# HDMI handshake issue with Denon 3310



## jacare (Oct 28, 2010)

Hey guys, do you know of any causes/fixes for the dreaded HDMI handshake problems?

Goes like this: Finally decided on the denon 3310 AVR. Everything works fine with no issue for a week until last night when i turn on the tv, i get the bottom half of the screen flickering green while the whole picture is compressed to the top half of the screen. Audio is fine, no change. I switch to DVD, works fine, perfect picture. Swap cables with the DVD player/cable box, now the bottom half is pink, while the picture is still compressed to the top half of the screen. 

If i turn the AVR off, and leave the TV on in passthrough mode, the picture is fine again only the audio is coming from the tv speakers. If I turn the AVR on again, i get the green/pink half screens back.

I cant get it to go away, and it just started last night. It's been suggested I get new cables, but do they just die like that? Maybe its the cable box? Also suggested was to reset the AVR. Have you guys run into this before and if you did, how did you resolve the issue?


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## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

I haven't heard of cables just going bad like that:scratch:. Being that i have never had this issue i would say start with a reset of the AVR, possibly disconnecting everything before hand (all sources that is), let everything set for a few minutes sead of all power then starting over. I must say i am at a loss for this one especially being that it was fine before.:huh:


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## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

It would seem almost impossible to be a Cabling issue. If those Sources work when connected to the AVR with it on Standby, it seems against all logic that is is the Cables.

If the problem persists, I would do a Reset of the Microprocessor in the AVR. Not fun to have to rerun Audyssey, Speaker Levels, etc, but will possibly resolve your issue.
JJ


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## jacare (Oct 28, 2010)

bambino said:


> I haven't heard of cables just going bad like that:scratch:. Being that i have never had this issue i would say start with a reset of the AVR, possibly disconnecting everything before hand (all sources that is), let evrything set for a few minutes sead of all power then starting over. I must say i am at a loss for this one especially being that it was fine before.:huh:


exactly...it was perfectly fine that same day (morning) but last night, green/pink screens. The cables are fairly new (and not cheap).



Jungle Jack said:


> It would seem almost impossible to be a Cabling issue. If those Sources work when connected to the AVR with it on Standby, it seems against all logic that is is the Cables.
> 
> If the problem persists, I would do a Reset of the Microprocessor in the AVR. Not fun to have to rerun Audyssey, Speaker Levels, etc, but will possibly resolve your issue.
> JJ


OK, i was thinking of trying that, but what if it doesnt work? Am i out of an AVR? I HAVEN'T done a firmware update yet as I dont have a laptop (not sure if i need one anyway) but seeing as it worked perfectly fine a day ago isnt telling me that an update is the fix.

Maybe i'll call the cable company and have them reset the cable box also - so now at this point we can mostly rule out the HDMI's themselves?


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## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

Usually a Reset will do the trick. Provided the AVR was Purchased at an Authorized Dealer, there still should be Warranty remaining.

I have been following Reports of issues similar to what is occurring with some of the newer Denons. In truth, some have required Repair and some have righted themselves through Resets and or Firmware Updates. I can only pray yours simply needs a Reset or Firmware Update.
Cheers,
JJ


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## jacare (Oct 28, 2010)

Jungle Jack said:


> Usually a Reset will do the trick. Provided the AVR was Purchased at an Authorized Dealer, there still should be Warranty remaining.
> 
> I have been following Reports of issues similar to what is occurring with some of the newer Denons. In truth, some have required Repair and some have righted themselves through Resets and or Firmware Updates. I can only pray yours simply needs a Reset or Firmware Update.
> Cheers,
> JJ


I got it from amazon.com. Realistically, if I cant get the problem corrected in the next few days, I'll be sending it back. I'll have the cable company reset the cable box and I'll do a reset on the receiver and see what happens tonight when I get home.

I have to add that i've been having this issues on and off with my onkyo 507 and this denon. What happened with the onkyo is that the screen would turn to static/blink/static again until i would power the unit off/back on again. This was VERY sporadic, and not a real issue since it was so random and far between events. It would happen with the denon too, but still sporadic. Days/weeks would go by without issue on the onkyo, then out of the blue the static screen would return - power cycle the AVR, was good to go or the static screen would come back only to be replaced by the tv station. Never was consistent like the issue with the denon last night.

does that shed more light as to what it could be?


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## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

The thing nice about Amazon is that they will do what they have to to keep customers happy.:sn:


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## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

That means the Order was Fulfilled through one of Amazon's Partners. As long as it is an Authorized Dealer or just Purchased, Returning it should be simple. If it has been Owned past the Return window, it would seem Repair is the sole option.
Cheers,
JJ


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## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

Jungle Jack said:


> That means the Order was Fulfilled through one of Amazon's Partners. As long as it is an Authorized Dealer or just Purchased, Returning it should be simple. If it has been Owned past the Return window, it would seem Repair is the sole option.
> Cheers,
> JJ


Very true. With all of hope you are still in that window if not i would imagine they will do what they can to make you happy.raying:


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## jacare (Oct 28, 2010)

Jungle Jack said:


> That means the Order was Fulfilled through one of Amazon's Partners. As long as it is an Authorized Dealer or just Purchased, Returning it should be simple. If it has been Owned past the Return window, it would seem Repair is the sole option.
> Cheers,
> JJ


Yeah, the unit is literally 1 week old.



bambino said:


> Very true. With all of hope you are still in that window if not i would imagine they will do what they can to make you happy.raying:


They have been very good in the past. The only thing I'm not digging is the return postage hit, but oh well.

i really like this Denon too - I've been through pioneer, onkyo, now denon - the pioneer's amp section was HORRIBLE, that why i sent that one back, no real problems with the onkyo other than the sporadic static screen, but this denon is really throwing up a red flag here :rant:

How about another way of hooking it up without HDMI? Component/digital audio connections?


