# Edge - eARC problem and solution



## Edwin Shenk (Nov 29, 2019)

This is information for those using an eARC setup for getting the best picture on the TV and using an external sound system.

When I ungraded to the Edge I decided to use the eARC setup for sound rather than routing the HDMI cable through an A/V receiver as I had done with my Premiere XL. I had just bought a new 4K capable TV, a Sony OLED TV, A9G 65”. My current A/V receiver did not support eARC so I upgraded that to a Denon AVR-S750H. My research showed that I must pay close attention to the HDMI cables. Older cables would not support the higher frequencies needed for 4K. I bought some highly rated HDMI cables and used those. At the time I thought that the most important one was the connection from the edge to the TV. I had bought two different brands of HDMI cables. I connected one brand from the Edge to the TV and another brand from the A/V receiver eARC to the TV eARC connectors. Everything worked fine for 5 months. About a week ago I started to get a no input signal on the TV when I turn on both the TV and A/V receiver at the same time. If I turned the A/V receiver off then the TV would revert to TV speakers and the picture would appear. Once in a while I would get a picture and external sound if I turned the receiver on again. This started to happen more and more frequently until today when I could only use the TV sound. I decided that maybe the eARC HDMI cable might be at fault. I tried unplugging a plugging both ends several times but that didn’t work. I then changed the HDMI cable to the same brand, GE, that was used for the Edge. The external sound and picture worked better that ever. When the old HDMI cable was working it took about 10 – 15 seconds for the picture to appear. With the new HDMI the picture came on almost immediately with the sound about 3 seconds later. 

Using the eARC setup means that all your devices connect directly to the TV giving you the best possible picture. The A/V receiver really becomes just an audio amplifier for those devices. If your TV has enough HDMI inputs and HDMi eARC connector it is the way to go.


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## dianebrat (Jul 6, 2002)

Edwin Shenk said:


> Using the eARC setup means that all your devices connect directly to the TV giving you the best possible picture.


I appreciate all the effort you put into posting your eARC experience, but I have to take issue with this last statement.
The HDMI signal is digital, there is no loss in quality if it goes through another device such as the AVR unless you've set that device to manipulate the image.


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## Edwin Shenk (Nov 29, 2019)

As an electrical engineer I worry about passing a digital signal through many cables and devices to reach a destination at very high frequencies. If this wasn't a concern, why would you need better HDMI cables for 4K? Some A/V receivers might pass the signal properly but others might not. I just think it is better to reduce the unknowns.
Since my "great " success yesterday the eARC problem is back to some degree. I now think that it may have been caused by a software update to the TV or to the A/V receiver that occurred when the problem first showed up. If I turn only the TV on I get the picture followed by the sound very quickly. If I turn TV and A/V on together I get the same results followed by "changing to external speakers". Next the picture and sound go away and a "no signal check input" message. The input is still on HDMI 1 which is coming directly from the Edge. Turning off the A/V returns to the picture and sound, although it takes some time from about 3 seconds to 40 seconds. It still seems to be related to the eARC connection and the A/V receiver. Any ideas?


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