Pioneer VSX-44 receiver HDMI dropouts

[RatherLoopy]

I have an older Pioneer receiver (VSX-44) that's been dropping the HDMI output (black screen) for a few seconds every few minutes. Setup is HTPC -> Pioneer DVD HCMI in -> Pioneer HDMI out -> Samsung TV HDMI in, all with cheap HDMI cables that have never caused trouble before..

I initially found a lot of play in the receiver's HDMI inputs and output so I kind of squeezed them back into shape and they're making a tighter connection, but the problem persists.

And also, often, the HDMI will drop out in exactly the same way (black screen) just as my central air conditioning kicks in, and often also when it kicks out. This is a 1,200 sq ft mobile home with a tiny air handler and small condenser, and the lights don't dim or even flicker when the AC kicks in..

The HDMI signal from the HTPC is solid; when it's plugged straight into the TV it never drops out or even flickers.

Does this problem ring a bell with anyone? Can anyone recommend further non-multimeter troubleshooting or DIY fixes before I put it in the shop?

[budwich]

Re: Pioneer VSX-44 receiver HDMI dropouts

Can you expand on the history the problem? You mention that you have an "older" receiver, so it has been around. Has the problem always existed / when did it start?
Further, when resolutions / upscaling settings are you using.... bets are 4k. :-) Force the lowest scaling (720p) and see if it has any impact. Go from the result.

[CapLeaker]

Re: Pioneer VSX-44 receiver HDMI dropouts

I’d try cleaning the cable end and the jacks on the receiver with 99% ipa followed with something like Deoxit from Caig. Maybe known good set of HDMI cables, heating up the receiver with a hair dryer (open the lid and clean and heat the boards up a bit, so they are nice and warm, but not so you burn yourself) that’s all you can do without breaking out a multimeter. If you put it to the shop, the tech has to be able to replicate this. So before you do that, I’d set this up at a friends place and make sure this issue is repeatable.
Let’s say the problem is repeatable, the techie needs a bit more than a multimeter, which then more $$$ come to play.

[RatherLoopy]

Re: Pioneer VSX-44 receiver HDMI dropouts

Can you expand on the history the problem? You mention that you have an "older" receiver, so it has been around. Has the problem always existed / when did it start?
Further, when resolutions / upscaling settings are you using.... bets are 4k. :-) Force the lowest scaling (720p) and see if it has any impact. Go from the result.

I can't help with the history of the receiver. I bought it off Facebook Marketplace a couple of months ago and the first time I powered it on, it was dropping out every few seconds. I noticed extra play in the HDMI ports so I opened it up and kinda bent them back into shape, and things seemed good... only occasional blackouts until lately.

I've done as you suggested and changed my video card's resolution to 1280 x 720. My video card is an OEM Nvidia GeForce 640 in an ancient Dell on which I'm running Kodi). I noticed while setting the resolution that my video card was set to take its config from the Nvidia control panel, so I set that back to its default settings so that Windows 10 would control the video.

I've wired the HDMI back through the receiver and it looks good so far, but time will tell.

Thanks for your help!

[RatherLoopy]

Re: Pioneer VSX-44 receiver HDMI dropouts

I'd try cleaning the cable end and the jacks on the receiver with 99% ipa followed with something like Deoxit from Caig. Maybe known good set of HDMI cables, heating up the receiver with a hair dryer (open the lid and clean and heat the boards up a bit, so they are nice and warm, but not so you burn yourself) that's all you can do without breaking out a multimeter. If you put it to the shop, the tech has to be able to replicate this. So before you do that, I'd set this up at a friends place and make sure this issue is repeatable.
Let's say the problem is repeatable, the techie needs a bit more than a multimeter, which then more $$$ come to play.

Thanks so much for your input! You're 100% correct that it needs to be a reproducible problem if I take it to the shop and so far... it's wildly intermittent. I was kinda thinking of just having the HDMI ports replaced, or giving it a go myself. I've never done any SMT work vids I've seen make me think I could give it a go. As far as $$$ goes, I didn't pay much at all for the receiver and would rather repair it (if possible) than add it to my growing stack of dead receivers.

