VCR Pass-through

Seven · 07-06-2004, 21:44

Hi, I only have one available SCART socket on my TV. If my DVD player is connected to my VCR SCART input, and my VCR is connected to my TV's SCART, I know that Pass-through is possible, with the VCR on or off.

I know that RGB Pass-through is not possible if the VCR is on, but is RGB Pass-through generally possible if the VCR is turned OFF? Or does it depend on the VCR make?

Thanks.

swr12 · 08-06-2004, 15:05

you won't get RGB through your VCR on or off, VCRs are not wired for RGB in or out, you can get RGB pass-through on DVD Recorders though.

Seven · 08-06-2004, 15:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by swr12

you won't get RGB through your VCR on or off, VCRs are not wired for RGB in or out, you can get RGB pass-through on DVD Recorders though.

I was told by someone in one of the forums that the latest VCR allow RGB Pass-Through when they're off. Oh well.

Orbitalzone · 08-06-2004, 17:17

Some videos will happily pass through RGB, they won't output RGB when playing a video tape of course, but if, as in my case, you connect your DVD player to the VCR, then the VCR to Sky then the Sky box to TV, all using fully wired scart leads (use high quality scart leads) then it can work

Many videos don't pass through RGB, many do.

Many Panasonics from about 1996 onwards do as do other decent brands.... your basic cheapy VHS may not have the wiring though.

Look in your user manual and it may well mention RGB passthrough.... or just hook up a DVD or Sky box outputting RGB and see what happens. It's usually quite obvious if you're viewing RGB

Seven · 09-06-2004, 01:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Orbitalzone

It's usually quite obvious if you're viewing RGB

How so? I thought it was just a little bit better quality?

wicket · 09-06-2004, 13:42

RGB is a lot better quality than composite video, it is sharper and the colours are better. If your video does not pass through a RGB signal why not buy a scart manual switcher box from Argos (cost about a tenner), then you plug your vcr and dvd player into this and the lead from the box into your tv's scart socket.

Seven · 10-06-2004, 02:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by wicket

If your video does not pass through a RGB signal why not buy a scart manual switcher box from Argos (cost about a tenner), then you plug your vcr and dvd player into this and the lead from the box into your tv's scart socket.

I got MacroVision turned off on my DVD Player you see, so I back-up some of my DVDs every now and again (I know that VCRs don't/won't/can't do it in RGB). I thought if I'm not backing up a DVD then I could watch it in RGB quality without rewiring the SCART, by simply turning the VCR off.

If I use switcher box to connect the DVD Player to my TV, I can't backup without rewiring the SCART. If I connect through the VCR Pass-Through, I get a poorer quality picture. Hmm...

Orbitalzone · 10-06-2004, 19:02

Perhaps your video pass through is at compostite PAL and not RGB ?

Even when you set the DVD player to output RGB it also outputs composite PAL at the same time... so if your video doesn't pass through RGB then your TV probably is displaying regular composite PAL video (the lowest of qualities compared to S-Video or RGB

Scart switcher boxes can lower image quality also... depends on the type, but the cheap basic manually switched types usually lower contrast levels and detail a bit... I avoid them like the plague but sometimes you just don't have enough scart sockets.

Well that's what I'm guessing.

RGB should display text really sharp without much jagginess or fizzing.... so something like a menu should really look rock solid like a computer monitor displays text.... composite video usually has a certain amount of picture noise (fizziness) around the edges of text or menus.

Many TV's won't allow you to alter colour control when viewing RGB (not all though)

07-06-2004, 21:44	#1
Seven Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: London Posts: 1,538	VCR Pass-through Hi, I only have one available SCART socket on my TV. If my DVD player is connected to my VCR SCART input, and my VCR is connected to my TV's SCART, I know that Pass-through is possible, with the VCR on or off. I know that RGB Pass-through is not possible if the VCR is on, but is RGB Pass-through generally possible if the VCR is turned OFF? Or does it depend on the VCR make? Thanks.

08-06-2004, 15:05	#2
swr12 Forum Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: London Posts: 461	you won't get RGB through your VCR on or off, VCRs are not wired for RGB in or out, you can get RGB pass-through on DVD Recorders though.

08-06-2004, 15:48	#3
Seven Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: London Posts: 1,538	Quote: Originally Posted by swr12 you won't get RGB through your VCR on or off, VCRs are not wired for RGB in or out, you can get RGB pass-through on DVD Recorders though. I was told by someone in one of the forums that the latest VCR allow RGB Pass-Through when they're off. Oh well.

08-06-2004, 17:17	#4
Orbitalzone Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Sussex Posts: 12,173	Some videos will happily pass through RGB, they won't output RGB when playing a video tape of course, but if, as in my case, you connect your DVD player to the VCR, then the VCR to Sky then the Sky box to TV, all using fully wired scart leads (use high quality scart leads) then it can work Many videos don't pass through RGB, many do. Many Panasonics from about 1996 onwards do as do other decent brands.... your basic cheapy VHS may not have the wiring though. Look in your user manual and it may well mention RGB passthrough.... or just hook up a DVD or Sky box outputting RGB and see what happens. It's usually quite obvious if you're viewing RGB

09-06-2004, 01:02	#5
Seven Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: London Posts: 1,538	Quote: Originally Posted by Orbitalzone It's usually quite obvious if you're viewing RGB How so? I thought it was just a little bit better quality?

09-06-2004, 13:42	#6
wicket Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: NE England Posts: 3,096	RGB is a lot better quality than composite video, it is sharper and the colours are better. If your video does not pass through a RGB signal why not buy a scart manual switcher box from Argos (cost about a tenner), then you plug your vcr and dvd player into this and the lead from the box into your tv's scart socket.

10-06-2004, 02:15	#7
Seven Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: London Posts: 1,538	Quote: Originally Posted by wicket If your video does not pass through a RGB signal why not buy a scart manual switcher box from Argos (cost about a tenner), then you plug your vcr and dvd player into this and the lead from the box into your tv's scart socket. I got MacroVision turned off on my DVD Player you see, so I back-up some of my DVDs every now and again (I know that VCRs don't/won't/can't do it in RGB). I thought if I'm not backing up a DVD then I could watch it in RGB quality without rewiring the SCART, by simply turning the VCR off. If I use switcher box to connect the DVD Player to my TV, I can't backup without rewiring the SCART. If I connect through the VCR Pass-Through, I get a poorer quality picture. Hmm...

10-06-2004, 19:02	#8
Orbitalzone Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Sussex Posts: 12,173	Perhaps your video pass through is at compostite PAL and not RGB ? Even when you set the DVD player to output RGB it also outputs composite PAL at the same time... so if your video doesn't pass through RGB then your TV probably is displaying regular composite PAL video (the lowest of qualities compared to S-Video or RGB Scart switcher boxes can lower image quality also... depends on the type, but the cheap basic manually switched types usually lower contrast levels and detail a bit... I avoid them like the plague but sometimes you just don't have enough scart sockets. Well that's what I'm guessing. RGB should display text really sharp without much jagginess or fizzing.... so something like a menu should really look rock solid like a computer monitor displays text.... composite video usually has a certain amount of picture noise (fizziness) around the edges of text or menus. Many TV's won't allow you to alter colour control when viewing RGB (not all though)

DS Forums

VCR Pass-through