Hey Guys,
Just wondering if they are any Set Top Boxe's out there that come with Video Inputs, similar to the ones on VCR's?
Incase you want to hook up any other RCA Video items?
If there are any STB's that offer this, could you please tell me the model's and names?
Regards
Paul
Full Version: Set Top Box with Video-Inputs?
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Most boxes with dual scart will support some kind of passing through of AV from the VCR-SCART connector.
e.g. My RGB-SCART DVD player is connected to the VCR-SCART of my Topfield, which has the TV-SCART connected to my TV, and they all work well together, with the DVD player automatically putting the Topfield into passthrough mode when the DVD player is taken out of standby (or the Topfield is in standby).
Now you don't need scart-scart-scart type connections, you can manually trigger the passthrough with the "TV/SAT" or "TV/VCR" button on the remote.
The old Strong 5290 only passes throught svideo at most (not RGB) and doesn't passthrough the AV/WSS line, so different boxes have different level of passthrough, but most should at least support composite.
So you would purchase one of those "in/out" SVIDEO/COMPOSITE/L&Raudio SCART adapters, set it to "IN" and hook your other AV device to it. If it happens to be a VCR, you would probably be best buying one of those SCART-6RCA adapters which has composite in both directions, and audio in both directions, so can record from the STB, or play AV thru the STB (when the STB TV/VCR button is pressed).
Regards
e.g. My RGB-SCART DVD player is connected to the VCR-SCART of my Topfield, which has the TV-SCART connected to my TV, and they all work well together, with the DVD player automatically putting the Topfield into passthrough mode when the DVD player is taken out of standby (or the Topfield is in standby).
Now you don't need scart-scart-scart type connections, you can manually trigger the passthrough with the "TV/SAT" or "TV/VCR" button on the remote.
The old Strong 5290 only passes throught svideo at most (not RGB) and doesn't passthrough the AV/WSS line, so different boxes have different level of passthrough, but most should at least support composite.
So you would purchase one of those "in/out" SVIDEO/COMPOSITE/L&Raudio SCART adapters, set it to "IN" and hook your other AV device to it. If it happens to be a VCR, you would probably be best buying one of those SCART-6RCA adapters which has composite in both directions, and audio in both directions, so can record from the STB, or play AV thru the STB (when the STB TV/VCR button is pressed).
Regards
QUOTE (tonymy01 @ Oct 25 2004, 07:48 PM)
Most boxes with dual scart will support some kind of passing through of AV from the VCR-SCART connector.
e.g. My RGB-SCART DVD player is connected to the VCR-SCART of my Topfield, which has the TV-SCART connected to my TV, and they all work well together, with the DVD player automatically putting the Topfield into passthrough mode when the DVD player is taken out of standby (or the Topfield is in standby).
Now you don't need scart-scart-scart type connections, you can manually trigger the passthrough with the "TV/SAT" or "TV/VCR" button on the remote.
The old Strong 5290 only passes throught svideo at most (not RGB) and doesn't passthrough the AV/WSS line, so different boxes have different level of passthrough, but most should at least support composite.
So you would purchase one of those "in/out" SVIDEO/COMPOSITE/L&Raudio SCART adapters, set it to "IN" and hook your other AV device to it. If it happens to be a VCR, you would probably be best buying one of those SCART-6RCA adapters which has composite in both directions, and audio in both directions, so can record from the STB, or play AV thru the STB (when the STB TV/VCR button is pressed).
Regards
e.g. My RGB-SCART DVD player is connected to the VCR-SCART of my Topfield, which has the TV-SCART connected to my TV, and they all work well together, with the DVD player automatically putting the Topfield into passthrough mode when the DVD player is taken out of standby (or the Topfield is in standby).
Now you don't need scart-scart-scart type connections, you can manually trigger the passthrough with the "TV/SAT" or "TV/VCR" button on the remote.
The old Strong 5290 only passes throught svideo at most (not RGB) and doesn't passthrough the AV/WSS line, so different boxes have different level of passthrough, but most should at least support composite.
So you would purchase one of those "in/out" SVIDEO/COMPOSITE/L&Raudio SCART adapters, set it to "IN" and hook your other AV device to it. If it happens to be a VCR, you would probably be best buying one of those SCART-6RCA adapters which has composite in both directions, and audio in both directions, so can record from the STB, or play AV thru the STB (when the STB TV/VCR button is pressed).
Regards
Thanks for the reply Tony.
I have found an STB that has what you have mentioned and I initially thought it was possibly with this box, but I am still unsure, the link to the box is http://www.kristal.com.au/homecast/em1150.html but I am unsure if this contains what you have mentioned.
