Connectivity problem...
 

Hi, I am suffering chronic hairloss due to connectivity problems.
I have an analogue ntl STB (General Instrument) and I'm trying to connect it to an old-school Fujitsu plasma.
I suspect I am making a schoolboy error along the way.
The plasma only has a phono input for video so I am using a scartsocket to 3 phono convertor to feed the plasma and my stereo for audio.
Plugged into this convertor is a 4 into 1 powered scart switcher fed by a VCR and DVD.
If I run the STB into the VCR via coax all I get is wierd muffled audio and no video.
The only way I get working cable (aside from direct connection via phono) is to use a phono to scart convertor directly in to the scart to phono convertor (which is really pointless). As soon as I try to use the scart switcher with the same convertor I get wierd audio/no video. If I run the STB into the VCR I get the same...
Am I missing something fundamental here or have I just got too many convertors involved?
Please help...

spookbag

Re: Connectivity problem...
 

I'm no expert, but don't most switchers require a fully wired SCART connection? At the very least, it'll require the switching signal on pin 8 to tell it which signals to forward on to the TV, I would have though. By using a phono-to-Scart converter, you're effectively only connecting three of the 21 scart pins.

Just a stab in the dark, but it might have something to do with it.

And welcome to the site, by the way!

Re: Connectivity problem...
 

Thanks for the welcome.
I have to agree with you on that one. Wiring it directly through the scart switcher was the first config I tried, but I then tried feeding it via coax to the VCR and tuning that to the output signal with the same result.
I also tried wiring it using the conversion cable from the phono outputs into the scart socket on the VCR and selecting the input on the VCR - with the same result.
I just can't understand why it works using the convertor to convertor (phono to scart - scart to phono) but as soon as anything else gets involved it seems to fail.
Maybe I should try hooking it to the VCR then wiring the scart from the VCR directly in to the final scart to phono convertor rather than through the 4 into 1 switcher and see if that works.

spookbag.

Re: Connectivity problem...
 

Ok - got an update.
Everything works until the 4 into 1 switcher gets involved.
I have it connected via phono to scart into the VCR and selecting E2 as the input source.
As soon as I run it back into the switcher it fails again so I assume that the VCR is totally passive and just forwards the signal directly to the other scart socket and into the switcher.
Anyone got any idea on why it does the same when I connect the STB to the VCR via coax?
Does the coax output from the STB still contain the terrestrial channels or are they filtered out? The VCR certainly doesn't seem to find them when tuning.
Any thoughts would be appreciated.

spookbag