HDCP Compliant Receiver Recommendations

[pentup]

My 5-6 year old Sony receiver causes constant "HDCP Support Required" errors in WMC7. Do you all have any basic AV receivers that you like that will do audio/video over hdmi or optical that plays nice with WMC7? I'd really like to get surround sound back.

[barnabas1969]

Many AV receivers can cause HDCP errors. If your receiver has HDMI inputs/outputs, then it is definitely HDCP compliant.

The HDCP "handshake" is very finicky... especially when connected to a PC.

Have you tried the following (in order)?

1) Make sure you turn on the TV and AVR (with the correct inputs already selected) BEFORE you turn on the PC.
2) If #1 doesn't work, try different inputs on the AVR and TV. Sometimes, the right combination of inputs on the two devices will do the trick. I know this is very hard to believe, but it's true. For example:

a) Try TV input 1, and then go through all the inputs on your AVR one at a time, cycling power on your PC each time you move the cable (and, of course select the correct inputs on the TV and AVR).
b) Try TV input2, and repeat the above.
c) Do it again for each TV input.

I know this sounds like a lot of work, but it may save you a lot of money in the long run.

[barnabas1969]

Oh... and as for #1 above... give the TV and AVR a few seconds to initialize before you turn on the PC.

[crawfish]

I always recommend connecting the PC to the TV for video and using S/PDIF from the motherboard to receiver for audio. I've always done this, and I've never had any problems with HDCP, input switching, power sequences, etc. This is one part of my HTPC experience that has always "just worked". Note that this will take the receiver out of the HDCP equation, and the only capability you will sacrifice are the lossless BD audio codecs.

[newfiend]

Ya..but...i like my lossless BD Audio...
I have a Sony STR-DN1000, its a bit older avr but it works great. I agree with Barnabas though that you need to have things turn on in the correct sequence. I have my harmony remote turn on the Tv first, then Avr, then Pc. Then all the appropriate handshakes take place and it works great. There is also the Geffen HDMI Detective that you can place in line and that can help eliminate handshake issues as well. I use HDMI for both audio and video w/o much issue at all.

Sent from my WP7 using Board Express

[CyberSimian]

I have my harmony remote turn on the Tv first, then Avr, then Pc. Then all the appropriate handshakes take place and it works great.

What happens if you want to watch TV when the PC is in the middle of recording a programme? The TV and AVR will be off, but the PC is already on. Do you not end up in the situation where the PC is effectively switched on first, and not last?

It seems to me that in principle it ought not to matter the order in which HDCP components are switched on, and it is only defects in some manufacturers' implementations that result in some power-on sequences being less problematic than others.

-- from CyberSimian in the UK

[newfiend]

Lately the NVIDIA driver builds have handled this extremely well.. In fact this morning I had this exact situation where the PC was on already..i turned on the TV which in turn turns on the avr (via HDMI-CEC) launched Media Center and put in a DVD in TMT5 and had no sound issues at all. I use the HDMI out of my GT430 to my avr and HDMI from avr to tv. There have been occasions with certain driver builds that would cause me audio loss when situations like you describe have happened, but the last few driver builds seem to have fixed this...and now I think they may have finally fixed the 29/59 flicker as well in the latest beta driver! I ran some tests on it yesterday with some known 29/59 content and the flicker issue is gone! Woohoo!

Sent from my WP7 using Board Express

[barnabas1969]

I have my harmony remote turn on the Tv first, then Avr, then Pc. Then all the appropriate handshakes take place and it works great.

What happens if you want to watch TV when the PC is in the middle of recording a programme? The TV and AVR will be off, but the PC is already on. Do you not end up in the situation where the PC is effectively switched on first, and not last?

It seems to me that in principle it ought not to matter the order in which HDCP components are switched on, and it is only defects in some manufacturers' implementations that result in some power-on sequences being less problematic than others.

-- from CyberSimian in the UK

When my PC wakes for a recording, it is in "away mode", which means that the video output is turned off. When I send the IR command to turn the PC "on", the video output turns on, and it does the handshake. I do exactly what newfiend described... I turn on the TV, then the AVR, and then the PC. Works fine.

[CyberSimian]

When my PC wakes for a recording, it is in "away mode", which means that the video output is turned off.

This must be a difference between Vista and Windows 7. When I previously used sleep on my Vista HTPC, it would wake up to record a programme with the screen output enabled (even though away mode was enabled), and pressing the power button on the remote control in this situation would then turn the screen output off!

I will finally be migrating to Windows 7 next week, but since I have to use hibernation with this HTPC, this difference between Vista and 7 is moot.

-- from CyberSimian in the UK

[barnabas1969]

When my PC wakes for a recording, it is in "away mode", which means that the video output is turned off.

This must be a difference between Vista and Windows 7. When I previously used sleep on my Vista HTPC, it would wake up to record a programme with the screen output enabled (even though away mode was enabled), and pressing the power button on the remote control in this situation would then turn the screen output off!

I will finally be migrating to Windows 7 next week, but since I have to use hibernation with this HTPC, this difference between Vista and 7 is moot.

-- from CyberSimian in the UK

It may happen that mine has the screen output ON after waking, but that I don't ever come into the room in less than the amount of time that I have the screen set to turn off due to inactivity. I'm not sure.

My remote is programmed with separate ON and OFF commands. I don't use the power-toggle command, so I can press ON as many times as I like... and the PC will stay on.

