# Pioneer VSX 53 Problem



## theincrediblebill (Jan 17, 2013)

This has been on going since October, I'm not even sure what the issue is but here's what is happening. The VSX 53 has two HDMI outputs. This was so I can have my projector and TV plugged in to the receiver. However, when the projector is on and we are watching a movie every 11 minutes the HDMI output will switch off for a few seconds and then switch back on. The receiver clicks like its relaying to the other HDMI output. It's weird, I timed it. I brought it to two pioneer certified places and neither has been able to fix it. The first place supposedly cleaned it out. The second place replaced the HDMI boards altogether. Still switches off. I'm really stumped on this. Any ideas? It's not the wire, it works perfectly when there's only 1 HDMI output plugged in. Once I plug the second one in it relays every 11 minutes. Also I tried it on my old Yamaha receiver. No issues.


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## theincrediblebill (Jan 17, 2013)

I guess I'll reply to my own thread for anyone out there that might have similar problems. I ran a few tests and low and behold I think I solved the issue. After months of taking it to professional repair places.

The TV that is plugged into the receiver is off but on standby. When watching movies on the projector every 11 minutes the HDMI relay would cycle to the other channel and realize there is nothing on and then cycle back.

I've been thinking about it, I decided to physically shut the TV off and wait 25 minutes to be safe and amazingly nothing. The receiver did not cycle the HDMI relay. I turned the TV back on from standby and back to its old tricks.

Basically when the TV is in standby mode the receiver is still recognizing the TV as being on. The little amount of power being drawn from standby is enough to make the receiver think the TV is on and switch to the HDMI output. I hope I'm right, but if I am that really bad and defeats the purpose of having 2 devices plugged into the receiver as outputs (the TV, and the projector). I only have a PS3 running into the receiver. Very odd, nobody at Pioneer or the 2 repair places I went to could figure it out. I'll keep running tests to make sure, but so far that seems to be the answer.


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## Todd Anderson (Jul 24, 2009)

The old "running your own thread" routine, eh? 


Been there!

Sounds like you found the solution.


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## Todd Anderson (Jul 24, 2009)

By the way... You can buy a remote power switch. Basically, you plug your tv into... And there is a wireless push-button remote that can kill the power to your tv ---


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## theincrediblebill (Jan 17, 2013)

Thank you, I will check out the remote power switch. I still can't believe that's what the problem is. So technically there was nothing wrong with the unit, and amazingly pioneer didn't know anything about this. I'm gonna keep running tests on it, but it's worked out so far.


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## Todd Anderson (Jul 24, 2009)

Something like this will do the trick...

http://www.amazon.com/Remote-Control-BH9936-3-Power-Switches/dp/B0064PKG3Q/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1359032421&sr=8-2&keywords=remote+power+switch


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## theincrediblebill (Jan 17, 2013)

Yes! Thank you. I'm gonna check those out. Those are great for so many things!


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## Anthony (Oct 5, 2006)

Glad you found it. I've had similar issues with an old Westinghouse TV that would just randomly change input or just turn itself on. The computer hooked to it would come out of sleep mode for just a tic and it would change to it, then it would be back to sleep and the TV would revert back to the Verizon box. There was no setting to disable this, so sometimes I would come home to a TV making noise in the basement. Talk about creepy!


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## theincrediblebill (Jan 17, 2013)

Wow, yeah that is creepy. The TV does click when it's off every now and then every once in a while. Now that I think about it, I'll bet my TV clicks every 11 minutes when the receiver cycles. In gonna have to check that when I get home. Thanks, it's sad now to think the problem is with my TV when I thought it was my receiver this whole time.


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## Anthony (Oct 5, 2006)

Well it still could be anything in the signal chain. Both the TV and receiver are probably "listening" for active signals. See if they have any settings like auto-input or auto-off, etc and disable them. Hopefully that will fix it.

Good luck!


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