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[tzr916]

Background: I have been running every new version of MC on my windows Server PC for years (windows security always configured). I use HDMI through an nvidia gpu to denon avr to sony tv always Theater View. I have not changed hardware or drivers, and never had this issue until the past few weeks (possibly when I installed MC29). I leave the HTPC running 24/7 (no sleep), and just power Off the sony tv and denon avr at night, and back On in the morning.

Problem: In the morning when I power On the tv and denon, I go to the tv guide and choose a channel and hit play, or I play a recorded tv show (ts file). While MC is getting the tuner and starting playback, in stead of a full black screen (second screenshot 2), I see the entire desktop, taskbar, and a smaller (16x9) black square in the top left corner of the screen (see screenshot 1). You can even see the tv channel Info Banner down in the bottom center (where it should be). Then it goes full screen after the first frame of the actual channel/video starts to play.

Work around: The problem repeats each time I stop/start tv channel or video playback, until I drop to Standard View and go back to Theater View. Works fine until the next time I power cycle tv and avr.

Testing: Very limited so far, no success... I have fully rebooted and even unplugged POWER cords to everything. I have tried changing from JRVR to MadVR.

Asking for help with troubleshooting. My next steps are to try turning Auto Display Mode switching Off, or try MC28, or possibly try a different nvidia graphics driver.

[tzr916]

Still happening. Haven't made any effort to diagnose/change anything, so I will just have live with it until I get sick of it.... I've learned that I can use my MCE remote to EXIT from Theater View into Standard View, then press Green Button to get back to Theater View. After that it will work fine (until the Tv and AVR are powered Off/On).

[S. Pupp]

Have you tried uninstalling then reinstalling Media Center?  (Be sure to back up your library first, so you can import it after reinstalling).

[tzr916]

Yesterday morning I tried the following:

1. I backed up MC library, uninstalled MC, rebooted, installed MC, restored library, MC restarted itself but there were missing things from my library and things I had deleted long ago and settings that were not right... So I restored from a backup that I schedule every morning at 3AM and everything was back, except thumbnails which took almost three hours to rebuild.

2. Clean install of the latest nvidia drivers. Restore my nvidia driver settings. Reboot a few times.


Shut down the system last night, got up today and fired it up, theater view is there full screen, go to guide, play a tv channel, and I get the same thing - video drops to a small window in the top left corner exposing the desktop and showing the tv channel info down near the windows taskbar. Stop video, theater view is back full screen, use my MCE remote to EXIT into Standard View, then press Green Button to get back to Theater View, working fine again.

Mystery remains. My guess, it's something to do with JRVR and/or dual displays. Main display (used for MC Theater View) goes through AVR to Tv, while second display (used for rain meter) is direct connect to small screen lcd.

Next, I'll try disconnecting the rain meter display before shutting down. See what happens the next morning at power up.

[tzr916]

...I use HDMI through an nvidia gpu to denon avr to sony tv always Theater View. I have not changed hardware or drivers, and never had this issue until the past few weeks (possibly when I installed MC29). I leave the HTPC running 24/7 (no sleep), and just power Off the sony tv and denon avr at night, and back On in the morning...

...My guess, it's something to do with JRVR and/or dual displays. Main display (used for MC Theater View) goes through AVR to Tv, while second display (used for rain meter) is direct connect to small screen lcd.

I completely spaced on the fact that my second monitor (an 8" LCD on vga, for rain meter) had crapped out, and I had replaced it with an LCD but this time connected with hdmi. Last night before shutting down the tv/avr, I disconnected that hdmi to the second monitor.... This AM powered on tv/avr, played a tv channel and the problem is GONE! So I am ordering a vga to hdmi adapter for this new LCD, which should put a nail in this.

[tzr916]

I completely spaced on the fact that my second monitor (an 8" LCD on vga, for rain meter) had crapped out, and I had replaced it with an LCD but this time connected with hdmi. Last night before shutting down the tv/avr, I disconnected that hdmi to the second monitor.... This AM powered on tv/avr, played a tv channel and the problem is GONE! So I am ordering a vga to hdmi adapter for this new LCD, which should put a nail in this.

VGA to HDMI adapter installed yesterday. Powered down tv+avr last night... Got up today, powered On tv+avr, played live Tv channel and still have the same issue!

Still have to stop live Tv channel, drop out of Theater View into Standard View, press green button back into Theater View, play live Tv channel and it's normal.

Guess I need to start trying things like Red October Standard, or JRVR without Display settings auto change mode.

[JimH]

Did you try removing your video driver and reinstalling it?

[tzr916]

Yes.

1. I backed up MC library, uninstalled MC, rebooted, installed MC, restored library, MC restarted itself but there were missing things from my library and things I had deleted long ago and settings that were not right... So I restored from a backup that I schedule every morning at 3AM and everything was back, except thumbnails which took almost three hours to rebuild.

2. Clean install of the latest nvidia drivers. Restore my nvidia driver settings. Reboot a few times.

[tzr916]

I have tried every possible configuration of MC JRVR/MadVR/RO Standard, running dual displays (one through AVR/Tv, the other direct lcd). No change - when the AVR/Tv is powered On, I can see MC Theater View momentarily coming on the direct connect lcd, then switching back to the AVR/Tv connection.

This worked for many years. Unfortunately, the only thing I imagine might help is using an "hdmi keep alive" device, so I just purchased a Dr HDMI 4k. Hoping this will trick MC into thinking my AVR/TV is "always On", so as not to switch Theater View over to the wrong monitor.

[tzr916]

Dr HDMI 4k has solved the issue. Still no idea why my combo of Tv+AVR+HTPC+dual monitors was working for years, then went to nuts when I replaced display#2. Not blaming MC, but definitely a combination of how Windows 10 handles dual monitors, and how MC Theater View reacts, when the primary display is turned Off/On.

EDIT: Dr HDMI 4k is not playing nice with my nvidia GPU
https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php/topic,133715.0.html

[JimH]

Thanks for posting the solution.   

This is an HDMI problem, not an MC problem.  HDMI problems are fairly common, though probably less so than they were.

Here's a thread at AVSForum:

https://www.avsforum.com/threads/hdfury-dr-hdmi-4k.3056314/

[tzr916]

Sadly I've resorted to a workaround - program harmony remote to drop to Standard View and go back to Theater View when powering the AVR+Tv Off/On.


EDIT - This was completely resolved by using the following EDID hardware device
https://atlona.com/product/at-etu-sync/