Troubleshoot a Just Add Power System (Omega, Ultra, and MaxColor Series)

Overview

Use this guide to troubleshoot video, audio, discovery, access, and switching problems in Omega Series, Ultra Series, and MaxColor Series systems. Identify what fails and what still works, follow the matching symptom, and use the linked procedures for detailed tests.

Establish the Scope

1. Identify the affected Encoders, Decoders, sources, displays, and switches.
2. Determine whether the problem is constant or intermittent. Record any action that reproduces it.
3. Compare an affected source or display with a known-working one.
4. Record the device models and whether the system uses AMP Standardized Configuration or AMP Alternate Configuration.

If the installation is unfamiliar, use the System Takeover Guide to identify equipment and document connections.

Determine When the Problem Began

• The system has never worked: Confirm that system configuration completed successfully and that the current connections match the configuration report. Verify model compatibility, supported signal formats, and switch-port assignments.
• The system previously worked: Record recent changes, including moved connections, power interruptions, firmware updates, and control programming. Compare the affected path with a working one.
• The problem began after equipment replacement: Check the replacement's connections, capabilities, settings, and any configuration changes required to integrate it.

Identify the Failure Pattern

Failure pattern	Begin here
One source fails on several displays.	The source, its HDMI connection, and its Encoder.
One display fails with several sources.	The Decoder, its connections, and the display.
Several devices on one switch fail.	The shared switch, power, and network connections.
Video works within a switch but fails between switches.	The inter-switch links and network configuration.
Video works, but switching or device access fails.	The control or management connection, including the static route to the Just Add Power Device Network.

These patterns identify where to investigate; they do not confirm a failed component.

The Problem Began After a Power Interruption

1. Confirm that the switches, Encoders, and Decoders have power and complete startup. Use Power and Data LED behavior to identify devices that do not start normally.
2. Use AMP Gather Details through the applicable Standardized or Alternate Configuration service workflow to check which devices return.
3. Determine whether video is unavailable or only switching and control have stopped working.
4. Follow the matching symptom below. Record any equipment that requires manual intervention to recover.

If several devices remain unavailable, investigate their shared power or network connection before restarting individual devices.

No Video, No Picture, or Black Screen

1. Confirm that the display is on and using the HDMI input connected to the Decoder.
2. Confirm that the intended Encoder is selected and its source is powered on and awake.
3. Check the Encoder and Decoder LEDs. Use Power and Data LED behavior to distinguish startup, network-link, and video conditions.
4. Determine whether all video fails or the problem occurs only with certain content, playback, or format changes.

The Display Shows Diagnostic Screen

Record the exact message and follow Troubleshoot Decoder Diagnostic Screen Messages. The message determines whether to investigate the source signal, Encoder connection, Decoder network link, or an AMP operation.

Do not use the Diagnostic Screen's Encoder IP field alone to identify the current selection; it may show a previously connected Encoder.

The Display Shows No Signal

1. Confirm that the Decoder is operating. Check its Power and Data LEDs and open its webUI. If it does not complete startup or has no network link, resolve that condition before testing the HDMI output.
2. Check the intended Encoder's Image Pull preview. Play recognizable content and confirm that the preview updates. If the expected picture is missing or incorrect here, investigate the source, source-to-Encoder HDMI cable, and Encoder input using One Source Fails on Multiple Displays.
3. Compare the affected Decoder's Image Pull preview. Follow the series-specific Image Pull checks. For a MaxColor Series Decoder, evaluating incoming network video requires a reboot with no active HDMI connection; disconnecting HDMI alone is not sufficient.
   • The expected picture is missing or incorrect: Confirm the Decoder's video source selection. If the Encoder preview is correct, investigate the network video path and Decoder processing before moving to the display.
   • The expected picture is present: Continue to the Decoder-to-display checks below.
4. Test the Decoder-to-display HDMI connection. Reconnect HDMI if it was removed for the MaxColor test. Confirm that the display is on and using the connected input. Test with a known-working passive HDMI cable that meets the HDMI cable requirements. Where the Decoder provides configurable output resolution and refresh rate, confirm that those settings are supported by the display.
5. Test a known-working display at the Decoder. Use a compatible display and known-working HDMI cable.
   • The test display works: Investigate the original display, its input settings, supported format, and installed HDMI cable path.
   • The test display is also blank: Continue investigating the Decoder's HDMI output and settings. Use Further Isolation Tests to determine whether the problem follows the Decoder.

