# Blu-ray player getting intermittent pause signals **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 19, 2019, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blu-ray-player-getting-intermittent-pause-signals/828079 "2019-01-19T23:27:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![galen\_ubal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galen_ubal/32/4440_2.png) [@galen\_ubal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galen_ubal)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2019, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blu-ray-player-getting-intermittent-pause-signals/828079/21 "2019-01-20T04:05:21Z")
So, two different players, doing the same thing. You’ve pretty much eliminated the possibility of ‘rogue’ signals. Have you plugged both of them into the same outlet/power strip/circuit? What else do the two have in common? ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2019, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blu-ray-player-getting-intermittent-pause-signals/828079/22 "2019-01-20T04:09:25Z")
Could you try moving it to a different room? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2019, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blu-ray-player-getting-intermittent-pause-signals/828079/23 "2019-01-20T04:09:57Z")
> [@galen\_ubal](#): > > So, two different players, doing the same thing. You’ve pretty much eliminated the possibility of ‘rogue’ signals. > Have you plugged both of them into the same outlet/power strip/circuit? What else do the two have in common? Why would that eliminate the “rogue signal” theory? I haven’t run them both at the same time, but when running one of them I use the same power strip and outlet. They’re also in the same location when they’re running (under the TV). > [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > Could you try moving it to a different room? That’s a good idea – tomorrow I’ll try hooking them up to the TV in the bedroom. ---
**Author:** ![galen\_ubal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galen_ubal/32/4440_2.png) [@galen\_ubal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galen_ubal)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2019, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blu-ray-player-getting-intermittent-pause-signals/828079/24 "2019-01-20T04:14:43Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Why would that eliminate the “rogue signal” theory? > > I haven’t run them both at the same time, but when running one of them I use the same power strip and outlet. They’re also in the same location when they’re running (under the TV). > > That’s a good idea – tomorrow I’ll try hooking them up to the TV in the bedroom. I mean rogue IR signals (by blocking the IR receiver on the player, you’ve shown that it’s not receiving signals from something other than the remote). What I’m getting at, is that there may be something in that power outlet or power strip that’s messing with the players. Also, how’s the airflow around the player, when it’s below the TV? ---
**Author:** ![lingyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d2c977/32.png) [@lingyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lingyi)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2019, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blu-ray-player-getting-intermittent-pause-signals/828079/25 "2019-01-20T04:17:14Z")
Since they’re the same model and it seems to be an older model, a firmware update is likely needed even if it’s not the cause of the problem. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2019, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blu-ray-player-getting-intermittent-pause-signals/828079/26 "2019-01-20T16:30:31Z")
The software is up to date, according to the Blu-ray player. Is that the same as firmware? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2019, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blu-ray-player-getting-intermittent-pause-signals/828079/27 "2019-01-20T16:54:52Z")
I took it into the bedroom and hooked it up to the bedroom TV, and it worked fine. No intermittent pauses. I tried both Blu-ray players, and they both worked fine in the bedroom. So that means it’s something to do with the setup in the living room. I turned off almost all the electronics in the living room aside from the TV itself, but the problem remained. So now I suspect that it’s the TV itself, rather than something else in the room. The way to confirm that would be to swap the TV locations and hook them up again. I’ll try that at some point when it’s convenient. Thanks for all the suggestions so far. ---
**Author:** ![lingyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d2c977/32.png) [@lingyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lingyi)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2019, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blu-ray-player-getting-intermittent-pause-signals/828079/28 "2019-01-20T17:31:06Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > I took it into the bedroom and hooked it up to the bedroom TV, and it worked fine. No intermittent pauses. I tried both Blu-ray players, and they both worked fine in the bedroom. > > So that means it’s something to do with the setup in the living room. I turned off almost all the electronics in the living room aside from the TV itself, but the problem remained. So now I suspect that it’s the TV itself, rather than something else in the room. > > The way to confirm that would be to swap the TV locations and hook them up again. I’ll try that at some point when it’s convenient. Thanks for all the suggestions so far. Swap the HDMI cables as it seems that may be problem. They do go bad or was always bad and just started exhibiting the issue. Also reset your TV to factory defaults as there may be some setting that’s causing the issue. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2019, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blu-ray-player-getting-intermittent-pause-signals/828079/29 "2019-01-20T18:01:29Z")
Also, try covering the sensor on the TV. (I’m wondering just what we can get you to do–have you tried hopping on one leg while singing the alphabet song?) ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2019, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blu-ray-player-getting-intermittent-pause-signals/828079/30 "2019-01-20T21:43:10Z")
