What interconnects should I use.

hurstnicholas · 08-11-2005, 13:32

I have a Pace 2000 box and an old sony TV (with a couple of scart sockets (at least one of them RGB, I think - whatever that means) on the back) and have just bought a Panansonic DVD/VCR recorder/player that seems to have every socket under the sun (RGB, composite, S etc....).
Should I just use my old scart leads from the back of the NTL box to the recorder and TV, just as I did with my old VCR, or should I upgrade these???
For instance, is the PAce 2000 scart an RGB one, in which case should i use a special RGB scart cable???
One day soon, I will invest in a new TV with composite inputs, so I guess that I will then need to run a new composite lead from the recorder to the TV.
Its so long since I installed the original PAce, TV and old VCR, that I'm terrified at the prospect of trying to work out what goes where!
I also note that since the recent NTL upgrade, on the "visual options" I can choose between RGB and Composite. Even though I don't have Composite outlets on the PAce, I still seem to get a better picture on this setting - is it OK to run it on this setting instead???
Many thanks
N

SMHarman · 08-11-2005, 14:54

In all these instances you may not have the right outputs on the STB, but the signal is sent by SCART.
Your best choice of signal in all instances is RGB (I imagine your TV predates any other component signal). Your TV probably only has 1 RGB connection though.
So I would connect the TV to the STB by Composite and the TV to the DVD by RGB through the RGB enabled SCART.

If the pictures are good then the connections are probably fine, if not better connections should improve them.

hurstnicholas · 08-11-2005, 15:01

Many thanks for your advice
But I am a little confused by "I would connect the TV to the STB by Composite" - does the PAce NTL STB have any composite outputs (for when I get a TV with a composite input)?

08-11-2005, 15:26

I would link everything up via an Audio Visual amplifier but this involves expense

SMHarman · 08-11-2005, 15:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by hurstnicholas

Many thanks for your advice
But I am a little confused by "I would connect the TV to the STB by Composite" - does the PAce NTL STB have any composite outputs (for when I get a TV with a composite input)?

Yes, the scart is composite or RGB, both can be sent down a standard SCART lead. The current STB does not have any component connections, but then there is no point as the box cannot decode anything that would look better than a standard RGB signal.

Are you getting your composite (the yellow part of the red/white/yellow leads) and component (needed for HDTV etc) mixed up?

altis · 08-11-2005, 15:44

What model is the Panny recorder?

hurstnicholas · 08-11-2005, 15:55

Firstly, yes I guess I am getting my composite and component confused!
Can one connect scart to composite (if either the STB or TV has composite inputs?).
Secondly the DVD/VCR recorder is the DMRES30

altis · 08-11-2005, 19:26

Don't worry about being confused, the SCART is a most bizarre connector - but at least it's a standard! It can carry three different types of video signal in one direction (although not necessarily at the same time) and audio in both directions.
More info here (scroll down the LHS for the scart pinout):
http://www.bnoack.com/

Good choice of recorder. It has two scart sockets and can record RGB. I suggest you wire it *between* the STB and the TV. To do this connect the scart socket on the STB labelled TV to the scart on the recorder labelled AV2. Then connect AV1 on the recorder to an RGB-enabled scart on the TV (probably AV1). Set everything to work in RGB mode and Robert should be your uncle.

More details here:
http://www.panasonic.co.uk/dvd-recor...s30v/index.htm

hurstnicholas · 09-11-2005, 08:04

Many thanks - I looked last night and although my TV (15+year old Sony Trinitron) has two Scarts and when I go into the menu, RGB appears down the list, I suspect that neither scart is actually RGB enabled, because I could not seem to move the RGB flag on the menu, toeither AV1 or AV2.

I will however follow your advice and see what happens.
I will continue to plug the RF directly into the Recorder (and then this,into the TV), rather than via the NTL RF in/out sockets, because I assume that this will allow me to continue to watch terrestial while recording NTL?

altis · 09-11-2005, 08:19

Correct. Routing the RF via the STB will achieve nothing useful. As you say, what you need is:

aerial --> recorder (RF in)
recorder (RF out) --> TV

Indeed, this will allow you to simultaneously watch terrestial and record NTL. And probably vice versa too.