Scart Cable - Is it worth the extra cost

Jazzycat

Hi,

I have recently got a lcd tv and have connected it to my satelitte box.
I used the old basic scart cable that connected my old chunky tv to it before.

I see that you can buy all sorts of quite expensive cables. Is it worth paying for such a thing. Would there be a big noticable diffrence in picture quality.

Sorry for sounding dumb on this.

Thanks

joshm_2

The quick answer is probably yes you may notice a difference, but no the chances are it won't be 'big'. This is especially true if the cable is quite short, e.g. 1m (i.e. the longer the cable the more lossy the signal).

In more detail, SCART is just the type of connector - it depends on how the SCART is wired (and in turn what signal your equipment is using). There are generally three different types of signal that can be carried on a fully-wired SCART cable (whether they are carried is down to the equipment's abilities):

1: RGB (digital signal, seperate levels for each colour red, green & blue)
2: S-Video (signal split into two - colour and brightness)
3: Composite (everything rolled into one)

where RGB is the best and composite the worst. I'm not sure what signal you're using (probably composite) so it may be worth your while investogating the abilities of your equipment before splashing out (even then, I think a good fully-wired, well shielded SCART cable can be had for about £25).

Jazzycat

Hi,

thanks for your reply.

I have a composite at the moment. The sky box is about 6 years old.
The tv is a Panasonic TX32LXD70.

I'm none too clever with the techie understandings of the cables.
I guess the composite is the only way of connecting?

many thanks

joshm_2

Your TV can handle an RGB signal via SCART on both sockets but the question remains as to what your Sky box's capability is. Is it a Digibox? I thought at least some of them could 'do' RGB?

Jazzycat

I will check this tonight.
I guess the sky digibox will need to have the colour pin outputs?

If not can you use an adapter to convert or will this just be a pointless task.

Maybe I can ask Sky to change my box.

Thanks again.

intranix

My old grundig digibox could do RGB, and my panasonic too.

You'll find the ability to change it in the setup menu, along with other options like 4:3, Wide, Letterbox, Pal, Pal 60 etc

intranix

Jazzycat wrote: »

I will check this tonight.
I guess the sky digibox will need to have the colour pin outputs?

If not can you use an adapter to convert or will this just be a pointless task.

Maybe I can ask Sky to change my box.

Thanks again.

It is the same connector (scart), you wont be able to tell from looking at the box. It is usually switchable via software, in this case in the menu i mentioned above.

Jazzycat

Hi,

thanks for your reply.

On the tv will it know the setting coming from the digi box or will that need to be changed too?

thanks again

Conor_3

The TV should pick it up.

flapjackboy

I always find it's best not to use the really cheap SCART cables as the manufacturers will often just crimp the cables into the SCART plug, producing a poor connection quality. The better quality cables are normally crimped and soldered in place, resulting in superior connection quality.

I don't go overboard and get the uber-expensive OFC gold-plated jobs as they're just for A/V fanatics who will swear blind that there's a difference and buy things like this.

ormus

the 25 quid gold plated scart leads cost the retailer about £1.60
you might wanna think about that before buying one.


we used to buy scart leads for 86p yrs ago. (a warehouse in warrington) we had a field day selling em at 10/15 quid!