Receiver won't see composite video from SAT box (set top box)

[MichaelD]

I have a Pioneer AV Receiver -->Link to manual VSX-917V Manual (thanks fobot!) I just got the receiver.

I have a satellite set top box that only has composite video and L/R audio outs. The STB has been outputting via it's composite out to my plasma TV for months now, no problem.

Yesterday I hooked up my DVD player via HDMI to the AVR and I have the HDMI monitor out going to the HDMI in of the TV. DVDs play with no probs at all. I can even switch the DVD player from 480P/720P/1080i and I get a fine picture w/o issues.

I have tried hooking the STB up to every spare composite input on the AVR. No matter what input it's hooked to, I get audio but no video. There is a Digital Video Conversion setting in the AVRs menu and it's ON (I even tried turning it off). I get no video. I have tried another set of cables as well. Same thing.

According to the manual (page 12 and page 65) if the DVC setting is ON, it should be upconverting ALL analog video to digital and outputting to all the monitor out jacks, which the HDMI OUT is a monitor out jack.

Any ideas, please?

 

[MrChad]

On page 62 of the manual, it shows you how to assign digital inputs to various sources. Make sure that none of the component or HDMI inputs are assigned to the TV source, as doing so will cause the composite input to be ignored.

From page 12:

If several video components are assigned to the same input function (see The Input Assign menu on page 62), the converter gives priority to component, S-video, then composite (in that order).

 

[MichaelD]

Thanks, MrChad. I do remember checking that. But I will sure check it again! I think I've gone over every menu at least 10x...but it all gets blurry after about two hours.

I double checked and I have every other input UNASSIGNED. I have the DVD hooked up to the HDMI1 and COAX1 inputs; those are the only two inputs that are assigned. Everything else is off.

If I read the manual correctly, you only have to assign the DIGITAL inputs, not the analog ones. I'm really stumped by this problem!

 

[PurdueRy]

This is another case of RTFMC(read the ****in manual CAREFULLY )

It says the following(and I admit this is rather tricky)

Select ?DVC Setup? from the Other Setup
menu.
2 Choose the setting that you want.
? ON ? All analog video signals are output
from the MONITOR VIDEO OUT jacks.
? OFF ? No conversion between video
formats

Now, look at your receiver's inputs and outputs. Note that the HDMI out is NOT labeled "Monitor Video Out" but rather just "HDMI Out"

Sorry to say, but your receiver does not do HDMI upconversion. This is tricky that they call this digital video conversion but what they mean is that to do the analog video conversion(to component for instance) it is a digital process. NOT that it converts to a digital format.

Hope this helps.

 

[Slick5150]

Yep, I'm afraid Purdue is right. That receiver does not do HDMI upconversion.

 

[MichaelD]

:shocked:

Well I'll be damned. I so totally overlooked, misread and screwed this one up.

Not only did I not RTFM as carefully as I thought yesterday/today; I didn't read it too carefully before I bought it either. *sigh* Well, that's roughly six hours of my freakin' life I'm not going to get back.

PurdueRY, you're absolutely right. I misread the manual; maybe I was reading what I WANTED to see?

Thank you VERY MUCH, PurdueRy; you seriously saved the day.

OK, so here's Part II, I guess:

I could either run a set of Component cables from the Component MONITOR OUT (wow, NOW I know how to read...) to the TV and get the signal to the TV that way, OR...

I'm building a HTPC/DVR. I've got a PVR-150 with composite video in, and a 2600XT videocard with DVI/HDMI out. If I go into the PVR card and take DVI/HDMI out from the GPU, I should be able to just switch b/t HDMI devices, right?

AND, as long as the PC is powered on, the TV should see the input from the satellite box, right?

Guys, thanks much. You seriously saved my weekend from ruin. :thumbsup:

 

[PurdueRy]

Originally posted by: MichaelD
:shocked:

Well I'll be damned. I so totally overlooked, misread and screwed this one up.

Not only did I not RTFM as carefully as I thought yesterday/today; I didn't read it too carefully before I bought it either. *sigh* Well, that's roughly six hours of my freakin' life I'm not going to get back.

