Question Signal disappears from my projector after 45 min. Too long hdmi?

[__Alex__]

Hi!

I have the following setup:

Laptop(video source) - 1 m HDMI cable (male-male) - Denon AVRX2100W (sends video signal to the projector and audio to two speakers) - 5m HDMI cable (male-female) - 10m hdmi cable (male-male) - Projector Infocus N71

I have the following issue. I start watching the video and everything works well. Then after some time (last time it was 45 min) the projector suddenly loses the video signal. It seems like the projector is trying to get the signal, and it switches between messages "no signal" to "setting up the picture", but never manages to get the signal.

What could be wrong here?

Another question is how do such long cables affect the picture quality? Or maybe 1+5+10=16 meters is ok?

I am considering buying a new projector soon, and would like to find where the problem is. And maybe if the setup with such long cables is the reason and nothing can be done about it, I might consider changing something in the room before buying a new projector.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Ralston18]

Update your post to include full system/laptop hardware specs and OS.

Your cable length is well within the generally accepted 50' limit.

3 cables (meaning an extra four plugs) could certainly pose some signal related issues especially if the cables are not well made.

The 45 minute time factor suggests a potential heat problem. Something gets warmed up, gets too hot, and shuts down.

Try projecting with just one cable at a time and then more testing in pairs. Tedious for sure but you may discover that one cable in particular is the culprit.

Or may the projector itself is faulty or failing.

On the laptop (Windows 10?) look in Reliability History or Event Viewer for some error codes or warnings that correspond with the projector's loss of video signals. GPU may be not be handling things well.

And I would consider simply buying a 25' HDMI cable, longer for sure but without all those extra connections.

 

[__Alex__]

Update your post to include full system/laptop hardware specs and OS.

Your cable length is well within the generally accepted 50' limit.

3 cables (meaning an extra four plugs) could certainly pose some signal related issues especially if the cables are not well made.

The 45 minute time factor suggests a potential heat problem. Something gets warmed up, gets too hot, and shuts down.

Try projecting with just one cable at a time and then more testing in pairs. Tedious for sure but you may discover that one cable in particular is the culprit.

Or may the projector itself is faulty or failing.

On the laptop (Windows 10?) look in Reliability History or Event Viewer for some error codes or warnings that correspond with the projector's loss of video signals. GPU may be not be handling things well.

And I would consider simply buying a 25' HDMI cable, longer for sure but without all those extra connections.

Thanks! I have a Lenovo Carbon X1, 5th gen, but I do not think that it is the problem. Because Denon has two HDMI output, and when the projector stops working, I can switch to the other output and things work well.

If I understand it correctly:

• the length itself should not be a problem. But you say that my setup is well within 50'. Do you mean 50 meters? If not, then I have a longer "total distance". 50' is 15.24 m and I have 15 m from Denon to projector and also 1 m from laptop to Denon.
• one cable from Denon to the projector would be better, so instead of "5m HDMI cable (male-female) - 10m hdmi cable (male-male)" it would be better to have one 15 m HDMI cable.

But the 10m cable that I have was quite expensive, while the "5m HDMI cable (male-female)" is cheaper. I giess it causes the problem. What would be a better option:

• a new 5m HDMI cable (male-female)
• a switch (very small designed to connect two HDMI cables, so female-female) and a good "5 m HDMI cable male-male"

Thank you!

 

[Ralston18]

16 meters being closer to 52 feet so the distance is likely near enough to 50 feet to be workable. Apologies for using "within" vs "within range".

For more information:

https://www.lifewire.com/connect-hdmi-long-distances-3975780

And cable quality does matter with the lowest quality cable likely to be the limiting factor with respect to end distance.

Plus the Denon may be boosting the signal some....

My question is now related to this:

"Because Denon has two HDMI output, and when the projector stops working, I can switch to the other output and things work well. "

That does not strike me as being a cable related issue.

After the first port switch does the second port stop after 45 minutes or so and then you can switch back to the first port?

Does the following link show your Denon?

https://www.zkelectronics.com/receiver/denon-avr-x2100w/usa/

What port(s) are you using from the Denon to the projector?

First which Denon port to projector do you use when starting a presentation and then what port do you switch to when the video signal is lost?

 

[__Alex__]

16 meters being closer to 52 feet so the distance is likely near enough to 50 feet to be workable. Apologies for using "within" vs "within range".

For more information:

https://www.lifewire.com/connect-hdmi-long-distances-3975780

And cable quality does matter with the lowest quality cable likely to be the limiting factor with respect to end distance.

Plus the Denon may be boosting the signal some....

My question is now related to this:

"Because Denon has two HDMI output, and when the projector stops working, I can switch to the other output and things work well. "

That does not strike me as being a cable related issue.

After the first port switch does the second port stop after 45 minutes or so and then you can switch back to the first port?

Does the following link show your Denon?

https://www.zkelectronics.com/receiver/denon-avr-x2100w/usa/

What port(s) are you using from the Denon to the projector?

First which Denon port to projector do you use when starting a presentation and then what port do you switch to when the video signal is lost?

