Foxsat HD and Octavia switch - strange behaviour

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Foxsat HD and Octavia switch - strange behaviour

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phillarby

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I've just picked up a Humax Foxsat HD, which I intended to use to replace out SKY+ box as we want to move to freesat. Our TV only has one HDMI port, so to save fiddling with cables we use an octavia HDMI switch to select devices - currently the Humax box, an Xbox 360 and a loose cable that I use to plug into various laptops and other devices as I need them.

Up to now this setup has been working perfectly (with sky+). The octavia automatically selected devices as they turn on, and also allowed the input device to be switched manually if more than one input was active at any time.

However this just doens't work with the Humax box. When I turn on the Humax, the Octavia fires up as if it has recognised there is a signal, but it does not select any input, and then turns off again. It refuses to allow me to manually select the Humax input.

If I provide another input - say from the XBox - it picks that up fine and automatically selects it. I can then manually switch to the humax input and can watch freesat. However as soon as the xbox is turned off the octavia turns off again and refuses to select the Humax.

Any idea what is going on? Is there something wrong with the Humax box?

| Fri 12 Sep 2014 14:58:47 #1 |
grahamlthompson

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It sounds to me that the Foxsat-HD hdmi out isn't providing power to the switch. Can the switch be externally powered ? Have you tried swapping the hdmi cables to prove it's not a faulty cable ?

| Fri 12 Sep 2014 16:00:37 #2 |
phillarby

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Hi Graham,

Thanks for the reply

The switch is externally powered. It's one of these: Octavia 5 port HDMI switch

I have tried two different HDMI cables - the one from the sky+ box, and I also tried a generic cable in case there was something funny about the sky one - both have the same result.

The switch work fine with the Sky+, Xbox, a laptop PC and a macbook, which makes me think the issue must be with the Humax box.

I have now plugged the Humax box directly into the TV (a fairly old Technica TV), and it works but still behaves kind of oddly. When I initially turn it on, the TV immediately switches to the HDMI input. It then switches back to the default analogue input while the box boots up, and then switches back to HDMI once the channel is selected. I have run a factory reset on the box and it still does the same.

This box was picked up from a house clearance, so it is possible that its faulty - however I don't want to replace it with another one if it is just going to do the same?

Thanks
Phil

| Fri 12 Sep 2014 16:47:54 #3 |
grahamlthompson

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I had a Foxsat-HD connected via neet hdmi switch to one input of my AV amp (Denon AVR4306). That worked OK. It didn't work like your box does but that could be down to the TV. Basically on boot up you got the splash screen (presumably no HDCP on this). Then because of the amplifier you get a double loss of signal (at a guess you get a double HD handshake (Box to Amp, Amp to TV).

My TV has cec turned off, so that could well be the reason yours reverts to the TV tuner). The same switch input is now used by a HDR FOX T2 that works the same.

If it actually works when directly connected I doubt it is faulty. Perhaps the solution is a new hdmi switch with remote control.

| Fri 12 Sep 2014 17:14:54 #4 |
phillarby

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Thanks Again Graham. I think I am going to change the freesat box for one that will work with our setup. Do you know if the behaviour of the other Humax devices is the same as the Foxsat HD.

I like the humax range, but it does seem from reading around that a lot of people have problem with auto-selection, and I suspect this is also the root of my problems as well.

| Sat 13 Sep 2014 6:22:34 #5 |
grahamlthompson

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I can't really help much sorry. I have or have had the following Humax HD boxes and they all worked fine with my setup.

Foxsat-HD, Foxsat-HDR. HDR1000S, HD FOX T2, HDR FOX T2.

Currently using Foxsat-HDR, HDR1000S and two HDR FOX T2 boxes.

| Sat 13 Sep 2014 9:38:22 #6 |
Barry

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This might not help OP but my experience with a Foxsat HDR link to TV via a no name cheapo auto HDMI 5 port switch.

The Foxsat does not power up the HDMI switch nor change input unless I fire up another device on the switch first, in my case a Humax HB 1000S, it then performs OK.

If the OP is considering changing the Foxsat HD for another then the HB 1000S might a solution, and available from Humax Direct as a managers special (refurb) for £69 plus p&p, add an external HDD and you have a single tuner recorder

| Sat 13 Sep 2014 10:22:05 #7 |
phillarby

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Thanks guys.

That is exactly what I'm seeing Barry, although my switch is a pretty high spec branded one - bought it following recommendations on AV Forum as my old unbranded ones had problem with Sky+, but this one worked OK.

The problem with Sky+ is that is sends a signal even when the box is turned off for some reason and this stopped the auto-select working on the other switches. I've found that if I plug the sky+ box into the octavia switch along with the Foxsat, the permanent signal from the sky box allows the Foxsat to work exactly as I would hope.

Will look at the HB1000S if that one works for you - will just be sure to try and get it from somewhere I can return it if it has similar problems

| Sat 13 Sep 2014 11:56:01 #8 |