raspberry pi 4 with problems

[harry747]

Hi.
I recently bought a pi 4 and I have several problems with it. The one this forum is appropriate for is that my pi does not get along with my HDMI switch. When I connect the pi to the HDMI switch, the TV is blank. In order to see the output from the pi, I have to connect it DIRECTLY to the TV. That is a problem because my tv only has 1 HDMI input, which is why I need that switch.

Is there anything I can do about this?

I have a 4GB pi 4 running Ubuntu 19.10.

[ShorTie]

Is your switch powered ??
I'm guessing non-powered, and that tis the problem.

[kerry_s]

i'm thinking it can't tell what resolution the tv is from the switch.
try running raspi-config and set the resolution.

[harry747]

Is your switch powered ??
I'm guessing non-powered, and that tis the problem.

Yes, the HDMI switch is powered.

try running raspi-config and set the resolution.

Worth a try. I'll do that when I get home. Do I have to use sudo?
Maybe that'll solve another issue where I have only 1 resolution in the settings app, 1824 by 984. No idea where that comes from, my TV is 1080p.

[W. H. Heydt]

Is your switch powered ??
I'm guessing non-powered, and that tis the problem.

Yes, the HDMI switch is powered.

try running raspi-config and set the resolution.

Worth a try. I'll do that when I get home. Do I have to use sudo?
Maybe that'll solve another issue where I have only 1 resolution in the settings app, 1824 by 984. No idea where that comes from, my TV is 1080p.

Yes. You use "sudo". You need root privileges to edit /boot/config.txt .

[stan_qaz]

Not your problem but the solution and links might be helpful:

viewtopic.php?f=63&t=266131&p=1617127#p1617127

[Imperf3kt]

I'd guess it's a resolution issue.
I assume the Pi is probably trying to output 4k, which your hub doesn't recognise.
When plugged directly into the TV, the correct display resolution is used.

[rpdom]

Maybe that'll solve another issue where I have only 1 resolution in the settings app, 1824 by 984. No idea where that comes from, my TV is 1080p.

That's quite common for 1080p TVs. They allow for the "overscan" on a TV picture where there are areas of data or even blanking above, below and to either side of the actual picture. Rather than having a big black border, they just make the screens to a lower resolution. These overscan areas are a legacy thing and really shouldn't be needed with a digital signal. It's not like the old days of analogue TV where a 625 line signal gave a 576i picture - initially because it would take time for the electron beams to return to the top corner of the screen, and later some digital info (channel ident, time, text information, PDC etc) was encoded into those areas.

Screens that are designed to be used with a computer (proper 1080p monitors), rather than just video tend to be the full 1920x1080.

[harry747]

i tried raspi-config. i set the resolution to 1920x1080 at 50 Hz and i disabled 4K, but that didn't solve the problem with the HDMI switch. after ising raspi-config, i tried the HDMI switch again and i still have to connect the pi directly to my TV. where is that info stored? is it re-activated automatically on the next boot?

[procount]

Edit your /boot/config.txt manually (e.g. in a terminal with:)

Code: Select all

sudo nano /boot/config.txt

Add the following lines:

Code: Select all

hdmi_force_hotplug=1
hdmi_ignore_edid=0xa5000080

make sure the file includes lines like the following to set the resolution you want

Code: Select all

hdmi_group=X
hdmi_mode=Y

Where you can find values for X & Y in https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentati ... t/video.md

This should tell the graphics to ignore any information sent by your TV about its capabilities (EDID) and only use the resolution you have specified with hdmi_group and hdmi_mode. Adjust X and Y to find the best resolution for your TV. After each change, make sure the file is saved and then reboot to test.

[andrum99]

Edit your /boot/config.txt manually (e.g. in a terminal with:)

Code: Select all

sudo nano /boot/config.txt

Add the following lines:

Code: Select all

hdmi_force_hotplug=1
hdmi_ignore_edid=0xa5000080

make sure the file includes lines like the following to set the resolution you want

Code: Select all

hdmi_group=X
hdmi_mode=Y

Where you can find values for X & Y in https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentati ... t/video.md

This should tell the graphics to ignore any information sent by your TV about its capabilities (EDID) and only use the resolution you have specified with hdmi_group and hdmi_mode. Adjust X and Y to find the best resolution for your TV. After each change, make sure the file is saved and then reboot to test.

Don't forget:

Code: Select all

hdmi_drive=2

Which ensures you can still get audio via the HDMI connection. Also:

Code: Select all

disable_overscan=1

Which ensures that overscan is disabled.

