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I have a huge problem with HDMI

Posted: Wed 13 Feb 2019 19:16
by Bahamut
Using SupremeRetrostone, but tried the FULL and SLIM RetrorangePi and the issue is the same.

First boot: installs everything and runs just fine. I connect the RetroStone to my TV via HDMI (tried both DVI and non-DVI port, same results), use the option to reboot to HDMI and works fine (I am just pissed by the fact that the RetroStone's LCD stays ON flickering white/blue the entire time, there is a way to turn it off while HDMI is being used?).

Now, the twist: if I turn OFF the RetroStone, there is no way to turn it back on, or at least to see what it is doing, because neither the LCD or the TV shows anything. The LCD flickers white/blue and TV's HDMI has no signal. Tried everything: changing HDMI's ports, disconnecting HDMI, turning it OFF and let it "cool" for a while", turning it ON without HDMI connected, and so on. Basically I need to re-flash the SD.

I am guessing there is something really odd going on with the software (since re-flashing the SD card turns everything back to square one, this doesn't seems to be an hardware fault), or at least how the software manages the HDMI output. It is like that when you hard reset the RetroStone (turning power OFF) while you have HDMI output enabled, it somewhat gets confused and fails to output to anything.

On a side note, is worth to mention here that the whole HDMI thing is pretty obnoxious to deal with in the first place if it really works like I am guessing: basically, there isn't a smart video output detection, so if I have my RetroStone set to "HDMI", then the LCD is cut-off and the only way to turn it back is to connect the RetroStone via HDMI ad navigate the menu to change the video output back to the LCD. This doesn't allow a smooth, Switch-like experience like having the RetroStone connected to your TV, turning it off and disconnecting it to carry it with you, or the opposite (you come back home, plug the RetroStone on the TV and that's it), since I must always navigate a menu to change the video output manually. Not a big fan of this, there is a workaround for that?

Re: I have a huge problem with HDMI

Posted: Thu 14 Feb 2019 11:32
by Admin
Yes it's annoying for the LCD staying ON when on HDMI. There are currently no easy way to have it turned off.

After you turn off the retrostone in HDMI mode it will stay in HDMI mode. I think it might be a HDMI detect problem between the tv and the retrostone.

When you first reboot to HDMI mode you say it is working. Do you have the HDMI plugged in before rebooting?

Then when you turn it off. Then turn it on again, do you still have HDMI plugged in before starting ON?

Yes you are right the HDMI transition is not good. I have been trying to make an automatic switch but with H3 it's difficult to achieve. RetroStone 2 will have an automatic switch as the processor will enable dual output.