I will try and explain my situation so it can be somewhat clarified a bit.
My car is fitted with an LCD Screen and I am able to devise a method to get the STB hooked up to have digital TV in the car, but I would also like to fit an RGB camera (reverse camera for the car) to the STB, so when the car is in the reverse gear, it starts collecting the signal from the camera via the STB and goes through to the LCD, now the only problem is finding an STB that has this video input.
So if you could just check out that link and just tell me if it would be a feasable option for some form of Video-In.
Regards
Paul
Yeah, those specs are a bit thin, but the big giveaway that it supports the passthrough is the TV/SAT button on the remote. This typically swaps the signal going to the TV screen between the STB output, or the signal feeding the VCR-SCART connector.
Now, automatic passthrough is triggered by the AV/WSS pin in the SCART connector (if it is supported). It would not be too difficult to hook your reverse lamp power to a transistor based circuit (3 or 4 components in the circuit maximum) to feed the correct voltage into the VCR-SCART AV/WSS pin, which would trigger the passthrough and feed the camera to the TV at that time. I guess you need to contact the supplier of the box and ask if it supports SCART autopassthrough. If not, hitting the TV/SAT key isn't going to be too difficult anyway, and at least this will get you going.
Finally, you say RGB camera.. this might be a prob. Does it have composite at all? Because some boxes don't do full RGB passthrough for a start, and secondly most SCART based TVs won't synch to simple RGB without a composite synch as well. It would be easier for you to hook the whole lot up as composite, given that it is a small LCD screen and you would never be able to tell the difference between composite and RGB.
Regards
Now, automatic passthrough is triggered by the AV/WSS pin in the SCART connector (if it is supported). It would not be too difficult to hook your reverse lamp power to a transistor based circuit (3 or 4 components in the circuit maximum) to feed the correct voltage into the VCR-SCART AV/WSS pin, which would trigger the passthrough and feed the camera to the TV at that time. I guess you need to contact the supplier of the box and ask if it supports SCART autopassthrough. If not, hitting the TV/SAT key isn't going to be too difficult anyway, and at least this will get you going.
Finally, you say RGB camera.. this might be a prob. Does it have composite at all? Because some boxes don't do full RGB passthrough for a start, and secondly most SCART based TVs won't synch to simple RGB without a composite synch as well. It would be easier for you to hook the whole lot up as composite, given that it is a small LCD screen and you would never be able to tell the difference between composite and RGB.
Regards
QUOTE (tonymy01 @ Oct 26 2004, 12:41 PM)
Yeah, those specs are a bit thin, but the big giveaway that it supports the passthrough is the TV/SAT button on the remote. This typically swaps the signal going to the TV screen between the STB output, or the signal feeding the VCR-SCART connector.
Now, automatic passthrough is triggered by the AV/WSS pin in the SCART connector (if it is supported). It would not be too difficult to hook your reverse lamp power to a transistor based circuit (3 or 4 components in the circuit maximum) to feed the correct voltage into the VCR-SCART AV/WSS pin, which would trigger the passthrough and feed the camera to the TV at that time. I guess you need to contact the supplier of the box and ask if it supports SCART autopassthrough. If not, hitting the TV/SAT key isn't going to be too difficult anyway, and at least this will get you going.
Finally, you say RGB camera.. this might be a prob. Does it have composite at all? Because some boxes don't do full RGB passthrough for a start, and secondly most SCART based TVs won't synch to simple RGB without a composite synch as well. It would be easier for you to hook the whole lot up as composite, given that it is a small LCD screen and you would never be able to tell the difference between composite and RGB.
Regards
Now, automatic passthrough is triggered by the AV/WSS pin in the SCART connector (if it is supported). It would not be too difficult to hook your reverse lamp power to a transistor based circuit (3 or 4 components in the circuit maximum) to feed the correct voltage into the VCR-SCART AV/WSS pin, which would trigger the passthrough and feed the camera to the TV at that time. I guess you need to contact the supplier of the box and ask if it supports SCART autopassthrough. If not, hitting the TV/SAT key isn't going to be too difficult anyway, and at least this will get you going.
Finally, you say RGB camera.. this might be a prob. Does it have composite at all? Because some boxes don't do full RGB passthrough for a start, and secondly most SCART based TVs won't synch to simple RGB without a composite synch as well. It would be easier for you to hook the whole lot up as composite, given that it is a small LCD screen and you would never be able to tell the difference between composite and RGB.
Regards
You will have to pardon my ignorance in regards to the matter, I am pretty new to all this stuff.
