Scart/Component cable when TV has no spare scart socket

Brian h

Hi all,

A friend of mine purchased a Goodmans SD FreeSat receiver (this one) in N.I. at the weekend. The only means of connection on the box is scart but his Panasonic Viera TV has only one scart socket which is currently occupied by another device. The only free connection option on the TV is component video. Can he use a cable which is scart on one end and component on the other? I was looking at this cable but the description suggests it may not be suitable in some situations. Can anyone advise if this would work?

Thanks in advance for any help.

Peter Rhea

If the satellite receiver can't output component video (not the same as RGB), there's no point trying to connect it to the tv via component input.

Does the tv have a yellow socket for composite video input? (On some tvs, one of the component inputs doubles as this.)

Brian h

Peter Rhea wrote: »

If the satellite receiver can't output component video (not the same as RGB), there's no point trying to connect it to the tv via component input.

Does the tv have a yellow socket for composite video input? (On some tvs, one of the component inputs doubles as this.)

Hi Peter,

Thanks for the quick reply. I don't know if the receiver can output component and from memory I can't remember seeing a yellow socket for composite either so I'll have to check both of those things.

Brian h

Just a quick update. I downloaded a .pdf of the user manual and it states that the scart output options are RGB or Composite only so the cable I was considering is now a non-runner. Looks like a Scart/Composite cable will be the only choice assuming the Panasonic Viera accepts it.

Laois_Man

Just pop into Argos and buy this Scart Block....gives you 4 scart connections to the TV.

http://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/5349687/c_1/1%7Ccategory_root%7CHome+entertainment+and+sat+nav%7C14419512/c_2/3%7C19780832%7CTelevisions+and+set+top+boxes%7C14419521/c_3/4%7Ccat_14419521%7CHDMI+cables%2C+scart+leads+and+accessories%7C28589753.htm

zg3409

Laois_Man wrote: »

Just pop into Argos and buy this Scart Block....gives you 4 scart connections to the TV.

One of the problems with that item is that you need to manually push the buttons each time you switch from one to another. It would be better to use a different input on the TV if possible, but it is an option all right.

Scart to component video leads are available in every TV shop. Then all you need to do is press the AV button on the TV remote to change inputs.

Brian h

zg3409 wrote: »

One of the problems with that item is that you need to manually push the buttons each time you switch from one to another. It would be better to use a different input on the TV if possible, but it is an option all right.

Scart to component video leads are available in every TV shop. Then all you need to do is press the AV button on the TV remote to change inputs.

Hi zg3409,

I had considered a scart to component lead but apparently the receiver in question only outputs to RGB or Composite. I need to check the TV to see if a scart/composit lead would work. Has anyone tried one of these leads? Is picture quality reduced?

khumbu

Your friend could consider exchanging & pay £30 to upgrade the receiver to the HD version. Assuming TV has hdmi? connect to TV through the hdmi cable probably included. That might be a cheap as buying adapters and new cables. HDMI will be much better picture than scart & he'll also get the 4 or 5 channels in HD that he won't get with SD receiver.

zg3409

Brian h wrote: »

Has anyone tried one of these leads? Is picture quality reduced?

Yes I have used these. What you are saying is a bit mixed up. RGB is red, green and blue, composite combines red, green and blue in one cable (usually yellow plug)

SCART contains pins for RGB and composite. If one end can only using composite then RGB is not used.

The picture quality difference between one and the other is barely noticable. The main place it is most noticable is with projectors where each colour (Red, Green & Blue) use a different light colour. RGB colours tend to be better defined.

In reality on a TV most people can't see any difference.

watty

Unless the TV has a digital comb filter, Composite gives you false colour (often flickering) on contrasty fine detail and gives patterning on larger areas of very saturated colour. If you can't tell the difference either the TV is a superb digital model or a really rubbish small CRT with poor resolution. On Decent 16" CRT and up and all LCDs without Digital Comb Filters these artefacts are obvious.

Brian h

Hi all,

I've passed on the options to my friend and I think he favours Khumbu's idea of returning the box for the HD version as there are three HDMI connections on his TV.

Thanks everyone for all the help.