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Decent SCART Switcher


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Old 12-05-2011, 19:32
Izak
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Our Living Room TV only has one RGB enabled SCART socket and we have three devices that are RGB compatible.

Does anyone know a decent RGB SCART Switcher.

I've got one in my room I bought from Argos about 8 years ago and while it works, quite often the 'Auto Switch' feature of the devices (Sky box for example) doesn't switch the TV over to the SCART socket and the picture quality is noticeably poorer than just plugging straight into the TV (lines are visible on some inputs).
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Old 12-05-2011, 20:05
John Currie
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If you have 3 pieces of equipment you only need a two-way scart switcher as one of them can be plugged in to the socket marked "VCR Scart" on the Sky box...this will loop-through an RGB signal to the socket marked "TV Scart" and thence to the RGB input of the TV.
The "VCR Scart" socket on all Sky boxes can only output Composite video from the Sky box itself but will loop-through any RGB source fed into the "VCR Scart" socket.
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Old 12-05-2011, 20:06
grahamlthompson
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If you can find one look for a quattro splitter. (auto and remote controlleable and ampified).

Example

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Quattro-4-way-...item1c1ab4007b
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Old 12-05-2011, 20:09
Izak
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If you have 3 pieces of equipment you only need a two-way scart switcher as one of them can be plugged in to the socket marked "VCR Scart" on the Sky box...this will loop-through an RGB signal to the socket marked "TV Scart" and thence to the RGB input of the TV.
The "VCR Scart" socket on all Sky boxes can only output Composite video from the Sky box itself but will loop-through any RGB source fed into the "VCR Scart" socket.
Our current Sky box does have a VCR socket, however we are getting a new box in a week or two time and as it'll be the newer Sky+ HD box which only has one SCART socket on we won't be able to use the pass through. (the reason we're getting a Sky+HD box on a SDTV is because my brother works for Sky, he is getting a new box to 'test' and we're having his Sky+HD box)
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Old 12-05-2011, 20:19
Izak
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If you can find one look for a quattro splitter. (auto and remote controlleable and ampified).

Example

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Quattro-4-way-...item1c1ab4007b
Thanks for your reply.

Had a look round for that switcher (the one on eBay has ended now) but couldn't find any.

I have found this one on Amazon though and it does sound quite good: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bandridge-SC...5227685&sr=8-1 should be nearly £60 but they're selling for £20.
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Old 12-05-2011, 21:17
grahamlthompson
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Thanks for your reply.

Had a look round for that switcher (the one on eBay has ended now) but couldn't find any.

I have found this one on Amazon though and it does sound quite good: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bandridge-SC...5227685&sr=8-1 should be nearly £60 but they're selling for £20.
No experience with this kit. Basically you need to check the switcher is not a passive one (it connects to a provided power supply) and if you need it it has a remote control.
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Old 12-05-2011, 21:25
Izak
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No experience with this kit. Basically you need to check the switcher is not a passive one (it connects to a provided power supply) and if you need it it has a remote control.
According to the info on Amazon's site and the manufacturers, it has its own power supply and can auto-switch to the SCART that is in use. It also has buttons on the front so you can perhaps manually select a source.

You can also apparently send one source to another (VCR to DVD Recorder for example) for recording purposes.

It doesn't appear to include a remote control.
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Old 12-05-2011, 21:37
grahamlthompson
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According to the info on Amazon's site and the manufacturers, it has its own power supply and can auto-switch to the SCART that is in use. It also has buttons on the front so you can perhaps manually select a source.

You can also apparently send one source to another (VCR to DVD Recorder for example) for recording purposes.

It doesn't appear to include a remote control.
Sound similar to the quattro without the remote which also allows routing of an input to a recording box seperately. Pretty sure it will solve your problems.
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Old 12-05-2011, 21:37
PlayerUK
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This is the one I use
http://www.maplin.co.uk/scart-switching-unit-4724

It's purely mechanical switching though.

The supermarkets sell one that looks identical until you look at the build quality. I had one from a supermarket and it lasted just about 12 months. The one from Maplin has been in use now for just over two years.
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Old 12-05-2011, 21:47
Izak
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This is the one I use
http://www.maplin.co.uk/scart-switching-unit-4724

It's purely mechanical switching though.

The supermarkets sell one that looks identical until you look at the build quality. I had one from a supermarket and it lasted just about 12 months. The one from Maplin has been in use now for just over two years.
That looks similar to the one I have in my bedroom I bought from Argos. It doesn't seem to Auto-Switch and on some pictures I can see faint diagonal scrolling lines (which aren't there when the device is plugged straight into the TV). Is the one from Maplins any better?
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Old 13-05-2011, 00:49
gomezz
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If you have 3 pieces of equipment you only need a two-way scart switcher as one of them can be plugged in to the socket marked "VCR Scart" on the Sky box.
If two of the devices have two SCART sockets then you do not need a switch at all as the three devices can be daisy-chained through to AV1 of the TV.
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Old 13-05-2011, 02:09
vinnielo
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This is the one I use
http://www.maplin.co.uk/scart-switching-unit-4724

It's purely mechanical switching though.

The supermarkets sell one that looks identical until you look at the build quality. I had one from a supermarket and it lasted just about 12 months. The one from Maplin has been in use now for just over two years.
Careful with those. I have one and whilst it does RGB, widescreen switching fails when other devices are plugged up to the switch. You'd think they were totally isolated when not selected, but they're not.
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Old 13-05-2011, 10:34
Izak
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Thanks for all your replies

I finally went with the one from Amazon Marketplace (I mentioned it in an earlier post): http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bandridge-SC...5279153&sr=8-1. It sounds like a good switch box and I'm saving nearly £40 on it so I'm happy!

I ordered it last night and its already been dispatched! That is great service.
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