The Display Has a Signal but Shows Black Video

Use this section when the display indicates an active HDMI input or reports a video resolution, but the picture is black. A display showing its own menu does not, by itself, confirm that it receives video from the Decoder.

1. Confirm that the intended source is awake and playing visible content. Check whether its menu appears and whether the picture turns black only when playback begins.
2. Compare Encoder and Decoder Image Pull previews to identify where the black picture first appears. Follow the MaxColor-specific procedure before using a Decoder preview to evaluate incoming network video.
3. Test the affected source at another display and a known-working source at the affected display. Record which source-and-display combinations fail.
4. If the source menu works but playback produces black video, follow The Source's Menu Works, but Certain Content Does Not. Investigate HDCP compatibility as well as changes in resolution, refresh rate, or HDR format.
5. If the previews show the expected picture but the display remains black, investigate the Decoder's HDMI output settings, HDMI cable, display capabilities, and HDCP negotiation with the connected equipment.

Black video alone does not establish an HDCP problem. Record any HDCP error, the affected content, and the results of the source-and-display comparisons before contacting Technical Support.

One Source Fails on Multiple Displays

1. Check whether the Encoder detects video using its LEDs and available webUI status.
2. Test a known-working passive HDMI cable between the source and Encoder.
3. Confirm that the source's resolution and video format are supported by the Encoder.
4. Test a known-working, compatible source at that Encoder.

If the replacement source works, investigate the original source's output settings and its interaction with the Encoder, including video format, EDID negotiation, and HDCP. This result does not establish that the original source is faulty. If neither source works, continue checking the Encoder's connections and link speed, then proceed to Further Isolation Tests.

A source working directly on a display confirms operation under that test condition; it does not verify compatibility with the Encoder or the installed HDMI path.

One Display Fails with Multiple Sources

Confirm that those sources work at another Decoder. If they do, concentrate on the affected Decoder, its network connection, output HDMI cable, and display. Continue to Further Isolation Tests if the connection checks do not identify the cause.

The Source's Menu Works, but Certain Content Does Not

Confirm that the visible menu comes from the source device through the Just Add Power system. A display's own menu does not verify the video path.

1. Record what causes the picture to disappear, such as starting playback, opening an application, or changing resolution.
2. Check whether the source changes its output resolution, refresh rate, HDR mode, or another video setting when the failure occurs.
3. Compare the failing content at another display using the same Encoder.
4. Confirm that the affected Encoder, Decoder, display, and HDMI cables support the signal being used.

The source's menu working does not confirm that every playback format or HDCP requirement is supported throughout the path. Record any HDCP message and the source's output settings during the failure. Provide those details to Technical Support if the cause remains unclear.

No Audio or Wrong Audio

1. Identify where audio should be heard and trace its connection back to the Just Add Power device. Audio may come from an Encoder's analog output, a Decoder's HDMI or analog output, or an ST1 operating as a Decoder.
2. Confirm the intended audio source and input selection. In Multicast Switching Flexible Mode, audio can be selected independently of video. In Standardized Configuration, the sound system may use a separate audio device selected to a different source from the TV's Decoder.
3. If MaxColor Series ARC is in use, identify the display supplying audio, its Broadcaster Decoder, and the Subscriber receiving that audio. Verify the selected Broadcast Channel using Audio Return Channel - Setup and Control.
4. Check the receiving equipment's input, zone routing, mute state, volume, and connections.
5. Review the incoming audio details in the extraction or output device's webUI. Confirm that the format is supported by the Just Add Power models and receiving equipment.
6. Compare a known-working audio source at the affected output, then test the affected source at another compatible output where available.

• One source has no audio at several outputs: Investigate that source's audio format, connection, and input settings. For ARC, include the display's audio-output settings and Broadcaster.
• Several sources have no audio at one output: Investigate the device providing that output, its audio selection, output settings, cable, and receiving equipment.
• The wrong audio plays: Check the source selected for the actual audio device, any independent audio Channel or ARC selection, downstream audio routing, and control system assignments.

Test an Analog Audio Output

If the affected sound system connects to a Just Add Power analog output, follow How to Perform a Headphone Audio Test. Test the Encoder, Decoder, or ST1 output feeding that equipment. The procedure helps distinguish an audio extraction or selection problem from a problem in the installed analog cable or downstream equipment, and explains silent audio, wrong-source audio, missing channels, distortion, dropouts, and helicopter-like noise.

