Can't get my Samsung TV Input to find RPi via HDMI

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1

Good Day Gentlemen.

 

I've got an odd issue with my Raspberry Pi (Rasplex version 0.4.1).

When I connect it to my Samsung TV (Model: ps43f4500), it wont find it in the input. 

If I use the same cable to connect my laptop, the TV finds it. 
If I use the same cable to connect my RPi to my PC Monitor, it works.
If I connect my ChromeCast to the same HDMI Input in the TV, it finds it and works flawless. 

 

I've browsed through a couple of topics regarding config.txt, but that has not worked.

 

I must point out that I have been using my Raspberry Pi (running RaspBMC) about 4 months ago on this very same TV, and it worked.

 

It could very well be a TV issue and not anything with Rasplex/Raspberry, but since it's picking up everything but my Raspberry, then it makes sense that it is something going on with the RPi.

 

My full config.txt file is attached. 

However, this is what I've added to it:

hdmi_safe=1
config_hdmi_boost=4
hdmi_ignore_cec_init=1

Unfortunately I do not have another TV to try this on, only a LG monitor.

 

Anyone that can help me? :)

Best regards,

MrKiwi

2

I had a similar problem yesterday.  I took a working 4.0 and reimaged it with 4.1.  I first connected to an old Dell 19" 4:3 monitor using an HDMI to DVI adapter.  This is the workstation where I set up all of my PIs (I have 9 of them used primarily for digital signage).  When booting the 4.1, all I got was a blank screen.  I switched to a Dell 22' widescreen and got the same results.  When I put it on a 55" TV it booted fine.  I redownloaded and reimaged on a different SD Card with the same results.  It works fine on my TV but none of the monitors I tried with the HDMI to DVI adapter worked with 4.1 even though the same setup with 4.0 worked fine.

Keith

3

I believe there is some issue with the use of computer monitors connected to the RPi by HDMI-DVI adaptors.
Apparently this causes RasPlex 0.4.1 to default to using a video mode that is not supported by PC Monitors.
I suspect that it may be a 720p 50Hz mode, since many PC monitors refuse to accept so low Vsync frequency.

Best regards: dlanor

4

mrkiwi, you haven't specified if you upgraded or performed a clean install, but I recommend that you perform a clean install if you haven't already. 

5

mrkiwi, you haven't specified if you upgraded or performed a clean install, but I recommend that you perform a clean install if you haven't already. 

Yes, it was a clean install.

Tried to reinstall it again however, no difference.

And Dlanor, thanks for that, but my issue is not when connecting to PC monitor, it's when connecting to the TV. 

6

And Dlanor, thanks for that, but my issue is not when connecting to PC monitor, it's when connecting to the TV.


Actually my reply was in direct response to the post by keithskaggs rather than yourself, though that was ambiguous since i didn't quoute either one in that reply.

However, I do think that you are seeing different aspects of what's probably the same problem.
You did say that you had exactly the same problem as he with all your PC monitors, and with one of your TV sets as well.
But with your other TV set the problem did not exist. And I think I see a pattern behind these symptoms.
(Especially when combined with other reports.)

I suspect that there is a problem with the current HDCP code of RasPlex and how it negotiates with some TV/Monitor models to decide on the startup video mode. And when that negotiation fails it defaults to a mode which some TVs and most PC monitors are incompatible with, most likely a 50Hz VSync mode. I say that because 50Hz was never a standard for traditional US television and has never been an accepted standard for computer monitors. It's only recently that US TV brands have started to implement it, and a few PC monitor brands as well. And for historical reasons many Asian manufacturers primarily target the US market, and adapt to their standards as well (though that too has started to change recently).

In Europe the situation is quite different as the European PAL standard has always used 50Hz VSync.
But some imported units still have 50Hz problems even here.

I just googled for your Samsung model and found the following in a user's manual PDF for it:
![post-96491-0-14015200-1410186189.png|670x500](upload://8xyhEZEbM25RyDvHnDBl8RauFdh.png)

As you can see, none of the specified modes use 50Hz, so that's probably why it can't show the RasPlex screen.
We need to change the default of RasPlex, to use a 60Hz VSync mode instead of 50Hz.

Best regards: dlanor
7

I've now made various tests with both the old 0.4.0 rc4 release and the new 0.4.1 release of RasPlex, and my guesswork was a bit off-target.

They do have different defaults for the video mode used when started without a working HDMI partner device, but that mode should have worked.

My TV set shows a popup whenever a new HDMI connection is made, or when an old one changes the video mode.

So I've inspected this popup for results with various RPi startup methods, mostly disconnecting the HDMI cable before a power-on or before giving a restart command.

Then I'd wait a sufficient time to know that the booting was complete and connect the HDMI cable to see what video mode the TV set reported.

The resulting modes are always different from what I get with connected HDMI cable, which is always 1920x1080 60Hz progressive (== standard 60Hz 1080p)

For power-on start RasPlex 0.4.0 rc4 chose 1280x720 60Hz progressive (== standard 60Hz 720p)

For Restart command RasPlex 0.4.0 rc4 chose 1366x768 60Hz progressive (I've no idea why this differed from power-on choice)

For both methods RasPlex 0.4.1 chose 640x480 60Hz progressive (== standard 60Hz 480p)

This means that it can not be the default choice for 'no HDMI partner found' which was used in the reported failures, since 60Hz 480p is one of the listed video modes of that TV, and is also a traditional standard for old PC monitors. Though it's no longer a very useful mode with modern High-Def equipment, it should still remain supported by decent monitors.

But I still think that it is a problem of similar kind which occurs, though it may be another video mode chosen because of failed HDMI negotiations with a TV/monitor.

