Topic: Mystery of the Blinking Playstation 3: Solved (Read 313 times)

PS3Scene · « **on:** January 18, 2007, 10:32:00 PM »

Mystery of the Blinking Playstation 3: Solved
Posted by XanTium | 18-1-2007 23:56 EST

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When PM's editors first hooked up our new PlayStation 3 to our Westinghouse HDTV, we were quite impressed by the beauty of the world's first 1080p gaming system. But we soon discovered an annoying little technological tic that caused the sound to cut out and the screen to blink on and off when we would launch certain games. Was it the PS3 or the Westinghouse TV?

From responses on our site, we realized we weren't the only ones with this blinking image issue. Many PS3 owners, who had their console connected via an HDMI (high definition multimedia interface) cable to a Westinghouse LCD--ours is the LVM-37w3--reported the same problem. Westinghouse customer support said they knew about the problem and advised using a component cable instead of HDMI--and to call back in a few weeks for a real fix. Unplugging and re-plugging the HDMI cable was our temporary workaround--a decidedly low-tech fix for a high-tech problem.

We spoke with Westinghouse monitor product manager Klaus Libor, who told us that our 37w3 set may well need an update to the firmware to correct the timing during HDCP authentication. "The PS3 expects a response that the TV is copy-protection ready in a certain amount of time," Libor says. "And the response wasn't coming quickly enough."

"Customers should call our tech support line, and we can schedule an in-home firmware upgrade," says Rey Roque, Westinghouse vice president of marketing. He promises it won't cost you a penny--he didn't say if he would do it himself.

Full Story: popularmechanics.com

arcxarsenal · « **Reply #1 on:** January 18, 2007, 10:07:00 PM »

I have a 42'' Toshiba DLP hdtv. My PS3 is connected via HDMI, and for every single game I try to play, I get the blinking screen. Very annoying because the only way for me to get it to work is to switch to another input for 10 seconds, then back to HDMI..

epsilon72 · « **Reply #2 on:** January 18, 2007, 11:04:00 PM »

Heh, this is funny, as I'm typing this on a Westinghouse display. Mine is a 42w2 (42" 1080p), but it was produced after the ps3 launch (it's firmware version is dated 12/8/06) so it (thankfully) doesn't have any HDMI HDCP problems.

Nicroma · « **Reply #3 on:** January 18, 2007, 11:41:00 PM »

I have a Panasonic TH-42PX50U that has this problem as well.

ludacrisvp · « **Reply #4 on:** January 19, 2007, 12:35:00 AM »

while it may just have been an issue for that brand I dont have any problems with my projector that was manufactured in 2004.. (InFocus ScreenPlay 5000) it is HDCP HDMI DVI, it is native 720p and displays 480i/p 720p 1080i i find it surprising that something so old has no issues with the hdmi hdcp timing that the westinghouse displays have... I think I will test it out on my HDCP DVI rear projection Hitachi TV and see if the issues are on there.

manicdk · « **Reply #5 on:** January 19, 2007, 01:12:00 AM »

You can do the firmware update yourself. All you need to do is go to the westinghouse web site, download the FW update for your display. put the file on a USB key drive in the root directory. plug the USB key in the display then power on the set. the next time you turn on the display the FW is updated. anandtech article

calderra · « **Reply #6 on:** January 19, 2007, 08:08:00 AM »

Gotta be said:
World's first 1080p system?
Oh, they must have meant the Xbox 360. Because PS3 still doesn't have any native 1080p games, and only 360 has an upscaler chip to allow it to display all its titles in glorious 1080p.

:lollerskates:

Seriously, though, this is an insdustry-wide problem. Lots of places have noted that HDCP authentication is finnicky (regardless of player or TV), and often the best way to fix it is to power off the related devices and just try the handshake again. It's just that flaky for whatever reason.

blackchild1101 · « **Reply #7 on:** January 19, 2007, 07:47:00 AM »

QUOTE(calderra @ Jan 19 2007, 03:39 PM)

Gotta be said:
World's first 1080p system?
Oh, they must have meant the Xbox 360. Because PS3 still doesn't have any native 1080p games, and only 360 has an upscaler chip to allow it to display all its titles in glorious 1080p.

Why do people keep saying that there are no native 1080p PS3 games?

AHEM RR7, NBA 07, and even the GTHD DEMO are native 1080p!

C o s m o · « **Reply #8 on:** January 19, 2007, 09:40:00 PM »

Back on-topic...this problem seems to affect multiple sets. Couldn't Sony update their firmware to expect the HDCP signal within a slightly longer timeframe? That seems like an easy fix, as it wouldn't negatively affect performance on sets that aren't experiencing problems now.

Oh, and nice post manicdk

hamwbone · « **Reply #9 on:** January 20, 2007, 07:49:00 PM »

keep an eye on westing house and hihger end olevia deals, alot of them use the same lcd panels and video engines as tv costing 2x more then them, these little guys are nothing to scoff at anymore!

heartofalion · « **Reply #10 on:** January 20, 2007, 10:10:00 PM »

i have the tv mentioned in this, and i found that if i switch the inputs and back to hdmi it will work, but if i can get it to go away with a phone call i will do taht.

dre74 · « **Reply #11 on:** January 23, 2007, 09:25:00 PM »

QUOTE(manicdk @ Jan 19 2007, 08:43 AM)

You can do the firmware update yourself. All you need to do is go to the westinghouse web site, download the FW update for your display. put the file on a USB key drive in the root directory. plug the USB key in the display then power on the set. the next time you turn on the display the FW is updated. anandtech article

Thats on the new tx models that are coming out in April not the ones mentioned they still require an in home service call. I am seriously considering buying the 37w2 model, does anyone have anything bad to say about it. I know it doesn't have an integrated hd tuner but I really don't need that if I plan on using an hd directv tuner right. For the price you can't beat it there isn't any other 1080p tv that even comes close price wise.

C o s m o · « **Reply #12 on:** January 24, 2007, 06:27:00 AM »

QUOTE(dre74 @ Jan 23 2007, 11:32 PM)

Thats on the new tx models that are coming out in April not the ones mentioned they still require an in home service call. I am seriously considering buying the 37w2 model, does anyone have anything bad to say about it. I know it doesn't have an integrated hd tuner but I really don't need that if I plan on using an hd directv tuner right. For the price you can't beat it there isn't any other 1080p tv that even comes close price wise.

Right...if you're planning to use an HD receiver, you don't NEED a built-in tuner.
I know a couple of people who have a Westy, and they both rave about them.

dre74 · « **Reply #13 on:** January 24, 2007, 12:35:00 PM »

Thanks for the reply I think I will get the 37w3, $1099 shipped plus no tax for a 37" 1080p hdtv can't find anything close for the price.

topdoggb · « **Reply #14 on:** February 10, 2007, 08:48:00 PM »

QUOTE(hamwbone @ Jan 20 2007, 08:20 PM)

keep an eye on westing house and hihger end olevia deals, alot of them use the same lcd panels and video engines as tv costing 2x more then them, these little guys are nothing to scoff at anymore!

Westinghouse is a huge company. They do everything, even designing nuclear power plants. So not really that "little". BTW, I'm not bashing your post in the least, just making a comment. As far as TV's go, I guess they are little.

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