, and that would be either 1080i or 720p (which are essentially equal). Or you can leave it set to "auto".



I presume so. There are certainly some things that you can adjust with component outputs that are not an option with HDMI video output.



You would think so, but HDCP handshaking can be a major headache, and HDMI is not robust over long runs whereas analog is. That's why a lot of custom installers still prefer component cables. The problem is that most players will not output a 1080p signal via component.

Thanks again..

I had a friend help me hang the screen today... I definitely went a little bigger than I should have, but I think it's going to work. There is about 1 foot on each side where I can put my fronts and the center is going to be about 1.5 feet off the ground just under the screen... may or may not be ideal but I'm pretty sure it is going to sound the same as it did before, might have to angle the center up a tiny bit and toe in the fronts to the center but might even sound better than what I had before who knows.

Got the projector mount mostly mounted and seems to be centered. Running cables should not be a big problem.

I was debating running the HDMI at all. About to say the hell with it and just go with component and forget about it. I did secure a smaller cable. I actually bought that and a DVI to HDMI cable because I have and lcd monitor and I just wanted to verify that the blu-ray was indeed outputting signal over hdmi... and it was.

So now I just have to try the projector out with the shorter HDMI cable.. which.. if it does works.. does not really help me.. I guess that would say I would have to find some higher end cable to run 35 feet. The 32 foot cable I bought says it's 1.3 compliant and high speed.

If it doesn't work with the short cable.. who knows, maybe I got a bum deal on the used projector (which seems unlikely that the HDMI would mysteriously not work) but if I can get 720P over component and have this projector last me 2 years I'll be the happiest man on earth.

Can't wait to watch something - hopefully by tmr night it will be ready to roll.

[Brain Sturgeon]

Originally Posted by zachd73

Thanks again..

I had a friend help me hang the screen today... I definitely went a little bigger than I should have, but I think it's going to work.

Once you see the picture, you will understand that there is no such thing... You will be glad you went bigger very shortly...

I was debating running the HDMI at all. About to say the hell with it and just go with component and forget about it.

I would definitely run it. Again, rule of thumb: always run more cable than you think you need. If you every upgrade to a 1080p projector, you will be glad you did.

So now I just have to try the projector out with the shorter HDMI cable.. which.. if it does works.. does not really help me.. I guess that would say I would have to find some higher end cable to run 35 feet. The 32 foot cable I bought says it's 1.3 compliant and high speed.

If the short cable works and the longer one doesn't, I would get a replacement longer cable from where you bought it from (tell them it's defective, which it is...). If you cannot get a working replacement from them, then their cable may not be able to accurately pass a signal over that length. If that is the case, you may want to look into an HDMI cable from Blue Jeans Cable that is guaranteed to pass a signal up to about 50'. I am using a 25' CL2 cable from Monoprice which does the trick, but I'm not sure about longer lengths from them.

If it doesn't work with the short cable.. who knows, maybe I got a bum deal on the used projector (which seems unlikely that the HDMI would mysteriously not work) but if I can get 720P over component and have this projector last me 2 years I'll be the happiest man on earth.

Naah, I'm guessing it's your HDMI cable.

Can't wait to watch something - hopefully by tmr night it will be ready to roll.

Good luck!

[zachd73]

Originally Posted by Brain Sturgeon

Once you see the picture, you will understand that there is no such thing... You will be glad you went bigger very shortly...

I would definitely run it. Again, rule of thumb: always run more cable than you think you need. If you every upgrade to a 1080p projector, you will be glad you did.


If the short cable works and the longer one doesn't, I would get a replacement longer cable from where you bought it from (tell them it's defective, which it is...). If you cannot get a working replacement from them, then their cable may not be able to accurately pass a signal over that length. If that is the case, you may want to look into an HDMI cable from Blue Jeans Cable that is guaranteed to pass a signal up to about 50'. I am using a 25' CL2 cable from Monoprice which does the trick, but I'm not sure about longer lengths from them.



Naah, I'm guessing it's your HDMI cable.

Good luck!

Well.. it's done!

My buddy came back over this morning and we finished the job. I think we spent about 6 hours although it was more like 4 hours of actual work.

It was too light in the room to really dial it in but it looks pretty great as far as I can tell. Our placement was really close to perfect while still hitting a stud in the ceiling. Got two screws in it and didn't need to hang anything else in the ceiling to grab on to.

Ran some speakers cables while we were at it. Running all the cables only took about 15 minutes, the attic entrance is about 15 feet away straight shot from the projector.

I did not run the HDMI cable. I figure if I did buy a new projector - and it didn't worth with the HDMI either - then that would suck. The 3 foot cable I bought to test it out didn't work either. My only guess is maybe the projector has some settings that I don't know how to change (yet) and that is keeping it from working. There are some settings in the projector I changed the other night and noticed they came back to the way they were before as though they are saved under the projectors 3 user memory settings. I could try and wipe them out but I'm going to let the HDMI go since I don't think it's giving me anything over component anyways.

So I figure if I do get a new projector in a few years, I'll make sure it works with HDMI then run a cable. Shouldn't be too difficult to run one later with my set up the way it is. In the meantime I'll get my $60 back from fry's if I can find the #*(@( receipt.

