November 02, 2025 Kordz Releases Part V of Popular HDMI Demystified Series: Field Troubleshooting – Where to Start When HDMI Fails On-Site 

The newest instalment helps integrators quickly diagnose and resolve HDMI failures in the field, saving time, reducing call-backs, and protecting project profitability. 

November 2, 2025  – When HDMI fails, it rarely happens at a convenient time. It’s the end of the day, the client is waiting, and the system isn’t working. The screen is blank, audio drops out, or switching is painfully slow. These all-too-familiar situations inspired Kordz Managing Director, James Chen, with contributions from Ryan and Eric Wesley of The Front Row Podcast, to create Part V of Kordz’ acclaimed educational series, HDMI Demystified: Field Troubleshooting – Where to Start When HDMI Fails On-Site. The article identifies potential causes of these common HDMI issues along with field-tested remedies to help integrators fix them faster.  

“Every integrator has faced that moment when an HDMI connection simply refuses to cooperate,” says Chen, “But it needn’t take all day. This article takes a practical approach, helping professionals understand what’s happening under the hood and providing clear, actionable steps to get systems back up and running quickly.”  

Troubleshooting 101: Understanding the System, Not Just the Cable 
 

The article explores the core principles of HDMI troubleshooting, emphasiszing that HDMI should always be viewed as a complete system, not just a single cable run. Many on-site issues arise from overlooking how devices, cable lengths, and environmental factors interact to affect signal integrity. By examining the entire signal chain, Part V helps integrators identify weak links and address them efficiently. For each potential problem, the article follows with a concise checklist integrators can use in the field to efficiently diagnose and resolve HDMI issues. Some key takeaways include: 

  • Simplify a Complex Signal Path 

The more links in an HDMI chain, the greater the complexity and the smaller the margin for error. To improve reliability, design systems that are as simple as possible using quality components. Every device—AVR, splitter, scaler, reclocker, or extender—must be considered part of the equation. Always calculate the entire end-to-end signal path, not just the longest cable. 
 

  • Decode the Handshake and Other Hidden Issues 

Many HDMI failures trace back to handshake problems, the intricate communication sequence that occurs whenever devices connect. Part V breaks this process down step by step, illustrating how each stage, from Hot Plug Detect to HDCP authentication, can impact system performance and reliability. 
 

  • Address Environmental Factors 

Two silent saboteurs of HDMI performance are heat and electrical noise. Modern LED lighting, dimmers, and household appliances can inject interference into shared circuits, while ceiling voids and enclosed racks trap heat that degrades signal quality. The result is intermittent failures, reduced cable lifespan and costly callbacks. The guide offers practical on-site tests and actionable mitigation techniques to identify and address these environmental threats. 
 

  • Handle Cable with Care 

How you treat a cable impacts signal integrity as much as its construction. Even small changes to geometry or shielding due to careless handling can combine with other stress points to cause failure.  

“HDMI issues aren’t random; they’re cumulative,” Chen affirms. “By understanding how small factors like heat, noise and device count eat into your signal margin, you can troubleshoot smarter and prevent future failures. That’s what this guide is all about—equipping integrators to work quickly and effectively, stay profitable and keep their clients happy.” 

For even more guidance, stay tuned for the next instalment of this informative series, where Kordz explores more advanced HDMI field issues, including FRL vs. TMDS behavior, sparkles and pixelation, ARC/eARC return paths and cable degradation. 

About the HDMI Demystified Series 

Kordz’ HDMI Demystified series is a multi-part educational initiative designed to help AV professionals deepen their understanding of HDMI technology and its practical application. Each instalment focuses on a specific topic, from certification and performance to profitability, system design, and troubleshooting. To read previous chapters of Kordz’ HDMI Demystified series or to learn more about Kordz’s professional-grade connectivity solutions and free integrator resources, visit www.kordz.com. 

About Kordz 

Kordz is the connectivity brand for integrators, by integrators. A multi-award-winning global industry leader in professional-grade connectivity products, Kordz’ team of seasoned former integrators is on a mission to ‘Kordzify’ and optimise technology for professionals by designing, engineering and manufacturing products that deliver ease and profitability through a seamless installation experience with high performance results that today’s tech-savvy end-users expect. With a wide range of robust, fast and effective solutions backed by expert technical support, Kordz helps integrators around the world meet the evolving cabling requirements of a diverse range of residential and commercial environments. For more information about Kordz, please visit kordz.com and follow the company @kordzglobal on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.   

Media Contact 

For interviews, reviews, and more information please contact Katye (McGregor) Bennett of KMB Communications at (406) 446-1283 or katye@kmbcomm.com 

© 2025 Kordz International. All Rights Reserved. 

Please note, re-publishing of press release content in relation to this article is permitted, however the re-publishing of the original article content is prohibited. Please author your own post or article, citing the name of the Kordz article, and link it to the page on kordz.com. 

Additional Media Releases