I was recently asked to help with some A/V stuff at my church. The goal was simple: Display HDMI video from a laptop to two LCD TVs. Since distance was an issue, I purchased an active HDMI-to-Ethernet converter.
I've included a PDF diagram for reference: http://bit.ly/1L0JeHh
When I went to plug the 3' HDMI cable from the splitter to the first LCD TV, a huge electrical arc occurred when I barely touched the HDMI cable to the back metal plate of the TV. This fried the LCD TV and the HDMI-to-Ethernet converter.
I suspect grounding issues, but I don't know enough about HDMI to know if that could be the problem. How would I determine if grounding is a culprit here?
Best Answer
Sounds like you may have a hot/ground swap somewhere. This is very dangerous and could kill somebody if you don't get it figured out. I would start by checking with a good insulated multimeter to see if we're talking about line-level AC as a first step. I would also recommend getting one of those outlet grounding testers and check all of the outlets that are involved. I would also check the ethernet cable runs to make sure that there isn't any damaged insulation or contact with any high voltage wiring.