Scart problems

[tobym]

Hi there,

I am wondering if anyone can help me, or at least explain what is
happening, with my adventures with Scart?! I have a Panasonic TX-28DT4
TV into which I have had happily plugged a DVD player and video (into
Scarts 1 and 2 of the TV). I have just bought a Hauppauge Media MVP,
which connects with my MP3 and video collection on my PC to my TV via
ethernet. It also requires a scart connection to the TV, so I bought a
3 way Scart connector.

If I plug the MVP to the TV via Scart 1 it works perfectly, However,
if I connect both the MVP and my DVD, using the 3 way thing, the DVD
seems to work ok but the picture produced by the MVP is a lot darker
than it should be. If I just put it through the 3 way on it's own, the
picture is fine again, so plugging in the DVD seems to cause the
problem. If I connect the MVP, either on its own or in combination
with the video, to Scart 2 the picture is really bad.

Can anyone make a guess at what is happening here? The 3 way
connector was really cheap, could it be part of the problem? And why
can I not get any sort of decent picture from the MVP via Scart 2?

Hoping that someone can shed some light on this, it's driving me
nuts?! Thanks in advance,

Toby Mathews

[Alex]

Don't really know what's going on tbh, I would've guessed it was something to do with the SCART 3 way thing being serial, but if your media MVP doesn't work on its own into SCART 2 then I don't think that can really be the problem...

What happens if you put the DVD and video into the 3-way SCART thing, and put that into SCART 2, and put the media MVP into SCART 1? Doesn't the video have a SCART-in on the back?

[Flibb]

Sounds like the scart switch is getting confused. In a cheap one I had only the unit I wanted to watch could be turned on. Anything that had a standby mode where a signal was output caused problems. I have now moved to a manual unit with extra connectors, it is much better.

[tobym]

Thanks for the replies - I'll try the dvd and video into one. Flibb, what do you mean by "a manual unit with extra connectors"? Do you have a link to one?

Thanks,

Toby

[Flibb]

Some switch boxes auto switch to the last item that was turned on, others switch the input via mechanical switches.

This looks like a good one

SWITCH

somebody working for that shop posts here.

or maybe this

cheap ebay jobby

[tobym]

Excellent! Thanks very much for that, much appreciated.

[Flibb]

Legin76 is the hexus member who has links with http://www.audiovisualonline.co.uk
might be worth asking his advice.

[tobym]

Ta very much, will do.

Toby

[Legin76]

Toby

It sounds like your two devices are interfereing with each other. If you turn off the DVD?

[tobym]

Legin,

If I turn off the dvd it makes no difference the MVP output is still dark. However, if I disconnect the DVD's scart then the picture from the MVP is fine. Maybe a manual switch would resolve my problem, as suggested by Flibb? I guess there must be something happening in my cheap switch between the signals from the two devices, and perhaps a manual switch would effectively isolate these?

Toby

[Legin76]

Have you tried leaving the DVD plugged in and then disconnecting its power, this will tell you if its anything coming from the DVD in standby mode which is interfering with the other signal. Our mechanical switch boxes Isolate one signal at the press of a button so should sort the problem for you.

[tobym]

Yes, and even that doesn't help - I have to actually unplug the DVD from the 3 way scart adaptor.

Which of your switches would you recommend? Also, can you recommend some decent quality scart cables. I get some ghosting when watching dvd's and I read (and you can probably tell me if this is likely to be correct) that that can happen with cheap, poorly shielded cables.

Thanks for all your help so far,

Toby

[Rave]

The problem with the picture looking poor into scart-2 might be because that scart socket is wired for S-Video. On my (29" Sony) TV AV1 is the RGB or composite scart, and AV2 is the S-Video or composite scart. If you feed a composite signal into a scart socket that's expecting S-Video you get a nasty looking picture with very poor, flickering colour.

The dark picture problem I would guess is due to the DVD player attenuating some of the signal somehow. A fully switched scart adaptor should cure the problem.

Thanks for the links to the switches Flibb. I'll grab one when I can afford it- I might get two in fact, since I want to put my DVD player, MVP, Freeview box, Saturn and Dreamcast into AV1 using RGB, and my SVHS vid and Laserdisc player into AV2. I'll need a switch for the sound as well mind....

Rich :¬)

[tobym]

Ah yes, Rave your idea about scart 2 sounds entirely plausible, or at least like something I remember reading in the tv manual...I shall have to check it out - I certainly know they at least recommended, if not insisted, that the video should go in that socket.

[Legin76]

The bandridge 3 way that Flibb recommended is excellent.

[Legin76]

As long as you don't go for the 5 way (that one is not switchable) the 3 way and 2 way will do a good job for you. The info about ghosting is absolutely correct, poor scart cables will soak up interference and leave you with a sub-standard picture. I always suggest using a good quality scart for your DVD if you have no component connections. The profigold PGV78 series are very good cables and excellent value for money, if your budget allows try going for a Oxypure PGV7000 or even better the PGV7500 which is RGB only. Of if they are too expensive the bulk pack ones are very good.