If audio and video fail together, follow No Video, No Picture, or Black Screen. For intermittent audio, continue to Video or Audio Drops Out or Freezes.

Device Not Found in AMP

1. Check the installed AMP version against the device's hardware, firmware, and operating mode. Review the AMP requirements and Known Issues.
2. Confirm that the device completes startup and has an active Ethernet link.
3. Check its switch-port connection against the system documentation.
4. Confirm the service PC's wired connection and the network adapter selected in AMP.
5. Execute Gather Details through the service workflow for the system's Standardized or Alternate Configuration.

The Gather Details video demonstrates the Standardized workflow. For Alternate Configuration, use its applicable service options.

• One device is missing: Compare its cable, port, power, and documented settings with a working device.
• Devices on one switch are missing: Check that switch and the shared path to it.
• No devices are found: Verify the PC connection, selected adapter, and AMP workflow before investigating individual devices.

Repeat discovery after correcting an identified problem. An unsuccessful scan alone does not establish a device failure.

Cannot Access a Device

1. Confirm the current device IP address from Gather Details or current system documentation. If needed, follow How to Locate a Device IP Address.
2. Record the PC or control processor IP address and where it connects to the network.
3. Follow the instructions for the required interface: Access a Device or Open the webUI.
4. Test another known-working device from the same location.
5. If access crosses subnets, check routing and access restrictions. Use Static Route Options to verify access to the Just Add Power Device Network.

• Only one device is inaccessible: Investigate its address, link, and device settings.
• All devices are inaccessible from one location: Investigate that location's network path and routing.
• The service PC connects, but the control processor does not: Compare their network paths, target addresses, and access permissions.

Working video does not confirm that the PC or control processor can reach a device's management address. Record whether access fails through one interface or every tested method.

Sources Do Not Switch

1. Determine whether the selection remains unchanged, the wrong source appears, or the intended source produces no picture. Use Encoder and Decoder Image Pull previews to compare the actual video with the intended selection.
2. Check whether the problem affects one Decoder, several Decoders, or every Decoder.
3. Compare the control system's source and display assignments with the installed Encoder and Decoder assignments.
4. Confirm the switching target address and the control processor's access to it.
5. For AMP Standardized Configuration, follow How to Switch Sources using AMP to compare AMP switching with control system switching.

• AMP switches correctly, but the control system does not: Investigate the control driver, target address, routing, and assignments using the Control System Integration resources.
• The wrong source or display responds: Compare the control programming with the documented device assignments.
• Only some Decoders respond: Compare the affected Decoders' assignments, discovery results, and shared network path with working Decoders.
• The intended selection produces no picture: Continue with video troubleshooting.
• AMP switching also fails: Check discovery results, exact errors, and AMP Known Issues.

For AMP Alternate Configuration, use the applicable Multicast Switching Protocol instructions for the system's Unified or Flexible Mode. The AMP Standardized switching test does not apply to Alternate Configuration.

Video or Audio Drops Out or Freezes

Observe the system during a failure. Record whether the picture freezes, goes blank, or changes to a diagnostic screen; whether audio continues; and whether other displays fail at the same time.

For intermittent video, compare Encoder and Decoder previews while reproducing the failure. MaxColor Series MJPEG provides a motion preview that may help capture changes missed between snapshots. Record whether the symptom appears in the Encoder preview, Decoder preview, display, or more than one location.

1. Check whether the affected device repeats its startup LED sequence. If it does, investigate its power source and follow startup and LED troubleshooting.
2. Check endpoint link status and negotiated speed in AMP and the switch. For a 10 or 100 Mbps connection, follow Encoder or Decoder Connected at 10/100 Mbps.
3. If a cable run is suspected, connect the device directly to its assigned switch port using a known-working short patch cable. This bypasses the installed run, terminations, and intermediate connections. See Ethernet Cable Requirements.
4. For failures between switches, check inter-switch links separately, including link stability, negotiated speed, and port errors.
5. Record whether failures coincide with source changes or additional streams crossing the same inter-switch connection. Use Plan Network Bandwidth to compare traffic with available capacity.
6. If the symptom remains at one source or display, test the HDMI cable at that end using the HDMI cable requirements.

A healthy endpoint link does not verify inter-switch capacity. Check Multi-Switch Considerations for AMP Standardized Systems where applicable. For Alternate Configuration, have the network administrator review the multicast configuration along the affected path.

Further Isolation Tests

Use these tests when the applicable symptom checks have not identified the cause. Change one item at a time and record the result.

