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SCART splitter with no quality loss?


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Old 28-07-2007, 15:14
russellelly
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..or at least one not noticeable to the human eye!

My current setup of a Toppy and a Virgin Media TV box is a bit of a nightmare. The two really don't get along very well. The Toppy puts out pin 8 signals when starting a recording, making the TV switch to it, but if I disable these then I'd need to cycle iputs on the TV just to watch the Toppy (not a popular option!). My last resort is a manual RGB SCART switcher, but can someone confirm that one that isn't powered will result in negligible quality loss.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?...ce=14&doy=28m7 is what I'm looking at (I know there are chepaer ones, but being able to hide the wires and have easy access to the switches is vital).

I'm usually quite sceptical of these switchers, bu I'm at a loss to see a better option.
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Old 28-07-2007, 18:51
bobcar
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..or at least one not noticeable to the human eye!

My current setup of a Toppy and a Virgin Media TV box is a bit of a nightmare. The two really don't get along very well. The Toppy puts out pin 8 signals when starting a recording, making the TV switch to it, but if I disable these then I'd need to cycle iputs on the TV just to watch the Toppy (not a popular option!). My last resort is a manual RGB SCART switcher, but can someone confirm that one that isn't powered will result in negligible quality loss.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?...ce=14&doy=28m7 is what I'm looking at (I know there are chepaer ones, but being able to hide the wires and have easy access to the switches is vital).

I'm usually quite sceptical of these switchers, bu I'm at a loss to see a better option.
Why don't you just route the VM TV box through the Toppy? I'm assuming that the Toppy has 2 scarts (I don't have one).
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Old 29-07-2007, 10:22
Scorpio
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I'm assuming that the Toppy has 2 scarts (I don't have one).
Bob......a Toppy or a scart? Lol.

Scorp
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Old 29-07-2007, 21:22
russellelly
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Why don't you just route the VM TV box through the Toppy? I'm assuming that the Toppy has 2 scarts (I don't have one).
The problem is that the TV will jump to the Toppy as soon as it starts a recording doing it that way. I can disable pin 8, but that'd mean manually cycling inputs. A manual switcher would be much better than having to hit the AV button 5 times.
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Old 30-07-2007, 01:12
steven123
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A good manual (or automatic) Scart switcher should not cause any noticeable loss of quality. I use manual Scart switchers on both of my large widescreen CRT TVs (28 inch and 32 inch). I use a 3 way switcher on the 28 inch and a 5 way switcher on the 32 inch and neither causes a noticeable signal loss and they both preserve RGB (essential for the best picture quality possible on SD) and aspect ratio switching commands. Not sure of the brands but I just got them from Argos, neither was particularly expensive, maybe £10-£20, you shouldn't really have to pay more than that unless you want a automatic switcher. The only thing I have found is that you have to ensure that all Scart leads are fully pushed in as having one just slightly loose often results in one of the colour signals (Red, Green, Blue) not getting through properly and the picture having a very odd colour tint.

Scart splitters do result in a noticeable drop in quality and should be avoided; I once had a 5 way one and the brightness was reduced to the extent of the picture being barely visible and there was serious interference (even with only one device on at a time as they should be used)
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Old 30-07-2007, 08:45
Scorpio
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The problem is that the TV will jump to the Toppy as soon as it starts a recording doing it that way. I can disable pin 8, but that'd mean manually cycling inputs. A manual switcher would be much better than having to hit the AV button 5 times.
When connecting a Panny VCR via a Sky box, the TV only switches to the VCR when the PLAY signal on pin 8 is detected, not a recording function. This would most certainly be annoying.

Surely by connecting each device seperately to RGB scars on the TV, a little press (or 5) on the remote cant be too much hard work?

How many times a day do you need to switch? Think of that superfit right thumb!


Rgds,
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Old 30-07-2007, 19:08
bobcar
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The problem is that the TV will jump to the Toppy as soon as it starts a recording doing it that way. I can disable pin 8, but that'd mean manually cycling inputs. A manual switcher would be much better than having to hit the AV button 5 times.
I don't understand, what is it switching from? I can only assume you are watching Freeview on the TV, it will still switch from that even with a SCART switch.

If it's switching from the VM machine then it can't do that if it's connected via the Toppy because they're going into the same TV SCART.

I've never heard of a PVR switching pin 8 when it records, this is strange behaviour indeed - this would stop me buying one.

SCART switches don't usually degrade the signal so if that's the best way then do it.
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Old 30-07-2007, 21:32
russellelly
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I don't understand, what is it switching from? I can only assume you are watching Freeview on the TV, it will still switch from that even with a SCART switch.

If it's switching from the VM machine then it can't do that if it's connected via the Toppy because they're going into the same TV SCART.

I've never heard of a PVR switching pin 8 when it records, this is strange behaviour indeed - this would stop me buying one.

SCART switches don't usually degrade the signal so if that's the best way then do it.
Switching from someone watching UK Gold on the cable box! It can do that, and it does - and yes only the first SCART socket is in use, since it's the only one supporting RGB. I suppose it's the Toppy stopping passing the signal through rather than the TV switching, but the effect is there. I agree it's peculiar behaviour, but it's the way the Toppy is - it doesn't have a psuedo-standby like most other machines, if it's on standby it'll 'wake' to record.

Anyway, will double check the manual SCART switcher definately won't react to PIN 8 then buy one. Thanks for the help
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Old 31-07-2007, 09:25
Cobson
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If you daisy-chain the toppy and cable box then you can use the 'satellite' button on the toppy remote to switch between the two. It will still switch to the toppy on occasion (when recordings end ?) but one press of the satellite key should fix it.

I used to do it like this, but now I use a powered scart switch with remote control. Used with a programmable remote like a Harmony, you can set it up so that one press of the 'PVR' activity on the remote selects the correct input on the scart switch, and the same for cable, dvd, etc.
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Old 31-07-2007, 09:45
evansc
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I have one of these, they are fantastic.....

http://www.joytech.net/1/products/av...rol-Center.htm
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