HDMI-CEC

[Jim Thompson]

I have an HDMI device (Explorer 8300HD Cable Box), which apparently
isn't HDMI-CEC compliant... it won't turn on my new TV (Philips
55PFL4706) automatically.

Anyone know of a hack to pass that info? (The Explorer box does have
an AC outlet that goes on and off when it, itself, is turned on/off.)

Thanks for your help!

...Jim Thompson
--
| James E.Thompson, CTO | mens |
| Analog Innovations, Inc. | et |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus |
| Phoenix, Arizona 85048 Skype: Contacts Only | |
| Voice:(480)460-2350 Fax: Available upon request | Brass Rat |
| E-mail Icon at http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 |

I love to cook with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food.

[meagain]

Jim Thompson wrote:
> I have an HDMI device (Explorer 8300HD Cable Box), which apparently
> isn't HDMI-CEC compliant... it won't turn on my new TV (Philips
> 55PFL4706) automatically.
>
> Anyone know of a hack to pass that info? (The Explorer box does have
> an AC outlet that goes on and off when it, itself, is turned on/off.)
>
> Thanks for your help!
>
> ...Jim Thompson

"turn on" ? HDMI isn't used for turning on the power...

[Gene E. Bloch]

I had to disable that non-existent capability, then.

Not 'had' to, 'preferred' to, actually. I kept having things turned on
or off when I didn't want them, and I guess I was too lazy or
incompetent (your choice) to plan it better.

--
Gene E. Bloch (Stumbling Bloch)

[Jim Thompson]

On Wed, 06 Jun 2012 14:08:11 -0400, meagain <rick0....@gmail.com>
wrote:

Sure it is. Check out the HDMI_CEC spec.

If I turn on my BluRay player, the TV comes on.

If I turn on my cable box... nada.

I suspect the lack of a "hot plug" signal with the cable box. Any
HDMI "experts" lurking here?

[Jim Thompson]

I'm so lazy I don't want to push some extra buttons O:-)

[Gene E. Bloch]

On Wed, 06 Jun 2012 13:39:03 -0700, Jim Thompson wrote:

> On Wed, 06 Jun 2012 14:08:11 -0400, meagain <rick0....@gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>>Jim Thompson wrote:
>>> I have an HDMI device (Explorer 8300HD Cable Box), which apparently
>>> isn't HDMI-CEC compliant... it won't turn on my new TV (Philips
>>> 55PFL4706) automatically.
>>>
>>> Anyone know of a hack to pass that info? (The Explorer box does have
>>> an AC outlet that goes on and off when it, itself, is turned on/off.)
>>>
>>> Thanks for your help!
>>>
>>> ...Jim Thompson
>>
>>"turn on" ? HDMI isn't used for turning on the power...
>
> Sure it is. Check out the HDMI_CEC spec.
>
> If I turn on my BluRay player, the TV comes on.
>
> If I turn on my cable box... nada.
>
> I suspect the lack of a "hot plug" signal with the cable box. Any
> HDMI "experts" lurking here?
>
> ...Jim Thompson

Not an expert, but your remark makes me think that the above kind of
inconsistency or confusion might have been why I was (to quote you) "so
lazy I don't want to push some extra buttons" ;-)

[Jim Thompson]

Further Googling, I found a paper on "trouble-shooting HDMI". Looks
like the "source" must spit out +5V when it goes active. Here, the
"source", a set-top box, probably only "spits" video. I'll figure out
a hack :-)

[UCLAN]

On 6/6/2012 1:39 PM, Jim Thompson wrote:
> On Wed, 06 Jun 2012 14:08:11 -0400, meagain<rick0....@gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> Jim Thompson wrote:
>>> I have an HDMI device (Explorer 8300HD Cable Box), which apparently
>>> isn't HDMI-CEC compliant... it won't turn on my new TV (Philips
>>> 55PFL4706) automatically.
>>>
>>> Anyone know of a hack to pass that info? (The Explorer box does have
>>> an AC outlet that goes on and off when it, itself, is turned on/off.)
>>>
>>> Thanks for your help!
>>>
>>> ...Jim Thompson
>>
>> "turn on" ? HDMI isn't used for turning on the power...
>
> Sure it is. Check out the HDMI_CEC spec.
>
> If I turn on my BluRay player, the TV comes on.
>
> If I turn on my cable box... nada.
>
> I suspect the lack of a "hot plug" signal with the cable box. Any
> HDMI "experts" lurking here?
>
> ...Jim Thompson

The CEC portion of HDMI is *NOT* mandatory.

[Jim Thompson]

So I've determined. I've also found out that the Cisco Explorer
8642HD DVR does comply with CEC and is available in some Cox areas.
I'm rattling Cox to get one.

[G-squared]

On Jun 6, 11:08 am, meagain <rick0.merr...@gmail.com> wrote:

> Jim Thompson wrote:

> "turn on" ?  HDMI isn't used for turning on the power...