Just gotta get a lack stand from ikea and I think I am going to get some fabric for the ceiling that will hang down and cover up the white project roller case and the boards we hung it on and that will be it.

Oh yeah, and vacuum up all the dust

[AlabamaBoy]

Following the Brains suggestion, purchase the following cable from Blue Jeans:

HDMI Cable, BJC Series-1 Belden Bonded-Pair, 35 foot

http://bluejeanscable.com/store/hdmi-cables/index.htm

I ran two of these cables in the past week, both are working wonderfully. The cost is roughly $107, but well worth it. They are solid, shielded cables.

[zachd73]

Well... after getting everything set up I think I may have a bad projector on my hands. This would really suck but at the same time I am prepared to accept having wasted some money on this since I have also saved many thousands in the past by buying used equipment from ebay or craigslist.

I am however prepared to attempt some last ditch troubleshooting to try and see if there is something more I could do to make this projector work.

I'll try and be specific as possible here on what I am seeing and what the equipment is.

The project is a MITS HC3000. I have it connected via component cables to a samsung BDP-2500 blu-ray dvd player. THe cable run is 50 feet.
THe cables I purchased were $50. They are probably not the best cables available and probably not the worst.

When I try and play a dvd (standard dvd) to the projector, it will sometimes play OK but most of them time it will read 'sxvga 43i' whereas it would normally said 480p or 1080i. The picture has some white horiz lines at the top of it. Sometimes it will also fragment where a vertical line is on the screen and to the left of the line, part of the image is reproduced that is on the right side of the screen.

It seems the projector can't "figure out" the input. I have also displayed cable t.v. run via a composite cable from a vcr as a tuner. In this mode everything is fine.

As mentioned in another thread, I could never get any signal over HDMI.

I'm curious if this could have anything to do with the component cable.
It seems since it is analog, if the signal was bad, the picture would be degraded but not what I am seeing which is that the projector gets confused and won't correctly display the image at all.

Also sometimes it seems to get locked up where I can't access it and I either have to wait a few minutes or unplug it. This usually happens while it is 'thinking' about the signal that is being sent to it via component. If it has no signal to it and I am just accessing menus or watching cable via composite - this never happens.

Any thoughts?

I will likey pull it down and try it with some shorter component cables but I am not optimistic this is going to make it work.

My other thought is are there settings I am missing... I have tried every available menu option and read the manual several times. Some menu options have never been available to change and I think that is normal but I am not sure.

Also I set the blu-ray player to 480p when playing SD discs.

Thanks again for any help. I can't wait for the day when I have all this going correctly and I can try and help others instead of always asking for help.

[Brain Sturgeon]

Hmmm... That doesn't sound good.

First off, I would try a shorter set of component cables to see if the length of the cable is the issue.

Are there any settings on the projector in terms of what resolution it will default to, or is it an auto setting that will chose the best resolution available?

You didn't mention what happens if you try to play a BD in you Samsung over component to the PJ. Does this provide an image at all?

The locking up issue seems to suggest an incompatibility between the resolution(s) your player is trying to output, and the resolution(s) that your PJ is capable of displaying. You might try "forcing" both your player and projector to output/display a resolution and refresh rate that both are capable of supporting to see if you can get a decent image.

If no one here owns a HC3000, you might try a search in AVS' projector forums to see if anyone else has had these problems...

Good luck!

[zachd73]

Originally Posted by Brain Sturgeon

Hmmm... That doesn't sound good.

First off, I would try a shorter set of component cables to see if the length of the cable is the issue.

Are there any settings on the projector in terms of what resolution it will default to, or is it an auto setting that will chose the best resolution available?

You didn't mention what happens if you try to play a BD in you Samsung over component to the PJ. Does this provide an image at all?

The locking up issue seems to suggest an incompatibility between the resolution(s) your player is trying to output, and the resolution(s) that your PJ is capable of displaying. You might try "forcing" both your player and projector to output/display a resolution and refresh rate that both are capable of supporting to see if you can get a decent image.

If no one here owns a HC3000, you might try a search in AVS' projector forums to see if anyone else has had these problems...

Good luck!

Thank you very much. I actually went to best buy and bought a hc1600 which, obviously, is probably what I should have done in the first place!
I am always trying to get a better deal on things and with amps and speakers that has always worked out great but maybe with projectors.. best to go new!

I do still plan to try and troubleshoot the problematic mits pj when I get over the thrill of watching movies on my 8 foot screen!

One thing I plan to do is hook up a ps2 over component cables to see if it has any affect on things. Also I found the white horiz lines at the top may just be markers to show you where the top of the screen is if you are using the vertical position settings. THese settings keep reverting back on me - the horiz and vert settings .. instead of 0/0 they are like 330/67. I have tried the 'reset all' function but those settings seem to come back.

I do not think there is a setting where I can force the resolution on the pj.
Since I am using the 1600 though.. and everything works perfectly, it makes me more suspicious of the projector being bad and not just a setting being wrong.

For now, thankfully, my madness can end and I can watch movies again.