Help HDMI audio works, but not video

[Palmetto Fellow]

I bought one of those $4 (shipped) HDMI cables off amazon. I ccouldn't seem to get it to work...and then all of a sudden, I got audio.

When plugged in, I see the HDMI logo appear on the status bar...and I was able to get sound to the TV...but no video.

Does audio and video travel on different pins, or is the audio/video combined under some protocol and the entirety of that signal is transmitted over the sum of the pins?

Could I have a break in one of the internal wires that prevents the video from showing, or is there a larger problem here?

 

[Mr. Ed]

it's hard to say..that cable has a 50-50 review of working vs not. I don't know that we can narrow it down without getting an additional cable from another source

 

[sitlet]

If the Audio works, that means the tv and phone are connected to each other (digitally). There should be no reason why one would work and not the other. What are you trying to play videos from? the stock video app?

 

[Palmetto Fellow]

If the Audio works, that means the tv and phone are connected to each other (digitally). There should be no reason why one would work and not the other. What are you trying to play videos from? the stock video app?

This is why I am trying to figure out if the audio runs separate from the video. If both audio and video are combined and packaged together and then transmitted TOGETHER to the TV, I can't figure out why only the audio works. Perhaps audio occupies 2 pins, and video occupies the other pins???

I guess I need to do some research on HDMI with google's help, and maybe wikipedia...

I shot a video with my EVO, and I am playing it back. Only the audio from that video comes through. I've tried playing with the HDMI video out settings, but didn't get it to work. There are only 3 settings...720P, 480P, and Automatic. I am pretty sure I tried all three...but if I didn't, 480P was the only one I didn't try.

Perhaps tonight I will try again, and make sure that I select 480P so there is no doubt in my head about that. The TV support 720P, so I don't even see why this would be a problem.

 

[Mr. Ed]

I am not familiar enough with the construct of an hdmi cable to answer. I was severly dissapointed with the hdmi output and took the htc hdmi dock back. Wish I could help more but it sounds like you are on the right track

 

[Palmetto Fellow]

With Wikipedia's help, I've determined what is transmitted across each pin, but that information was useless to me. The first 12 pins were some form of TMDS data/TMDS clock. The remaining 7 pins were for power, ground, and other things that don't mean anything to me.

I may end up paying $30 for a Rocketfish micro HDMI cable...I don't really want to have to...but if I am to have HDMI...this is the fastest way to rule out the cable I have.

 

[Mr. Ed]

Do you have a sprint store nearby? Stop and pick up the HTC dock...it's $30...and I know they work

 

[Palmetto Fellow]

Do you have a sprint store nearby? Stop and pick up the HTC dock...it's $30...and I know they work

I may try that...

What did you not like about it? Quality of the picture?

 

[Mr. Ed]

I was doing something a little different and converting videos I had already taken...it was too time consuming to get things set up correctly ie converted for awesome playback on phone AND tv. Phone side was easy...tv side was pixelated...poor audio...just not worth the time.

 

[Palmetto Fellow]

It dawned on me, as I was pulling into the parking lot of the Sprint store, that the HDMI dock you mentioned would not fit my phone with the Seidio case on it...when I got inside, my suspicion was correct...

ALso, they were $39.99 at the store, not $30...but for me it didn't matter.

They too sell a $30 HMDI cable, but it's in the most generic packing I've seen (clear plastic bag). Would I be better served with that cable or the Rocketfish cable given they are the same cost?

 

[Mr. Ed]

hrmm...for the fact that you are testing...and were right there I most likely would have grabbed the cable in hand and went home to test. I don't know that there would have been much of a difference between the two..and both best buy and sprint have a 30 day return.

at that point and time I think the main question in need of resolution was is the cable you have bunk...or the phone

 

[Palmetto Fellow]

This ended up being a cable issue.

Best buy had a RocketFish open box HDMI cable for $25.99, so I snagged that one. Works like a charm...

They had another open box one for $27 which is the correct price (open box = 10% off) so I was somehow lucky to save an extra $1.01 on the cable...

 

[Mr. Ed]

Glad you got it!!!!

 

[disastar]

For future reference, monoprice.com sells very inexpensive, perfectly reliable cables. I buy all my audio, video and computer cables from there. They are very well regarded among enthusiast (like a Newegg for cables).