Error Message from 8300HDC

[SVD]

Was wondering if anyone can help with this one.

I'm running two different AV connections out of the cable box.

#1: HDMI from cable box to my LCD flat panel.

#2: RCA composite from the cable box, into my VCR/DVD combo, and then RCA composite from my combo unit to my LCD flat panel.

This allows me to use two different inputs on the TV.  #1 allow me to watch cable in HI DEF, and #2 allows me to dump programming from the DVR onto DVD-R discs.

When the TV is on the Composite input, I get a message on screen that reads something like: "Your TV does not allow the use of a DVI input".  You can hear the audio, but the screen is black with the error message at the bottom.  If I simply unplug the HDMI cable from the back of the cable box, the video comes instantly in, and everything is fine.

When the TV is on the HDMI input, everything is fine, and I'm watching HI DEF through the HDMI.

So for now, I'm constantly plugging and unplugging the HDMI cable, depending upon my needs.  (My wife watches everything through composite).

I think I'll be forced to run the HI DEF option over component video, but my TV only has two component video inputs.

As an aside, when I had the 8300HD box, it gave the same error message, but I could press the "A" button, and get rid of it.  The tech was puzzled, as he saw it too.  Anyone else ever get this error message?

[skier8734]

It is the HDCP getting in the way, the digital content protection that is associated with hdmi, you have to just unplug the hdmi cable from the tv if you want to use the vcr.

[duncantuna]

HDMI is causing the trouble.   If you can, use component.

I'd erroneously thought HDMI provided better image quality than component.  Not so.

"First, to clear away one element that can be confusing: DVI and HDMI are exactly the same as one another, image-quality-wise. The principal differences are that HDMI carries audio as well as video, and uses a different type of connector, but both use the same encoding scheme, and that's why a DVI source can be connected to an HDMI monitor, or vice versa, with a DVI/HDMI cable, with no intervening converter box."

quote from : http://forum.ecoustics.com/bbs/messages/34579/122868.html

I've been surprised at how screwy HDMI is .. I needed to control volume via the cable box but HDMI apparently sends the audio at a fixed level.  So I switched to my component cables .. at the time, I didn't disconnect the HDMIs .. every time I turned on the tv (to component in) the TV went haywire, flashing on and off, trying to get the correct resolution for 1-2 minutes.

Eventually, I disconnected the HDMI cable to the 8300, and the TV started behaving correctly.

[SVD]

Switched the box over to Component last night.  Works fine.  Gained control over my volume on the cable box again.  I've got three HDMI inputs and two Components.  Only using one of the HDMI's currently....