I remember one of your posts where you explained your problem with S3 sleep. Perhaps Windows 7 will fix this? It's worth a try.

[CyberSimian]

It may happen that mine has the screen output ON after waking, but that I don't ever come into the room in less than the amount of time that I have the screen set to turn off due to inactivity. I'm not sure.

That could be the way that Vista works, too. I have my system set up a bit differently (Windows never puts the screen into low-power state, but does start the screen-saver after 5 minutes; when the PC wakes, it does not power-up the TV).

My remote is programmed with separate ON and OFF commands. I don't use the power-toggle command, so I can press ON as many times as I like... and the PC will stay on.

If I remember correctly, you use advanced system-control software to achieve this? I wish the basic Media Center IR control set had separate ON and OFF codes!

I remember one of your posts where you explained your problem with S3 sleep. Perhaps Windows 7 will fix this?

Sadly not. I have had a test version of Windows 7 in another partition on my OS disk, and that was one of the tests that I performed; no change from Vista, unfortunately. I am pretty sure that the problem is with the motherboard BIOS not sleeping the PCI-E slots correctly. Next week I shall be doing a clean install of Windows 7, which will become my "production system", replacing Vista.

-- from CyberSimian in the UK

[barnabas1969]

It may happen that mine has the screen output ON after waking, but that I don't ever come into the room in less than the amount of time that I have the screen set to turn off due to inactivity. I'm not sure.

That could be the way that Vista works, too. I have my system set up a bit differently (Windows never puts the screen into low-power state, but does start the screen-saver after 5 minutes; when the PC wakes, it does not power-up the TV).

My PC doesn't turn on the TV either... at least not directly through the video card. See below.

My remote is programmed with separate ON and OFF commands. I don't use the power-toggle command, so I can press ON as many times as I like... and the PC will stay on.

If I remember correctly, you use advanced system-control software to achieve this? I wish the basic Media Center IR control set had separate ON and OFF codes!

I do use software to automate a bunch of stuff, but my programmable remote has pre-defined discreet ON and OFF codes. I have the software (Event Ghost) configured so that if I turn on/off the PC with the remote, macros are triggered which cause the RCAware device to send commands via HDMI-CEC to turn on/off the TV and AVR. I also have it configured so that if I turn on the TV, the HDMI-CEC bridge wakes the PC. If I turn off the TV, the CEC bridge receives the "system off" command from the TV, and this triggers a macro that puts the PC to sleep. I also have some scripting that prevents the Event Ghost from turning on the TV or AVR when the PC wakes for a scheduled event like a recording. All this was a lot of work to get working correctly, but it causes the TV, AVR, and the PC to operate as an integrated system.

I use the Acoustic Research AR-RX18G (same as the Universal Electronics XSight Touch, available in the UK). I would imagine that the Harmony remotes have discreet ON/OFF codes too. You don't need software for the discreet on/off commands... you just need a different remote control than the one you're currently using.

[newfiend]

I have a harmony one remote and if I remember correctly you can select power toggle or discreet on/off buttons for the remote. I have always used power toggle for mine ...and the harmony turns on/off the tv and avr along with the htpc.

Sent from my WP7 using Board Express

[CyberSimian]

I have a harmony one remote and if I remember correctly you can select power toggle or discreet on/off buttons for the remote. I have always used power toggle for mine ...and the harmony turns on/off the tv and avr along with the htpc.

I think that the Harmony One has the advantage of supporting "Activities", which means that it remembers the power states of all of the devices that it is controlling, and can achieve the effect of separate on/off codes for devices that have only an on/off toggle. My remote control (Universal Remote Control MX-850) cannot do that. I think that Barnabas' remote control cannot do that either, which is why his software solution is an interesting alternative.

I have looked at the Harmony One in my local "Currys" superstore (similar to "Best Buy"). They have a demo model, but I was not that impressed with the feel of the buttons (although the cheaper Harmonies were worse); it may just be a question of getting used to the feel of the buttons. My MX-850 has truly wonderful buttons, but lacks activities and a comprehensive device database for European devices (it is oriented towards the US market). Although "Currys" stocked the One-for-All equivalent of Barnabas' remote control, they did not have a demo model that I could play with to gauge the feel of the buttons.

However, until I find a way of getting sleep to work on my HTPC (probably: a new HTPC), power toggles and separate on/off codes on remote controls are moot!

-- from CyberSimian in the UK

[barnabas1969]

CyberSimian, you are correct. My remote does not do power state tracking. It does have "Activities" similar to the Harmony though.

I did not implement the software solution as a means to overcome the lack of power state tracking on my remote. I've actually never owned a remote with power state tracking, and I've never really had a problem... even when I had some devices that had only power toggle commands available. With careful planning in your macros or activities, the lack of discreet on/off commands can be dealt with.

My software solution was done for several reasons. First, I wanted to create buttons on my remote that would take me directly to certain apps like Netflix, Hulu, Media Center Sleep Timer, and others. Then, when I realized the power of Event Ghost and the RCAware HDMI-CEC bridge, I decided to make the whole system easier to operate, and capable of being operated using the original remote that came with the TV. This accomplished the goal of making it easier for visitors to operate the system. I no longer need to spend any time teaching people how to use the "activities" on the remote... they can simply press the power button at the top of the AR-RX18G remote, or on the original Samsung remote for the TV... and the whole system toggles on or off. Then, the only thing I need to explain to them is how to navigate in WMC, which I believe anyone with the intelligence of a 5 year old can do.