Need help to get RGB on both DVD and Freeview

Foebane

19-03-2006, 12:20 PM

I was wondering if any of you can help me to get an RGB picture on both my DVD player and Freeview box.

At the moment, I have my DVD player plugged into the TV via SCART, which has a RGB picture, and my Freeview box is plugged into the TV's AV (Composite) socket, but of course the Freeview picture is ugly Composite.

In the past, I've tried two ways of getting RGB on both:

1. I've connected the DVD player to the Freeview box via SCART, and the Freeview box to the TV, and set the Freeview box to RGB, but the DVD player ends up in Composite.

2. I had a 5-way SCART Block with no switches of any kind, and I connected the DVD player and the Freeview box to two of the sockets, and plugged the block into the TV. BUT, whilst the DVD is in RGB, for some reason the picture on the Freeview is really dark, but in RGB. I'm wondering why this is happening when there is something between the Freeview box and the TV...?

What would be the solution, do you think? To get a new Freeview box, or maybe a SCART Block with switches? Or SCART cables with only the RGB pins wired, with sound?

Most of all, why couldn't the DVD and Freeview when plugged together both output as RGB?

Feedback much appreciated.

kjt2004

19-03-2006, 12:50 PM

Hiya

More info needed

Does the DVD have Component output and the tv have component input

Does the TV have RGB enabled scart etc

Obvious thing is to have DVD via component(RGB) and freeview box via a RGB enabled scart lead(fully wired)

regards

scotty38

19-03-2006, 01:36 PM

[QUOTE=Foebane]Most of all, why couldn't the DVD and Freeview when plugged together both output as RGB?QUOTE]

Probably because the Freeview box doesn't have RGB passthrough?

Foebane

19-03-2006, 02:25 PM

I can get RGB video if the DVD is connected to the TV directly, and the Freeview is via the AV socket on the side, but I was hoping to have RGB on both, so I tried connecting them together. I've been told by Dixons staff in the past that anything connected as a pass-through like that will not work as RGB, but I don't really trust Dixons staff. :grin:

I can get RGB with both if I plug them in directly, but last time I used a SCART multi-box which didn't have switches (which I bought in Currys), and for some reason the Freeview image was dimmed to about half-brightness and was unwatchable. Oh, but the picture then was RGB.

Maybe something like this:
http://www.cableuniverse.co.uk/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=109&products_id=904
would help? I sure don't want a repeat of the Dim Picture incident and another waste of money.

Foebane

20-03-2006, 10:20 PM

in2deep

20-03-2006, 10:29 PM

I knew it. I posted this question on another board, and they didn't respond at all.

Thanks for your responses to my initial query, but it seems my problem is too vague or unusual for anyone to respond to, so I'll quietly leave it at that.

Thanks anyway.

Not at all - perfectly reasonable query. I used to have the same problem with a Ferguson TV, which only had 1 Scart, luckily this was RGB-enabled.

I bought an electronic scart switch, made by Hitachi, from Argos (?0 at the time!), which allowed me to plug in my DVD, Freeview, VHS recorder, etc, and switch between them with a remote control.....

It also had auto-switching, so would automatically switch to an input with Pin 8 switching on scart if wanted.

Both DVD and Freeview were RGB signals in this setup.

I still have it, now in my spare room, since upgrading to my Tosh LCD, which has myriad of connections.....

Does that help?

in2deep

20-03-2006, 10:32 PM

This is what I got:

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/5344462/Trail/C%24cip%3D36693.Sound%2Band%2Bvision%3EC%24cip%3D3 6702.Accessories%2Band%2Bbatteries%3EC%24cip%3D367 03.Leads%2C%2Bconnectors%2Band%2Badaptors.htm

Although the price has gone up, and it's no longer made by Hitachi. It's exactly the same unit though, and very reliable! :smashin:

in2deep

20-03-2006, 10:34 PM

I've been told by Dixons staff in the past that anything connected as a pass-through like that will not work as RGB, but I don't really trust Dixons staff. :grin: Amazingly, on that occasion, Dixons' staff were correct - perhaps they'd had a good training day :grin:

Foebane

23-03-2006, 02:05 PM

Thanks for your replies.

I thought I'd buy another brand of SCART multibox from Dixons, one with three ports with no switch, but I got the same problem again, dim picture on the Freeview.

It turns out that the Freeview picture is only dim when the DVD SCART lead is plugged in too, even if the DVD is off. It's like it's "draining" the current from the Freeview SCART lead. With just the Freeview lead in, the picture is fine!

I think I should buy the SCART multibox that I suggested in my earlier post.

tattyman

23-03-2006, 05:43 PM

The switch box you mentioned in your previous post will definitely to the trick as it isolates the other inputs, stopping the signal drain scenario that you described. I had the same drain issue with a cheapo 3 way scart input from Comet.