What cable is this (kinda like HDMI but not)

zwixxxzwixxx Posts: 10,295
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To anyone knowledgeable about hifi-tv-dvd leads.

My divx dvd player connects to my computer monitor via an hdmi-to-hdmi cable.

(see pic for what the ends of the hdmi cable look like)

http://img128.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=235485758_hdmiwtf_122_448lo.JPG

http://i50.tinypic.com/2egeat2.jpg (mirror link)

Have just bought a cable which claimed to be a scart-to-hdmi cable.

Turns out the end looks like this. :confused: :mad:

(see same pic for what the end of this "wtf" cable looks like, the other is scart-female)

Does anyone know what the heck I've bought and can I get an hdmi to that-type converter (though I'm guessing google will be my friend to answer that converter-availability question).

????

Comments

  • chrisjrchrisjr Posts: 33,282
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    It is possibly a propriety cable for a games console or similar device. There are also some TVs that use a mini plug superficially similar to HDMI instead of a full sized SCART socket for space reasons. It could also be one of those.

    But as said above the one thing it ain't is HDMI to SCART.
  • emptyboxemptybox Posts: 13,917
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    You'd have been better posting a link to the item you bought, but you can't do scart to HDMI with a simple cable anyway.
    Scart is analogue only and HDMI is digital only, so you'd need an analogue to digital converter box inbetween. ;)

    The picture you posted looks like it might be a Display Port? - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DisplayPort

    That can carry an analogue signal (I think?), and you can get a Display Port to HDMI adaptor, but that would only carry the digital signal to HDMI, so you'd still need a A/D converter box.
  • zwixxxzwixxx Posts: 10,295
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    Darn it. :mad:

    Methinks I probably knew it wasn't what it claimed to be, but I took that gamble cos if it DID work it would be cheaper than buying a new tv with scart input - am going to pack the cable away a the bottom of my storage cupboard and attempt to forget about the money I spent buying this useless piece of durge. :o
  • zwixxxzwixxx Posts: 10,295
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    I was going to let it just be, judging that the faff of going thru any failed battle to get my money back wouldn't be worth the stress and effort. But I've popped off an email to the seller - didn't go the "you bastrd..." route but chose the "rather disheartened... what do we do now" route - so I'ma waiting to see what kinda response I get. (1) I shoulda known it was too good to be true and (2) I shoulda posted a "look at this ebay thing, can it be real" post here. (and I was so chuffed at sniping a win with 4s to go)
  • Nigel GoodwinNigel Goodwin Posts: 58,328
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    As has already been suggested, post the link you bought it from, I think we'd all like to see what he claimed it was for?.
  • zwixxxzwixxx Posts: 10,295
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    As has already been suggested, post the link you bought it from, I think we'd all like to see what he claimed it was for?.

    rightio
    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/150983224593
    
  • Nigel GoodwinNigel Goodwin Posts: 58,328
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    That explains it all - he's not a crook, just a bit dim :D

    It's NOT an HDMI plug, it's a special mini-SCART plug, common these days to save room on the TV as SCART is pretty well obsolete. It's not a converter of any kind, just a straight lead to provide a SCART socket on the end of a short wire.

    There are a number of different types, and they aren't usually exchangeable between different makes.

    He's totally (and accidentally) misrepresented the sale, and should give you a full refund without question.
  • zwixxxzwixxx Posts: 10,295
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    That explains it all - he's not a crook, just a bit dim :D

    It's NOT an HDMI plug, it's a special mini-SCART plug, common these days to save room on the TV as SCART is pretty well obsolete. It's not a converter of any kind, just a straight lead to provide a SCART socket on the end of a short wire.

    There are a number of different types, and they aren't usually exchangeable between different makes.

    He's totally (and accidentally) misrepresented the sale, and should give you a full refund without question.

    Kinda glad I didn't go with the "wtf are you doing you numpty" route with my email :D - fingers crossed this turns out to be one of the good ebaying experiences. :)
  • Nigel GoodwinNigel Goodwin Posts: 58,328
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    zwixxx wrote: »
    Kinda glad I didn't go with the "wtf are you doing you numpty" route with my email :D - fingers crossed this turns out to be one of the good ebaying experiences. :)

    No reason it shouldn't be - it looks like a genuine mistake. Anyone who knows anything about TV would have known instantly what it was, and that it wasn't HDMI (it doesn't even look anything like it really). Needless to say, the instructions with the TV don't claim it's HDMI either, but presumably he never read those.
  • mac2708mac2708 Posts: 3,349
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    And someone paid over £31 for an item that retails at less than £13:eek:
    http://www.buyspares.co.uk/scart-adaptor/product.pl?pid=3245908
  • emptyboxemptybox Posts: 13,917
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    What is it that you are actually trying to achieve OP?
    Are you trying to hook another bit of kit to the same monitor?