Compare Encoder and Decoder Image Pull

For missing, distorted, or incorrect video, follow How to Use Image Pull to compare current Encoder and Decoder previews. Verify that the previews refresh before interpreting them.

• The Encoder preview shows the problem: Begin with the source, its HDMI connection, and Encoder input.
• The Encoder preview is correct but the Decoder preview is not: Check video selection, network delivery, and Decoder processing, subject to the MaxColor requirement below.
• An Omega Series or Ultra Series Decoder preview is correct but the display is not: Investigate the Decoder's HDMI output, cable, and display.

For motion preview on MaxColor Series devices, use Image Pull via MJPEG Network Video Stream. This stream has no audio. A clean preview during a brief test does not rule out an intermittent fault.

Restart the Affected Device When Appropriate

Record available device status and Image Pull previews before restarting. Complete the applicable headphone test when troubleshooting an analog output. If the device has not already been restarted during a linked procedure, consider a targeted restart before device swaps or point-to-point testing.

1. Record the current diagnostic message, LED behavior, and available Gather Details information.
2. Confirm that no firmware update or AMP operation is active.
3. Identify every display and audio zone that depends on the device, including any ARC Subscribers, then power cycle only the device being tested.
4. Allow startup to complete and repeat the original test.
5. Record whether operation returns and whether the problem recurs.

A restart that restores service does not establish the underlying cause. If the problem returns, retain the before-and-after observations for Technical Support.

Choose an Isolation Test

Choose the test that addresses the remaining uncertainty. Do not repeat a completed test unless the conditions have changed or its result was unclear.

Test	What the result helps establish
Known-working source or HDMI cable	Whether the symptom changes when one part of the HDMI path is replaced.
Short network patch cable to the assigned switch port	Whether bypassing the installed cable run restores a stable link and operation.
Image Pull	Where missing, distorted, or incorrect video first appears when comparing Encoder and Decoder previews. Follow the series-specific instructions, particularly the MaxColor Decoder HDMI-connection requirements.
Headphone Audio Test	Whether the intended audio and reported symptom are present directly at a supported analog output, with the installed analog cable and downstream equipment disconnected.
Device Swap Test	Whether the symptom follows the device or remains at its original location.
Point-to-Point Test	Whether the Encoder and Decoder operate together outside the installed switch network.

Follow the complete linked procedures, including power requirements and configuration-specific preparation. For Alternate Configuration point-to-point testing, follow the procedure to match the Decoder's video and audio Channels to the test Encoder and restore changed assignments afterward.

Interpret the Test Results

• The problem follows the device: Compare its settings, firmware, and compatibility with the test equipment before concluding that the hardware has failed.
• The problem stays at the location: Continue checking the installed cable run, terminations, switch port, HDMI connection, and attached equipment at that location.
• The point-to-point test works: Return to the original network path and configuration. The test does not verify the installed switch configuration, cabling, or inter-switch bandwidth.
• The point-to-point test also fails: Confirm the test preparation, power, compatible models and firmware, and required Channel assignments. Continue checking the source and HDMI paths; the result alone does not identify a failed Encoder or Decoder.
• The problem disappears during testing: Restore the original arrangement and repeat the action that caused the failure. Record what was disconnected, moved, or restarted before declaring the issue resolved.

Verify the Repair

1. Restore connections and settings temporarily changed for testing.
2. Repeat the original action that produced the problem, including the affected content when relevant.
3. Verify video, audio, and source switching at the affected displays and audio zones, including ARC operation where used.
4. If a shared connection was repaired, test the devices and paths that depend on it.
5. For an intermittent problem, retest under the conditions that previously caused it. Record the observation period and any recurrence.
6. Repeat relevant discovery and link-speed checks, then document the cause and correction. If the cause remains unconfirmed, record that explicitly.

Contact Technical Support

If the cause remains unclear or a test cannot be completed, submit a Support Ticket or call 1-800-615-0206. Technical Support is available Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

Provide what is available and identify anything that could not be confirmed:

• The symptom, affected sources and displays, and what still works.
• Whether the system previously worked, when the problem began, and any recent changes.
• Device and switch models, firmware, IP addresses, and connected ports.
• The configuration method, AMP version, and relevant project or report files.
• Exact errors, diagnostic messages, LED behavior, and link speeds.
• Tests performed, the result of each test, and any settings changed during troubleshooting.
• Relevant photos or a short video showing an intermittent failure.

For additional procedures, browse Troubleshooting & Recovery.