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Auto Channel Change using HDMI cable?

cy_bonescy_bones Posts: 1,669
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in Virgin Media TV and Phone #1
My in-laws recently bought a Sony Bravia 32" LCD TV to go with their V+ box that was installed earlier in the year.

The Mother In Law proudly told me how she had set it all up including the HDMI cable that I told her to ask Virgin for...

So I thought I would have a look at the setup as I don't have an HD set yet. Sure enough, the HDMI cable was coming out of the V+ along with the SCART.

The V+ picture didn't look better than mine if anything it was a little worse (I have a 28" Sony CRT - 4:3 not widescreen) so I checked which channel the TV was on and how the V+ was set to output.

TV was on AV2 (second SCART) and V+ was set to output to this channel.

A quick run through the menu allowed me to change the V+ output to HDMI and if I changed the TV to AV4 (the first HDMI socket) the picture was great!

So I left it set to this and turned it all off. When I turned it back on the TV did not change over to AV4 automatically and when going through the TV menu to check which devices were connected it said that none were found...

Any ideas on what needs to be done to enable auto channel changing to HDMI on the TV?

I have had to reset it to SCART in the short term so that the Mother In Law does not get in a fluster changing to AV4 manually...

Comments

  • jobbie8jobbie8 Posts: 538
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    #2
    I have V+ HDMI set up and Sony 40". Mine wont turn TV over like a scart setting would either. But As we only watch TV from the V+ box, the TV always stays on AV4 when we first turn it on.
  • TheFirstCutTheFirstCut Posts: 7,306
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    #3
    My TV doesn't auto-switch on HDMI, most don't, or the spec of HDMI V+ is using doesn't offer it.

    However it remembers the last input or channel (if on analogue or DTT), so is not a problem as it always comes on on HDMI-1.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,147
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    #4
    i thought all tvs did that nowadays, unlike years ago when you turned the tv on and it went back to BBC1.
    our toshiba lcdis always on hdmi and so is my neighbours philips lcd, they only change when we go to external 2 which is a dvd recorder and we always put it back to hdmi after.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 57
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    #5
    Autosensing isn't part of the HDMI spec so not all TVs support it. Best way to sort this I reckon is to leave the TV on HDMI all the time and just allow SCART's autosensing mechanism to switch it if you want to watch a DVD / VHS / whatever.
  • cy_bonescy_bones Posts: 1,669
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    #6
    Thanks for the replies - I think it's odd that the HDMI spec takes a step backwards (IMHO) by not enforcing this feature!

    Anyway, I will report back to the in-laws and again, try to explain that without using the HDMI output they aren't getting the best picture...

    PS - Any ideas on why the TV set does not show the device as connected?
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 578
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    #7
    If they were to use a programmable remote such as a Logitech, it can be setup so that when you select an activity such as 'watch cable' it automatically sends the remote signals to the tv to switch to the right input.

    To work best, you need to find the undocumented discrete remote codes that select an input directly. Unfortunately, the recent Bravias don't seem to have any for the HDMI inputs so you have to use a combination of a discrete code to select the nearest input that does have a code followed by one or more Input-Next codes.

    It is a bit of a hassle to get set up but worth it in the long run.
  • cy_bonescy_bones Posts: 1,669
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    #8
    Cobson wrote: »
    If they were to use a programmable remote such as a Logitech, it can be setup so that when you select an activity such as 'watch cable' it automatically sends the remote signals to the tv to switch to the right input.
    ...
    It is a bit of a hassle to get set up but worth it in the long run.
    I doubt I could convince them to buy a new remote if I can't convince them that they should be watching HD / upscaled content rather than a widescreen delivery through the SCART... :D
  • Chris JamesChris James Posts: 532
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    #9
    Why have you got both SCART and HDMI outputs connected from the V+ box? My advice would be to disconnect the SCART socket so that the TV only gets the HDMI signal. The Bravia will always come on to the last input connected (AV4) in that case. Because the TV is detecting the SCART socket connection it is switching to that automatically when the TV is switched on. (It takes precedence!!!) Alternatively, if there is a good reason for keeping the SCART socket attached to the TV, make sure you select AUTO SCART DETECTION to OFF on the V+ menu. Finally, when you do a search it will say NO DEVICES found for HDMI connections as this only refers to devices which have extra capabilities (eg auto switch on when you turn on the TV) and that does NOT include a V+ box!
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