# Forum Home Renovation Home Theatres  HDMI cable picture but no sound

## willy72

Hi all, 
Excuse the novice in the building! 
just hooked up my TV on the wall to the hDMI port which is connected to a PVR in a hidden wall cabinet. got picture but no sound. Interesting because the setup prior was the same and works perfectly. The only difference is the cable in the wall cavity to a HDMI plate then cable from that to the PVR. 
Any ideas on faults or fixes. 
currently running the old school yellow and red for sound. 
thanks 
willy

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## PlatypusGardens

> Hi all, 
> Excuse the novice in the building! 
> just hooked up my TV on the wall to the hDMI port which is connected to a PVR in a hidden wall cabinet. got picture but no sound. Interesting because the setup prior was the same and works perfectly. The only difference is the cable in the wall cavity to a HDMI plate then cable from that to the PVR. 
> Any ideas on faults or fixes. 
> currently running the old school yellow and red for sound. 
> thanks 
> willy

  
I had this happen once.
Disconnected the cable, turned it around and it worked.   :Shock: 
No idea what was going on there but it worked ever since...   :Smilie:

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## Bros

HDMI carries picture and sound so no need for other cables. With my PVR I have to wind the volume right up to about 60% for good listening.

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## Uncle Bob

Try it in another HMDI port

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## willy72

Thanks all for your replies 
so I have bypassed the wall and gone straight into the pvr with the original cable and still no sound. 
Thanks for the advice. spinning it around didn't fix it. Turning it up didn't fix it. And I don't have another hdmi port to check it. 
strange it now doesn't work at all. 
any thoughts?

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## Uncle Bob

IT 101, have you tried restarting everything?  :Smilie:

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## willy72

Yep just powered everything off disconnected cables and reset. Old cable that supplied picture and sound now only providing picture.  Geez.........surely it can't be this hard. I know these pvrs are temperamental but this is ridiculous. I can't work out how you can move from one room to another then this happens with the same setup.

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## phild01

It's not the old problem of having the TV switched on first ready to receive.  My PVR sometimes won't provide sound unless I do this or; switch from a SD to HD station and back again.

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## willy72

Thanks yeah tried both on first and last.   Still nothing. Anyone want a cheap pvr and or tv!

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## Armers

Have you asked your pvr to send the sound via the hdmi and not via optical? It might be a setting in the menu.  
Sent from my GT-I9300T using Tapatalk

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## willy72

Noooooo I haven't. Haven't had to in the past but can check. Not sure what I'm looking for but will have a go. 
thanks

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## FrodoOne

> Hi all, 
> Excuse the novice in the building! 
> just hooked up my TV on the wall to the hDMI port which is connected to a PVR in a hidden wall cabinet. got picture but no sound. Interesting because the setup prior was the same and works perfectly. The only difference is the cable in the wall cavity to a HDMI plate then cable from that to the PVR. 
> Any ideas on faults or fixes. 
> currently running the old school yellow and red for sound. 
> thanks 
> willy

  It is interesting that you said "Interesting because the setup prior was the same and works perfectly. The only difference is the cable in the wall cavity to a HDMI plate then cable from that to the PVR" 
Please remember that, as  Conan Doyle/Sherlock Homes said, "After you have eliminated the impossible whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." 
A High Definition Media Interface (HDMI) should either work perfectly or not at all. You stated, "The only difference is the cable in the wall cavity to a HDMI plate then cable from that to the PVR"
Therefore, replace the connections between each of these devices one at a time until you find the difference between the Go and NoGo conditions. 
There really is no other way.  In spite of what anyone wants to sell you in the form of expensive HDMI connections, the cheapest or dearest of these will either work or not.  If you have connected up to get "only" video but no sound, it is likely that you have anoher problem NOT related to the HDMI connection itself. 
To ask "Anyone want a cheap pvr and or tv!" is quite defeatist, since you said that they worked perfectly before you connected them in the way in which you did.
(So "The fault lies in our stars, Horatio.")

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## willy72

I don't know about stars, or Sherlock Holmes.... 
all i I know is I took the units working from one room where they worked perfect,, tried them on the wall where they didn't so reverted back to the original setup where it decided not to work again. So something temperamental has happened and apart from testing with other tvs and pvrs to eliminate cable issues.  
Defeatist yep....I can do a lot of things but on this one Im out of my league.

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## Uncle Bob

I came across a similar problem a little while back. The Father in Law's T-Box no longer had sound after moving stuff around. It turned out he had muted the T-Box  :Smilie:

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## Bloss

Quite possible that the PVR or TV (or both) has defaulted to a signal source other than the HDMI so you will probably have to go to the SETUP menu (or Installation - or whatever the brand calls its setup menu) and make sure that the signal source settings are the same. They are plug & play, but not like USB - sure you can plug them in, but each device has multiple possible input & output sources so you need to tell them which ones you use. Sometimes that source change can be done directly on the remote . . . 
I know it goes against the grain, but RTFM . . .  
As FrodoOne says a digital cable itself either works or it doesn't which is why so long as any cable meets the HDMI standard it will be fine. Paying anything more than the the minimum amount necessary (usually under $10 for 2m) will get you no difference in signal quality (which is not to say that there are not crap HDMI cables saying the meet standards but don't). 
BTW - the connection and termination in the wall plate to wall plate or device to wall plate might also be a problem, but since you said you tried it back as addict connect and that didn't work my guess is signal source settings are wrong. Of course I am assuming that the first thing you did (after all devices were confirmed to be plugged in and switched on!) was to use another known to be working HDMI cable?

