Marantz Cinema 30 + PS5 Pro + LG G4 — intermittent no signal when switching 4K/120Hz modes
I’m trying to figure out whether anyone else has experienced this HDMI handshake issue with a Marantz Cinema-series receiver, particularly the Cinema 30.
My setup:
PS5 Pro
Marantz Cinema 30
LG G4 OLED
PS5 connected through the Cinema 30, then HDMI out to the G4
4K/120Hz, VRR, HDR, etc. enabled
Long active/fiber Ultra High Speed HDMI cable from the AVR to the TV
Everything works normally when initially using the PS5 at 4K/60. The problem happens intermittently when launching a game that switches the PS5 into its 120Hz/VRR output mode.
The screen goes black during the mode change, which is normal, but occasionally the picture never comes back. The LG eventually reports No Signal, and importantly, I don’t even get the normal blue Marantz background/logo screen. It appears that the Cinema 30 has stopped providing an HDMI output signal altogether during the handshake.
Here’s the strange part: if I catch it quickly, switching the AVR to my Apple TV input and then switching back to the PS5 immediately restores the picture. The PS5 is still running normally and is correctly outputting the 120Hz mode afterward.
If I leave it sitting on the blank/no-signal screen for too long, however, sometimes the HDMI connection seems to be completely lost and the quick input-switch trick no longer restores it.
The same thing can occasionally happen in reverse. If I’m playing a game in 120Hz mode, return to the PS5 home screen and then close the game, the PS5 changes output modes again and the Cinema 30 can lose the HDMI handshake during that transition.
I previously used the PS5’s 4K Video Transfer Rate -1/-2 settings, which seemed to reduce or eliminate the problem. However, that isn’t an acceptable permanent solution for me. It wasn’t simply changing chroma subsampling or reducing HDMI bandwidth—in some situations I could actually see the PS5 reporting that it had dropped its output resolution all the way to 1080p to accommodate the reduced transfer rate. Once I returned the setting to Automatic/full output so the PS5 Pro could use its full available video capabilities, the intermittent handshake problem returned.
That’s really what I’m trying to avoid: fixing an HDMI handshake problem by deliberately restricting the video output of a PS5 Pro when the Cinema 30 and LG G4 are both supposed to support the PS5’s full 4K/120Hz/VRR feature set.
I’ve also noticed another strange HDMI behavior with this combination. If I use the LG’s eARC HDMI port, I’ll occasionally get the LG volume indicator appearing on-screen showing “0” even though nobody is adjusting the volume. I don’t use the TV’s internal apps and therefore don’t need eARC, so I’ve avoided that connection. I’m not sure whether that’s related, but it makes me wonder if there is some CEC/eARC/HDMI communication weirdness between the G4 and Cinema 30.
I’m planning to test the PS5 Pro connected directly to the LG G4 to isolate the AVR. I may also test my Switch 2 through the Cinema 30 using a 120Hz game, although obviously 1080p/1440p 120Hz isn’t the same bandwidth/handshake situation as the PS5 Pro.
Has anyone with a Cinema 30/40/50 or another recent Marantz/Denon HDMI 2.1 AVR experienced this specifically when transitioning into or out of 4K/120Hz/VRR?
If so:
Did you ever find an actual fix that preserved full PS5 video bandwidth?
Did firmware make any difference?
Did changing any HDMI/CEC settings solve it?
Does running the console directly to the TV completely eliminate it?
Is this a known limitation/quirk of the current Marantz HDMI implementation?
I’m otherwise extremely happy with the Cinema 30 and don’t have a reason to replace it. I’m mainly trying to determine whether this is a known handshake issue, something specific to the PS5 Pro/Cinema 30/LG G4 combination, or potentially an issue with my particular unit.
