z9x pro loses resolution - black screen

Increasingly often my z9x pro is loosing resolution during playback, meaning the screen goes black though the audio continues to play. The Zidoo is connected via HDMI.

At times the screen will fade to black on the Zidoo home screen.

Pressing the change resolution button fixes this, but many times this is a temporary fix. I'll often have to hit the button five to six times during playback of some films. This was not an issue in the past.

I've tried setting the resolution to auto, have tried different variations of 'match framerate and resolution', to no avail.

Ideas?

 

My settings for Z9x pro which are working perfect:
Match framerate: framerate
4k 50-60 hz YUV 420 10 bit
4k 23-30 hz YUV 444 10 bit
non 4k YUV 444 10 bit
resolution 3840x2160@23hz fixed

 

I’ll give that a shot!

 

What is your HDR setting on the Zidoo?

This sounds like an HDMI chain problem but that would only generally happen if you have a video mode that hits the full HDMI2 bandwidth of 17.8Gbps and have slightly dodgy HDMI cables.

The only modes that do that are 4K60 8-bit 4:4:4/RGB or 4K60 12-bit 4:2:2, and those are generally only used by Dolby Vision (8-bit RGB for TV Led and 12-bit 4:2:2 for Player Led).

But again, only at 50~60 fps - any less (4K23~30) and you'll only ever hit a maximum of 13.4Gbps.

That might make sense if you have a DV TV and set HDR to output permanent DV but it doesn't make sense if the content is say 4K23~30 (assuming you have auto frame rate on).

 

HDR is set to auto.

TV is an older 1080 model, not 4K or DV.

I will swap the HDMI cable to see if that has an effect.

 

With a 1080p set it would be easy to send a non supported signal, but not on the fly and it would have to be the result of a custom EDID because the TV's EDID wouldn't (or shouldn't!) allow it.

 

Appreciate the feedback.

I replaced the HDMI cable with a new one, still getting the black screens.

I set HDR to convert to SDR, still black screens.

I did not change the EDID settings - there's quite the warning on that page.

 

Bit of an odd one this - 1080p in no way stretches the capabilities of HDMI so it's not bandwidth and very unlikely to be the cable.

Let's try some discrete settings rather than automatic ones:

Playback/Automatic frame rate/Frame rate mode: Switch frame rate only

Display/Resolution: 1080p@23Hz

Display/Color Settings/4K 50~60Hz: Priority YUV420 8BIT (irrelevant, but set to this anyway)
Display/Color Settings/4K 23~30Hz: Priority YUV422 12BIT (irrelevant, but set to this anyway)
Display/Color Settings/Non-4K: Priority YUV422 12BIT
Display/Color Settings/HDMI Color Range: 16-235
Display/Color Settings/Deep Colour Compatibility Mode: Turn Off
Display/Color Settings/HDMI Signal Format: Standard Format

Display/HDR: Auto*

* You could also try "Dolby Vision VS10 Engine (Output SDR)" and even "Highest SDR Rec.709". The last one doesn't use VS10 if you're playing HDR content but uses the AML engine.

These settings should keep the output within the capabilities of the display, although as I say, EDID should do that anyway.

 

Much appreciate your help on this.

However I still have the same issue after making the changes you suggested. On a 50 fps file I get about 3 - 4 minutes of play before the screen goes black. The change resolution button resolves this, but only for another 3 - 4 minutes.

I was able to watch about an hour of a 23 fps file yesterday before the screen black issue arose.

I have a new 4k HDMI cable going from the z9x pro to a Denon a/v receiver, and a new 4k HDMI cable going from the Denon to a Toshiba 1080p television.

This issue started about a month ago.

I will try hooking the z9x up to a 4k tv to see if the communication between the tv and the zidoo is the issue.

 

Ok, looks like I've found the problem. The z9x has no issue playing on a fairly new Sony Bravia 4k television. Apparently my 15+ year old Toshiba 1080p no longer likes to communicate well with the Zidoo.

I've been playing a 50 fps file on the Sony for the better part of an hour without issue. This same file lasted 4 minutes tops, with the same settings, when hooked to the old Toshiba.

Looks like I'm in the market for a new tv. Thanks again for the help here.

 

To be fair, yeah, moving to a contemporary 4K TV will be a revelation!

I used to have a 2K Pioneer Plasma which was quite literally the mutt's nuts at the time, but when I moved to a 4K Samsung and beyond and everything changed!

 

To follow up, I've been watching films without issue for days now on a new Samsung s90f OLED. Wow. You were right @Markswift2003. I'm still fine tuning the calibration but damn this tv is nice! Of course no problems with the z9x pro. Thanks again.

 

Awesome! Glad to hear it!