Problems with split cable?

muffler

Not sure if this is the correct forum but here goes.

My current TV set up consists TVs in the sitting room and kitchen which are separated by a 4" block wall. In the sitting room I have 4 devices (Freeview box, ZGemma Box, Sky box and Firestick) connected to a switcher and the single lead coming from it runs into a splitter with 2 leads out...one going to the main tv and the other cable runs out through the wall to the kitchen. The end result is that whatever is on in in the sitting room TV can be watched at the same time in the kitchen. Even a recording on the Freeview box for example can be watched in the kitchen while something else is watched in the sitting room.

This setup has worked well for the last few years until now. I switched on the Firestick earlier today and while its playing fine in the sitting room its more or less unwatchable in the kitchen with the colors all over the place and no sound. I played a recording on the Freeview box and its fine on both TVs so its definitely not the HDMI cable. I have rebooted the firestick and pulled out and reconnected cables etc but that hasn't helped. I even re-scanned for channels on the kitchen TV but no change.

The only thing that has changed recently is the TV in the sitting room. I bought a new one a couple of days ago and set it up but everything was working fine yesterday. Any help or advice on what the issue might be and suggested fix would be greatly appreciated.

muffler

Anyone?

dubrov

The new TV has altered things.

I'd say your best bet is to research a new splitter that works well with the Firestick

dermo2014

Does the firestick work in the kitchen with the sitting room tv off ?

Is the new tv 4K and the old one wasn't ?

Setting up the new tv may have changed something in the firestick settings.

muffler

Thanks guys.

To answer the couple of questions - The firestick could only be watched on the kitchen TV when the sitting room TV was on and this is something I could never understand. As far as I know its the same now with the new TV but I'll check that tomorrow to be sure.

The new telly is indeed a 4k model and the old one was just a regular HD set. The new tv was set up on Friday last and the following day we watched several programmes on the kitchen TV which were coming from the firestick and there were no issues then. If the picture breakdown and loss of sound had happened immediately after setting up the new TV I would agree that the firestick settings might have changed but it ran perfectly for a full day so Im stumped on that one.

dubrov

I'd say your new TV is powering the splitter and that is why it needs to be connected.

I wonder if the firestick is outputting a higher resolution (4k) or frequency to the new TV than your old one.

Your kitchen TV (or the HDMI cable to it) might not be able to handle it.

Try downgrading the Firestick resolution in Settings->Display and Sounds->Video Resolution

dam099

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119509521#Comment_119509521

I’d say it’s possibly that or else rather than that TV powering the splitter the splitter is only passing a HDMI handshake between the Living Room TV and the Firestick which is then negotiating a resolution and/or frame rate which is not supported on the Kitchen TV if the Firestick is set to auto settings.

muffler

The splitter is indeed powered by the TV. Earlier today I got a chance to try a different firestick and it worked great ... for about 5 minutes. I cant remember in what order I done this but when I put the first firestick in again it worked for a few minutes and then the picture went all blotchy and the sound disappeared.

The firestick is the 4k version and its powered by the TV. The TV in the kitchen is something like a 22 or 24 inch model and is very basic. It wont even pick up the HD versions of the UK Freeview channels. Im fairly sure that it's just a glorified monitor.

I also played content from the Freeview box and Zgemma box and they both worked fine so it cant be the HDMI cable thats at fault.

I'll have a go at changing the video and audio settings in the firestick and see how it goes. Im also getting a loan of a "4k HDMI cable' so I i'll check that also.

muffler

Apologies, I've edited my last post to confirm that the splitter is powered by the TV.