I've got IPA and DeOxit on hand so I should give that a go. Sure wouldn't hurt anything. When you speak of heading up the board, are we talking about re-liquifying all the solder joints? Would a heat gun be better or worse than a hair dryer?

[budwich]

Re: Pioneer VSX-44 receiver HDMI dropouts

I can't help with the history of the receiver. I bought it off Facebook Marketplace a couple of months ago and the first time I powered it on, it was dropping out every few seconds. I noticed extra play in the HDMI ports so I opened it up and kinda bent them back into shape, and things seemed good... only occasional blackouts until lately.

I've done as you suggested and changed my video card's resolution to 1280 x 720. My video card is an OEM Nvidia GeForce 640 in an ancient Dell on which I'm running Kodi). I noticed while setting the resolution that my video card was set to take its config from the Nvidia control panel, so I set that back to its default settings so that Windows 10 would control the video.

I've wired the HDMI back through the receiver and it looks good so far, but time will tell.

Thanks for your help!

hmmm.... that likely suggests a cabling problem. Get a bluray player and hook it up and see what the result is. One other question is how long are the cables that you are using.

Having said that, you need to be specific on what the resolution was during the problem. Further, any "auto" type setting may cause problems when things are "marginal" along the signal route so your need to specifically choose a "known res". When a computer is involved, you need to ensure that the resolution is supported by all things along the route. In terms of hdmi, there are very specific choices.... usually 720p / 1080p. In addition, frame rates also have to be considered.

Still further, you mentioned a potential connector issue, try other ports on the receiver to see if that helps.

As mentioned by capleaker, getting it repaired by a tech will likely be $$$$.
I would exhaust the suggestions that I mentioned before attempting to "disturb" the interface board on the receiver.... risk is high that you will cause
problems.

[RatherLoopy]

Re: Pioneer VSX-44 receiver HDMI dropouts

hmmm.... that likely suggests a cabling problem. Get a bluray player and hook it up and see what the result is. One other question is how long are the cables that you are using.

Having said that, you need to be specific on what the resolution was during the problem. Further, any "auto" type setting may cause problems when things are "marginal" along the signal route so your need to specifically choose a "known res". When a computer is involved, you need to ensure that the resolution is supported by all things along the route. In terms of hdmi, there are very specific choices.... usually 720p / 1080p. In addition, frame rates also have to be considered.

Still further, you mentioned a potential connector issue, try other ports on the receiver to see if that helps.

As mentioned by capleaker, getting it repaired by a tech will likely be $$$$.
I would exhaust the suggestions that I mentioned before attempting to "disturb" the interface board on the receiver.... risk is high that you will cause
problems.

>>that likely suggests a cabling problem. Get a bluray player and hook it up and see what the result is. One other question is how long are the cables that you are using.

Thanks again for helping me! I like the idea of trying it with a bluray - that would eliminate a lot of variables. It may take awhile for the problem to re-appear after rewiring the HDMI through the receiver last night, but I'll definitely try that when the dropouts start again.

Intriguing point about the HDMI cable. From the PC to the receiver, I'm using a skinny 25-foot cable that I bought on eBay a few years back for around five bucks (I'm so poor... lol). I'm wondering if the insertion of the receiver in the chain is degrading an already-marginal HDMI signal... I could certainly spring for a somewhat better cable or move the PC into the same room as the receiver/TV to shorten the signal path so I could use a better cable.

>> Having said that, you need to be specific on what the resolution was during the problem. Further, any "auto" type setting may cause problems when things are "marginal" along the signal route so your need to specifically choose a "known res". When a computer is involved, you need to ensure that the resolution is supported by all things along the route. In terms of hdmi, there are very specific choices.... usually 720p / 1080p. In addition, frame rates also have to be considered.