[LTolledo]

set the resolution when connected directly to the TV
once set, then connect it to the HDMI switcher to connect to the TV.
if that does not work.... get another HDMI switcher

[Aleinux]

Thanks to this post I fix a similar problem to my new installation on Raspberry Pi 4 B.
I do not understand why when you flash a new image, all this problems occur?!

[harry747]

This pi is ****** ******** with all the problems. I'm starting to regret buying that piece of junk

[kerry_s]

This pi is pissing me off with all the problems. I'm starting to regret buying that piece of junk

why?
it works if connected to the tv, correct? which is the intended use case.
it's obvious to all of us the hdmi switch is the issue, so that is the piece of "junk".
there's absolutely nothing wrong with the pi if used as intended, which is to be connected to a tv or monitor, supported (touch?)screen.

return it if you still can, buy a device that fits "your" needs.

[mahjongg]

This pi is ***** me off with all the problems. I'm starting to regret buying that piece of junk

Please moderate your language, or I have to censor it.

[hansotten]

Please moderate your language, or I have to sensor it.

What kind of sensor do you recommend for a language? I2C based or one connected to GPIO?

[davidcoton]

Please moderate your language, or I have to sensor it.

What kind of sensor do you recommend for a language? I2C based or one connected to GPIO?

I believe the Mods have a Mk V Direct Interconnect between their Pis and their brain.
Researchers have not yet determined which side of the link is limiting bandwidth.

[jamesh]

Thanks to this post I fix a similar problem to my new installation on Raspberry Pi 4 B.
I do not understand why when you flash a new image, all this problems occur?!

Because for almost everyone else, no problems occur. We've sold millions of Pi4s, if they all had problems do you think we would still be in business?

We cannot test every single combination of monitor, HDMI switch etc. Sometimes you will come across some rubbish bit of kit that doesn't implement the protocols correctly. Sometimes we can work round it, but really, it's the accessory that needs fixing, not the Pi.

[harry747]

why?
it works if connected to the tv, correct? which is the intended use case.
it's obvious to all of us the hdmi switch is the issue, so that is the piece of "junk".
there's absolutely nothing wrong with the pi if used as intended, which is to be connected to a tv or monitor, supported (touch?)screen.

return it if you still can, buy a device that fits "your" needs.

my TV only has one HDMI input, which is why i need this HDMI switch. and getting a new HDMI switch is not an option because
- i tried many other switches, and they ALL failed out far too quickly.
- how do i know which one works with the pi?

this HDMI problem is not the only thing that rubs me the wrong way. one time i used the pi, i could get to the internet no problem. the next time it simply couldn't connect, and i couldn't find out why. the network settings were all correct, but it wouldn't display any sites.
also, i tried to set different HDMI resolutions by editing /boot/config.txt, but that had no effect. no matter what resolution and framerate i select, that only applies during boot. as soon as the desktop appears, it goes back to 1080p60. ARGH!

[jamesh]

What wrong with using the Screen Configuration utility from the preferences menu - click the resolution you want, hey presto. It works.

As for sites, sound like a problem with your DNS provider (The router?) rather than tha Pi, as above the majority of people have no problems with that at all.


And as asked above, please keep the language child friendly. Any more and stuff gets deleted.

[Imperf3kt]

If settings are being reset, maybe you have a bad SD card?

Do a test. Make a file and save it somewhere (any sort of file)
Turn the Pi off
Boot the Pi again
Is the file still there?

[harry747]

i think you misunderstood. issue is not that files disappear or that the config.txt file changes, it's that as soon as the desktop appears, it switches to 1080p60, no matter what options i select in the config.txt file. and yes, i tried rebooting.

and the internet problem... the DNS server in my router should be irrelevant because i set the DNS address manually. on all my devices, including the pi. but on the pi, it doesn't do me any good

[Imperf3kt]

i think you misunderstood. issue is not that files disappear or that the config.txt file changes, it's that as soon as the desktop appears, it switches to 1080p60, no matter what options i select in the config.txt file. and yes, i tried rebooting.

and the internet problem... the DNS server in my router should be irrelevant because i set the DNS address manually. on all my devices, including the pi. but on the pi, it doesn't do me any good

All of this indicates to me that the changes you make are not being saved, indicating a possibly write protected (damaged, end-of-life, or faulty) SD card.

I may be wrong, but its all I can conclude from the information you've provided.

[rpdom]

Did you follow the advice from jamesh above?

The desktop resolution on the Pi 4 is not affected by entries in config.txt. It should auto-detect the best mode for the monitor that is connected, but if it doesn't you should, as recommended, use the Screen Configuration utility from the preferences menu on the desktop.