E-M1 III & E-M1X HDMI & USB-C PD problem workaround
HDMI does not work when using USB-C power delivery on the E-M1 III and Olympus OM-D E-M1X. In order to use HDMI with continuous external power there are three workaround solutions to overcome the HDMI problem and solve the issue of having uninterrupted power. The HDMI problems and USB-C PD powering problems on the E-M1 III are also applicable to the E-M1 II and the E-M1X.
*Problems*:
• HDMI does not work when USB-C port is being used
• Video recording is interrupted if USB-C is inserted
• Battery needs at least 10% charge to use USB-C PD for running the camera
*Workaround Solution Options*:
1. Use the Olympus HLD-9 battery grip and hot-swap batteries. This means batteries must be continuously charged and replaced so it is not a convenient and practical solution.
Requirements:
• Olympus HLD-9 power battery holder grip
• Olympus BLH-1 battery (at least one more battery for the grip to be able to hot-swap while the camera runs)
2. Use the Olympus HLD-9 power grip together with the Olympus AC-5 adapter to power the camera. This is a good and practical solution however it requires access to a power outlet (wall socket) in order to use the AC adapter.
Requirements:
• Olympus HLD-9 power battery holder grip
• Olympus AC-5 adapter (or equivalent adapter that can provide 9V-5A with 5.5/2.5mm barrel connector).
• Access to a mains power outlet socket (240V or 110V) for the AC-DC adapter
3. Use a trigger cable together with the Olympus HLD-9 grip. This is the best workaround solution because it does not require access to a power outlet and it also does not require changing batteries regularly.
Requirements:
• Olympus HLD-9 power battery holder grip
• Trigger cable for USB-C PD to 9V-3A DC power (5.5mm / 2.5mm barrel connector)
• Power bank that can provide at least 9V 3A USB-C PD
Trigger cable (USB-C Type-C 9V trigger cable)
The USB-C PD 9 volt trigger cable to 5.5mm x 2.5mm barrel connector can power all electronic devices with USB-C chargers and power banks, however not all USB-C power supplies can support all voltages. If the power supply does not support the requested voltage then the next lowest voltage will be provided. The cable just performs the PD negotiation and passes the output by performing PD or QC power negotiation.
• Connector: 5.5 x 2.5 mm barrel connector, center positive
• Supports PD 2.0 / 3.0, QC 4.0
• Contains an e-mark chip that enables 5A support
• Connector gender Male-to-Male
• Voltage 9 Volts
• Plug type Type C
The trigger cable has a chip inside it in the plug USB portion which will communicate with the powerbank and instruct it to deliver the voltage (9 volts). The communication protocol used is USB PD (power delivery) or QC (quick charge) for the USB-C cable. USB-A only supports QC only. The powerbank may or may not be able to supply the required combination, so that's why it might not work with all combination of cables / power banks or USB chargers/adapters. If the power source can not provide 9V, then the power source may fall back to deliver the standard 5V to the DC plug which would not work for this camera but typically would not harm the device either as the camera will most likely fall back to using the in-camera batteries (BLH-1 on the E-M1X and E-M1 Mark III). To be safe the best option is to check the power source voltage and current to ensure that it can provide 9V with at least 3A current for the Olympus OM-D cameras. Also, it is worth checking its output from the trigger cable using a voltmeter. This ensures that the power source and the trigger cable combination are both working as expected and provide the correct output voltage and required current.
According to Olympus / OM System documentation:
HDMI output is not performed while connected to a computer via USB or to a smartphone via Wi-Fi.
· HDR shooting, multiple exposure shooting, live ND shooting and BKT (bracketing) shooting including focus bracketing are not available during HDMI connection with a TV.
When 4K or C4K is selected, video output in shooting mode is 1080p.
· If [On] is selected for [HDMI Control], the camera monitor turns off when an HDMI cable is connected.
If Record Mode is selected for the Output Mode in HDMI Output, the signal will be output at the current movie frame size. The images are not displayed if the TV does not support the selected frame size.
The HDMI problem and the video recording interruption problem has been fixed on the OM-1. However the requirement for 10% battery charge in order to use USB-C PD still remains a problem on the OM-1 and OM-1 Mark II.
🎥 Video Chapters 🎬
00:00 HDMI problem
00:19 Video Recording problem
00:33 Solution for powering problem on E-M1 III / E-M1X
01:38 Portable solution for powering E-M1 III
02:09 Trigger Cable USB-C PD 9 volt to barrel connector
03:17 Trigger Cable with E-M1 Mark III
04:36 Olympus AC-5 vs Trigger Cable USB-C Adapter
👉 See more E-M1X and E-M1 III videos on:
• Olympus OM-D E-M1X and E-M1 III
