What connections are used from set top box to TV (such as SCART) ?
Brian Butterworth published on UK Free TV You can use the following ways to connect a set-top box to a TV:
1. SCART on STB to SCART on TV. This provides the best possible connection, with stereo sound and "RGB" highest quality connection;
2. SCART on STB to composite on TV. Older TVs without SCART connections usually have "composite" inputs, usually three "phono" sockets (often red, white and yellow). This offers stereo sound and good picture quality. You will need a special cable from a high-street retailer.
3. UHF ("aerial lead") box to TV. This requires that the STB you choose (all Sky, MOST Freeview) has a UHF output. You will need to "tune" the TV into the box, and you will get OK pictures and only mono sound.
If you are stuck with mono or poor quality sound on the TV, you can still use the SCART output (and the same cable as 2) to a separate amplifier to listen in stereo.
All questions
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Friday, 13 January 2012
J
jb384:29 PM
viv jones: Well you could do, as many of the more commonly used scart leads (even some thicker types) do not have individual screening of the cables as they are all bunched together with one screen around the lot, the use of these types an open invitation to potential visual problems, but to be perfectly honest it cannot guaranteed that a new cable will solve this issue, as the visual deficiency you mention might not be rectifiable, because image ringing and other visual defects can be frequently be noticed if an analogue picture is scrutinised, but its just that these defects are just not so visible when viewed on smaller screens.
If you felt inclined though, for a temporary test you could try a co-ax jumper link between the Sky boxes RF1 and the TV's aerial socket, then carry out an auto-tune on the TV to pick up the Sky boxes analogue signal, as the picture obtained could be used to see if the problem mentioned was still there or not, as the TV's (any) receiver filters and processes an RF input signal to a far higher level than one straight from the input of a scart socket, which in effect has none.
I had also meant to say on my previous posting that this slight ghosting referred to is not really connected to reception where digital signals are involved as its something confined to analogue signal reception, and caused by reflections of the main signal being picked up fractions of a second later from such things as hills / tall buildings or even trees with wet leaves etc.
Finally, what you are witnessing if not scart cable related has be generated from within the Sky box or the TV itself, or a combination of both, with the only easy way of verifying what being to feed the Sky boxes output into another large screen TV, as that would then soon reveal the source of the problem.
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Wednesday, 18 January 2012
S
Shaz2:57 PM
Hi,I have a 42inch LG TV with one scart port. I have two devices I would like to connect one is a Virgin media box and the other is a Security camera both of which have scart connections.
How can I connect the two devices to my TV? I've tried a splitter but it just merges the two pictures. Are there any other solutions?
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J
jb384:39 PM
Shaz: You obviously purchased the simpler type of splitter which only really works properly for doing as its called, that is splitting its single common input to feed (outwards) two devices at the one time, the type you require basically looks the same but has a selector button on it that enables switching between the common single lead and each of the two sockets, as that allows each device plugged into it to be independently selected.
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Wednesday, 1 February 2012
J
Jay12:36 PM
We have the following TV set-up:
1. Sony TV (analogue) - 3 scarts
2. Virgin box - 2 scarts
3. Panasonic VCR/DVD recorder (digital - 2 scarts
We wish to connect a single tuner Humax PVR-8000T into the sysgem so that we can watch Digital TV whilst recording another programme from Cable after the analogue swith-off in April. Obviously we can do this at the moment via the analogue signal.
Can anyone offer some non-technical advice.
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J
jb381:21 PM
Jay: Assuming by what you say that you are presently using the Sony TV to view analogue programmes and that you are wishing to continue recording programmes only from the Virgin box, then you simply connect a scart lead from the Humax box to the spare scart socket on the TV, taking its aerial lead out as its no longer required and transferring it over to the aerial socket Humax.
Apart from doing that everything else should be the same, although you will have to use the input selector menu on the Sony TV to switch its scart input to the socket number used by the Humax.
One point though that maybe you could clarify, when you say "digital" when referring to the DVD/VCR recorder are you meaning that it has a Freeview tuner? and it would be of assistance to have knowledge of your location (pref: post code) for purposes of assessing the signal level expected in your area.
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J
Jay3:24 PM
In answer to jb38 - We do have a good digital signal from our aerial as we have a tv + digibox in the kitchen using the same aerial which was checked out by aerial installers about a year ago. The DVD/VCR recorder does have a Freeview tuner.
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J
jb384:15 PM
Jay: I suspected that might be the case, my reason for enquiring basically concerning the method you are using to feed the aerial into the various devices, because looping in / out of one device to feed another can cause problems if a signal is not of the best strength and is hovering just above the reception threshold of the receiving device being used.
However, you have the choice of feeding the aerial directly into the Humax / looping through same and into the DVD/VCR, or of course vice-versa, but with the thing to remember being, that if any hitherto unseen glitches start to show up after having looped the aerial through any device then the only way to get over the problem is by purchasing a two way (or more) powered splitter, as this guarantees that each device receives the same signal.
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Tuesday, 14 February 2012
M
M Igglesden9:44 AM
I have a 6-yr old Sony TV with 3 SCARTs, Wharfedale digibox, Sony DVD player and now Humax PCR9300T.
What is best way to connect?
Do I need the Digibox when I have the Humax PVR?
Myke
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J
John Hall3:12 PM
Ive managed to screw up all the Scart connections downstairs (and upstairs).
Downstairs we have:
French TNT box (= Freeview) (2 x Scart) with aerial input
Humax Freesat (2 x Scart) with dish input
Onkyo surround sound system (2 x Scart)
Sharp VCR (2 x Scart)
DVD (2 x Scart)
Thomson TV (2 x Scart
At the moment the DVD and VCR are not connected, but a mate lent me a Tinker Taylor DVD and I want to play it back through the TV and the surround sound. I also want to be able to record on the VCR from Humax and TNT.
All I can find on internet is the diagram on Hookup Diagram Freeview TV DVD VCR in UK , but it doesnt allow for TNT and Freesat together: any suggestions?
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Wednesday, 15 February 2012
J
jolfc4:12 AM
i hope someone can help.
virgin media gave be a new set top box and my woes have started.
i have all ways had my equipment set as follows,
funai dvd/vcr combi recorder scart 1 connected to stb vcr.
stb tv scart connected to scart 1 on my tv.
i have no main aerial into my bed room.
i was able to be watching a cable channel, if i wanted to record i had to record the channel that was on. to do this i would turn the funai on and press record and all was well.
since virgin came when i now turn the funai on to record the channel i am watching i lose the sound????? yet if there is a pre recorded dvd playing the sound is still there.
virgin engineer came yesterday and checked my scarts were in correct place etc and was flummexed as to why the sound goes, he says it is the funai dvd/vcr,
please has anyone any help as i dont really want to buy a new dvd/vcr recorder.
also a friend mentioned rgb setting on my stb what does that mean?
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