Accessories HTC / Sprint HDMI cable pulled from market

[jcthorne]

Well something is up with the HDMI on the EVO. The few HDMI cables that made it to retail have been recalled and the cable is no longer available for order through sprint.com or telesales. No date when it will be available again. They also suggested when I mentioned that folks already had them that they be returned under the 30 day satisfaction policy for refund. A revised cable to be released at some point.

Me thinks there is a hardware/software bug and customer service is unable to support the issues at this time.

I bought an AMZR cable a couple weeks ago and it worked a bit at 480p only. Post update it no longer works. Locks up the phone when plugged in so went to buy a real Sprint cable. NOT AVAILALBE FOR PURCHASE.

 

[samplerate]

I don't know about the stores, but it is still available online through sprint: here

 

[jcthorne]

I don't know about the stores, but it is still available online through sprint: here

No, its not. That was the point. Try ordering it and the order will be cancelled by sprint. I went throught all this today and spoke to quite a number of folks at both Sprint and HTC trying to order the cable. Its not available and no published date for restock at the moment.

 

[DualSportDad]

Im not really sure what could be wrong wih the cable. I bought one with my phone on launch day and it worjs great. Couple nights ago i was watching youtube videos in my tv in 720.

 

[wuclan48]

A cable is a cable is a cable. I guess they ****ed up the port on the phone.

 

[bvbull200]

A cable is a cable is a cable. I guess they ****ed up the port on the phone.

Close, but not quite. A functional cable is a functional cable. It is entirely possible that there is a design flaw with the cable or a "bad batch" was released for sale.

 

[Vincent Law]

Close, but not quite. A functional cable is a functional cable. It is entirely possible that there is a design flaw with the cable or a "bad batch" was released for sale.

I don't think you understand how HDMI, or any digital signal works. It would either connect and stay connected, or not work at all. Any faults in the wire would cause it to disconnect, not to lower the resolution.

 

[jcthorne]

The lower resolution (480p) is likely a result of non or poor handshaking and data errors. Many have reported problems and lockups with the AMZER cable. Heard good results with the Molex one and plan to give that a try as the Sprint/HTC one is not available for purchase.

 

[AndroidMax]

There are 19 pins on the HDMI cable. I work for a CE company, and had one of our Chinese vendors send me 4 micro hdmi cables of different length. They all work at 720P, from 1m , 2m, 5m and 10m! Amazing that the BOM cost on these cables is $1 per meter. Keep that in mind when you decide you need a $40 dollar 2 meter cable instead of the $10 one.

 

[Rigmaster]

The problem was that HDMI 1.4 and 1.4a standards had not been set. In fact, I think they were just finalized in mid-June. The biggest impact has been that the cable makers with early products did not have the right specs for production.

My guess is that Molex would be the safest place to get a cable as Molex helped design this microHDMI connection and cable interface as the standards for 1.4 and 1.4a were developed. I'm pretty sure Molex was also a player in 1.4 and 1.4a development.

There are only very recently a few devices even capable of 1.4 or 1.4a input/output, and Evo was right there at the leading edge. The good news is that the 1.4 versions will be backwards compatible. The bad news is devices are not software upgradeable as getting the advanced capabilities (e.g. 4k resolution, additional data channel, fully uncompressed audio) requires a new 1.4-compliant chip.

I don't know how it will all play out, but I expect the end result will be new cables that will pass the full signal to the next device even if that device, such as existing HDTVs, cannot do any more with the signal than their current capabilities allow.

My guess is that the new cables will take a few months to be produced with good quality from a lot of makers, but that has 0 to do with HTC or the Evo.

 

[DualSportDad]

So is there anything wrong with the sprint cable that i have now? Why the recall? How would i know there is a recall? If its gojng to burn my house down then i'll return it but if its just its not campatable with some tvs the n ill hang on to it till sprint has a replacement cable to offer me.

 

[bvbull200]

I don't think you understand how HDMI, or any digital signal works. It would either connect and stay connected, or not work at all. Any faults in the wire would cause it to disconnect, not to lower the resolution.

No, I DO understand how HDMI works, which is why I said "a functional cable is a functional cable". I didn't see an indication in the OP that the Sprint/HTC cable and display resolution were interrelated at all. It only mentioned 480p from an AMZR cable. The recall on the Sprint cables could have been due to a number of them not working at all.

 

[NeoteriX]

The problem was that HDMI 1.4 and 1.4a standards had not been set. In fact, I think they were just finalized in mid-June. The biggest impact has been that the cable makers with early products did not have the right specs for production.

My guess is that Molex would be the safest place to get a cable as Molex helped design this microHDMI connection and cable interface as the standards for 1.4 and 1.4a were developed. I'm pretty sure Molex was also a player in 1.4 and 1.4a development.

There are only very recently a few devices even capable of 1.4 or 1.4a input/output, and Evo was right there at the leading edge. The good news is that the 1.4 versions will be backwards compatible. The bad news is devices are not software upgradeable as getting the advanced capabilities (e.g. 4k resolution, additional data channel, fully uncompressed audio) requires a new 1.4-compliant chip.

I don't know how it will all play out, but I expect the end result will be new cables that will pass the full signal to the next device even if that device, such as existing HDTVs, cannot do any more with the signal than their current capabilities allow.

My guess is that the new cables will take a few months to be produced with good quality from a lot of makers, but that has 0 to do with HTC or the Evo.

I don't know if it's an HDMI v1.4 issue, my specs for my TV indicate v.1.3 compatibility (and so does the Amzer cable I'm using) and everything seems to be working fine.

