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Bigdawg4

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 11, 2012
110
0
Just purchased a new ATV...going thru the setup and my TV keeps crackling and popping and for a few seconds the screen turns fuzzy!!!

Whats the deal?
 

Bigdawg4

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 11, 2012
110
0
check the signal cable, if you have another one - try that, check the ports for dust/debris.

I wouldn't think that was it due to it being a brand new HDMI cable...now I didn't spend $100 on the cable because I've bought average cost cables for every other component and never had an issue...what else could it be?
 

almonde

macrumors regular
Sep 7, 2006
134
15
Houston, TX
I wouldn't think that was it due to it being a brand new HDMI cable...now I didn't spend $100 on the cable because I've bought average cost cables for every other component and never had an issue...what else could it be?

The fact its brand new is probably even more of reason to change out it. Manufacturing errors occur sometimes :p
 

waw74

macrumors 601
May 27, 2008
4,677
944
for short cables (under 6') if you spend more than $5 for an HDMI cable, you've spent way too much.

i would say swap cables around, with one that you know works. If that doesn't work, take the aTV back, you might have just got a bad one.
 

PinkyMacGodess

Suspended
Mar 7, 2007
10,271
6,226
Midwest America.
for short cables (under 6') if you spend more than $5 for an HDMI cable, you've spent way too much.

i would say swap cables around, with one that you know works. If that doesn't work, take the aTV back, you might have just got a bad one.

The problem when you buy really cheap cables is that they don't have the shielding that the more expensive cables have, and at these speeds, and the amount of data flying around, shielding is very important. Well, plus is the amount of twists and number of individual wires making up the individual part of the cables. Usually the jacket is thicker, but I definitely understand the 'buy cheap cables' meme. I can order those cables through distribution, and even with the premium that we pay over high volume purchasers, the markup for us to sell at those prices is in some cases as much as 300%, or more!

Heck, we were buying the expensive Belkin gold IEEE 1394 cables for 20%, or less, than Best Buy prices at the time... It's a general ripoff, but when you are contemplating saving a few bucks on an HDMI cable that carries both video and audio, and you will be watching this for hours a day with your wife and family complaining about the crappy signal, you look for items on sale or find other means to get better cables.

HDMI isn't like the old tyme speaker wire... It's got to be able to push a lot of data, and increasing speeds. I've gotten good service with the lower grade Monster Cables where the markup isn't stratospheric like the big-dollar ones. Actually one of the cables I rely on is from the Apple Store, on sale...

But anyway...

----------

Just purchased a new ATV...going thru the setup and my TV keeps crackling and popping and for a few seconds the screen turns fuzzy!!!

Whats the deal?

One thing is to make sure that the cable plugs in all the way solidly. I had a blue ray player that wasn't so great for output, but after unplugging the cables and plugging them in again found that the cable didn't quite engage properly. After reseating them, things were much better... I had an AppleTV that had issues with out wired network. It was the rubber no-snag bit that hung up on the case of the ATV, once I jiggled that, everything was fine...
 

Bigdawg4

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 11, 2012
110
0
The problem when you buy really cheap cables is that they don't have the shielding that the more expensive cables have, and at these speeds, and the amount of data flying around, shielding is very important. Well, plus is the amount of twists and number of individual wires making up the individual part of the cables. Usually the jacket is thicker, but I definitely understand the 'buy cheap cables' meme. I can order those cables through distribution, and even with the premium that we pay over high volume purchasers, the markup for us to sell at those prices is in some cases as much as 300%, or more!

Heck, we were buying the expensive Belkin gold IEEE 1394 cables for 20%, or less, than Best Buy prices at the time... It's a general ripoff, but when you are contemplating saving a few bucks on an HDMI cable that carries both video and audio, and you will be watching this for hours a day with your wife and family complaining about the crappy signal, you look for items on sale or find other means to get better cables.

HDMI isn't like the old tyme speaker wire... It's got to be able to push a lot of data, and increasing speeds. I've gotten good service with the lower grade Monster Cables where the markup isn't stratospheric like the big-dollar ones. Actually one of the cables I rely on is from the Apple Store, on sale...

But anyway...

----------



One thing is to make sure that the cable plugs in all the way solidly. I had a blue ray player that wasn't so great for output, but after unplugging the cables and plugging them in again found that the cable didn't quite engage properly. After reseating them, things were much better... I had an AppleTV that had issues with out wired network. It was the rubber no-snag bit that hung up on the case of the ATV, once I jiggled that, everything was fine...

The cable I bought was $25 at best buy, 6ft...not sure if that qualifies as cheap or not. I have unplugged and replugged several times, so I think they are seated correctly. I'm going to try another cable then go from there...
 

PinkyMacGodess

Suspended
Mar 7, 2007
10,271
6,226
Midwest America.
The cable I bought was $25 at best buy, 6ft...not sure if that qualifies as cheap or not. I have unplugged and replugged several times, so I think they are seated correctly. I'm going to try another cable then go from there...

Sounds logical to me. Heck, I'd even buy one of the top of the line cables, just to test it, and see if the issue goes away. Although the problem with that is that if the expensive cable does work, you might be tempted to keep it, although it is a god testing method. If it fails, take both back.

I did have an issue with a very cheap cable not giving sound signals to the destination. A simple swap to a better, more advanced, cable fixed it.

Most of my cables are in the price range as your cable. Some more expensive due to length. I also got what would have been an expensive cable, on sale, with reward points. SCORE!
 

From A Buick 8

macrumors 68040
Sep 16, 2010
3,114
127
Ky Close to CinCinnati
I have had really good luck with the AmazonBasics HDMI cables, i have three of them in use (two of them with my ATV2's).

How many HDMI ports do you have on your TV, is this the first time you have used this port, just something else to consider.
 
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