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## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

I was a huge Denon fan until the Company Merged with Marantz, Mcintosh, Snell and others. Ever since, the Prices have raised while the Amplifier Sections have gone on a diet. So glad that a Return will be no problem if the AVR is defective. 

For the past few years, I have been using Onkyo and could not be more pleased. Killer Feature Set and Amplifier Sections at an awesome price.
Cheers,
JJ


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## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

jacare said:


> Yeah, the unit is literally 1 week old.
> 
> They have been very good in the past. The only thing I'm not digging is the return postage hit, but oh well.


What do you mean? Are they charging you for return postage?


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## jacare (Oct 28, 2010)

Jungle Jack said:


> I was a huge Denon fan until the Company Merged with Marantz, Mcintosh, Snell and others. Ever since, the Prices have raised while the Amplifier Sections have gone on a diet. So glad that a Return will be no problem if the AVR is defective.
> 
> For the past few years, I have been using Onkyo and could not be more pleased. Killer Feature Set and Amplifier Sections at an awesome price.
> Cheers,
> JJ


Heh, I can understand. Apparently before the economy went supposedly belly up, they made AVR's a lot better.

Well if I cant get this sorted out, I'll be looking to another onkyo then and i'll be asking for recommendations once more in the price range of what I paid for the 3310 (around $560).....I really do like the denon sound though, and split my time between tv and music.


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## jacare (Oct 28, 2010)

bambino said:


> What do you mean? Are they charging you for return postage?


Correct, on a $445 pioneer unit they refunded $418 due to return shipping costs since there was nothing technically wrong with the unit. They actually charged less that what was originally quoted though, so I guess it wasn't that bad.


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## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

Being that it was only a week old and i would have to say that there is something wrong with it they should have refunded the whole amount, but if your satisfied then that is what counts.:T


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## jacare (Oct 28, 2010)

hmm, I have an idea

I still have a denon 2310 I got from ultimate electronics before I got the 3310 that i was holding onto just for this very reason - I'm going to hook it back up (after cable box reboot) and see if the same thing happens with that unit (it had no issues in the past)

Now if it works great and the 3310 still has issues, does that mean the 3310 is defective?


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## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

jacare said:


> hmm, I have an idea.
> Now if it works great and the 3310 still has issues, does that mean the 3310 is defective?


I would say that would make it defective.


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## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

Reading the Posts you have elsewhere, it seems the same problems exist when the other AVR is hooked up. What baffles me is that these same cables work fine when connected to the TV and when the unit is set to Standby. 

The one thing I can think of is that both AVR's are from the same Generation and might be quite sensitive to Cables. So odd that the problem would manifest weeks after hookup, but I suppose anything is possible.
Did you ever attempt testing both with Video set to Passthrough?

This is quite strange and I look forward to finding out what was the culprit on this most baffling problem.
Cheers,
JJ


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## jacare (Oct 28, 2010)

Jungle Jack said:


> Reading the Posts you have elsewhere, it seems the same problems exist when the other AVR is hooked up. What baffles me is that these same cables work fine when connected to the TV and when the unit is set to Standby.
> 
> The one thing I can think of is that both AVR's are from the same Generation and might be quite sensitive to Cables. So odd that the problem would manifest weeks after hookup, but I suppose anything is possible.
> Did you ever attempt testing both with Video set to Passthrough?
> ...


OK.

reset the cable box. reset the 3310. nothing changed, same pink screen.

tried the 2310, same pink screen!

checked to see if the HDMI port was borked on my tv, its good.
straight cable to tv works good.

swapped all the HDMI cables around, nothing.

So it has to be the cables but which one? they couldnt have all gone bad overnight?

I know, this is really confusing. If I use passthrough mode (tv on, avr off but tv still connected to avr, sound coming out of tv speakers) the tv picture is fine through sat/cable. Maybe i'm not using a high enough speed cable? I'm really stumped here.

EDIT: here are a few pics with what's going on. The first 2 are with the 3310 on, last pic off in standby mode.


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## jacare (Oct 28, 2010)

now after doing NOTHING with the unit other than turning it on/off the green/pink screens are gone replaced by a regular picture - that after about 30 secs turns to a straight static screen - then the screen goes blank then goes back to static again......holy confusions batman


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## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

I wonder just out of the air, if it has something to do with the TV.:dontknow:


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## jacare (Oct 28, 2010)

bambino said:


> I wonder just out of the air, if it has something to do with the TV.:dontknow:


Well if i hook everything up straight to the tv, everything works fine. Just talked to a denon guy at frys, he said it could be the cable box, not the cables. He suggested to swap out the box, but as my luck always goes, they closed today at 4pm and dont open up again till monday.:rant:

EDIT:

After talking to cox support they had me unplug the cable box/unplug HDMI cable then plug it back in and insert the HDMI cable when the box is done rebooting. When I powered up everything i had the pink bottom screen for about 10 secs then it went to a full picture :clap: 

I havent tried to take it off of sat/cable, i'm afraid if i do it'll go back to the way it was


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## jacare (Oct 28, 2010)

UPDATE:

what ended up happening was i switched out the cable box and purchased 2 new HDMI cables for the cable box and tv. it seemed to have solved the issue - until the other day when i turned on the tv and got a snowy picture - something that was common from time to time with the onkyo 507 i had before.....which leads me to believe at this point that it is indeed the tv i own. sony bravia (not sure the model number right now).

once i powered off/on the reciever, the snow went away and hasnt came back since, but there's never a time i turn on the tv where i say to myself 'hope i get a picture today' 

feels bad man.


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