SCART by Ethernet?

ironclaw

Hi Folks,

Is there anyway to stream from a SCART lead (on a Sky Plus Box) by Ethernet? The problem is I also need to be able to control the Sky Plus box by remote. I have a coaxial solution by the picture quality is sub par.

So:

SCART > Ethernet > SCART

Many Thanks,

ironclaw.

Liam Byrne

ironclaw wrote: »

I have a coaxial solution by the picture quality is sub par.

What's up with it ?

Is it bad cabling, or is there a chance that the RF out frequency is too close to something else ?

ironclaw

The picture quality is ok but I feel over SCART it would be as good as it could be.

The RF is set to a good channel and there is no interference as its cabled specifically for this purpose.

John mac

how far is it ?

what about a video sender scart to scart?

claytonie

You can get CAT5 baluns that will allow you to send Stereo sound and composite video over ethernet have used one of these before with very good results. Haven't seen one where you could plug the SCART lead straight in though, but a SCART to composit adapter from the Sky box would solve that.

Mike 1972

John mac wrote: »

how far is it ?

what about a video sender scart to scart?

Trouble with these is that they dont do full RGB video which is probably (?) what the OP is after.

ironclaw

Mike 1972 wrote: »

Trouble with these is that they dont do full RGB video which is probably (?) what the OP is after.

Yes. I need the best quality video I can from the Pace Sky Box, which is SCART.

John mac wrote: »

how far is it ?

what about a video sender scart to scart?

Distance isn't an issue but the Cat6 is there by the truck load, so I'd prefer to use it. It was put in with the view to use HDMI around the house etc.

John mac

Mike 1972 wrote: »

Trouble with these is that they dont do full RGB video which is probably (?) what the OP is after.

Well if he is using rf now so not v good, and mono sound.

ironclaw

John mac wrote: »

Well if he is using rf now so not v good, and mono sound.

It was grand on the old TV (CRT) but now its starting to show abit of strain (HD Plasma)

John mac

ironclaw wrote: »

It was grand on the old TV (CRT) but now its starting to show abit of strain (HD Plasma)

that would explain it .

ironclaw

Don't get me wrong, its watchable but I'd prefer to get the SCART resolution out of it. By the way, SCART and Optical over Cat5e or 6. Is that possible? I've just noticed the Optical out of the Sky+ Box.

ironclaw

Bingo:

http://www.muxlab.com/products/ve_avd_scart_peritel_balun.html

http://www.cyberselect.co.uk/product/796

Would they do the trick? Pity I can't plug the optical down the same cable with them. Oh well! :pac:

dahak

I think you might be getting too caught up on the physical interface and not what your sending down the line.

SCART can carry both composite and component video signals.

Composite video puts the video signal down one line, while component puts the video signal down three lines (RGB or YPbPr).
The highest quality analog video is through component.

Both the baluns that you've linked to transmit composite over ethernet cable. The quality of the picture though this method will not be as good as with component (all other things being equal).

This balun on the cyberselect site you lined to might be a better option (I have no personal experience with the product). It transfers component and digital audio (S/PDIF coaxial) over ethernet. If the Sky+ box has digital audio output over coaxial it can be connected directly to the balun, otherwise a TOSlink (optical) to digital coaxial converter would be needed (one example).
You'll still need something at the television end that can accept and process the digital audio signal though.

This would still leave you with an issue of how to use the remote control, I'm not to familiar with Sky+ boxes, but if it will output over component and RF at the same time you could could leave the current RF coaxial setup in place and use that to transmit the IR remote control signals.

ironclaw

dahak wrote: »

I think you might be getting too caught up on the physical interface and not what your sending down the line.

SCART can carry both composite and component video signals.

Composite video puts the video signal down one line, while component puts the video signal down three lines (RGB or YPbPr).
The highest quality analog video is through component.

Both the baluns that you've linked to transmit composite over ethernet cable. The quality of the picture though this method will not be as good as with component (all other things being equal).

This balun on the cyberselect site you lined to might be a better option (I have no personal experience with the product). It transfers component and digital audio (S/PDIF coaxial) over ethernet. If the Sky+ box has digital audio output over coaxial it can be connected directly to the balun, otherwise a TOSlink (optical) to digital coaxial converter would be needed (one example).
You'll still need something at the television end that can accept and process the digital audio signal though.

This would still leave you with an issue of how to use the remote control, I'm not to familiar with Sky+ boxes, but if it will output over component and RF at the same time you could could leave the current RF coaxial setup in place and use that to transmit the IR remote control signals.

Thats on the money. When I typed the above I made the mistake of typing Component as opposed to Composite. And I mixed up the terminology.

The problem is I only have a SCART output from the Sky Plus box or S-Video. But from my research the SCART seems to be the way to go. The TV out SCART on the Sky Box seems to offer RGB as an output (You can actually select this in the menu's)

I want the best quality SCART signal from the Sky Plus box as I can. Which those devices from Muxlab seem to do. As regards TV control I will just leave the Coax Magic Eye in place.

