Pi is on and running, but total black screen

SpudsMcToole

Raspberry Pi model 3, Retropie 4.1.

I was watching a movie, and when it ended the (PS3) joypad had switched off and I couldn't get it, or the second pad, to connect with the Pi (all four red lights just flashed endlessly), so I had no option but to pull the plug on the Pi to reset it.

When I plugged it back in the pad connected fine, and all the lights on the Pi came on, but there was absolutely no signal to the screen.

I checked the HDMI port on the TV, no problems there, other devices display fine. I tried a different HDMI lead with the Pi, made no difference. Haven't had any problems whatsoever with the display before.

I can still hook up to the Pi through WinSCP - all the data is there, I can read and write to it in both directions. It thinks it's working fine. But I cannot for the life of me make it send a signal to the TV. Is there any sort of special reset I can do that might sort things out?

TMNTturtlguy

@SpudsMcToole first, have you tried a different tv or monitor?

If you can't get signal to another screen, look at Setting in /boot/config.txt

Try to change the following if it isn't already set to this.

hdmi_drive=2

pjft

What does

tvservice -s

Report when you run it via SSH? Does that match a mode your TV supports?

SpudsMcToole

@pjft My TV supports it fine, it's been running it for months.

pjft

@SpudsMcToole that was not the question :)

The output of that command will tell you what mode the Pi is sending the signal as. What does it report?

SpudsMcToole

@pjft It says:

state 0x40002 [NTSC 4:3], 720x480 @ 60.00Hz, interlaced

SpudsMcToole

@TMNTturtlguy It won't let me edit or delete config.txt.

pjft

@SpudsMcToole thanks.

For you to edit config.txt you'll need to use

sudo nano /boot/config.txt

Does that mode sound right, though? Are you using a 4:3 TV, with that resolution?

Have you googled that state? I'm on my phone but that's what I'd do - that might give you a hint of what it's trying to output, and why your TV doesn't accept it.

You may need to force a specific resolution/display mode in config.txt.

CodeDrawer

I have that problem too. What I do to fix it, is let the TV boot up until it reaches the no signal screen (without the pi on) then I plug the pi in and it works! :) Hope this helped.

pjft

If what others are suggesting doesn't work, I seem to have found a few mentions of that state on Google, which is weird.

https://raspberrypi.stackexchange.com/questions/43372/signal-from-pi-not-recognized-by-dp-monitor

http://openelec.tv/forum/124-raspberry-pi/71553-rpi-openelec-4-0-3-and-4-0-4-hdmi-config

Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a clear resolution to it - no pun intended. Let us know what you find.

CodeDrawer

What screen do you use? I use a 22 inch RCA TV... I think..

SpudsMcToole

@pjft That gives me:

/boot$ sudo nano /boot/config.txt
Error opening terminal: unknown.

pjft

@SpudsMcToole huh. That's weird. You can also plug the SD card in your computer and edit the file, then. It's probably best.

AlexMurphy

@SpudsMcToole If you are already in /bootdirectory (which it appears you are from the command prompt) do not put in in again. Just type sudo nano config.txt

SpudsMcToole

@AlexMurphy Same result, with or without the slash.

/boot$ sudo nano config.txt
Error opening terminal: unknown.
/boot$ sudo nano /config.txt
Error opening terminal: unknown.

SpudsMcToole

@pjft said in Pi is on and running, but total black screen:

http://openelec.tv/forum/124-raspberry-pi/71553-rpi-openelec-4-0-3-and-4-0-4-hdmi-config

Tried the new firmware, no difference.

SpudsMcToole

I've now managed to hook the Pi up to a different TV. Worked absolutely fine, so it's not the box itself that's buggered.

SpudsMcToole

Huh. After connecting the Pi to the second TV, I put it back on the original one, having changed absolutely nothing. Worked perfectly. So if you find yourself having this problem, maybe give that a shot.

pjft

@SpudsMcToole Thanks for sharing and closing this one off!