1. Zwickliffe's Avatar
    Hey guys, I just recently picked up a mini HDMI cable for my playbook and it's not working. When I connect it to either of my two TVs, it says that it is "Connected to SAM-1517..." but the TVs just say "no signal". They are on the right input and everything, it's just not displaying. Any idea what could be wrong?
    10-07-11 11:20 AM
  2. jvictor77's Avatar
    Assuming that, like you said, you have the TV tuned to the correct HDMI input, all I can think of is, either a faulty cable or bad port on the PB.
    10-07-11 11:29 AM
  3. Zwickliffe's Avatar
    I was thinking it might be the cable, but would it recognize the TV if it were bad? The TV also recognizes the playbook as an "Anynet+" device but won't connect...
    10-07-11 11:31 AM
  4. Uncle Remus's Avatar
    At the risk if offending you, is you're "HDMI" under "settings" set to "Default to Mirror Mode"?
    10-07-11 11:34 AM
  5. Zwickliffe's Avatar
    Haha no offence taken... I know how most people are. I have tried every setting, but yes - it is currently set to "Default to Mirror Mode". It's just really weird that my TV recognizes it as an Anynet+ device... Names it "playbook", then says "no signal". Which is a different error than if there is nothing plugged in - "check signal cable".
    10-07-11 11:37 AM
  6. TBone4eva's Avatar
    Most of the display problems I've had were solved either with a reboot or playing with the resolution. By default, the PB displays at 1080p, so if your TVs don't support that resolution that could be the problem.

    Edit: Never mind I see where you said you tried every setting. I think it could be the cable. I know I had display problems with my PS3 that was solved with a new cable.
    Last edited by TBone4eva; 10-07-11 at 11:47 AM.
    10-07-11 11:44 AM
  7. Zwickliffe's Avatar
    I played with the resolution as well - nothing seemed to fix it. Both TVs are 1080p as well. I think I'm going to start a backup and try the OS-reinstall method and see if that works out. I will keep this thread updated with my results
    10-07-11 11:46 AM
  8. Uncle Remus's Avatar
    Good, you just never know do ya? Yeah, I have a Samsung T.V. and the first time I pluged it in everything recognized that it was connected, but "no workie" either. If I really twisted the connector around and held my mouth just right, a picture would pop up and just as quick disappear! The playbook connector was/is pretty loose but I didn't know if it was the cable or the connector so I bought another cable and VOILA!

    Now the connector is still loose, but the new cable works great as long as I don't try to play NFS with it connected. So in my case it was both the cable AND the connector.

    I'd try another cable if you can and if that don't work you may have to consider calling RIM. Good luck and let us know what you find out.

    P.S. We just bought my wife a Playbook, and the connector in hers is nice and tight (no jokes please) and works great even while moving the playbook around. Now I can play NFS using the T.V. with hers!
    Carl Estes likes this.
    10-07-11 11:50 AM
  9. Zwickliffe's Avatar
    Haha nice! I'll try wiggling it around if the reinstall doesn't work. The port on my playbook is definitely a snug fit - it almost "clicks" in (if you can call it that). So my money is on the cable being bad I suppose. We shall see.
    10-07-11 11:52 AM
  10. Vostro15's Avatar
    I have the same problem, I've been talking to PlayBook support for a few days. Try it on lower resolutions and it should work, but obviously this isn't good enough and they will need to repair it.

    I even have a second PlayBook to test with the same screen, same cable, same settings etc, but they keep asking me to try new things... I will get there eventually and they WILL repair it!
    10-07-11 12:54 PM
  11. boborambow's Avatar
    I had this issue with my desktop. I had a 15 foor hdmi cable going across the room. The computer detected it was plugged into a sony tv but no video was showing. For some reason, I thought, maybe ill try a shorter cable. I bought a 9 foot and it worked fine. Bought a different 15 foot. Same issue, no video. So it could be the length of the cable. I use a 3 foot mini hdmi to hdmi on my playbook and it works fine. I haven't tried anything longer though.

