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Old 13-10-2003, 22:34
Kevo
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Links to SCART switch boxes....

All minimum 3 x SCART RGB compatible and from the cheapest places that I have come across.

---MANUAL---

B-Tech BT21 Mk3
http://www.beyondhifi.net/shopping/m...?ProductID=286

'Argos jobby' which I think is a B-Tech B21 Mk3 clone
Item code 534/2361
Argos link

B-Tech BT21-S
http://www.beyondhifi.net/shopping/m...?ProductID=277

---AUTO---

B-Tech BT945 Qiunttro+
http://www.beyondhifi.net/shopping/m...?ProductID=565

Holdan HSR1000
http://www.keene.co.uk/cgi-bin/bigcodesearch.pl?HSR1000

Keene Scart Commander
http://www.keene.co.uk/cgi-bin/bigcodesearch.pl?KSC

Please feel free to add additions, corrections etc

Moderator, might be a good idea to make this one a 'sticky'.
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Old 14-10-2003, 13:10
Kef9
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Originally posted by Kevo
Links to SCART switch boxes....

All minimum 3 x SCART RGB compatible and from the cheapest places that I have come across.

---MANUAL---

B-Tech BT21 Mk3
http://www.beyondhifi.net/shopping/m...?ProductID=286

'Argos jobby' which I think is a B-Tech B21 Mk3 clone
Item code 534/2361
Argos link

B-Tech BT21-S
http://www.beyondhifi.net/shopping/m...?ProductID=277

---AUTO---

B-Tech BT945 Qiunttro+
http://www.beyondhifi.net/shopping/m...?ProductID=565

Holdan HSR1000
http://www.keene.co.uk/cgi-bin/bigcodesearch.pl?HSR1000

Keene Scart Commander
http://www.keene.co.uk/cgi-bin/bigcodesearch.pl?KSC

Please feel free to add additions, corrections etc

Moderator, might be a good idea to make this one a 'sticky'.

So you recommend all of these devices then?
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Old 14-10-2003, 16:32
GDB2freeview
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'Argos jobby' which I think is a B-Tech B21 Mk3 clone
Item code 534/2361

I have this; works well, creaks a lot if you press on it, (doesn't really matter!) gold connectors, instructions included, cheap.

You will have to buy a main SCART lead from the box to your TV, as there isn't one included. The box is quite compact.

The picture is very good, with no visable loss of quality, but I can't really comment on sound or technical picture details, as the switcher is only used on a mono Bush TV combi, not a fancy W/S setup, but the sound and picture certainly don't sound any worse then what it was like before I got the box.

You can switch between composite and RGB at the touch of a button, although if the STB or whatever isn't outputting RGB, the switcher won't make it RGB. (No switcher will.)

Features a 'record' feature, which means you can tape form an STB to a VCR, for example, and still play your XBox or whatever through the last free scart, although ARGOS has spelt it wrong, and it says 'RECODE' on the box as opposed to 'RECORD'. The phono connectors are for if you wanted to listen to the sound output without having the TV on, but the sound will still come out of the TV, I think, so you could have your TV off, and have the radio stations on on your STB, and output it to a home cinema system, or external speakers.

This is a no frills box; it depends what features you require. Certainly some of the other boxes with remote controls, etc., will be better, but much more expensive!

Hope it helps!

Gdb
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Old 14-10-2003, 16:42
Milky Joe
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i second the above although im not sure if mine had gold connectors on it? It is also more "blocky" and square rather than the curved one in the photo.

But yep, no loss in picture (dont know about sound as that goes through a 5.1 amp).

RGB as good as it ever was
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Old 14-10-2003, 16:51
Kevo
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Originally posted by Kef9
So you recommend all of these devices then?
Not necessarily, although these are the most common ones.

I was just posting for reference only as the subject crops up quite a lot.

Just trying to be helpful, that's all.
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Old 14-10-2003, 17:08
kev
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If you are ordering from Keene i would recommend phoning them. There website is not secure (i.e. address doesn't begin https:// and the padlock doesn't appear).

I have had the Argos manual one - one tad annoying feature is if you have a composite device (VCR) and RGB device turned on and are trying to view the composite one the RED signal from the RGB device floats all over the composite picture until you press the RGB button off. Mines not gold plated SCARTS and only one connection supports RGB.

I have changed to the Keene Quintro and it's great! However if you have a box that outputs a distorted (audio) signal it seams to make it worse - but if it's fine there is no degredation. If you are able to adjust the device with the destroted volume to a lower line level this cures it (i have the problem with MOJO on both my Freeview boxes)
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Old 14-10-2003, 18:00
Milky Joe
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kev it sounds like you had a dodgy version the one i have supports rgb on all 3 sockets
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Old 14-10-2003, 18:35
kev
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Originally posted by Exulus
kev it sounds like you had a dodgy version the one i have supports rgb on all 3 sockets
Meant to say - only one socket claimes to support RGB....