(Not quite the same thing as having found no HDMI partner device at all.)

Best regards: dlanor

8

Yes, it was a clean install.

Tried to reinstall it again however, no difference.

And Dlanor, thanks for that, but my issue is not when connecting to PC monitor, it's when connecting to the TV. 

Can you SSH in to your Pi when connected to your Samsung TV and type:

tvservice --modes=CEA

and report back the output.

Regards

9

Can you SSH in to your Pi when connected to your Samsung TV and type:

tvservice --modes=CEA

and report back the output.

Regards

Hi Ned.
 

RasPlex:~ # tvservice --modes=CEA
Group CEA has 2 modes:
           mode 4: 1280x720 @ 60Hz 16:9, clock:74MHz progressive
           mode 16: 1920x1080 @ 60Hz 16:9, clock:148MHz progressive
RasPlex:~ #

So it's connected via HDMI to my TV now. 

//Kiwi

10

Hi Ned.
 

.......

So it's connected via HDMI to my TV now. 

//Kiwi

Thanks, just checking that your TV did send a HDMI response.

Can you try replacing your config.txt file with the one below and then power up your Pi when attached to your Samsung TV.  Suggest doing this with your SD card on a PC or Mac.

################################################################################
# Overclock mode settings.
#
# default recommended values are: arm_freq | core_freq | sdram_freq | over_voltage
# no overclocking               :    700   |    250    |    400     |      0
# mode 'Modest'                 :    800   |    250    |    400     |      0
# mode 'Medium'                 :    900   |    250    |    450     |      2
# mode 'High'                   :    950   |    250    |    450     |      6
# mode 'Turbo'                  :   1000   |    500    |    600     |      6
################################################################################

arm_freq=900

core_freq=250

sdram_freq=450

over_voltage=2


################################################################################


License keys to enable GPU hardware decoding for various codecs


################################################################################


decode_MPG2=0x00000000


decode_WVC1=0x00000000


decode_DTS=0x00000000


decode_DDP=0x00000000


################################################################################


RasPlex default settings override


################################################################################


gpu_mem_256=64

gpu_mem_512=200


hdmi_force_hotplug=1

hdmi_drive=2


################################################################################


Additional configuration


################################################################################

Regards

11

Changed it, rebooted my RPi but it still wont show up on my TV.

However, getting more when checking CEA Modes:
 

 
RasPlex:~ # tvservice --modes=CEA
Group CEA has 16 modes:
           mode 1: 640x480 @ 60Hz 4:3, clock:25MHz progressive
           mode 2: 720x480 @ 60Hz 4:3, clock:27MHz progressive
           mode 3: 720x480 @ 60Hz 16:9, clock:27MHz progressive
  (native) mode 4: 1280x720 @ 60Hz 16:9, clock:74MHz progressive
           mode 5: 1920x1080 @ 60Hz 16:9, clock:74MHz interlaced
           mode 7: 720x480 @ 60Hz 16:9, clock:27MHz x2 interlaced
           mode 16: 1920x1080 @ 60Hz 16:9, clock:148MHz progressive
           mode 17: 720x576 @ 50Hz 4:3, clock:27MHz progressive
           mode 18: 720x576 @ 50Hz 16:9, clock:27MHz progressive
           mode 19: 1280x720 @ 50Hz 16:9, clock:74MHz progressive
           mode 20: 1920x1080 @ 50Hz 16:9, clock:74MHz interlaced
           mode 22: 720x576 @ 50Hz 16:9, clock:27MHz x2 interlaced
           mode 31: 1920x1080 @ 50Hz 16:9, clock:148MHz progressive
           mode 32: 1920x1080 @ 24Hz 16:9, clock:74MHz progressive
           mode 33: 1920x1080 @ 25Hz 16:9, clock:74MHz progressive
           mode 34: 1920x1080 @ 30Hz 16:9, clock:74MHz progressive
RasPlex:~ #
12

Just noticed this as well, when I start up rasplex.. I checked the first command that was initiated, and that was:

echo "scan" | cec-client -d 1 -s "standby 0" RPI

I tried it again and the result was: 
 

log level set to 1
opening a connection to the CEC adapter...
requesting CEC bus information ...
ERROR:   [           12558]     failed to request the physical address
CEC bus information
===================
device #1: Recorder 1
address:       2.0.0.0
active source: no
vendor:        Unknown
osd string:    CECTester
CEC version:   1.4
power status:  on
language:      eng

device #3: Tuner 1

address:       f.f.f.f

active source: no

vendor:        Unknown

osd string:    Tuner 1

CEC version:   unknown

power status:  unknown

language:      ???


currently active source: unknown (-1)

Not sure if this has anything to do with my issue, or if it's a standard auto-command that runs when Rasplex is rebooted.

13

Not sure if this has anything to do with my issue, or if it's a standard auto-command that runs when Rasplex is rebooted.


That's the CEC handshake that runs, yours is failing, so no CEC.

This is weird, whats the model number of your Samsung TV, is the Pi connected HDMI to HDMI or is there some sort of adapter at the TV end?

Regards
14

That's the CEC handshake that runs, yours is failing, so no CEC.

This is weird, whats the model number of your Samsung TV, is the Pi connected HDMI to HDMI or is there some sort of adapter at the TV end?

Regards

(Samsung Model: ps43f4500)

HDMI-HDMI, no adapter.

15

(Samsung Model: ps43f4500)

HDMI-HDMI, no adapter.

There are 2 HDMI inputs, have you tried connecting the Pi to HDMI1(STB)?

Regards

16

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