I will try explain a bit more in regards to the equipment.
The car is a BA XR6 with the optioned Premium Sound, which means it comes with a color TFT screen.
Because I have relatives who work at Ford, I was able to source the actual connector to the SatNav section of the car, basically this allows me to rip the other end of the Scart connector off (that comes from the STB) and plug it into the unit, which will enable me to view Digital TV on the car's TFT screen (legally of course, when the car has ceased movement).
Now I quoted that particular STB because it produces an NTSC signal (which is what the car's TFT is compatible with), so I thought, if I could hook up the reverse camera straight to the STB I could tell it to switch to the input and simply display that on the screen.
Now, the only part I am confused with, is, will that particular STB allow external devices to be connected? And if so will it display correctly on the TFT?
Should I be checking anything else except the compatibility for external devices on the STB?
Regards
Paul
P.S. Sorry if it's a bit confusing, as I said I am new to these things.
What cable/standard are you connecting to the TFT with, and what cable/standard is the camera? That is why I said that if everything is composite, it will make things easier. Composite is a single connection, with the colour, video in the one coax cable (svideo is 2, RGBS is 4, YUV is 3).
If they are the same, this will make things easier, but if the camera is RGB with no synch, and the STB connected only with composite, then this may make things difficult. RGB without synch is going to give big problems with compatibility, you really only need composite, and this is the easiest to get right.
Anyway, as I tried to say, that STB clearly looks like it supports passthrough based on that it has 2 SCARTs and that it has a TV/SAT button on the remote. Press that button, and whatever you have connected to the VCR scart passes transparently thru the box (no standards conversion here, think of it more like a relay that switches the STB output OFF and the VCR SCART input signal thru to the output instead).
Now, I reckon with a bit of home grown electronics, and assuming the STB support auto-passthrough triggered by the AV/WSS pin 8 line (if you were in Sydney I could test this for you in a couple of minutes with my DVD player and TV), then you can get the reverse to trigger the auto-passthrough of the STB (p.s. the STB normally does a passthrough when in standby mode anyway, again, this *has* to be checked with the manufacturer or supplier of the STB. I know this is the way my Topfield works, I know this is roughly the way the Strong 5290 works, I know this is the way most dual SCART devices are designed to work).
You may not even need any fancy home grown electronics, pin 8 AV/WSS needs to be 9.5 to 12V to tell the STB "there is AV on here, please use the autoswitch", or 5-8V to trigger the autoswitch and the TV to widescreen mode if it supports it (requires scart connection all the way to the TV), or 0 to 2V to turn off the trigger and thus the STB will send its own tuned signal to the TV instead. You will probably need a voltage regulator or zener diode protection, as the car can send up to 15V down that line, and you are going to have to get someone to verify the STB power earth is the same as the SCART earth.
I hope this can help you to give the info to someone who understands all this.
Regards
Tony
Regards
If they are the same, this will make things easier, but if the camera is RGB with no synch, and the STB connected only with composite, then this may make things difficult. RGB without synch is going to give big problems with compatibility, you really only need composite, and this is the easiest to get right.
Anyway, as I tried to say, that STB clearly looks like it supports passthrough based on that it has 2 SCARTs and that it has a TV/SAT button on the remote. Press that button, and whatever you have connected to the VCR scart passes transparently thru the box (no standards conversion here, think of it more like a relay that switches the STB output OFF and the VCR SCART input signal thru to the output instead).
Now, I reckon with a bit of home grown electronics, and assuming the STB support auto-passthrough triggered by the AV/WSS pin 8 line (if you were in Sydney I could test this for you in a couple of minutes with my DVD player and TV), then you can get the reverse to trigger the auto-passthrough of the STB (p.s. the STB normally does a passthrough when in standby mode anyway, again, this *has* to be checked with the manufacturer or supplier of the STB. I know this is the way my Topfield works, I know this is roughly the way the Strong 5290 works, I know this is the way most dual SCART devices are designed to work).
You may not even need any fancy home grown electronics, pin 8 AV/WSS needs to be 9.5 to 12V to tell the STB "there is AV on here, please use the autoswitch", or 5-8V to trigger the autoswitch and the TV to widescreen mode if it supports it (requires scart connection all the way to the TV), or 0 to 2V to turn off the trigger and thus the STB will send its own tuned signal to the TV instead. You will probably need a voltage regulator or zener diode protection, as the car can send up to 15V down that line, and you are going to have to get someone to verify the STB power earth is the same as the SCART earth.
I hope this can help you to give the info to someone who understands all this.
Regards
Tony
Regards
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