    Sent from my BlackBerry 9930 using Tapatalk
    10-07-11 01:26 PM
  12. stengel680's Avatar
    had a similar issue. bought a new cable and it solved it.
    10-07-11 05:34 PM
  13. FF22's Avatar
    Not pb related but a friend had a rather newish Samsung dvd player. She purchased a Samsung hdtv. She purchased a radio shack hdmi cable. Picture, no sound. She borrowed my spare monoprice cable as a test. I never did get it back but radio shack got theirs back. Explanation - yes, there is a difference in cables.
    Carl Estes likes this.
    10-07-11 06:55 PM
  14. kbz1960's Avatar
    Not pb related but a friend had a rather newish Samsung dvd player. She purchased a Samsung hdtv. She purchased a radio shack hdmi cable. Picture, no sound. She borrowed my spare monoprice cable as a test. I never did get it back but radio shack got theirs back. Explanation - yes, there is a difference in cables.
    Monoprice has great cables at great prices.
    10-07-11 07:12 PM
  15. thelink74's Avatar
    i had the same issue this weekend and i was on the phone with the support team for about 3 hours testing (2 hours on the phone and 1 while the OS reloaded) different settings, different TV's but i only had 1 cable so after we were all set and done i mailed the PlayBook in the box they shipped to me and i recieved a new PlayBook today. that's right i gave up my PlayBook Tuesday and had a new one by Friday. RMA did a good job keeping me posted via e-mail with the status of the PlayBook. i'm currently in the process of reloading the PlayBook with all my stuff.
    10-07-11 07:48 PM
  16. FF22's Avatar
    thelink

    let us know if the new pb works.
    10-07-11 09:07 PM
  17. thelink74's Avatar
    thelink

    let us know if the new pb works.
    It works perfect! i have it plugged into my TV at 720p (my preferance) watching a music video on the web and it looks gorgeous on my TV. the only complaint i have is that this PlayBook has the bulge on the back so it does not lay flat like my PlayBook did but this is minor and i can live with it.
    10-07-11 11:19 PM
  18. FF22's Avatar
    Tradeoffs. But glad the hdmi is rectified.
    10-08-11 12:44 AM
  19. Zwickliffe's Avatar
    Awesome... I did the complete reset and now I can't connect to my computer at all. I plug it in, it says it's connected and desktop manager opens but then seconds later it says disconnected and never shows up in desktop manager. So frustrating.
    10-08-11 12:43 PM
  20. Zwickliffe's Avatar
    Finally found the device in "device manager" and uninstalled the drivers, which worked. I will try the hdmi out in a bit once I'm home.
    10-10-11 11:47 AM
  21. Uncle Remus's Avatar
    Standing by....
    10-10-11 01:44 PM
  22. Zwickliffe's Avatar
    Still no workie. Damn.... I was hoping that all that work wouldn't be in vain. Looks like I will have to search for a new cable. I don't understand why a brand new monoprice cable wouldn't work, though.
    10-10-11 02:52 PM
  23. mufc1's Avatar
    dude dont waste your money... I had this exact issue coincidentally with a samsung TV... then the same issue with 2 others. I bought a new cable and it doesnt work! Its a problem with the PB, been reported on the forum quite a few times now, RIM RMA will cover it, get in touch and get it sent off, no point in wasting money, currently waiting for mine to be sorted!
    10-10-11 03:32 PM
  24. Zwickliffe's Avatar
    dude dont waste your money... I had this exact issue coincidentally with a samsung TV... then the same issue with 2 others. I bought a new cable and it doesnt work! Its a problem with the PB, been reported on the forum quite a few times now, RIM RMA will cover it, get in touch and get it sent off, no point in wasting money, currently waiting for mine to be sorted!
    I sure hope you're wrong because I refuse to RMA it. I have already had 2 bad RMA experiences, receiving worse playbooks than the one i sent in. This is a real bummer...
    10-11-11 08:04 AM
  25. Uncle Remus's Avatar
    I would certainly try another cable. I don't see it as a waist of money because I leave one cable connected to my T.V. and another travels with me for hooking up to T.V.s in hotels or other people's homes. I never pass up a chance to show off the PB!

    Bottom line is, once I bought another cable and it worked, I ended up buying another too. The wife took back the old one for an exchange so that cost was offsetting.

    I'm not saying that your problem is the cable 'cause your symptom is different. When I could get a picture once in a while by "wiggling" the cable, I pretty much knew it was the cable or the connector on the Playbook. In my case, if the cable didn't fix it, I knew I was looking at an RMA. I think it's as simple as that for you too.

    I'm with you when it comes to the RMA "risk". I made the decision to live with a loose connector instead of messing with the RMA process. At least mine works as long as I don't move it around a lot.

    Again, try a new cable first and good luck. I fix "things" for a living and my motto is "always try the easy stuff first". Make sense?
    10-11-11 08:50 AM
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