Projector no signal in 3D mode - solved

Hi,
I’ve just received my new 4K+ and am having an issue with my BenQ TK800m projector (similar to HT2050).

I ordered the Vero to replace a Sony 3D Blu-ray player which was working well in 3D with my projector but with the Vero the Projector displays a blank screen “no signal”. Audio is playing OK through the receiver, but the projector receives no video signal.
I have tried both 3d BD ISO files, and full SBS MKV.

All 2D videos I have tried work fine and video modes switch perfectly.

After many attempts It did work once after resetting display and player settings, the projector switched to 1080P 3D 24Hz mode, but the audio was just buzzing,
I can’t repeat this now with any settings or resets.

The Vero is connected directly to the projector’s HDMI 2 input - HDMI 1.4, this is the same connection that worked perfectly with the Blu-ray player, audio is over optical to my receiver.
I only need 1080P support but have also tried using the HDMI 1 (HDMI 2.0) port with no difference.

I have also tried the settings here for what looks like the same issue.
(Can’t Play 3D ISO)

I can select 3D modes from the display settings but still lose signal, so the issue isn’t the same as the post below, but I have tried adding the disp_cap_3d file anyway to no avail.

This is the sole reason I purchased the Vero so I’m hoping to get this working.

To my knowledge, full SBS is not supported yet (and I’m not sure it ever will be). Half SBS is. A direct remux of a 3D blu ray should be fine, though.

@tanio99 may have some helpful advice here…

Full SBS/TAB is on my todo list but with low priority.

Regarding your “no signal” issue: can you try one of the 3D MVC Kodi samples (https://kodi.wiki/view/Samples#3D_Test_Clips) and see if they work?

Further, it would be good to activate debug logging in Kodi, also enable Video and A/V timing info component logging. You can find all the settings in Settings → System Settings → Logging.

Unfortunately I have the same issue with the Kodi samples.
Here are my logs attempting to play the 3D ISO sample.
Https://paste.osmc.tv/inesefuwuy

Thanks, the full 3D SBS are for use on my Meta Quest 2. I have no need for them when using the projector.
The ISO’s were created using MAKEMKV backup mode and IMGBURN.

From my quick scan of the logs is looks like Kodi is finding (from EDID?) and switching to the exact resolution, but I am left with “no signal” and a blank screen.

The projector does not automatically switch to 3D mode as it did with the 3D Blu-ray player. It also makes no difference if I manually enable 3D mode.

2023-01-17 06:45:17.293 T:3304 INFO : [WHITELIST] Searching the whitelist for: width: 1920, height: 1080, fps: 23.976, 3D: true
2023-01-17 06:45:17.293 T:3304 DEBUG : [WHITELIST] Using the default whitelist because the user whitelist is empty
2023-01-17 06:45:17.294 T:3304 DEBUG : [WHITELIST 3D] Searching for an exact 3D resolution with an exact refresh rate
2023-01-17 06:45:17.294 T:3304 DEBUG : [WHITELIST 3D] Matched an exact 3D resolution with an exact refresh rate 1920x1080 @ 23.98 - Full Screen (70)
2023-01-17 06:45:17.294 T:3304 INFO : Display resolution ADJUST : 1920x1080 @ 23.98 - Full Screen (70) (weight: 0.000)
2023-01-17 06:45:17.299 T:2921 DEBUG : ------ Window Init (Custom_Cache_Progress.xml) ------
2023-01-17 06:45:17.300 T:2921 DEBUG : started alarm with name: iscachingtimer
2023-01-17 06:45:17.453 T:3319 DEBUG : AMLInsecureVideoCodec::dequeueBuffer: pts:0.000 idx:961
2023-01-17 06:45:17.453 T:3319 DEBUG : CRenderManager::Configure - change configuration. 1920x1080. display: 1920x1080. framerate: 23.98.

Can you try the option (in Player video settings) to mute HDMI audio?

Yep, tried that. It doesn’t work with or without that setting. I will need to set that otherwise sound comes through my projector.

Hm, can you give it a try and disconnect the optical cable and configure Kodi so that audio is sent over HDMI to the projector? Does that change anything?

I’ve already tried this and unfortunately it made no difference.

… and I assume you’ve tried all the 3D mode settings on the PJ.

@tanio99 and I have been trying hard to reproduce the issue you have with no success. Would you be prepared to do a reinstallation of OSMC. That’s a bit much when you’ve only just bought the thing but we’re running out of ideas.

Can you also confirm that you didn’t restore a Kodi user data backup from another device?

No, it is a clean basic config.

I’ve tried with the default settings, hdmi and optical audio, enabling hdmi 422, and several settings and Kodi resets.

I can’t even manually enable the 3D resolutions so it would seem to be an HDMI compatibility/handshake issue with the projector?

I’ll perform a reinstall and do some more testing.

I also have an old LG 3D Plasma I can test with, but it is the projector I need to get working.

I’ve done the reinstall from USB but this has made no difference.

I performed a basic setup only adding the 3d movie folder on my NAS. With either default settings, HDMI 422 on or off, and mute HDMI audio on or off, I have the same issue that the projector loses signal.

I have also tried using another HDMI cable (high speed 4K), which works fine to the projector for my 4K/60 sources, both in the HDMI 1.4 and HDMI 2 ports with no luck.

I’m going to test an older build of OSMC next but if I still have no luck the Vero is going back in the box and I’ll reconnect my 3D Blu-ray player.

The Vero is back in the box.

My 3D Blu-ray player has been reconnected to the same HDMI and optical cables.
Pop in a disc and the projector switches to 3D mode automatically.

FWIW I re-flashed and connected the Vero to my old LG 3D plasma.
With no configuration changes at all 3D files play perfectly with the TV switching automatically to 3D mode.

There must be some compatibility issue between the Vero and my BENQ projector, which my Sony Blu-ray player works with perfectly.

Are there any further details or logs I can provide for someone to see why 3D mode is not working?

It’s possible that putting something like an HDFury DR HDMI 4K in the signal chain might help. It’s also conceivable (though certainly not guaranteed) that a different HDMI cable would work better - how long is the cable run, and is the current cable certified as High Speed, Premium High Speed, Ultra High Speed, or what?

Yeah, I’m not likely to do that, certainly not without a guarantee that it will work.

The projector works fine in 3D mode with my Blu-ray player. If the Vero is unable to drive the connection itself I will return it and look at other options.

As posted above I have tested the connection using the 10m 4K optical cable below as well as the standard cable I use successfully with the Blu-ray player. Either of these should have no issues with 1080p/24 3d content.

For what it’s worth, when trying to use a RUIPRO fibre HDMI cable I had all kinds of problems with 3D signals which all went away when I switched to a good-quality conventional cable. But yeah, there’s no guarantee.