I've had two of them as well
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Old 21-10-2003, 10:15
chrisbartley
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Can't give you a link, but was in Makro at weekend, not seen it before but they have an AUTO Scart switcher, black box, 3 sockets, scart plug on a flying lead
Branded Vivanco IIRC
19.99 + vat
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Old 22-10-2003, 09:58
wicket
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I bought one from Maplins which has two scart connections (both RGB) works a treat and would recommend it.
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Old 22-10-2003, 21:14
GDB2freeview
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Originally posted by Exulus
kev it sounds like you had a dodgy version the one i have supports rgb on all 3 sockets
I have RGB on all sockets, too.

GDb
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Old 22-10-2003, 22:41
Kef9
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Originally posted by GDB2freeview
I have RGB on all sockets, too.

GDb
I think ill buy this one at weekend! It sounds perfect for what i want. Hope i get the one with the gold connectors in and supports rgb on three scarts. Otherwise im getting my money back.
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Old 23-10-2003, 14:23
GDB2freeview
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You won't regret it, but even if you do, you can take it back.

Gdb
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Old 01-11-2003, 20:28
ashepherd
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Originally posted by wicket
I bought one from Maplins which has two scart connections (both RGB) works a treat and would recommend it.
Which version was it please? And does it switch pin 8?
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Old 01-11-2003, 20:30
ashepherd
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Does anyone have any experience of the B Tech BT22? This is a very basic 2 way switch but it does switch pins 8 and 16 as well as full RGB.
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Old 03-11-2003, 05:05
Funboy
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I have the HoldAn 1000 any questions
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Old 03-11-2003, 08:57
ashepherd
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Originally posted by Funboy
I have the HoldAn 1000 any questions
I don't know that one. Is it a BT22 clone?. My interest is in a reliable box that does not degrade the signals in any way and will switch full RGB and the Pin 8/16 control signals. Most of the cheaper boxes around pass 8,16 through in an OR configuration which would cause problems for my patticular setup.
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Old 03-11-2003, 09:01
Funboy
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Its in the links from the guy who posted first, its unique feature is it carries 3 DD5.1 Inputs and one OutPut.

and it aint cheap either it costs 100 smackers with postage

worth every penny
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Old 03-11-2003, 09:32
comicsansserif
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I have the Quintro and it's an excellent device. However as far as I am aware it is not RGB on all sockets only 4 of the 5 SCART inputs are RGB. Keene are doing it for £69 now.
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Old 03-11-2003, 09:42
noddylpd
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Well I finally went for the Trilogy 2 RGB splitter. Had a few problems though as first one delivered was broken (cracked) so got a second one delivered and set it all up with no problems at all. The only thing is that I think this one is faulty! I have my digibox, dvd and games console set up via the trilogy box and they all switch automatically so that is fine but when watching a dvd or playing a game every now again the screen seems to make the tv reset itself to widescreen mode? (even if it is in that mode?) I play some games in smart or zoom mode to get the best pic depending on the game but the trilogy box changes it back to wide every so often? I have a sony widescreen tv with sony dvd and ps1. When watching TV via sky it does not do this only seems to do it on the dvd or ps1! What a pain! Aynone else seen this or got any ideas? I'm going to call the company where I got it fom anyway and report the fault! If that is how it works then it's going straight back!
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Old 03-11-2003, 09:54
comicsansserif
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Provided you are happy to switch the widescreen manually the the easiest way is to remove the pin in the SCART plug to the TV that is responsible for this (can't remember which one off the top of my head though).
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Old 03-11-2003, 10:18
noddylpd
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Originally posted by comicsansserif
Provided you are happy to switch the widescreen manually the the easiest way is to remove the pin in the SCART plug to the TV that is responsible for this (can't remember which one off the top of my head though).
Not really a fix though is it? I want to change automatically and do not want to remove pins from expensive scart leads. I could swap it out with a cheaper one I guess? May give it a try.

Thanks anyway.
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Old 03-11-2003, 10:23
ashepherd
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Pin 8 is the one that does SCART activation and widescreen switching. It has 0v on standby, 12V 0n 4:3 and 6V on widescreen. A lot of these boxes do not switch this pin but connect them all together through diodes so that in effect highest voltage wins. This means that if one of the inputs to the switch is outputting 4:3 it will over-ride the widescreen setting for the one that you are watching. You can cut the wire to this pin and select the settings manually, or make sure that any sources that you are not watching are off or in standby. Or you can get a box that switches pin 8 like the very cheap one that I mentioned.
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Old 03-11-2003, 14:01
kev
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Originally posted by comicsansserif
I have the Quintro and it's an excellent device. However as far as I am aware it is not RGB on all sockets only 4 of the 5 SCART inputs are RGB. Keene are doing it for £69 now.
Yeah, only 4 of them.

Anoyingly the composite & S-Video only doesn't have any output on it either so it can't be used for the VCR

I think VCR and two of the others have the VCR output too
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Old 03-11-2003, 16:45
wicket
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Originally posted by ashepherd
Which version was it please? And does it switch pin 8?
Two Way Scart Switcher block for £11.99 on the Maplin's site. It does automatically make the tv switch to the av source.

I couldn't copy a link on the Maplin's site to the direct page for some reason but if you have a look on the site you will find it. It was just a black box with three scart connections on it and a switchable button (it doesn't have a scart lead to connect to your tv you have to supply your own).
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