@Nice Monkey Yes I know that but if you read my posts, you'll see that disconnecting and re-wiring etc, screws real bad with my setup, which is not something I'm prepared to have a go with again unless I'm reasonably sure that it'll work. My Zidoo is wired direct to my Vertex2, that then out puts to my TV and to my AVR via separate outputs, very much like a Splitter. So my Zidoo isn't directly connected to my AVR or to that extent, to my TV. Also do these HDMI CEC Less Adapters mess with the HDMI's bandwidth capabilities? - I'm using Premium Certified cables for max bandwidth and some of these adapters on Amazon are 2018 vintage, well before the issues with ARC were experienced. When I last tried to setup ARC, the Video was quite superb but I got no sound. So do you think if I simply plugged in one of these adapters into my AVR and then plugged the sound output from the Vertex2 into that, that would work? I know this probably is one of those "try and see" but you are more qualified on these things than I am, so sorry for the constant questions
Inserting the adapter adds about 3 cm to your Zidoo cable connection at the back. That is all. HDMI-CEC is a bus type protocol that communicates with anything using HDMI in your total setup wired directly or indirectly. Is is a small plug only with only one pin interrupted and should not affect bandwidth.
@Nice Monkey - Thank you, I appreciate all you have said and to be fair, I shall give this a go tomorrow by firstly turning off the Zidoo via the switch at the back. If that works then I'll be very very impressed and will then try and source an HDMI CEC Less Adapter. In this respect, I was asking if by inserting one of these somewhere in the chain, will it affect the abilities of the relevant cable to provide max bandwidth - for example: - My rip of Gemini Man is LLDV, it's played in 4:2:2 which means it takes the full HDMI bandwidth of 17.8Gbps or 600MHz at 4K59. This works perfectly right now but will it with one of these adapters in the chain?
@rozel - I have one of these CEC less HDMI adaptors. Got it from amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/LINDY-HDMI-Less-Adapter-Female-Black/dp/B00DL48KVI/ref=sr_1_1? It was on my Apple TV which was causing issues (AV would move to Apple TV input randomly). So I've moved it onto the back of my Z9X and now I can keep it the Z9X on or off (not via power switch) and my ARC continues to work!! Yay. They do not affect throughput. I think the adaptor just has a pin removed which makes CEC inoperable on the device connected to.
Yes, that's exactly what they do - pin 13 is just disconnected and no other HDMI functions are affected.
@blenky & @Markswift2003 Cheers guys! Thanks this is good so for the record, these adapters are good for max bandwidth aka LLDV Gemini Man as I mentioned above? I appreciate what's been said re pin 13 being removed but the thing still must have the ability squirt the output at top speeds. And is it best placed in Zidoo's HDMI port as blenky has done or in one of the used output ports of the Vertex2, either Video or Audio Out? I'll be checking if the Zidoo is a problem in my case by switching it off at the back tomorrow after again messing with my setup, if it works, I shall get one.
Yep - they're just straight through connectors, nothing clever. I'd put on the output of the Zidoo same as @blenky - you want to stop the source from sending it out to the rest of the kit.
I'm sure Sherlock Holmes would not be able to fathom out the mysteries of my Home Cinema setup lol! So I switched off my Zidoo with it's switch turned on the relevant devices and selected the inputs. I then turned on CEC on both the TV and AVR and chose a suitable Netflix production. I then sat open-jawed when I saw and of course heard everything worked as it should via ARC!!! Got lovely Atoms/Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 and very nice HDR on the TV. Don't know what to say really - I left all my cabling as it was before. Switched everything off and switched the Zidoo back on and chose an Activity on my Harmony - again everything worked as it should. Finally turned all that off again and chose my Zidoo Activity to play a film first in HDR10+ and then LLDV and back again - again all perfect. Who knows it might all mess up going forward - CEC is terribly fickle but for now I'm a happy bunny Thanks for all your support
guys... it’s strange, on my setup (lg 49uh603v, denon avr-x1200w, ps4pro, atv 4k, nintendo switch) works CEC flawlessly...
I noticed a strange ailment related to zidoo: when the z9x is in sleep mode and the receiver (marantz sr6010) turns on the mute, after a few seconds the mute turns off by itself, when you turn on the z9x, the condition disappears and mute does not turn off by itself
The problem with my system is HDMI ARC for me too.There is no sound ARC. Cut off the power to the Zidoo the sounds returns. SONY TV------ARCAM-------Z9X
Same solution use that blocker! Do so myself also with an Onkyo AMP. Started using one when I got my Xtreamer Prodigy running on Android 4. Since then Google was not able to get HDMI-CEC properly working. Frankly I feel they just don't want to solve it. They simply don't like media players running their Android Leanback version (prefer selling Smartphone versions and Android TV).
Just an update. I bought a CEC-Less Adapter and after nearly 3 weeks use (plugged into the back of my Zidoo) I have to say my system is playing nicely, particularly ARC and my Harmony Elite Activities. Thanks all for advice! Very much appreciated
Mine is a permanent fixture on my Zidoo, they was on offer on Amazon last year and I bought another 3 to go with the one I have had for many years. Essential.
You all convinced me, ordered the Lindy adaptor in Amazon and can stop getting annoyed by this issue. Thanks for the tip.
It works perfectly. For months I just thought my LG CX had crappy ARC as it only worked once or twice. Since putting the CEC less adapter it had been perfect ever since.