Second, Very Faint Image!?

egal · 22-01-2006 8:28pm #1

A friend of mine recently bought himself a nice new Sony 42” plasma widescreen television but he has a problem: when he is watching a programme on satellite through the scart connector there is a second, very faint image, which appears to be leaking through from the terrestrial channel that was being watched just before switching to satellite viewing. Any ideas about the cause, and a possible cure, would be much appreciated. Thanks. Oh, and by the way, he did say that he had to use a fairly long scart lead.

Tenshot · 22-01-2006 8:43pm

egal wrote:

A friend of mine recently bought himself a nice new Sony 42” plasma widescreen television but he has a problem: when he is watching a programme on satellite through the scart connector there is a second, very faint image, which appears to be leaking through from the terrestrial channel that was being watched just before switching to satellite viewing. Any ideas about the cause, and a possible cure, would be much appreciated. Thanks. Oh, and by the way, he did say that he had to use a fairly long scart lead.

This is usually caused by a poorly shielded SCART cable.

The plasma TV has a built-in tuner, and will output the current video signal from that tuner down the SCART lead so that any attached video/DVD recorder can record direct from TV if it wants to. If the SCART cable isn't good quality, then this video signal can interfere with the adjacent incoming video signal, leading to the ghosting you described.

The easy solution is to get a better quality SCART lead, preferably one with all video signals individually shielded. Alternatively, you could open the existing cable and remove the "video out" pin from the plug at the end that connects to the TV - it's pin #19. If it's disconnected, there won't be any interference. (If you do this, make sure you label the TV end since the lead will no longer work properly if you swap the ends around.)

Some TVs may also let you choose what signal is output via the TV's SCART socket - if this is set to an unused SCART input (e.g. front A/V inputs) then that should also fix it.

Valentia · 22-01-2006 10:12pm

Thanks Tenshot

That is something that has bugged me for years. Didn't know there was a cure.

chump · 23-01-2006 9:59am

I have this problem slightly in my house too. I was pretty sure it was the 5euro scart cable tho! Is it possible to get a good quality one for a good price on the net?

watty · 23-01-2006 10:07am

I get sound breakthrough so I cut the sound out wires off. The TV out to AV out menu setting fixes it too.

3rdDegree · 23-01-2006 1:48pm

I had this problem for a long time and since I've switched to "gold plated" SCARTs, the problem has dissapeared.

Zaphod · 23-01-2006 1:56pm

http://www.satcure.co.uk/tech/scarts2.htm

Dr. Nick · 23-01-2006 4:25pm

Thanks tenshot, had the same problem on a second tv and didn't think there was a solution. Ripped the 19 pin out at lunchtime and hey-presto - no ghosts!

I still, however have a slight shadow caused by the digisender on the 'host' tv. anyone got a solution for this?

watty · 23-01-2006 4:31pm

The goldpalting does not help. It just happens to be a cable with individually screened video signals instead of 18 .. 20 wires a bunch with a single screen. IF the socket is not Gold and there is ANY damp at all, the socket will be attacked by the Gold. Then you get a bad connection and the socket can only be replaced.

Never use dissimilar metals. Gold ONLY to Gold.

egal · 23-01-2006 11:28pm

Tenshot wrote:

This is usually caused by a poorly shielded SCART cable.

The plasma TV has a built-in tuner, and will output the current video signal from that tuner down the SCART lead so that any attached video/DVD recorder can record direct from TV if it wants to. If the SCART cable isn't good quality, then this video signal can interfere with the adjacent incoming video signal, leading to the ghosting you described.

The easy solution is to get a better quality SCART lead, preferably one with all video signals individually shielded. Alternatively, you could open the existing cable and remove the "video out" pin from the plug at the end that connects to the TV - it's pin #19. If it's disconnected, there won't be any interference. (If you do this, make sure you label the TV end since the lead will no longer work properly if you swap the ends around.)

Some TVs may also let you choose what signal is output via the TV's SCART socket - if this is set to an unused SCART input (e.g. front A/V inputs) then that should also fix it.

Many thanks, Tenshot. I will print out your reply and pass it on to my friend.

jonnygee · 24-01-2006 12:48am

If you switch to digibox while watching a terrestial channel then you are overlaying the digibox signal on top of the terrestial channel which can bleed through if the terrestial signal is strong. I see this problem with my own television. If I switch to channel 0/av before switching on digibox then the problem does not occour as there is no terrestial signal tuned in on channel 0.

Tenshot · 24-01-2006 1:03am

Dr. Nick wrote:

I still, however have a slight shadow caused by the digisender on the 'host' tv. anyone got a solution for this?

Can you elaborate on this? Which TV is the ghost showing up on, which A/V input, and is the ghosted image the same one being sent to the Digisender?

Dr. Nick · 24-01-2006 5:51pm

Tenshot wrote:

Can you elaborate on this? Which TV is the ghost showing up on, which A/V input, and is the ghosted image the same one being sent to the Digisender?

More like a shadow, it appears on the tv which the sending digibox is connected. Most noticable on the likes of SSNews where there's lots of text.

Sender scart appliance has two ends, it goes between digibox and scart that leads to tv. If I remove the digisender scart, problem disappears.

watty · 24-01-2006 6:31pm

What make of videosender?
(BTW none of them, are Digital, the Digisender brand are no better than som at 60 Euro).

Get a different brand out of Argos or Maplin, or feed it from a different set of connections via adaptor cable, it's only composite, so even the yellow, red and white RCA on TV or VHS loop out will feed it.

Dr. Nick · 25-01-2006 9:22am

watty wrote:

What make of videosender?
(BTW none of them, are Digital, the Digisender brand are no better than som at 60 Euro).

Get a different brand out of Argos or Maplin, or feed it from a different set of connections via adaptor cable, it's only composite, so even the yellow, red and white RCA on TV or VHS loop out will feed it.

Thanks. It's a Welltech I got in Lidl a couple of years ago. But the scart connection is the only option I have from the digibox is it not?

watty · 25-01-2006 11:45am

For Video, yes. You could try the Sky VCR out though. Some TVs also can route an AV in to the out pins on a second AV in SCART. Then you can use that.

I use a Lidl sender with my FTA box, but it has a separate composite video as well as two SCARTs.

Or make sure Digibox and TV RGB mode is on, then it won't affect it.

Some TVs have multiple AV in but only one is RGB compatible.

Coloured detail and edges are MUCH better in RGB.

Dr. Nick · 25-01-2006 9:00pm

Thanks Watty, I switched to RGB and the shadows diappeared.

I've always had my tv on PAL since I got sky, thought RGB was a bit wishy-washy/foggy, but having twidled with the colour/brightness settings, we'll see how it goes!

Dr. Nick · 26-01-2006 4:52pm

Dr. Nick wrote:

Thanks Watty, I switched to RGB and the shadows diappeared.

I've always had my tv on PAL since I got sky, thought RGB was a bit wishy-washy/foggy, but having twidled with the colour/brightness settings, we'll see how it goes!

Nahh....RGB and my Sony 28'' don't mix. Picture not as strong as PAL, I'll live with the shadows.

Second, Very Faint Image!?

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