The Denon AVR-S960H is affected by the 4K/120Hz issue
Ty Pendlebury/CNET
Owners of new 2020 and 2021 8K-compatible Marantz and Denon receivers are able to request a free hardware dongle, starting today, that’s designed to fix problems with 4K/120Hz video playback. Some Yamaha models are also affected, but there’s no fix as of yet.
The SPK618 HDMI adapter is designed to remedy compatibility problems between 8K A/V receivers and PS5, Xbox Series gaming consoles and graphics cards. The companies affected also suggest users can connect the gaming console directly to the TV and then use HDMI eARC to feed the receiver.
The SPK618 HDMI adapter is designed to fix 4K/120Hz compatibility issues
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Most 4K TVs and receivers are able to handle signals at 60Hz but the latest sources can offer 120Hz for smoother motion. However, gamers would encounter a black screen when connecting these sources to a TV via these receivers at 4K/120Hz.
According to one report, the problem is a result of a Panasonic-sourced chipset used for the 8K video sections in affected receiver models.
Meanwhile, representatives for Yamaha, whose models are also afflicted by the bug, say the company plans to announce the fix sometime this month. It’s unknown if Yamaha is looking to release a similar hardware solution, but it’s likely if this is a chipset problem.
Denon users can sign up for the adapter here and Marantz owners here.
Affected 8K-compatible receivers
| Brand | Model numbers |
|---|---|
| Denon | AVR-A110, AVR-X4700H, AVR-X3700H, AVR-X2700H, AVR-S960H |
| Marantz | SR8015, SR7015, SR6015, SR5015, NR1711 |
| Yamaha | RX-V4A, RX-V6A, RX-A2A, TSR-70 |