[CEC](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consumer_Electronics_Control) has already been mentioned upthread. Over the years I’ve seen that’s there’s a lot of odd issues associated with it. Bad cables, bad implementations, incompatibility, etc. When all else fails, blame CEC. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2019, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blu-ray-player-getting-intermittent-pause-signals/828079/31 "2019-01-21T20:35:30Z")
Switching the HDMI cables didn’t change anything, so now I suspect the only variables left are the physical space of the living room (i.e. some outside signals affecting the living room but not the bedroom) and the TVs used. Switching the TVs will be a pain, but I’ll try it at some point if I have the time and inclination. Thanks again to everyone – at least now I have a working blu-ray in the bedroom. ---
**Author:** ![lingyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d2c977/32.png) [@lingyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lingyi)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2019, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blu-ray-player-getting-intermittent-pause-signals/828079/32 "2019-01-21T20:47:09Z")
Have you tried resetting / updated the firmware on the TV you’re having an issue with. As ftg and I have said, it seems likely the CEC is causing a stray signal to be sent to the player. Way easier to try before than moving the TVs. ---
**Author:** ![lingyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d2c977/32.png) [@lingyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lingyi)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2019, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blu-ray-player-getting-intermittent-pause-signals/828079/33 "2019-01-28T02:11:58Z")
Here’s a poster having a related issue with his DVD recorder: [https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/392006-HDMI-problem-switching-off-Panasonic-DVD-recorder](https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/392006-HDMI-problem-switching-off-Panasonic-DVD-recorder). He turned off CEC (Bravia Sync) on his TV and the issue was fixed. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2019, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blu-ray-player-getting-intermittent-pause-signals/828079/34 "2019-01-28T21:22:09Z")
CEC often isn’t available on every HDMI port on a TV. Maybe it’ll be as simple as plugging the HDMI cable into a different HDMI port. They should be labeled. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2019, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blu-ray-player-getting-intermittent-pause-signals/828079/35 "2019-01-28T22:40:00Z")
If the Bluray player indicates that it’s pausing on the player display, you can maybe remove the TV from the equation entirely. Get the movie playing, then unplug the HDMI cable from the back of the player. I _think_ it’ll keep playing. Does it pause then? If so, then the problem is somehow coming via HDMI. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2019, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blu-ray-player-getting-intermittent-pause-signals/828079/36 "2019-01-28T22:59:15Z")
> [@iamthewalrus\_3](#): > > If the Bluray player indicates that it’s pausing on the player display, you can maybe remove the TV from the equation entirely. Get the movie playing, then unplug the HDMI cable from the back of the player. I _think_ it’ll keep playing. Does it pause then? > > If so, then the problem is somehow coming via HDMI. There’d be no way for me to know, since there is no display or indicator (nothing – not even an “on” light) on the player itself. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2019, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blu-ray-player-getting-intermittent-pause-signals/828079/37 "2019-01-29T00:38:57Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > There’d be no way for me to know, since there is no display or indicator (nothing – not even an “on” light) on the player itself. Ah, sorry, I must have misunderstood this exchange: > [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > Does the player have a display? Does it change in the intermittent pauses, indicating being paused? That would be a clear sign of a stray IR signal. And if I think about it, in this case it should also be indicated at your screen somehow. > [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Yes, it indicates it got the pause signal. And sometimes when it’s between display or boot screens, it gets an indication that it gets some sort of signal that is “not available”, just like if I try to press the button when you can’t pause (i.e. during menu screens). I thought you were saying that the player itself had like a little lcd status readout or something, but I see now that’s not what was going on. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blu-ray-player-getting-intermittent-pause-signals/828079.md?page=1)