When I turn on the BluRay player it turns on the TV and selects the
BluRay input. This is _not_ using any remote control, just manually
powering up the player and inserting a disc. I consider this a BUG and
not a 'feature' because if you pause the disc and select the TV just
to look, it turns off the BluRay. My wife is"'technologically
challenged" and even she knows you have to turn on a DVD or VCR if you
want to use it.

G²

[Gene E. Bloch]

Which is why I turned off the power control over HDMI.

That is, because of the unwanted side effects, not because your wife is
technically challenged :-)

[G-squared]

On Jun 9, 3:41 pm, "Gene E. Bloch" <not...@other.invalid> wrote:
<snip>

> Which is why I turned off the power control over HDMI.
>
> That is, because of the unwanted side effects, not because your
wife is
> technically challenged :-)
>
> --
> Gene E. Bloch (Stumbling Bloch)

I've looked but I haven't 'stumbled' on to the setting to disable this
'feature'. Since I rarely use the BluRay it's not that big an issue.

G²

[clover]

Too many gadgets, when compared to a PC with built-in BD player,
cable-card ready tuners, and total internet access connected to a TV
which goes into power saving mode after announcing the loss of signal
from the current input. Neither the TV nor the PC is ever powered off.
The PC goes to sleep when in an idle state (viz. 1 minute of < 10 mbps
disc traffic and < 2 mbps net traffic and > 95% cpu idle and > 5 minutes
since the last KB or mouse activity). The recorder software wakens the
CPU for any scheduled recordings. When we sit down to watch what's been
recorded, available on NetFlix, purchased, or borrowed from the library
a touch of a Ctrl key on the wireless keyboard in the seating area
brings the whole thing to life.

The only other physical effort required of us is to insert/remove a BD
or DVD disc, or hot swap one or more of the external SATA drives housing
the on-line recorded video archives. Our old 4 bay external enclosure
and the SATA drives will also go to sleep on inactivity, but the unit's
fan - which is very quiet - keeps running. Wake on LAN might be
interesting to explore for network access to the videos loaded at the
time, but we're quite happy to merely select the drive which contains
what we'd like to watch in another room, and carry it there.

I can't over emphasize how important total internet access is to us
while sitting in the TV room. We often interrupt videos to peruse IMDB
for cast, director, and especially author information. HTML being what
it is, this often leads to following links to many other sites. This
feature is sorely lacking in "stand alone" hardware supporting NetFlix,
YouTube, Amazon, and other on-demand video services.

A proxy service with servers in other countries allows us local access
to video streams there which otherwise may be restricted from off shore
viewing. Especially handy in support of browsing foreign newspapers
which may utilize video streaming.

Of course the external drives and tuners might have been internal, in a
larger package, but the HTPC is only 8x8x3 inches in size and the drives
and tuners are hidden away.

[Jim Wilkins]

"clover" <clo...@invalid.nul> wrote in message
news:xvCdndBiP51hc0nS...@giganews.com...
> ...>

> I can't over emphasize how important total internet access is to us
> while sitting in the TV room. We often interrupt videos to peruse
> IMDB for cast, director, and especially author information. HTML
> being what it is, this often leads to following links to many other
> sites. This feature is sorely lacking in "stand alone" hardware
> supporting NetFlix, YouTube, Amazon, and other on-demand video
> services.

I often have TV and Internet running simultaneously, but the TV
recorder is an off-line desktop and the Net is on a separate laptop
with Sprint wireless.

jsw

[Gene E. Bloch]

Stumble is right :-)

On my Sony it's in a menu somewhere, but it's not clear I could get
there quickly - it's too hard to remember where it is in the morass of
menus (the TV is in another room, so I won't try).

Also, there's no real manual: a guide (or "guide") on the TV and an HTML
package of files that's not easily navigable...

[clover]

On 6/10/2012 12:08 PM, Elmo P. Shagnasty wrote:
> In article<xvCdndBiP51hc0nS...@giganews.com>,

> clover<clo...@invalid.nul> wrote:
>
>> I can't over emphasize how important total internet access is to us
>> while sitting in the TV room.
>

> That's called an "addiction". It's also called "first world problem".
>
> Are you prepared for NO internet access while you're sitting in the TV
> room, or will you declare that the world has come to an end?

Well, 40 years ago or so I'd have felt differently, even were there
at-home internet access. I've been retired since 1989 and my cell-mate
for over a decade. As retired folks, a significant percentage of our
at-home, evening entertainment is video and internet related - both
privately and socially. So, our "addiction" is quite real and to the
extent that any addict would declare the world ended, had his supply
been cut off, I'd have to say YEP, I would too;-) It could be worse, we
might have chosen an addiction that is detrimental to the health and
welfare of neighbors or even society at large.

[John McWilliams]

Solution: Don't put a disk in until you're prepared to watch it.

[Jan B]

Just as a side note; My BluRay player is so slow that I want to put in
the disc a good while before I'm prepared to watch it ..

Anyway, a better solution for me is to disable CEC and use a
programmable (IR) remote that can control the player(s), turn on and
select correct inputs on the TV and the surround amplifier and the
amplifier volume. All in the same mode of the remote control.

(I have equipment of different brands, and they have not managed to
make CEC compatible accross brands anyway.)