    If it's something like an old VHS player, and you've got a Composite connection on the monitor (yellow-red-white) then a simple scart to composite lead might work.

    If it's something with RGB scart output, like a set-top box, then you might be able to get some solution to work through a VGA connection on the monitor. This would be more expensive though.
  • zwixxxzwixxx Posts: 10,295
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    mac2708 wrote: »
    And someone paid over £31 for an item that retails at less than £13:eek:
    http://www.buyspares.co.uk/scart-adaptor/product.pl?pid=3245908
    I know I was a fool. :mad: I know. :o I know. :cry:

    emptybox wrote: »
    What is it that you are actually trying to achieve OP?
    Are you trying to hook another bit of kit to the same monitor?

    If it's something like an old VHS player, and you've got a Composite connection on the monitor (yellow-red-white) then a simple scart to composite lead might work.

    If it's something with RGB scart output, like a set-top box, then you might be able to get some solution to work through a VGA connection on the monitor. This would be more expensive though.

    I have a video recorder with only a scart output and wanted to connect it to the monitor. Looking at the back of the monitor I only see a hdmi slot and one for connecting the monitor to computer, no composite yrw (it was a cheap monitor, but 28.5" so I snapped it up without thinking of any future usages).

    Looks like the simple thing to do would be to bite the bullet and buy a tv with scart input, hdmi input and usb slot and forget about all this fudging that's gotten me nowhere. :rolleyes:
  • emptyboxemptybox Posts: 13,917
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    An option would be to get a scart to composite lead like this.
    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hama-Phono-SCART-Switchable-cable/dp/B00006JCXU/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1360278500&sr=8-6

    And couple it with a USB video capture device like this.
    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Easy-Capture-Adapter-Wins-Vista/dp/B002H3BSCM/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1360278500&sr=8-7

    That would allow you to watch videos through the computer.
    And record to the hard drive, if you wanted. ;)
  • zwixxxzwixxx Posts: 10,295
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    scart to tv <- yup I can do that thru my AverTV tv card (and am embarassed to say I'd forgotten all about having that option available) - wouldn't even need to buy any new leads either. Only downside being computer is in other room but 10+m cables are easily eBayable. Also, computers eats away at the electricity - but, at a punch, if I NEED to scart something then yes, I CAN computerise things and get me a picture. QED. :punchestheairRockystyle:
  • zwixxxzwixxx Posts: 10,295
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    [update] checked my email ~10mins ago and found out he'd returned my paypal money within about 5mins of my Friday "wtf" email to him, even without receiving the cable back. :)
  • Nigel GoodwinNigel Goodwin Posts: 58,328
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    zwixxx wrote: »
    [update] checked my email ~10mins ago and found out he'd returned my paypal money within about 5mins of my Friday "wtf" email to him, even without receiving the cable back. :)

    Like I said, it looked to be a genuine mistake, not a con.
  • zwixxxzwixxx Posts: 10,295
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    ^ AND he ain't bothered if I return the thing so I've saved the return postage (with the additional recorded delivery to make sure it got back) - am amazed things went so darn smoothly, but I guess that does kinda happen when you eBay with 'normal' people - ie. non meanies (for want of a better word :D)
  • browny287browny287 Posts: 21
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    That looks like an adapter I got when I bought my Samsung LED TV which is used to convert a SCART lead to a special socket on the TV due to the lack of depth available to plug in a normal SCART plug if wall mounting.
  • Nigel GoodwinNigel Goodwin Posts: 58,328
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    browny287 wrote: »
    That looks like an adapter I got when I bought my Samsung LED TV which is used to convert a SCART lead to a special socket on the TV due to the lack of depth available to plug in a normal SCART plug if wall mounting.

    That's EXACTLY what it is :D
  • zwixxxzwixxx Posts: 10,295
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    Guess I'll be be filing the lead in my big box of "leads I currently have no use for but am keeping cos may, just maybe sometime in the future I may do" - which currently holds ~20 of these things http://i48.tinypic.com/28vt5x1.jpg

    (btw: that box came in right handy when I realised that my computer and my kettle use the same type of power cord. :) )
  • gomezzgomezz Posts: 44,505
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    S-Video leads and parallel printer leads have gravitated to the bottom of my odds and sods box as likely to never be needed again.
  • zwixxxzwixxx Posts: 10,295
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    ^I forgot about those s-video things.... just done a quick measuring and (if I'm not mistaken) I've got ~29m of those blasted things - all in 50cm lengths, all male-male. I've also got ~64 of those plastic protective things you put over the pins on plugs to make them less painful when you tred on them (or at least that's what I think those plastic protective things are for)
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