Help troubleshoot strange A/V issue

[Zaxxon]

My daughter went to watch something tonight on our Roku, only to find the screen has a severe blue tint.

Setup: Denon AVR receiver, connected via HDMI to Samsung TV. The Roku and all other sources go through the receiver via their own HDMI cables. All controlled by a Logitech Harmony remote.

Here’s where it gets weird. I power cycle the Roku. Same issue. Power cycle receiver and TV. Same issue. Switch inputs to the Switch. Same issue. Check TV picture settings—they’re normal. Change to the Apple TV input… Normal picture. Go back to the Roku. It’s blue, as is the Switch. Back to Apple TV and it’s fine.

So it’s not the Roku/Switch, as this started at the same time for both of them.. It’s not the TV, or the receiver, or the HDMI cables between them since the Apple TV is fine. And I don’t know of any way settings could do this to multiple inputs but not others, inadvertently.

What am I missing, hive mind? Next I suppose I’ll start swapping out inputs, directly connecting the devices to the TV, etc. But I’ve never seen something like this before, so I’m curious what you all think before I start digging in. And also the family has claimed the room for the evening…

[gilraen]

Next I suppose I’ll start swapping out inputs, directly connecting the devices to the TV, etc.

That's the first thing I would try (that and swapping out HDMI cables).

[Zaxxon]

Next I suppose I’ll start swapping out inputs, directly connecting the devices to the TV, etc.

That's the first thing I would try (that and swapping out HDMI cables).

Can’t be the cables unless two mysteriously died simultaneously. Such a weird issue.

[Anonymous Bosch]

Based on the information provided, it appears the issue is related to certain HDMI inputs on your Denon AV receiver, as the problem persists with the Roku and the Switch, but not with the Apple TV. So here's what I would suggest in terms of troubleshooting:

• Try different HDMI cables: To rule out the possibility of faulty HDMI cables, swap the cables connecting the Roku and the Switch with the one used for the Apple TV. If the issue disappears, the problem must have something to do with the other HDMI cables (though it would be mighty strange for two HDMI cables to malfunction simultaneously).
• Test different HDMI ports on the receiver: Try connecting the Roku and the Switch to different HDMI input ports on your Denon AVR. This can help determine if the issue is specific to certain ports or if it affects all ports equally. If the problem persists only with specific ports, you may want to consult Denon's customer support for further assistance, as the receiver might require repair or replacement.
• Check TV Settings: Double-check the TV HDMI settings for the specific input(s) you are using. Some TVs allow you to adjust settings like 'HDMI Black Level', 'HDMI Mode', or 'Color Format' per input. Ensure these are consistent across all inputs.
• Check the AV Receiver Settings: Go to the AV Receiver's settings menu and make sure that the relevant HDMI inputs are set to "Auto" or "On" for the respective inputs. Also, check if there are any custom settings that may be causing the issue.
• Update firmware: Ensure that your Denon AVR receiver and Roku devices have the latest firmware updates installed. Sometimes, outdated firmware could cause compatibility issues that lead to display weirdness.
• Perform a factory reset on the receiver: If the issue isn't resolved after trying different cables and ports, you may want to consider performing a factory reset on your Denon AVR. This will restore the receiver to its default settings and may resolve any potential software glitches causing the blue tint issue. Make sure to back up any custom settings before performing a factory reset, as they will be erased during this process.
• Contact Roku or Denon support: If none of the above steps resolve the issue, it may be necessary to reach out to Roku or Denon support for further assistance. They may have additional troubleshooting steps or be able to help identify if there is a hardware issue with your devices.

[Zaxxon]

ChatGPT?

[Anonymous Bosch]

ChatGPT?

Heh, no, I can see how it may look that way. But that's a standard text file template I keep handy for various troubleshooting that I adjusted for your situation (though the original template may well have been AI-generated, as I don't specifically recall where it came from).

[Zaxxon]

I was thrown in part by the Roku support piece, as it’s clearly not a Roku issue. A very LLM mistake combined with the writing style—you had me fooled!

[Anonymous Bosch]

I was thrown in part by the Roku support piece, as it’s clearly not a Roku issue. A very LLM mistake combined with the writing style—you had me fooled!

Yeah, you're probably right. My hands-on experience using Roku devices is somewhat limited though, so I figured there's a chance their customer support could perhaps provide some additional troubleshooting steps if all else fails.

[Zaxxon]

My suspicion is that it’s the receiver starting to go, as it’s 13ish years old now and at least that would make sense for two devices showing the same issue like this. We’ll see tomorrow when I dig into it.

Appreciate the responses!

[em2nought]

If watching the roku show is really important to someone, I know I can use the Roku app on my fire stick which would give you a work around if you have a fire stick.

[Carpet_pissr]

I vote cables. Most HDMI cables out there are garbage/don’t meet spec.

OTOH…13 year old receiver? Perfect excuse to upgrade!

[Zaxxon]

Whelp, that was a weird one. Yesterday I attached the Roku directly to the TV, and… same issue. Wound up resetting the tv to factory settings to resolve.

So, to recap: the issue was that 2 of my 3 input devices went major blue tinged, and the culprit was… the TV settings somehow impacting only these two devices despite the fact that the Apple TV was also connected to the TV through the same receiver, input, and HDMI cable… Still at a loss as to what setting that could have been.

[Kurth]

Happy for you that you got that sorted, but I was sort of looking forward to hearing about your hunt for your next AV receiver!

I’ve got a ~13 year old Denon AVR-1913 that I’d love to upgrade. My “problem” - it still works fine, sounds good. It just doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of the new AVRs, and I have to do some hinky stuff with HDMI ARC.

I guess when 4K video becomes the norm, maybe that’s my time to upgrade.

[Zaxxon]

Looks just like mine!

Honestly, when I realized it was the TV I was secretly hoping the reset wouldn’t resolve it. I’d love an excuse to go one size bigger…

[JCC]

I guess when 4K video becomes the norm, maybe that’s my time to upgrade.

I feel like 4K has been the norm for a while now. (shrugs)

[LordMortis]

I guess when 4K video becomes the norm, maybe that’s my time to upgrade.

I feel like 4K has been the norm for a while now. (shrugs)

I have a 4k TV and zero 4k services. I stream through a laptop that doesn't have 4k graphics and none of the services I use stream at 4k anyway. One day maybe, but I'm not hurry. 1080p is fine for me with it's biggest drawback being that some 1080 actually looks worse on 40k TV than it did on my old TV.

[JCC]

I have a 4k TV and zero 4k services. I stream through a laptop that doesn't have 4k graphics and none of the services I use stream at 4k anyway. One day maybe, but I'm not hurry. 1080p is fine for me with it's biggest drawback being that some 1080 actually looks worse on 40k TV than it did on my old TV.

Obviously, do whatever you want and can afford. But a Roku 4K stick is only $40. Most streaming services offer 4K albeit most also charge a premium for that. (Disney + doesn't as far as I know.)

Even getting a cheaper HD Roku stick would seem to be way more convenient for streaming than a laptop. (Or a Fire stick, etc.)