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## Bros

From what little I know there are HDMI cables and HDMI cables and they show their weaknesses in length of travel. Luckily my HDMI cables are cheap and work but they are only 2 m long. Any short cable will work fine but from any distance they can be unpredictable, then there are splitters which are another pain in the rectum.

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## willy72

Thanks to all for your contribution.  
Clearly not a cable issue as I had tried 3 
checked the setting on the tv and it had defaulted to manual.  
End of the story all fixed thanks for walking me through gents.

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## Armers

Ahhh Hah!  
Sent from my GT-I9300T using Tapatalk

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## Bloss

> From what little I know there are HDMI cables and HDMI cables and they show their weaknesses in length of travel. Luckily my HDMI cables are cheap and work but they are only 2 m long. Any short cable will work fine but from any distance they can be unpredictable, then there are splitters which are another pain in the rectum.

   mm - well not really. They either meet the relevant standard or they don't - if they do then the cheapest one will work identically to the dearest one! As I said above there are still cables labelled as meeting the standard that don't (shocking ain't it!) and as always there can be a dud cable in any batch even though they are supposed to be QAed. 
If you want some tech as why CNET has a series of explainers: Why all HDMI cables are the same - CNET  and Why all HDMI cables are the same, part 2 - CNET  and Still more reasons why all HDMI cable are the same - CNET and if your want a geeks test to show and a good explanation see this forum entry Zee's "I got bored and compared HDMI cables" thread. - Overclockers Australia Forums. 
Of course the HDMI website is a good resource too http://www.hdmi.org/manufacturer/hdmi_2_0/index.aspx and a handy buying guide for consumers HDMI :: Consumers :: Buying Guide 
BTW - glad the OP managed to get his setup working!

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## METRIX

The only differences in HDMI cables , or in fact all cables is the quality of manufacture, this translates into ,will the plug fall off if I pull it the wrong way, cheap $2 Chinese cables - Tick Yes, reasonably priced $15 US made cables - Tick No, Will the cable sheath come loose if I pull from the cable, cheap $2 Chinese cables tick Yes, reasonably priced $15 US made cables tick No. 
No matter what the seller says about their cable abiding by HDMI 1.3, 1.4, 4K, 3D, Deep Color standards, if it cost $2 then it probably won't abide by any standards, it will probably work in most situations, but may not be of the the best manufacturing quality, if it's from a reputable seller and is reasonably priced then yes it probably does abide by the standards for that cable. 
I know that is a bit of a overview but basically they will all transmit the signals required as long as they use the specified wire gauge as set out in the standards for that particular cable, they will reject interference if they have followed the standards as set out for that particular cable. 
The difference usually comes down to manufacturing quality and quality of connectors / sheathing, this is where the cheapo cables usually fail, they change the wire gauge to a lesser grade, they use poor quality / fitting plugs and sockets, the sheathing is of poor quality, but what do you expect of a $2 cable. 
My mate bought a Blueray from JB and was talked into buying a high quality HDMI cable because it would improve the picture quality at $245, when I found out all I could do was say OMG. 
This is the same for "High Quality" OFC or Silver plated / solid speaker cables, my mate wanted to purchase some of these for a horrendous amount of money, because it would "improve" the sound. 
I told him I could run two coat hangers from my amp to the speakers and compare them to his expensive speaker cables and he could not tell the difference, only a very sensitive device in an anechoic chamber might tell a slight difference, but in the real world, forget it. 
World's most expensive speaker cables $21,000 for 3m of cable, BWAHHHHHHHH, there's a sucker born every minute, but it does come with HyperLitz ???   
Or check out these overly expensive things.  Crazy Expensive Stuff From The New York High-End Audio Show | Cool Material

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## FrodoOne

> Thanks to all for your contribution.  
> Clearly not a cable issue as I had tried 3 
> checked the setting on the tv and it had defaulted to manual.  
> End of the story all fixed thanks for walking me through gents.

   As willy72 said "Clearly not a cable issue. Checked the setting on the tv and it had defaulted to manual."  
I will re-quote my earlier post "After you have eliminated the impossible whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."  Many times I have had to sit down and think through that statement.    If you have a fault which "looks" like it is "something" but, when that "something" is replaced by "something else" the fault remains, then the "something" (almost) certainly is NOT at fault. If you use a meter (or other device) to measure/check something, check the measuring/checking device before and after the measurement/check. It is just possible that the measuring/checking device will fail - in some weird way - just after it has been checked out to be working. (Actually, this is usually because you have used a temporary checking set-up and a clip, or some such, has fallen off!) 
METRIX is "spot on" concerning cable quality.
It is ridiculous how "certain persons" can up-sell to the "ignorant" (and I use that word advisedly and not in a pejorative sense.  For example, I am completely "ignorant" of Brain Surgery.). 
However, there is a fairly obvious minimum amount that one might expect to pay for test-leads, HDMI cables and the like.  If the cost of the items appear LESS (particularly, MUCH less) than the (Australian) cost of similar MATERIALS concerned (before they have been so "manufactured"), one ought to be very suspicious of such "bargains" and avoid them. 
There are many Australian suppliers which sell (on Ebay, etc) various cables which (no doubt sourced from overseas) are available quickly via local postage at a reasonable price. These prices often including the "cost" of postage.