PurdueRY, you're absolutely right. I misread the manual; maybe I was reading what I WANTED to see?

Thank you VERY MUCH, PurdueRy; you seriously saved the day.

OK, so here's Part II, I guess:

I could either run a set of Component cables from the Component MONITOR OUT (wow, NOW I know how to read...) to the TV and get the signal to the TV that way, OR...

I'm building a HTPC/DVR. I've got a PVR-150 with composite video in, and a 2600XT videocard with DVI/HDMI out. If I go into the PVR card and take DVI/HDMI out from the GPU, I should be able to just switch b/t HDMI devices, right?

AND, as long as the PC is powered on, the TV should see the input from the satellite box, right?

Guys, thanks much. You seriously saved my weekend from ruin. :thumbsup:

I would go via component. Less connections and no software to fail on ya. The only downside is you have to change the TV input to see that device along with the receivers input.

 

[Slick5150]

Well.. For starters, is it not possible to get a new STB from your satellite company with HDMI or component? Composite must look terrible on your Plasma I'd think.

But as far as your question in Part II.. Yes, switching between HDMI shouldn't be a problem on the receiver end, but the problem you'll run into is losing A/V sync if you run thte composite cable into the PVR card, but the audio directly to the receiver. Does the PVR have audio inputs, or does it rely on the soundcard? You could get this to work, but its making things fairly complicated. The much easier solution would be to just run component cables to the TV.

Though again, the much better solution would be to get a better STB

 

[MichaelD]

The DVR card has SVideo in, Composite in and L/R analog audio inputs. I'm planning on going TOSLINK out from the HTPC to the AVR. Digital video out, digital audio out....hopefully there won't be any sync issues.

The composite video actually doesn't look too bad; of course, it pales in comparision when compared to watching a DVD upsampled to 720P or 1080i over HDMI. But for regular "watching the news" it's not bad. My wife watches the TV much more than I do. As long as she can see her favorite soap actress crying, she wouldn't know composite video from 1080p video.

Most of the time if I'm "watching the TV" it's b/c I've got a DVD in.

The odds of getting a new box from the sat company are basically nil. This IS a "new box." I.E. it came new, in the box. To them, that's new. :roll: Being that they are the only game in town, they can be that way.

My decision on how to hook the HTPC/DVR to the AVR and the TV will be based on:

1. If more than one way actually WORKS
2. The less complicated of the two when it comes to daily usage

This will also be a media (MP3) box. The wife and I are both big into music and have 90GB+ of MP3s b/t the two of us. If she's got to press 503 buttons to play an MP3, things will not be pleasant in the MichaelD household. :Q

 

[PurdueRy]

Originally posted by: MichaelD
The DVR card has SVideo in, Composite in and L/R analog audio inputs. I'm planning on going TOSLINK out from the HTPC to the AVR. Digital video out, digital audio out....hopefully there won't be any sync issues.

The composite video actually doesn't look too bad; of course, it pales in comparision when compared to watching a DVD upsampled to 720P or 1080i over HDMI. But for regular "watching the news" it's not bad. My wife watches the TV much more than I do. As long as she can see her favorite soap actress crying, she wouldn't know composite video from 1080p video.

Most of the time if I'm "watching the TV" it's b/c I've got a DVD in.

The odds of getting a new box from the sat company are basically nil. This IS a "new box." I.E. it came new, in the box. To them, that's new. :roll: Being that they are the only game in town, they can be that way.

My decision on how to hook the HTPC/DVR to the AVR and the TV will be based on:

1. If more than one way actually WORKS
2. The less complicated of the two when it comes to daily usage

This will also be a media (MP3) box. The wife and I are both big into music and have 90GB+ of MP3s b/t the two of us. If she's got to press 503 buttons to play an MP3, things will not be pleasant in the MichaelD household. :Q

And on the second day, God made Harmony remotes. God looked at the Harmony Remote and it was good. So on the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th day he watched TV.

 

[MichaelD]

Yep, a Harmony remote has been discussed already to...well...keep the harmony in the house. There's 5 remotes on the coffee table right now and quite honestly even I don't know what all the buttons do yet.

Thanks again.