Automatic Refreshrate Changer (3 Viewers)

[bsider]

Anyone knows how to fix the error "mediaportal has stopped working" when using Dynamic Refresh changer? The error happens even when the current refresh is 24hz and dynamic refresh changer doesn't have to switch it. The error doesn't mean anything, it just pops out on the screen and I have to select the focus on mediaportal once again - everything continues to work fine.
Disabling dynamic refresh changer makes the issue disappear.

Windows 7 32 bit \ MP 1.1 final \ 12 noon display changer

Uninstalling SAF didn't help. With Vista there's no such issue. Looks like I'm the only one with this issue with Windows 7?!

 

[Seeco]

I've been thinking about getting a new receiver to be able to use HDMI audio from my Radeon HD4870. Do receivers in general have any problems with refresh rate changing? I would connect HTPC -> receiver -> TV via HDMI.

I don't know why I got a feeling there might be problems. It seems there usually are

 

[slarti]

I've been thinking about getting a new receiver to be able to use HDMI audio from my Radeon HD4870. Do receivers in general have any problems with refresh rate changing? I would connect HTPC -> receiver -> TV via HDMI.

I don't know why I got a feeling there might be problems. It seems there usually are

You'd be right... At least two onkyos that I know of don't play nice with it; the 875 and 5007. I would be very interested to know of receivers that don't have a problem with the ARC. Especially when using intel clarkdale graphics.

 

[Holzi]

I got a Ge-Force 9600M GT connected via HDMI to a Denon AVR-1909 without any problems with the ARC.

 

[kiwijunglist]

Yes, there are definitely problems with receivers and refresh rate changes/changing resolutions.

EDITED:

Also the HTPC gets the EDID data from the receiver rather than the monitor. The EDID data tells the HTPC what resolutions and refresh rates are supported by the display. The EDID data also tells the PC whether the display is on/off. Receivers are not designed to be connected to an HTPC, so they sometimes don't post the EDID data correctly. This means that you might have to reboot the htpc after you turn off the display/receiver. The solution(s) are;

Hardware

- Gefen DVI/HDMI Detective
- "DVI/HDMI Doctor"

Software

- HDMIon.exe

Not sure if Gefen can help with refresh rate issues as I havn't tested.

Also I'm not sure what the situation is with using both ports on the video card, and running HDMI port -> Receiver and DVI port -> TV.

 

[bsider]

I've been thinking about getting a new receiver to be able to use HDMI audio from my Radeon HD4870. Do receivers in general have any problems with refresh rate changing? I would connect HTPC -> receiver -> TV via HDMI.

I don't know why I got a feeling there might be problems. It seems there usually are

Yes, sometimes there are problems. I have Pioneer VSX-1018 receiver which gives black screen after refresh rate change. This happens very rare, but it's very annoying and there's nothing I can do about it.

 

[Seeco]

As I thought, all according to Murphy's law Does anyone have a setup that is unaffected by this? Or a setup where countermeasures have worked perfectly?

At the moment I'm looking at the Yamaha RX-V665, because of the price. Besides using the RR changer I also turn my TV off all the time.

 

[bsider]

Receivers are not designed to be connected to an HTPC, so they sometimes don't post the EDID data correctly.

Actually I had the same with PopCorn A110 HD multimedia player. So it's not an HTPC issue, it's a receiver fault for sure.

 

[Scythe42]

As I thought, all according to Murphy's law Does anyone have a setup that is unaffected by this? Or a setup where countermeasures have worked perfectly?

I'm using a DVDO Edge as a HDMI switching Hub. Everything goes into the Edge, from their to the Receiver (Onkyo TX-SR805) and finally to my TV. The HTPC's GPU is an onboard Nvidia 9400 on a Zotac 9300 (not fast enough for 1080i though, but I don't use MP for watching TV anyway) running Win7. Never had any HDMI related issues.

Every now and then the HTPC doesn't send a proper signal on a refresh rate change. But that's solved by stopping and starting playback again. This is an Nvidia related issue.

 

[slarti]

As I thought, all according to Murphy's law Does anyone have a setup that is unaffected by this? Or a setup where countermeasures have worked perfectly?

I'm using a DVDO Edge as a HDMI switching Hub. Everything goes into the Edge, from their to the Receiver (Onkyo TX-SR805) and finally to my TV. The HTPC's GPU is an onboard Nvidia 9400 on a Zotac 9300 (not fast enough for 1080i though, but I don't use MP for watching TV anyway) running Win7. Never had any HDMI related issues.

Every now and then the HTPC doesn't send a proper signal on a refresh rate change. But that's solved by stopping and starting playback again. This is an Nvidia related issue.

I had my old integrated GF8300 connected to my onkyo 875 and from there through a splitter to my TV and projector. I had just minor problems like sometimes the onkyo didn't find a signal after a refreshrate change.

With my clarkdale it is just horrible. The graphics "card" may stop responding, my desktop may become horribly disfigured or the whole system may just crash. I don't think it has worked once. Strangely enough, when I change the refreshrate manually, I don't have a problem.

I tried an ATI 5450 for a little while but that was at least just as bad.

My solution for now is to run an HDMI cable through a splitter straight to my TV and projector from my HTPC and carry the sound over S/PDIF to my receiver. I lose HD bitstreaming but this works like a charm every single time. I've been thinking about getting a new receiver but I think I'll try the HDMI detective plus (thanks for the tip kiwijunglist) since the onkyo 875 is otherwise a great receiver. (BTW: I had the onkyo 5007 for a couple of days on trial and that was horrible. Every time I switched the HDMI output on it with the HTPC as the source, the HTPC BSOD'd instantly So yes, I think there are problems with PCs and receivers)

I somehow have a feeling that NVIDIA stuff just works better but you lose out on the audio side of things.