HTPC killing my projector.

[RimBlock]

I have just rebuilt my HTPC after changing the hard drive and adding a slimline Bluray player to it and now I am getting a strange problem.

When I turn my projector on (Epson 3500) and then turn on the HTPC I get a couple of flashes on the screen with a few green blocks of corruption, the machine then starts with the 'loading Win7' screen but at the stage where it would blank out and then a login screen or the desktop would appear, the projector seems to hard lockup. The remote for the projector has no effect and neither does pushing the buttons, unplugging the hdmi cable and putting it back in again. The only way to get it back to life is with a hard reset (i.e. turn off and no at the plug).

If I turn on the HTPC and wait for a minute then turn on the projector then it is fine and at the desktop / login screen.

The HTPC worked fine before the reinstall of Windows and the drivers are all up to date (inc Intel integrated graphics of the i3 2100 processor). The other thing that changed was that we changed the old Pioneer PGP (720p) for a new LG 3500 (1080p). The HTPC is connected via HDMI to the AV Amp which then outputs to a powered splitter (both outputs powered at the same time) with one output going to the TV and the other going to the projector.

Anyone come across the same sort of problems before or any suggestions ?.

Thanks
RB

 

[lucid]

The HTPC is connected via HDMI to the AV Amp which then outputs to a powered splitter (both outputs powered at the same time) with one output going to the HTPC and the other going to the projector.

Anyone come across the same sort of problems before or any suggestions ?.

Thanks
RB

Are you sure about those connections? Why is the output from the AV amp connected (via the splitter) back to the AV amp again???...or it that just a typo.

I think your clue is in the fact that the projector is fine if you power it up after the HTPC. I'd investigate HDCP handshaking issues. Is the splitter fitted with a mains adapter or is it pinching power from the 5V line on the HDMI feed? Powered is better.

If I were onsite troubleshooting this then I'd start with a direct connection from the HTPC to the projector and see what happens with the projector on before booting the PC. If it still falls over then its a problem with the PC. If okay then introduce the AV amp. Try again. Then substitute the splitter for the amp and try again. Then hook up the AV amp & splitter. Finally, introduce the TV.

 

[RimBlock]

Are you sure about those connections? Why is the output from the AV amp connected (via the splitter) back to the AV amp again???...or it that just a typo.

Yep typo. One going to the projector and one to the TV. Corrected in original post.

Yes I will look at taking the HDMI cable directly from the HTPC to the projector and work back adding more components in when I get a chance.

Just to clarify, it all worked fine in a setup more or less the same as this. The only changes were that we changed the TV and I rebuilt the HTPC using a different hdd. The HTPC -> amp -> splitter (powered) -> projector all worked fine before. Unfortunately I cannot recall if the HTPC was rebuilt at the same time as we got the new TV or just before / after.

Gut feel is it is something with the HTPC and a driver or setting that is causing issues as it sets itself up on boot. I did notice that after changing the TV, the HTPC still reported that the PDP (old tv) was connected even after a few reboots which I put down to the amp storing the E-EDID profile (the display reported by the HTPC stayed the same even after a power off of the splitter and HTPC reboot). After that we had a power cut (lightning strike on our block) and now it reports the display as an Epson projector.

Unfortunately I cannot seem to find any details of supported refresh rates for the projector but all I have tried seem to be working.

RB

 

[lucid]

Unfortunately I cannot seem to find any details of supported refresh rates for the projector but all I have tried seem to be working

It'll be in your manual. Try the specifications page. I suspect that on HDMI it will support 24p, then 50Hz, 60Hz, 72Hz and 75Hz.

 

[vanandjuanunited]

What gfx?

I have an Epson 3200 and my tv fed through a denon 1909 with zero issues. Htpc is Asus e35m1-I deluxe 8 fb ram etc. If I flick between sources screen flickers but the displays whatever source is selected

 

[kerrgreg]

sounds to me like its crashing when it trys to mange the output from the bios and windows loader, some HDTVs have this issue i believe when your gfx outputs the wrong source type for the bios (believe you can set this in the bios)

Screen/pj wise what has recently changed? and could you not run a source back to the tv from the pj or have a passive out from the tv to pj rather than using a splitter?