Barnes and Noble introduces the NOOK
- Average user rating: 3.0 stars out of 8 reviews Back to product review
- My rating: 0 stars
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19 out of 21 people found this review helpful
2.5 stars
"HDMI inputs do not work with time warner cable boxes!!"
Pros: I've heard the sound is quite nice......
Cons: Expected the HDMI inputs to work with my Plasma TV!!
Summary: I recently purchased this Home Theater Receiver for one reason! I wanted to be able to utilize my HDMI connections to my cable box and DVD Player. I was able to do so with my DVD Player without any problem. (A Pioneer DV-59AVI) However, the problem arose when trying to hook up my HD cable box (Scientific Atlanta) with the HDMI connection.
The problem? It doesn't work!! After many frustrating hours speaking with Time Warner NYC and Pioneer, here's what I discovered. To adhere to the HDCP (high def. copy protection), ALL electronic manufacturers have to use what is known as 1.1 HDMI. Since Time Warner Cable NYC doesn't use that form of HDMI you can't hook up their cable box to this receiver using an HDMI connection. Since the Scientific Atlanta doesn't have HDMI but DVI video output (the 8300 has HDMI), I thought I might be able to eliminate the problem by using a DVI to HDMI converter and running the HDMI line to the receiver and use a coaxial digital cable for my audio. Unfortunately, as soon as I plugged in the HDMI cable or activated the HDMI input through the input menu, the sound went off. In any case, I couldn't get video to work.
Originally, a Pioneer customer service rep said that unless my cable company had 1.1 HDMI, it's a problem with the cable company. However, I finally spoke with someone a little higher up who was honest enougt to tell me that even if you have 1.1 HDMI, you still may have a problem using HDMI connection with this receiver. He said I'm not the only complaint he's received about this issue. It appears that Pioneer has released a product that isn't fully ready for release. The basic customer service reps at Pioneer gave me some mumbo jumbo about HDMI being so new which is why there's a problem. That's the last thing someone who pays $1200 for a home theater receiver wants to hear. The higher up person said their engineers are working on a solution and will contact me at that time.
If you're purchasing one of the new receivers by any manufacturer for the HDMI connections, I would be very careful and speak with your cable company and the manufacturer itself for any compatibility problems.
- 3 replies to this review
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TIME WARNER HAS UPDATED THEIR HD CABLE BOXES SOFTWARE TO WORK WITH THE PIONEER RECIEVERS. SIMPLY CONNECT THE HDMI CABLE TO THE RECIVER AND THE CABLE BOX THEN REBOOT THE CABLE BOX. IT WORKS VERY WELL.
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If you live inthe US, especially a time warner customer, you shouldn't be purchasing a reciever of this calibur for watching TV. I also live in NY and Time Warner is horrible. As stated in other comments, you won't notice a difference if you hook up your cable box via Component. The reciever will be able to upconvert, though it still depends on your video source. It's not the reciever's fault that Time Warner is lacking, so I think your 5/10 rating isn't justified. How does it sound? What kind of speakers are you using? Currently I have the 1015tx, and soon to upgrade to the 82txv, with Paradigm's Studio series speakers and it sounds amazing, and I'm sure the Elite series will power the Paradigms even better. So the 5/10 simply based on this principle is frankly stupid.
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It was not Pioneer's fault it was the salesperson's fault for failing to know all about the product he was selling you and your fault for not ensuring it would work in the first place by doing the proper research.
1) The Pioneer HDMI ports are vers. 1.1 (so does Denon's and Onkyo's. Read specs)
2) The Warner Cable HDMI output (like 99.9% of the cable/satellite receivers out on the market right now) is probably vers. 1.0. I talked to Comcast Technical Service Person and he told me that co. knows the issue and tech support is working on it.
3) HDMI is not backwards compatible like USB ports on computers. So a 1.1 compatible will not work with a 1.0 unit. Yes new version of HDMI 1.2a will backward compatible. Refer this site--> http://www.hdmi.org/consumer/faq.asp#hdmi_specification
4) Connect your cable boxe using Component video, which will be up converted to HDMI anyways. I guarantee you will not notice a difference in picture quality and your ED channels (i.e. 95% of the channels available to the American market)
For Pete?s sake next time do your research before freaking out online bashing a very well built product because you and apparently the person who sold it to you are amateurs.
Pioneer VSX-72TXV:
