Help me sort out my sitting room setup

[jcoquillon]

Well this is a challenge with multiple objectives to accomplish

Firstly I have a half decent TV with only one scart input on it, so I need a scart switching box with 4 inputs (possibly 2). Preferably with a remote to select the source or possibly autosensing. It is for the VCR, DVD, PS2 and Freeview Box. Before anyone even considers mentioning using composite or S-VHS the tv doesn't have and I'm happy with scart.

Can i get away with a dvd player with a scart loopthrough type thing and a freeview box that is the same and a 2 way scart switching box linking both to the TV? What would you recomend?

Secondly I'm after a cheap DVD player with 5.1 speakers, not too fussed about the quality and features. Just needs to be under £100 if possible, as mentioned the ability to run another scart device through it would be useful.

Thirdly a Freeview box, £50-£100 again 2 scarts on it if possible

Finally a VCR that has a scart input so I record from the freeview box and a PC source, again price is an issue so the cheaper the better

So to sum up this is what I want
1) Scart switching box
2) DVD player bundle
3) Freeview Box
4) VCR (with scart input)

If you have any suggestions on other alternatives feel free, I'd like to be able to purchase it all online or if not in Richersounds and maplins etc.

[Knoxville]

As you going for cheapness would a vcr dvd player comdi unti be out of the question? Would make things quite a it easier imo

[acidrainy]

My setup when I had this problem was.....

• Samsung DVD player (1 Scart)
• Matsui Video Player (2 Scarts)
• Grundig Free-view Box (2 Scarts)
• Dodgy TV (1 Scart)

To start a top down description from the TV:-[list=1][*]Directly connected to the TV was the Freeview Box[*]The other scart from the Free-view box was connected to the Video[*]The DVD player was connected to the Video[/list=1]

This approach avoided any junction box. Additionally - quite luckily - everything worked by auto sensing .
Now you just have to find devices in your price range that fir this description

[elneckio]

Does this trick work if say you want to watch dvd but record from from the free view onto the vcr at the same time ?

[Howard]

You're not gonna be able to connect the DVD player to the SCART of the Video or Freeview then to the telly from either, because of macrovision. Just thought I'd make you aware of that.

Your best bet is to get a basic 4 socket switch box from argos. It'll mean getting up to switch from one source to another, but that's no big deal surely

[acidrainy]

Originally posted by Howard
You're not gonna be able to connect the DVD player to the SCART of the Video or Freeview then to the telly from either, because of macrovision. Just thought I'd make you aware of that.

Works for me fine, there is even a bit labelled on my free-view box to do it....

[Enverex]

Macrovision only kicks in when you try and record. I have done/seen it before (no idea how it knows you are recording).

[5lab]

not true - it often kicks in when you run it thru a vcr of any sort - this depends on the video - some have scart thru that works by outputting exactly what is inputted, which eliminates the macrovision problem. some however read the input in, decode it, then re-output it again (often to do things like a text overlay) - these are the ones that have problems with macrovision when simply using as a bypass.

a scart switcher might be a nicer solution thou - get a decent quality electrically switched one (see maplin)

[Knoxville]

macrovision is just a small piece of encoding picked up by modern vcr encoders/decoders when you try and record the signal, old vcr's however don't ever pick it up, much like the code inserted by sky digital to try and stop you recording pay per view events.

[5lab]

not quite knox - the encoding is in the signal, basically tvs dont pick this up because of the way they look at the picture, however videos do pick this up because they are trying to look at the signal with a mind to record, even if they arnt recording. its a bit like modern cd protection - the signal is sent out delibratly faulty however only cirtain types of devices (vcrs for macrovision and pc cd drives for cds) pick the faults up, whereas others (normal tellys/cd players) are fine. did i explain that ok?

[Jiff Lemon]

This may help you out....

Trilogy 2

[Howard]

It's to do with the fact VCRs check the voltage constancy of signals coming into them, and trys to correct them automatically. Macrovision encoded signals contain very bright "white" bits in part of the signal which have massive peaks in them to confuse the correction circuit. Thus the resulting "corrected" picture is screwed up.

[jcoquillon]

http://www.play.com/play247.asp?page...e=1&add=142733

This any good?

[Jiff Lemon]

Bad link - but I'm thinking you mean this

"JOYTECH’s versatile JS965 AV Control Center allows you to connect multiple pieces of Home Entertainment equipment to one TV. Up to 4 pieces of AV equipment can be connected without having to disconnect and re-connect every time."

Looks like it could do the job. But don't JOYTECH make the kiddies toys?