I'm trying to assist a friend to extract the best pic from his new Pioneer DVD plqayer into a new JVC TV set.

They set it up for him with a composite lead so he can improve that with the s-video out of the DVD player -> SCART into the TV. But if only there was a component -> RGB convertor he could improve the pic even more.

I have a SCART -> component adaptor but doubt if this would work with component in & SCART RGB out or am I wrong?

TIA

John

I vaguely remember that the video signals are bi-directional (so you should be OK), but the sound only goes one way - hence the switch on the converters that have sound. You can buy the converters at Dick Smith's or JVC for a few bucks - RGB and component use the same pins.

Cheers

Zed

RGB and component only use the same pins if the TV can accept component via Scart. If it doesn't you'll need to convert component to RGB and composite sync, which requires more than a simple cable.

A quick search turned up this:http://www.hometheatre.net.au/cyu333.htm

Thanks for the pointer Chris. This is what I suspected - it is neither easy nor cheap.

My friend still has his first shilling he earned (yes, it was before metrication of our money) so I will not attempt to persuade him to follow that path.

All VERY irritating. Why cannot the manufacturers here standardise and ALL agree to use SCART or decide to only offer component-s/video-composite on items to avoid this incompatability? I guess the answer is that there are just not enough of us around who either know or care about video quality to make it an economic proposition :-( Even the JVC DVD players have no SCART connectors yet their TVs do so it is not just a problem between different brands.

John

Its mainly because SCART was popularised by the Europeans, while the Japanese used the simpler and less useful component system... the Japanese, remember usually base their decisions on the BIG market - the US, and until digital, the Yanks had a hopeless system compared to the Europeans (they forgot about innovation sometime in the 50s )

Sorry, don't agree with that Santa, component can carry HD so it's a lot more useful. If only they'd standardised on 75 Ohm BNC connectors rather than el cheapo RCA's.

Also, big, fat, Scart plugs are impossible to feed through walls, and RGB + composite Sync is an odd standard that causes more confusion than anything else on this forum.

If we're going to standardise let's do it with anything but Scart!

Edit:
And while I'm on the subject, I disagree with the placement of Scart on your otherwise excellent signal reproduction list. Scart has a number of limitations related to its connector, bandwidth etc. which means it is only suitable for SD. Also, progressive scan DVD players only offer p'scan via component outputs.

IMO Scart should therefore sit below the higher bandwidth capable component, because you wouldn't say RGBS is better signal than 576P,etc. via component.

If only SCART was more widely taken up in the world, it would save the masses a hell of a lot of confusion. Imagine one plug for everything. OK, sure it's been outmoded by new technologies (e.g. DVI, digital audio), but you've got to give the Euros some credit for trying to simplify matters (not to mention tidy up that tangle of wires behind the TV). Plus it's cheaper for manufacturers, and, ultimately, consumers.

Unfortunately, due to the lack of interest from other continents (America/Asia) we downunder are stuck with a silly mix of both technologies which does tend to confuse people into thinking SCART is nothing but yet another alternative to composite, component, RGB, YUV, YC, YPbPr, YCbCr, S-Video, S-VHS... and it doesn't help that most of them have two names!!! And ppl wonder why the sales staff at HN don't have a clue.

Couldn't we start by dropping the double (or triple) names, and maybe forgoing some of the crappier technologies altogether? I'd start with RF and composite. Fortunately some STBs have started by dropping RF output already. Hopefully that's a sign of things to come.

I have a Topfield 5000 and a DGTEC 2000A HD box. I am looking at the best way to connect the DGTEC to my amplifier, and was contemplating using a component to SCART cable and making use of the SCART pass-through capability of the Toppy. But, if I understand ChrisM correctly, the SCART connectors on the Toppy will not handle an HD signal. Is this so?

Scart was fine when all equipment conformed to original scart pin-outs and specifications.
The real confusion has started since s-video has been added to a connector that originally didn't cater for this and now we have adapters that work on some equipment and not others and general assumptions that you can get an adapter to connect any system via scart.
I personally hate this and cannot see why manufacturers can't add a few more sockets of the correct type to suit the video standard they are trying to input/output.
compared to the cost of the equipment ,it would be negilable and save much confusion.
Regarding scraping RF ,I say keep it until the entire country has all channels on digital.Up here we don't have all channels digital and customers ask" how can I watch the digital channels if I,m recording analog channel"
Remember that not everyone has a new TV with multiple a/v inputs.There are still a lot of poor Australians who still own Tv's with only an RF input .
And while bitching about lack of RF output I 'd also like to winge about poor quality of RF Loop through on most cheap STB,s causing quite noticable interferance to analog recievers connected via STB.
Replace their prize cheap STB with no RF output and shitty loop through with a Quality Homecast EM1150 unit and they say"thats heaps better"But they can't afford to buy one cause they've blown their budget on a peice of rubbish