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## PlatypusGardens

Re. Speaker cables.  
These guys would disagree....  Showcase Your System - StereoNET   
Amazing sound systems.   :Smilie:

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## FrodoOne

> Re. Speaker cables. 
> These guys would disagree....  Showcase Your System - StereoNET 
> Amazing sound systems.

  To which particular "Users" comment are you referring - for the viewing of which one needs to become a "Member" of this site.
However, you may be referring to one or more of the "Articles" referenced in that section. 
Note that the site referred to is an "Audio" site and the digital transmission of audio signals (if it does occur) is but a minor part of the audio reproduction process - and the one about which there ought to be the least amount of contention.
Much more significant is the matter of Digital to Analog conversion (and vice versa), amplification and transmission of the analog signal.  _(When Audiophiles discuss the relative merits of gold plated heavy gauge oxygen-free copper cables etc., I wonder if they also consider re-wiring inside their speaker enclosures with the same type of cable.)_  
For further information concerning HDMI cables you could try looking at some other sites, such as Why all HDMI cables are the same - CNET The Difference Between Cheap and Expensive HDMI Cables - Tested Slaying the Cable Monster: Why HDMI Brands Don't Matter | PCMag.com https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sXPavuLsOw 
Etc. 
All of these sites discus the problems which come with longer HDMI runs - which was NOT a problem in the original post. 
Note the comment in Slaying the Cable Monster: Why HDMI Brands Don't Matter | PCMag.com which states 
"In fact, for distances of over 30 feet, the HDMI licensing board recommends either using a signal amplifier or considering an alternate solution, like an HDMI-over-Ethernet converter." 
I have used about 5 metres of (3) HDMI cables and connectors to reach (from the PVRs etc.) to a TV on the wall of an adjacent bedroom - with no problems.
However, I used used two short HDMI cables, four short Ethernet cables plus an approximately 25 metres run of a pair of Cat 6 cables, via a patch panel with two more cables, together with the appropriate HDMI-over-Ethernet amplifier/converter to reach another TV in the Family Room.  This was actually cheaper to do than any likely combination of HDMI cables, connectors (and amplifiers [?]) and it works without any current problems. _(It should be noted that a snap-on ferrite noise suppressor was necessary on each Ethernet cable, close to the source, to remove interference from switching pulses coming from electrical cables.  These ran in parallel to the Cat 6 for about 8 metres - about 500 mm from them.)_

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## PlatypusGardens

Oops didn't realise that you need to be a member (I am) to read that section of the forum. 
Anyway, many of the people there use valve amps and analog systems.
Most of which are in the mid to high 6-figure $$$ category... 
As with any hobby, once you get a taste of something a bit better you'll be forever chasing perfection.
Something a lot of audiophiles will refer to as "The Disease", knowing full and well that there is no such thing. 
However, I'm sure they're enjoying music at a level most people can only dream of.    :Smilie:  
I've seen people spend $20-30.000 on a radio controlled car or boat.
and they own another ten probably. 
I had just as much fun building/driving my own using whippersnipper motors and angle grinder parts.
it's all relative.    :Smilie:

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## FrodoOne

> Anyway, many of the people there use valve amps and analog systems.
> Most of which are in the mid to high 6-figure $$$ category...

  Some people claim to enjoy the "warm" sound of valve amplifiers.  _This "warm" sound is, of course, due to the somewhat higher inherent and different type of distortion of these devices as compared to "Solid State" devices._ 
You may wish to read the editorial in the November 2014 issue of "Silicon Chip" discussing the "Valve" amplifier which that organisation has designed and is presenting in that issue and the December issue.  
Note the editorial comment that the "Solid State" amplifier presented by "Silicon Chip" in October and December 2013 and January 2014 "is a better performer and much cheaper to build."

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## PlatypusGardens

> Some people claim to enjoy the "warm" sound of valve amplifiers.  _This "warm" sound is, of course, due to the somewhat higher inherent and different type of distortion of these devices as compared to "Solid State" devices._ 
> You may wish to read the editorial in the November 2014 issue of "Silicon Chip" discussing the "Valve" amplifier which that organisation has designed and is presenting in that issue and the December issue.  
> Note the editorial comment that the "Solid State" amplifier presented by "Silicon Chip" in October and December 2013 and January 2014 "is a better performer and much cheaper to build."

  
None of that bothers me as I'm not in to that level of equipment.
I just mentioned it as a reply to the comment about speaker cables made earlier.    :Smilie:

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