HDMI Splitter Issues

[admin_exported]

I have a cinema room which houses a sky HD box and PS3. HDMI leads run from the sky box and PS3 into my Sony receiver, STR 6400ES. I have two HDMI outputs on the receiver, one runs directly to a JVC HD100 projector, the other to a QED 4 way splitter. The HDMI ouputs from the splitter then feed tv's around the house.

I have a couple of problems. Firstly, while the Sky HD signal is acceptd by the splitter, it wont accept the PS3 signal. The receiving tv's acknowledge the PS3 signal is being sent, but displays a 'Mode not accepted' error message. The TV is a Samsung 46B8000. Changing the PS3 output from 1080 to 720 makes no difference. If you bypass the splitter, the PS3 signal is accepted fine. I guess a faulty splitter?

The other problem is I'm now on my 3rd Sky HD box. Most of our viewing is done on the tv in our lounge, via the splitter. However, it seems that constant switching between sending the signal to the projector in the cinema room, and then sending it to the splitter for the lounge tv, the Sky signal starts degrading with interruption to the picture quality and sound loss for about every 5 mins. I'm guessing the splitter is still at fault and sending some sort of feedback to the box and damaging it. Has anyone else experienced this? The Sky repair man has been good so far and replaced my box, however the current box is now beginning the show the same problems. I've taken the splitter out of action, can anyone recommend a decent one?

 

[Andrew Everard]

The symptoms you're describing all sound like a loss of HDCP handshaking due to losses in the splitter or the cabling. In other words, there's not enough signal strength to go through the cabling to the various displays.

I assume the 'splitter' you're using is the four output version of this QED distribution amplifier

in which case a call to QED's technical support people may be the answer.

But as to why the PS3 specifically is giving problems, or why this set-up should be causing damage to Sky boxes, I'm really not sure. There's nothing on the HDMI system or in the switcher likely to cause gradual degradation of picture then failure of a box like this.