Home Theater AV Receiver question

Currently revamping my HT system. For some reason, my Onkyo receiver decided it was going to ignore remote control commands intermittently.
I replaced it with a Sony STR-DH720.
This does HDMI upscaling, so it's ready for the planned TV upgrade.

Now...

I have been unable to bring up the on-screen GUI. When I hit the GUI button, the display indicates that it's "on" and the speakers go silent, but the image on the screen is the passthrough from the DirecTV component input to the component output.

I've tried disconnecting both HDMI inputs and rebooting, and still nothing.
Is the GUI only available on the HDMI TV-out?
I've got a 15 year old Sony rear-screen projection unit that only has composite and component inputs (and of the 3 component inputs, 2 only support 480, the 3rd supports 1080i).

I'm planning to upgrade the TV soon, but I need to know if this receiver needs to go back to Crutchfield or if it's normal.

Other than that, it works great, but I'm having issues getting the Surround configured properly because of the lack of the on-screen menu.

 

Did you ever get this resolved? If not, and I have a clear understanding of your problem--that the on-screen menu will not appear, my first troubleshooting suggestion would be to simplify by first disconnecting everything, and then connecting the device to the TV via HDMI, then composite, then component (using 2 sets of cables for each test) to narrow down the point of failure. If this fails to bring up the menu on all three, try the same process on another TV. Then you will know if the problem lies in the TV, the device, or the cables.

 

No resolution.
The problem is, I have an older TV without HDMI, and I don't have access to another TV that does.

 

Okay, I was looking at pg 39 of the manual of your receiver (str-dh720). It says to use your TV remote or the controls on your TV to "switch the input of the TV so that an image of the menu is displayed." That is step 1, and again, it was on the TV.

Step 2 is on your receiver remote. It says to press the GUI Mode button, wait a few seconds, and the GUI menu will appear. IF it does NOT appear, the manual says to press the "MENU" button. The other steps are intuitive and you will know what to do once you reach this point. Let me know if you have already tried these steps and or what happens at this point. Wife and kids are shutting all the lights off on me, so I guess I'm racking out for the night. --mike

 

Already done that a dozen or two times.
No menu. The receiver says "GUI MODE" on the display and the audio shuts off, but the video on the TV is the direct component passthrough from the DTV box.

 

How do you have the video hooked up? I.e., dtv --hdmi--rec--rca--tv, etc.

 

Everything runs to the receiver, and the receiver runs to the TV over component cables.
I'm running the audio over HDMI from the DTV and Blu-Ray boxes, but the video is component passthrough.

I tried pulling the HDMI cables and running straight component... no difference.

That's why I'm thinking the OSD is only available on the HDMI output.

 

Yup, usually OSD is an HDMI only function. I know it is on my Onkyo.

 

Figured.

I'll have to beg or borrow a small TV with HDMI to get my audio set up.
Right now, best I can get is my front 2 speakers (and sub) working.
I can get the front-high and center with some programming, but I'm not getting a full 5.1 and have never had 7.1

This receiver replaced my Onkyo, which decided that it was going to intermittently start ignoring the remote.
It would work fine for a week, then for 3 days wouldn't respond to the remote.
Then it might work for volume, but not shut down... then would work great for a couple of days... then piss me off again.

Going to put the Onkyo in the garage and just use it as a CD amp and not bother with a remote. I've been wanting to replace it because it didn't support HDMI, and wouldn't do any kind of upscaling. The Sony will upscale anything to HDMI, so when I replace the TV I'll be able to run just one cable to the TV and still run composite on the old (white) WII.

 

Some notes that might help.
The audio and video signals from HDMI input are not output via hdmi tv out while GUI menu is displayed.--pg24 (I realize you are not using HDMI out, but you mentioned the audio quits)
You can operate this receiver using a GUI if you connect HDMI TV out jack using a TV.--pg22
No up conversion occurs unless HDMI TV out is used. --Pg 30
More to follow...

 

Ya... got all that. I missed the part on pg22 about needing HDMI to run the GUI.

That answers the question.

So... if I run an HDMI-DVI adapter, will it work on my monitor?

 

Pg 70 explains how to setup/manipulate the sound without a TV connected at all

 

I just stumbled upon this. I have been having issues and they turned out to be a firmware upgrade. Once i upgraded the firmware of my Denon AVR 2112-CI it worked. It was pissing me the F*&^ off. It worked with everything except my HD cable box. I am only running HDMI, it is both audio and video. Bottom line, maybe check out upgrading firmware.

 

Its worth a try... As a computer guy I can tell you some data is lost in the conversion, but I can't say for sure it will not work.

 

Damn... they really buried it.

Thanks. Got all 7 working now.

 

Great! I think I have the same Sony projection TV as you. Just keep swapping that bulb every couple years, won't throw it away as long as the picture keeps looking good. Anyway, glad you got it figured out man. I've had only good luck with crutchfield.

 

I'm still on the original lamps.
I just pull the rear cover once a year and clean off the lenses.

But I really do want to upgrade to a 55" flat panel. Whether or not I'll notice the difference between 1080i and 1080p, I need the HDMI upscaling, especially now with the input limitations on this unit. I'd really like to get the old VCR back online, but at this point, it's either Wii or VHS (same on the Onkyo receiver).
With a new TV, even if I lack the input on the receiver, I can use the TV's composite input for the Wii and it will feed audio back to the Sony.

It'll also be nice to get the Netflix off of the Blu-Ray and onto the TV directly.

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-m...KOAD8/ref=cm_ciu_pdp_images_0?ie=UTF8&index=0

You could always spend $15 on something like this. They make some that will automatically select the source for you, but they get more expensive. I'll see about cleaning my bulbs once or twice a year, I tend to leave them alone until they need replacing.

 

Ya, dust off the lenses and it's like a brand new TV again.

I seriously keep waiting for the thing to blow a lamp, but it's like a Timex.
Got it for free from my boss when he upgraded to a Plasma in 2004. Don't know how long he had it before that, but I seem to recall a reference to the model as early as 1999.
It's a 56" 4:3. It has 3 component inputs, but only one supports anything higher than 480. Input-5 supports 1080i, won't do 720.

 

Everything I've ever read or heard is that 1080i and 720p are the same signal?