The video card resolution was set to 3,840 x 2,160, which was marked as native resolution for the Samsung TV. I don't really need 4K, though, so I'd be just fine with a lower res (1080) if that turns out to be a contributing factor. In terms of the signal path, everything component involved supports 4K but there are varying HDMI versions throughout; GPU 1.4 Receiver 2.0 TV 2.1.

>> Still further, you mentioned a potential connector issue, try other ports on the receiver to see if that helps.

I have tried different receiver HDMI ports. Some seem better than others but none have been problem-free.

>> I would exhaust the suggestions that I mentioned before attempting to "disturb" the interface board on the receiver

I will certainly do so! Taking a soldering iron to that board would be a last-ditch Hail Mary before heading to the shop (or tossing the receiver on the pile).

Thanks again, budwich, those are some promising troubleshooting ideas! It seems stable now so it may take hours, or even days, to know if the resolution switch has eliminated the problem, so please stay tuned. I'll update the thread as/when appropriate.

[RatherLoopy]

Re: Pioneer VSX-44 receiver HDMI dropouts

hmmm.... that likely suggests a cabling problem. Get a bluray player and hook it up and see what the result is. One other question is how long are the cables that you are using.

Having said that, you need to be specific on what the resolution was during the problem. Further, any "auto" type setting may cause problems when things are "marginal" along the signal route so your need to specifically choose a "known res". When a computer is involved, you need to ensure that the resolution is supported by all things along the route. In terms of hdmi, there are very specific choices.... usually 720p / 1080p. In addition, frame rates also have to be considered.

Still further, you mentioned a potential connector issue, try other ports on the receiver to see if that helps.

As mentioned by capleaker, getting it repaired by a tech will likely be $$$$.
I would exhaust the suggestions that I mentioned before attempting to "disturb" the interface board on the receiver.... risk is high that you will cause
problems.

My video has been rock-solid ever since lowering the resolution to 720. I bumped it to 1080p last night and it's still solid, so I'm going to leave it there and take a break from the darned thing, and just watch some flipping TV for a change.

I've alwyas had a "wire is wire" kind of attitude about cabling but in this instance, I'd like to upgrade my HDMI cabling. Do you know of a budget mid-grade cable I should be looking at for a 25-foot run?

Thanks again for your help, budwich. I won't be surprised if the problem resurfaces, but you've given me some good troubleshooting steps to follow for next time!

[budwich]

Re: Pioneer VSX-44 receiver HDMI dropouts

25 ft is pushing most hdmi cables in general. You can find the certification spec hdmi on the net. Certainly, the higher PC res that you originally had would be an issue / hit or miss.
I haven't bought any cables in a long time as my configuration has been stable although I do run a 30 ft cable to a projector. The other thing that you have to worry about is the "drive power" of the hdmi interfaces involved. Not all devices are designed to push a signal "long distance".... again hit or miss. Some repeater / splitter can be use to increase distance along with things like "active cables" (hybrid or otherwise).... but then $$ start to get involved. I suspect you will likely be able to run 1080p readily as long as the cable hasn't kinked or otherwise in its history damaging any internals of the sheath.

[RatherLoopy]

Re: Pioneer VSX-44 receiver HDMI dropouts

25 ft is pushing most hdmi cables in general. You can find the certification spec hdmi on the net. Certainly, the higher PC res that you originally had would be an issue / hit or miss.
I haven't bought any cables in a long time as my configuration has been stable although I do run a 30 ft cable to a projector. The other thing that you have to worry about is the "drive power" of the hdmi interfaces involved. Not all devices are designed to push a signal "long distance".... again hit or miss. Some repeater / splitter can be use to increase distance along with things like "active cables" (hybrid or otherwise).... but then $$ start to get involved. I suspect you will likely be able to run 1080p readily as long as the cable hasn't kinked or otherwise in its history damaging any internals of the sheath.

Sounds good, budich. Thanks again for your help!