The final hurdle is the optical link but I think that might be a bridge too far.

xabi

ironclaw wrote: »

It was grand on the old TV (CRT) but now its starting to show abit of strain (HD Plasma)

John mac wrote: »

that would explain it .

Same issue here when i put an LCD in the bedroom, is there anything that can be done to improve the quiality?

X.

John mac

why not go the whole hog and get a freesat hd box?

then all you would have to do is get a link to the lnb.

Owenw

FreeSat box is the best solution.

Alternatively if you *must* have non-FTA channels, you could pick up a cheap 2nd hand Sky or Sky+ box from Ebay and for 15Eur a month get a mirror subscription card.

Either way you'll avoid several complications:

- noisy picture on a long cable run

- remote control (you can retain your magic eye for this)

- fights over who watches what in 2 locations!

ironclaw

John mac wrote: »

why not go the whole hog and get a freesat hd box?

then all you would have to do is get a link to the lnb.

Probably will eventually but I like Sky and the choice it offers. FreeSat is still very limited and there is alot of rubbish on it I'd never watch.

FreeSat box is the best solution.

Alternatively if you *must* have non-FTA channels, you could pick up a cheap 2nd hand Sky or Sky+ box from Ebay and for 15Eur a month get a mirror subscription card.

Either way you'll avoid several complications:

- noisy picture on a long cable run

- remote control (you can retain your magic eye for this)

- fights over who watches what in 2 locations!

That's what I already have and one box (Sky Plus) lives under the stairs. (The other is a permanent install in the TV room) However, the idea behind this whole project is that I watch Sky throughout the house if required. Hence the need for a SCART to Ethernet adapter.

But here's a bold plan. The SCART has 21 outputs (including the shield) and a Cat5e has 8 cores. Is it possible to get away with using just 8 SCART outputs? I know that sounds stupid and it probably is, but could it be done?

This PDF: http://www.muxlab.com/assets/files/datasheets/VE_SCART_Peritel_Balun.pdf

Seems only to detail the 8 cores, so are these units just expensive straight converters?

dahak

ironclaw wrote: »

Thats on the money. When I typed the above I made the mistake of typing Component as opposed to Composite. And I mixed up the terminology.

The problem is I only have a SCART output from the Sky Plus box or S-Video. But from my research the SCART seems to be the way to go. The TV out SCART on the Sky Box seems to offer RGB as an output (You can actually select this in the menu's)

I want the best quality SCART signal from the Sky Plus box as I can. Which those devices from Muxlab seem to do. As regards TV control I will just leave the Coax Magic Eye in place.

The final hurdle is the optical link but I think that might be a bridge too far.

The best quality signal you could get from your Sky+ box would be RGB however the SCART/Péritel Balun will only cary the composite video signal and stereo audio.

I've just had a quick look and it seems that Sky boxes use RGBS. This type of video signal consists of four parts, Red, Green, Blue and Sync. The Sync signal is combined with the composite signal. There are adaptors available to get RGBS from SCART (here's one). Now it might be possible to send a RGBS signal through ethernet using one of these Component-Composite Video Balun but you're still missing the audio.

To send component video and audio over ethernet, the video would either have to be RGsB (the sync signal is combined with the green) or it would need to be converted to YPbPr. RGB to Component (YUV) Video Converters exist but are fairly expensive.
The YPbPr signal could then be sent over ethernet by a Component Video/Digital Audio Balun. To go down this road you need digital audio from the Sky box as well.

Digital audio (S/PDIF) is transferred over coaxial or optical fibre and can be converted between the two (see here). The Component Video/Digital Audio Balun takes digital audio over coaxial, if the Sky box has only optical digital audio output (TOSlink) the converter would be needed. The television or a receiver still needs to be able to accept and process digital audio.

While it's possible it would work out fairly expensive and might not give that big jump in quality.
You say your Sky box has S-Video output and this is probably the best option in terms of price/performance. A S-Video/Audio Balun will carry S-Video and stereo analogue audio (assuming that your television has a S-Video input).

In terms of video quality it would go:
Component > S-Video > Composite

So by by going to S-Video you should get an improvement in video quality and stereo audio.

Owenw

Have a look on AVForums:

http://www.avforums.com/forums/cat5-cabling/1149032-rgb-scart-over-cat-5-a.html

MuxLAB baluns don't offer RGB over Ethernet, only S-video or composite.
Didn't see any pricing on MuxLAB.ie, Cyberselect has UK prices which might be a useful guide.

e-Smart offer SCART RGB + IR Remote over CAT5/6, at a price:
http://www.smart-e.co.uk/index.htm

BTW, whatever happened to Skys' HD server plans?

ironclaw

Thanks for all the replies folks.

I'm going to splice together an S-Video & Audio to SCART cable with Ethernet inbetween. See how things go!

Beyond that I'll look at the more expensive options.