Recently I developed a picture flicker every few seconds on cable. It occurs on all channels and even the menu.

I have done the following manuvers

Disconnected cable box (explorer 8300 hd) and reconnected to another hd tv and there were no issues.

I am using an epson 1080p projector with an epson video processor. Three other sources feeding into the system have no issues ie bluray, dvd, and xbox360 (although the xbox did show some shakiness of the picture until I downgraded it from 1080i to 720)

I tried to reduce the resolution on the cable from 1080 to 720. When on the 720 test mode, I do not see flickering. However no matter how many times I select the 720, the box reads 1080 i when I restart it ie it will not save the 720 saving.

I have two questions:

1) why do I even have to drop to 720 if my projector is 1080p
2) why wont the cable hold the settings.

The cables from the cable box are component cables not hdmi.
I am using the arcam350 as my avr.

Thank you

The least common denominator in the system is the AV receiver (I am by no means saying the AV receiver is bad). When you connected the cable box to the "other" tv you simply plugged it in to the TV, the signal was probably only going a few feet at the most, and it wasn't having to pass through the AV receiver.    

You also don't have a problem with the Bluray and other devices.  So that eliminates the projector being an issue.  It also eliminates (for the most part) the av receiver.  I believe the problem may be a crapy cable box passing through an av receiver. 

Here's what I would do to test.

1. remove the HDMI out on the AV receiver, and tap it directly onto the back of the cable box.  See if that cures the issue.  If it does, you know it's a problem between the AV receiver and the cable box communicating.

2. swap out the patch HDMI cable going from the 8300 and the av receiver.  
if that doesn't fix the problem, swap inputs on the av receiver. If that doesn't fix the problem, swap cable box( maybe you have a similar or same box on another TV in your home?).  See if that fixes the problem.  

If so, call your cable company tell them to bring you a new box.   

I also have an 8300 cable box.  They're garbage.

In my experience, it's generally the cheapest piece of equipment or product that causes the problem(s).  Hence, the reason they're cheap.  What I'm getting at is, start with the cheapest things and work your way up.  Start at patch cables, cables, connections, cable box, work your way through the system to the av receiver.

This is very true

I believe cable box is crappy to (wont hold diff resolutions)

Right now not using HDMI from cable box to arcam. Using high quality component cables from cable box to arcam. Component video leaving arcam and goes to video processor and that goes to projector. I am not sure but in the arcam manual it says that component can not be converted to hdmi so I did not try hdmi cables.


(see above)

The dvd using same imput on avr and works fine

If that doesn't fix the problem, swap cable box( maybe you have a similar or same box on another TV in your home?).  See if that fixes the problem.  

Good idea


Thank you so much
Bill

The fact that you're not using HDMI cables, really leads me to believe that it's an issue with the cable box or just a loose connection.  

As I'm sure you've read in other threads, in general we don't like HDMI, Component connections are considerably more stable.  

hook the monitor out componant cables directly to the cable box (bypass the reciever)

I wanted to do that but the projector is on the far end of the room away from all equiptment. I can connect the cable box to the projector but I will not be able to connect the cable box to the cable line unless I run out and get 20 feet of cable. I did however connect the cable box to another monitor and saw no issues. Kind of weird.

Doesn't the projector connect to the AV receiver?  

Is the cable box  next to the AV receiver?  

If so, just  disconnect the component OUT on the Arcam, and insert it into the cable box.  

Or are we missing something? 

Yes the projector does connect to the avr but there is a video processor inserted between the two

very close

I believe this is the way it is now. The cable component out connects directly with the arcam component in. The arcam component out connects directly to the processor which connects to projector.

I had a similar issue on a job a while back with a JVC projector and a 8300. It was running HDMI though. The picture would flicker off and on. The fix was to set the cable box to 1080i only. It had been previously set to all the resolutions in the wizard that were compatible with the projector. Once set to 1080i, no more flickering. It has been working fine now for I would say somewhere between 2 and 3 years like this.

The box is set to 1080i and only 1080i. In fact I tried to reduce setting to 720 but it would not hold ie reverts persistently back to 1080i
But thanks.

The fact it reverts back and will not hold the new settings makes me think that it may be a bad box. Is there another box in the house you can swap with temporarily to test?

What cable is running between the processor and the projector?

Unplug the Arcam video out and connect them to the cablebox video out, making a direct connection from the cablebox to the video processor and bypassing the Arcam. Tell us what you see.

Are you selecting the video output of the cablebox from changing it in the menu or by pressing the resolution button on the front of the cablebox? You'll have to change the settings in the menu for them to hold.

Yes I have another cable box and will swap it out tomorrow. I have a crestron controlling everything and the cable boxes are different so eventually it is going to have to involve some programming it the box is the culpret unless by some luck I can latch onto the same box

This runs behind the walls but I believe it is a serial port cable.

The cable box video out right now runs to the arcam video in The arcam video out runs to the processor. I must be misunderstanding you because if I unplug the arcam video out and run the cable to the video box then the signal gets interupted. Can you say this differently

great question. You have to push guide and info at the same time to get into HD setup. This gives you the option of then picking 16x9 and also 1080 vs 720 etc. The web gave me a different way ....it said "push settings for a few sec" but that did not work. Also comcast told me to turn machine off and push menu. When that did not work they had me reboot the machine. When I go to cable box settings in the menu the only options it gave me was to choose time vs channel. a/c switched or unswitched and to check configuration but not change it. Am I missing something here?

"The cable box video out right now runs to the arcam video in The arcam video out runs to the processor. I must be misunderstanding you because if I unplug the arcam video out and run the cable to the video box then the signal gets interupted. Can you say this differently"

unplug the cablebox video out cables. unplug the arcam video out cables from the arcam, plug those cables to the video out of the cablebox. see if you get flickering.