Hi All.
Can some-one help?
I would like to connect an hd stb via its s-video output to the SCART connection of my old Philips Tv ( I don't have any other options). Is this possible?
If so, will I get hd signal on my tv or just sd?

Thanks

SCART was only ever spec'd for SD. You can put SVIDEO into scart usually no problems. Just ensure if you buy a ready made cable that it is for the correct direction, as svideo & composite over scart are both directional. Or simply buy one of those cheap <10$ adapters that you can then plug a normal svideo to svideo cable into it, with the IN/OUT switch on the adapter. You would then set the adapter for IN as it is being used as a TV INPUT.
Your STB will then downscale to SD when you set the video output in the STB to 576i
Regards

Thanks for the info.

Yes it is possible

S-Video to SCART

Afraid you will only get SD from a S-Video connection. (Require Component, DVI or HDMI for HD)

Just one more thing.....
Will the s-video to Scart cable take care of audio or is that a seperate issue?
And I guess it's no use getting a hd stb but a sd stb instead if the output is only going to be sd anyway.

Gene

Even though you will only get SD resolution from an HD box via S-Video, an HD box will give you more channels than an SD box (eg: all the HD channels, but in SD quality).

If you want audio, you require an S-Video and RCA Stereo cable.

The cable shown in the link in youngstar's post is incorrect, as it's designed for the opposite way around to what you need. (eg: that cable is for the STB SCART to the TV RCA in) you require S-Video and audio stereo RCA out from the box to SCART in on the TV (as you mentioned).

You also need to ensure your TV actually takes S-Video in via it's SCART connector. (not all TV's do, many are composite only)

ThanksCol,

I've had another look at the tv manual and it mentions that devices with RGB output can be connected to the SCART.(nothing about s-video)
Is this the safest way to go? I assume RGB to SCART cables are readily available. And now what part does audio play with this sort of cable?

Thanks

Gene - you sure it wont accept rgb or component over scart?

Cheers,
Bitey

Yeah RGB would be the way to go

The cheapie TEAC SD boxs (350's 420's etc) will do RGB over scart, as will the topfield box's (and some strongs too from memory).

You just need a bog-standard 25pin scart cable

Cheers,
Bitey

Audio goes down the scart cable too - so its pretty neat

Cheers,
Bitey

VGA RGB is totally different to SCART-RGB. SCART-RGB requires a 4th signal in the cable, which is a composite video signal. It uses this composite video to synchronise the signal. VGA RGB tends to have H&V TTL level signalling. You can get adapters to convert the separate TTL H&V conductors into a single composite video level signal, but you will come across one more problem which is SD is 15kHz horizontal 50Hz vertical frequency, where as the VGA minimum spec was 30KHz horizontal 60Hz vertical, and thus not likely to be able to pass thru SD only at the specs required for a set with SCART-RGB input.
Double check your set doesn't support component/YUV/YCrCb over SCART, if it does then you can use one of those simple SCART-3xRCA/RGB adapters, and wack those into the component out on the STB (but you will still need to set the STB to 576i/SD).
SVIDEO is also called Y/C, so check your TV specs to see if it supports that. My Loewe TV supported it only on one of the SCART connectors on the TV IIRC, but did support it.
Regards

O.k. I guess I need a hd/sd stb with rgb output and a rgb over scart cable........thanks again.



On a slightly different note.......
If I connect a hd/sd stb to a dvd recorder ( analogue tuner ) and record a program from the stb to the dvd recorder and then watch it my hd tv will the picture quality be of analogue or sd standard?

gene

You need a STB (SD or HD) that has a scart connector, and can output RGB over scart. Plus you need a 25pin scart cable (with a scart plug on each end) - which are the normal bog standard scart cables - just about everywhere has them. The cheap ones can be a little fiddley - as in you gotta fiddle with them a bit till they make a proper connection.



Depends how you plug it in, and whether the dvd recorder has inputs, or just an antenna, and depends whether you can plug the STB into BOTH at the same time.

Normally you'd loop the antenna from the STB into the dvd recorder and just use the dvd recorder as normal (analogue)

If you plug the STB into the dvd recorder, it'd probably only be able to output in composite... so you'd need another set of outputs (composite, left and right audio) from the STB into the INPUTS on the dvd-recorder (not all of them have inputs), but then it'd only record what channel the STB is on at that instant ie it can only record what the STB is outputting - it cant tune other channels.

If you want that functionality, buy a topfield SD PVR like the topfielf 4400, or 5000 (theyre dirt cheap refurbished on the topfield website) - hook it upto your TV with scart and sell the dvd recorder while its still worth something..

Cheers,
Bitey

The topfield shop seems to be broken.

But the refirb models were the 4400 for $169
and the 5000 for $399

think they were the 120gb models from memory...

Cheers,
Bitey

Thanks Bitey

The dvd recorder is a nec ndh-160.
It has (ignoring the audio connections):
aerial (obviously)
video out
component video out/progressive scan(y pb pr inputs)
s-video out
rf out
video out

The tv is a Philips 42/9641d/79 which has all the usual bells and whistles. The hd stb I haven't got yet but looking for suggestions. I'm trying to avoid buying a pvr .

May I add now that this has nothing to do with my original posting. This is my second project.

What I'm trying to do is bypass the analogue tuner in my dvd recorder, record a signal from the hd stb onto my dvd hdd and watch it on tv at some other convenient time hoping the picture quality is better than analogue.

My only pre-requisites are that (1) I don't have to turn everything on just to watch tv ....and (2) the ability to watch any station on the tv while the stb and dvd recorder do their own thing and record something that's got nothing to do with the station I'm watching at the time or even with the tv off.

I can split the aerial signal to go into both the tv and stb and I connect the stb to the tv via hdmi if required but I don't know if this is necessary and it's about as much as my knowledge extends.


Sorry to be such a newbie pain but it can't be that hard.....can it?

gene

Forget the dvd recorder - they were a bad idea except for people wanting to use them to conver vhs/camcorders to DVD - i dont mean to be rude, or mean but they were a fad before PVRs came in - short lived usefullness as a stop-gap and thats about it... Just sell it, throw it out, or write it off.

Get a twin-tuner PVR that can output RGB via scart. SD the topfield 5000 is the obious choice, or the 4400 if your on a budget. Difference if the 5000 can run a lot of TAPs which are like customised programs.. the 4400 cannot. As i mentioned 4400's are under $200 and the 500's not that much more.

Im not sure what HD twin tuners can do RGB, if you want/need the HD channels... but you'll be paying in the 6-700's for it.

Personally, i'd probably look for a refurb, or second hand topfield 5000.. they can record 2 shows, whilst you playback a recording, or record a channel, whilst you watch a different one - they do scart and have very wide user base - they are prooven technology.

Cheers,
Bitey