Thank you very much for the link. I had no idea that one could extend the HDMI cables by internet cables.

Yes, on this is my Denon (just the European version and not American - do not know if there are any differences).

Regarding the ports - so, I can choose the input source, but the output is chosen automatically. So, what I usually do is that I simply turn on either the projector (the one I ask about) or the TV. The projector is connected to HDMI-out 1, while the TV is connected to HDMI-out2. So, turn on the projector, then turn on the Denon, connect the laptop and I see the picture on my wall (from the projector) and I have the sound through my two speakers. Then after, say 45 min, the projector looses the signal. So, I first try a few times to turn the laptop, Denon or projector off and turn on again in order to see whether things will work. Then I turn off the projector (HDMI out 1) and turn on the TV (HDMI out 2) and everything works well. To me it sounds like the problem is with the cable from HDMI out 1 to the projector.

Thanks!

 

[Ralston18]

If the projector and TV are both on does the picture show on both at the same time?

Try each one individually without plugging in the other's HDMI out cable.

I.e., If you disconnect the HDMI cable to the TV does the signal to the projector disappear around 45 minutes or so?

And vice versa, disconnect the HDMI cable to the projector and determine if the TV loses signal after 45 minutes.

Try swapping out the HDMI out 1 cable to the projector with a known working HDMI cable.

Another thought: Feel the Denon before using it? And keep carefully checking it as time moves towards the 45 minute mark. Likely to get warm to some extent but it should not get hot. There is good air circulation around the receiver - correct?

 

[__Alex__]

If the projector and TV are both on does the picture show on both at the same time?

Try each one individually without plugging in the other's HDMI out cable.

I.e., If you disconnect the HDMI cable to the TV does the signal to the projector disappear around 45 minutes or so?

And vice versa, disconnect the HDMI cable to the projector and determine if the TV loses signal after 45 minutes.

Try swapping out the HDMI out 1 cable to the projector with a known working HDMI cable.

Another thought: Feel the Denon before using it? And keep carefully checking it as time moves towards the 45 minute mark. Likely to get warm to some extent but it should not get hot. There is good air circulation around the receiver - correct?

Sorry for the late reply and thank you very much for the answers. So, lately I had it on for about 2,5 hours. After one hour it lost the signal for a minute or so, but then after one minute everything worked as it should. So, it is not always around those 45 min, and I cannot understand what the reason could be. That makes it also more difficult to check. But I guess it is the cable. I will try to buy a new one and see if it works.

"If the projector and TV are both on does the picture show on both at the same time?"
Yes, just checked.

Regarding the air circulation - I have about 6.5 cm in the left and right and a but more than 2 cm in the top (see the picture). It does get warm, but not hot. Do you think this place is bad for the receiver or is it ok?

Thanks!

 

[Ralston18]

I would try opening up space around the Denon.

Do two things:

1) Lower the shelf a couple of pegs

2) Then place two strips of wood underneath the Denon itself to raise its base up an 2-3 cm or so.

Does not look like there is room to pull the Denon forward....

Anyway the general idea is to improve airflows and cooling. Easy to try and test.

You can look at the Denon to check where the air vents are and adjust the positioning accordingly.

The User Guide/Manual may provide some guidance or space requirements.

 

[__Alex__]

I would try opening up space around the Denon.

Do two things:

1) Lower the shelf a couple of pegs

2) Then place two strips of wood underneath the Denon itself to raise its base up an 2-3 cm or so.

Does not look like there is room to pull the Denon forward....

Anyway the general idea is to improve airflows and cooling. Easy to try and test.

You can look at the Denon to check where the air vents are and adjust the positioning accordingly.

The User Guide/Manual may provide some guidance or space requirements.

Thanks a lot! I will try that first. If this does not work, I will try to get a new cable. So, one extra question: the 10 m cable that I have is old (it was bought with the projetor, so it is about 10 years old), but at that time it was very high quality. Now when I look at it, it looks thicker than the other cables, for example than the 5m "male-female" hdmi that I use. After some research, I found out that HDMI cables can have different versions - from 1.0 to 2.0. For example, they can be with ethernet or without. So, can the 10m old cable which was one of the best 10 years ago be connected with a newer "male-female" HDMI cable? Can there be problems or no? Thanks!

 

[Ralston18]

Actually an older cable is likely to be of better quality.

And there is quite a bit of marketing/advertising hype about cables. Barring cheap, rip-off products, a lower priced cable is likely to serve as well as an expensive cable with lots of made up "techno" talk on the box.

4K?

Anyway try the cable and see if it works as expected. See if you can borrow other cables from family members and friends to test.

I would not include the "ethernet" function as a requirement or necessity with respect to an HDMI cable.

Here is a link that may be helpful:

https://www.cnet.com/news/best-hdmi-cables-for-your-new-4k-and-hdr-tv/

Reviews for specific products are easily found. Key is to look and read beyond marketing hype.

And 2.0 should be backwards compatible. Going with a 2.0 cable may provide some future-proofing. Read the fine print.

FYI:

https://www.tomsguide.com/us/what-is-hdmi-2-1,news-29318.html