Audio Systems: HDMI no TV audio, hdmi cables, hdmi inputs

Question
Hi:
I'm an AE on free global travel.

Strange problem and I may be missing something basicbut here goes:

Toshiba 42" LCD TV with three HDMI slots 1,2,3. Comcast Motorola HDMI cable box to #3 and Oppo DVD player HDMI to #2. Suddenly no TV audio from Oppo plugged into #2 HDMI slot.

Normally I'm thinking bad cable, bad TV HDMI input slot or bad Oppo HDMI 'out'.

BUT Motorola using its HDMI cable plays audio fine on BOTH
TV #2 and #3 HDMI inputs. So #2 TV input is working. Then played Oppo to #3 TV input and sound is outputting fine from Oppo to #3. So Oppos IS outputting audio but not to #2.

Then used the Motorola HDMI cable from Oppo to #2 and its audio played fine ON NUMBER #2 TV HDMI input.

Finally used the Motorola cable on Oppo and it played audio to #3 but still no audio to TV input #2.

The only constant seems to be Oppo using two diff. cables will not play sound to TV  #2 HDMI input (while Motorola box plays audio fine to the same #2 input).

Oh, both Oppo and Motorola play fine audio on TV input #1.

Thanks.  

Answer
This may seem like a bit of a "cop-out" answer, but due to the terrible engineering and design of the HDMI standard, this is one of the more common questions / problems I field at work. This is a too common issue with no real answer. Some devices just will not communicate properly with others.

Now, what I find curious is that you're getting picture w/o sound only with the Oppo on #2. Typically, if a cable goes bad, you'll get absolutely nothing, as the video and audio are digitally embedded within each other.

Are there any menu settings that may have changed? Are the HDMI settings global, or do you have individual settings for each input?

With that being said, it sounds as if something still may be haywire with the combination of Oppo & Oppo cable to #2. I'd say get another cable and try it.

Go to www.bluejeanscable.com or www.tartancable.com for inexpensive HDMI cables. Try one of those - you have a full 30 return window if it does not solve your problem.

Here's a great article that may help illuminate you to the problems with the standard: http://bluejeanscable.com/articles/whats-the-matter-with-hdmi.htm?hdmiinfo