[Da Peach]

Hey All,

So my wonderful 37" LCD TV is acting up on me. I've got digital cable television with and HD terminal. I hook up the terminal to my TV with a monster Cable HDMI cable. It was worked fine up until recently.

Now, when I turn on the TV, the image comes up green and blue. All other inputs still work fine. But everytime I either change input (from PS2 to TV, say...) the image screws up to green and blue. I have been using the "jiggle the cable" fix so far, and it works. I just have to unplug and replug my HDMI cable and the image fixes itself. This fix works from either end of the cable (HD box or TV ends).

So, anyone else have this problem? Figure my cable is screwed? Hell, it only cost my well over a hundred bucks right? I guess i should expect a mere hundred and something $ facking cable to crap out after a couple months... What a pain in the ass.

 

[binary visions]

Monster Cable stuff is overpriced. It's pretty decent quality, but you can get equal quality for far less money. Just FYI.

So... Is your HD terminal something your cable company supplied to you as a tuner? And it's got multiple inputs?

Does literally jiggling the cable work, or do you have to actually unplug and re-plug it?

 

[Transcend]

It's a videotron cable company box I am guessing. They supply them, they are total trash BTW. I have gone through about 6 of them (and 3 PVR units). Oh well, freebies aren't bad I guess.

Also, what BV said. Get something other than monster. They cost a ton for no reason.

 

[Da Peach]

Monster Cable stuff is overpriced. It's pretty decent quality, but you can get equal quality for far less money. Just FYI.

So... Is your HD terminal something your cable company supplied to you as a tuner? And it's got multiple inputs?

Does literally jiggling the cable work, or do you have to actually unplug and re-plug it?

Yep, cable company supplied tuner box. As for inputs...not sure, don't remember. I'll check.

I must unplug-replug.

It seemed to me a simple jiggle worked the first time, but no longer...

 

[Da Peach]

Well if I do need to replace the cable, this thing will be under warranty so I shall not be paying a dime for any replacement. You can take that to the bank.

 

[binary visions]

I doubt it's the cable. My guess is it's the tuner box, especially if switching inputs is what causes it. I'd bet ten bucks on it - there's not much that goes wrong with a cable, and if something does go wrong, jiggling will fix the connection. The plug and unplug is doing something in the box.

 

[Da Peach]

Crap. Friggin trash foisted on me by rassa frasseadkfj;lek0w48483#$#$RT#$#$RE@!!!!!

Thanks BV. We'll see how this works out. 10 bucks....

 

[Da Peach]

The problem seems to be getting worse. The unplug-replug is working less often.

After speaking with the eh-holes at the cable company, they suspect that the "handshake" between the cable box and TV is no longer working. I know have to turn off the box, and the TV, wait a second, then turn on the TV, then the cable box. This worked a few times, now doesn't anymore. I don't get how a problem like this (if it's a signal or "handshake" problem) would just happen out of the blue like this. They claim to "have a fix in the works" but don't know when it will be "pushed" to the terminals. Helpful.

So, called Best Buy, who referred me to Toshiba, who referred me to their local service people. Time on hold: approx 1 hour total. Rage level: rising steadily.

Now a Toshiba guy is going to come to my house on Tuesday.
Prediction: He'll tell me it's the cable company's fault, or my HDMI cable is faulty.

Just because I know you all really wanted to have my latest TV problem news...

 

[binary visions]

It's the cable company's box. Again, seriously doubt the HDMI cable is faulty, and if the cable company has even admitted they've heard of the problem, then you can bet it's widespread and someone's in trouble if they don't get a fix out.

As for why it's happening out of the blue like this... Why does anything happen like this? Maybe a loose connection inside the box, maybe faulty firmware... who knows? Just one of those things - keep harassing them until you get a fix. Squeaky wheel getting the grease and all of that.

 

[Da Peach]

Fack!