 

[Rigmaster]

I don't know if it's an HDMI v1.4 issue, my specs for my TV indicate v.1.3 compatibility (and so does the Amzer cable I'm using) and everything seems to be working fine.

1.4 specs are just new. Compatibility will take time to sort out.

 

[boriqua2000]

i have the amzer micro HDMI cable and it has never worked for me.every time i connect it to the phone it just freezes up.i have to take out the battery and reboot.sprint said that they are aware of this glitch and that they are working on a software update.a funny thing is that when i called sprint,the tech guy connected a demo evo that he had to some HDMI cable and his phone would turn off.he didn't know what was going on.he had to call his supervisor.

 

[sitlet]

i have the amzer micro HDMI cable and it has never worked for me.every time i connect it to the phone it just freezes up.i have to take out the battery and reboot.sprint said that they are aware of this glitch and that they are working on a software update.a funny thing is that when i called sprint,the tech guy connected a demo evo that he had to some HDMI cable and his phone would turn off.he didn't know what was going on.he had to call his supervisor.

There is a software update for this, it was released about a week and a half ago.

 

[jcthorne]

It was the software update that broke the function of the AMZER cable I had. Worked prior to the update. Still awaiting the Sprint/Molex cable to give them a try and see if they lock the phone too. If so, I have a bad phone and will get a replacement.

 

[lambospeed]

The AMZER cable was working for me for about 2 weeks, then it just stopped working a couple of days ago, and like most of you, it was freezing the phone. I have to remove the battery to reboot it.

I didn't want to accept the FOTA update because I had a feeling that it would block me from using the Free Wireless Tether I installed after rooting the Evo, but I wanted to give it a shot thinking that the update may fix the HDMI issue but NOOOO !

I accepted the damn FOTA update and now:
. The Wireless Tether does NOT work anymore !
. The HDMI function still does not work !

From personal experience, I know that Sprint can replace a phone with a defective 3.5mm Output Port under the $7/month equipment warranty, so I'm quite sure they would replace the phone if I tell them that the HDMI port is defective... and they should be able to see that at the store.

My question is would getting a new phone fix the HDMI issue ? Is it a hardware or Software issue?

 

[jcthorne]

The AMZER cable was working for me for about 2 weeks, then it just stopped working a couple of days ago, and like most of you, it was freezing the phone. I have to remove the battery to reboot it.

I didn't want to accept the FOTA update because I had a feeling that it would block me from using the Free Wireless Tether I installed after rooting the Evo, but I wanted to give it a shot thinking that the update may fix the HDMI issue but NOOOO !

I accepted the damn FOTA update and now:
. The Wireless Tether does NOT work anymore !
. The HDMI function still does not work !

From personal experience, I know that Sprint can replace a phone with a defective 3.5mm Output Port under the $7/month equipment warranty, so I'm quite sure they would replace the phone if I tell them that the HDMI port is defective... and they should be able to see that at the store.

My question is would getting a new phone fix the HDMI issue ? Is it a hardware or Software issue?

I got my hands on a sprint cable and the phone no longer locks up. Its the amzer cable that is defective.

 

[Droid_Genius]

Im just trying to understand, so does thing not work with another HDMI? If so I would order this one off the site. Or is it something wrong altogether with the port itself?

For Sprint HTC EVO 4G Micro HDMI 6FT 1.4 Type D Cable 1080p for Portable Devices M/M

 

[jcthorne]

I can tell you the AMZER cable does not work correctly. The Sprint supplied cable and the MOLEX cable work fine if your display panel is compatible with the EVOs handshaking.

 

[NeoteriX]

I can tell you the AMZER cable does not work correctly. The Sprint supplied cable and the MOLEX cable work fine if your display panel is compatible with the EVOs handshaking.

And I can tell you that my AMZER cable does work correctly...

I don't know what the cause is (maybe bad quality control or what), but it's definitely not a true generalization that all Amzer cables do not work.

 

[bignibb]

Well for me, I can say that its the cable and not the phone. I bought a cheap cable off eBay (1.3 type) and it worked fine for about a week. Then one day it just stopped. The ebay cable would freeze my phone and I had to keep pulling the battery. I was within my 30 day window so I took it back. I got a brand new evo with the same problem. I go to a Sprint corporate store ask if the had a micro hdmi cable and the sales lady looked at me strange but still checked and she found one, their last one. Short story made long, new cable works old cable junk, I have had the new cable for a month, works perfectly.

 

[jcthorne]

Well for me, I can say that its the cable and not the phone. I bought a cheap cable off eBay (1.3 type) and it worked fine for about a week. Then one day it just stopped. The ebay cable would freeze my phone and I had to keep pulling the battery. I was within my 30 day window so I took it back. I got a brand new evo with the same problem. I go to a Sprint corporate store ask if the had a micro hdmi cable and the sales lady looked at me strange but still checked and she found one, their last one. Short story made long, new cable works old cable junk, I have had the new cable for a month, works perfectly.

Pretty much mirrors my experience. The AMZER worked for a while but now locks up the phone. The Sprint and Molex cables both work fine.

Still only connects to my Vizio VO37LF at 480p, have no idea why. I have a HDFury2 HDMI to component converter comming for presentation use anyway so will try that with the EVO when I get it, hopefully it will link up at 720p.

 

[italianwjt]

no, i do understand how hdmi works, which is why i said "a functional cable is a functional cable". I didn't see an indication in the op that the sprint/htc cable and display resolution were interrelated at all. It only mentioned 480p from an amzr cable. The recall on the sprint cables could have been due to a number of them not working at all.

fight, fight fight!!!!