# HDMI problem with Roku and VPL-HW45ES



## KevinMF (Apr 24, 2020)

Greetings!
I have a problem where my Roku 4 stopped working with my Sony VPL-HW45ES projector.
*The projector simply acts as if nothing is plugged into the HDMI port.* They are connected over a 50' HDMI cable (run in wall/ceiling).

Now for the weird stuff.
This setup worked fine for 2 years; never any issue until a week ago.
In order to troubleshoot, I did the following:
1. Swapped out the Roku device itself. I have several, so I swapped it with another Roku 4 and also a Roku ultimate. All behaved exactly the same (no picture). All 3 Rokus work fine on LCD TVs (with a 6' HDMI clable).
2) Swapped the cable. To explain: I have two 50' HDMI cable runs from my component closet to the projector. One for FIOS DVR, one for Roku. FIOS works fine, so I simply swapped the cables (now Roku would be on a known working cable and the known working 2nd HDMI input on the projector). Roku behaves the same: no picture.

So, at this point, I would like to be able to say I eliminated the HDMI cable, and the Roku device (and yes the power cables swapped along with the devices), and the specific HDMI input port on the projector, as cause of the issue. 

But that leaves nothing else to blame.

I take the original Roku, climb a ladder and plug it into the same HDMI port on the projector using a 6' HDMI cable and it works fine.

!#^!#%!%#

My initial theory was that the Roku devices (both Roku 4 and Roku Ultimate) are (suddenly?) putting out a (weak?) signal that the long HDMI cable run will not tolerate. ( FIOS box works fine on same cable, same projector HDMI port). I bought an ABLEGRID HDMI Signal Amplifier; that did not help.

I get no picture at all, so I don't think it's an HDCP problem... My current theory is that the in-wall cables are HDMI 1.0, and that maybe some Roku software update happened and changed something that now requires I have it running on an HDMI 2.0 cable? My next plan is to buy a new long HDMI 2.0 cable and try it.

I feel like that's a stretch, but given that I've verified that every single element is working, it seems like it must be software specific...

Any posts with ideas about what might be happening here would be much appreciated!

Thanks & warm regards,
Kevin


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## Wayne A. Pflughaupt (Apr 13, 2006)

Well, you covered all the bases with your troubleshooting, so I don’t know what to say. From what I hear 50 ft, is about the maximum that HDMI cables can be run so you're definitely stretching things. Can’t hurt to try the new cable but I don’t know what your next option will be if that doesn’t work.

Regards,
Wayne


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## sealman (Jun 10, 2013)

I wonder if the internet usage increase due to the quarantine has caused a problem.
I had heard that youtube and others have reduced their bandwith options regarding resolution.
Makes me wonder if Roku may have done something similar that has made your 50 ft run fall out of spec?
I am just throwing out ideas here since you seem to have already done practically everything else you could trouble shooting the issue.


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