Which SCART? £45 or less..? UK

Sinelanguage · « **on:** 31 Dec 2003, 12:10 am »

IXOS XHV601 Flat RGB SCART (video only) = £35.99 (0.75M)
IXOS XHT611 Flat SCART = £35.99 (0.75M)
QED AV21: SQART = 42.90 (1M)
QED AV41: RGB SQART (video only) = £42.90 (1M)

hmm...

i have a £18 radioshack OFC copper cable (1.0Meter) with Gold Plugs at the moment. It conveys at times an amazing picture from current old Sony 725Dpw DVD player but on heavy duty brightness with lots of white areas its only then that you see slight greyish interference (unable to hold the white in sustain for long because the high frequency of the colour signal isnt strong enough), also the colours from the sony are subdued and natural but at times i do feel need a bit more clarity and solidity i know this player is still exellent with the right connection. So for a small improvment but noticible can anyone recommend one of these choice or have a better choice.. staying below £50. (above that seems OTT) until i get HDMI/DVI + DVDA/SACD with my long time comming next DVD player.

thnaks all.

michael w · « **Reply #1 on:** 31 Dec 2003, 05:38 am »

AC might not be the best place to ask about SCARTs as most Americans have never seen one before

The IXOS stuff is good (but not a huge step above the RatShack). AudioQuest G-Scart series is quite a bit better.

Top dog though is still the QED SQART.

If you don't need audio through SCART then go for a video-only cable, they are noticeably better.

I'm not sure of a new cable will solve your problems though, it sound slike a DVD player/monitor problem.

What TV are you using ?
ARe you using RGB ?

Best bet is to find a shop that will loan you some cables to try out.

cheers

bubba966 · « **Reply #2 on:** 31 Dec 2003, 09:03 am »

Quote from: michael w

AC might not be the best place to ask about SCARTs as most Americans have never seen one before

I think he's probably right...

While I do know what a SCART is, and what it looks like, I've never seen one in person. And I've got no knowledge on who makes a decent one as I've not had the need or ability for one.

Hopefully Michael's comments will be all of the answers you need as I'm sure there's hardly any other people around here that can give any additional help...

Rob Babcock · « **Reply #3 on:** 31 Dec 2003, 10:26 am »

I've actually got a cheapo COBY DVD player w/a SCART socket (don't ask, it was an Xmas present

). My display doesn't have a SCART input (like everyone else in N. America), but from what I've read, the QED is pretty much the top gun.

Sinelanguage · « **Reply #4 on:** 31 Dec 2003, 11:00 am »

thanks michael + all... yup im going for the QED SQUART..now. i kind of guessed that this would be a good bet but didnt realise there would be a difference with video only over the audio version!?! obviously i didnt want to pay for no improvment and lose audio. buti from what you and others have said the QED SQUART RGB (video only) seems a good enough choice for the time being.. (see my HDMI question.. as you can see i sold on geting LCD or Plasma next, but will still use the scart lead i buy now for some connections).

... my display is a PAL 21" JVC FST Television, but before you laugh it is important to realize i have just GIVEN away my IDTV Thompson Scenium 32" 16:9 set because as with nearly all 16:9 CRT televisions iam dissapointed with convergance errors and geometary problems etc..
this technology is not exaclty in its infancy its just flawed..
My JVC has also got one 1watt speaker!! but it delivers the cleanest pictures from a 4:3 CRT TV that i have seen with no bleed, ghosting, convergance errors or geometary problems whatsoever. it has no picture options other than brightness and contrast! very basic direct view TV for broadcast monitor.

michael w · « **Reply #5 on:** 31 Dec 2003, 12:07 pm »

I'm in New Zealand where we have access to a similar range of equipment that you have in the UK, so SCARTS are not unknown.

The RGB only SQART has some performance advantage because only the RGB and control pins are connected avoiding any interference that can arise when all 21 pins are wired up.

Depending on what model you buy you may or may not be able to use the SQART with your future LCD/plasma, most of these new displays do not have SCART connections.

I'm not laughing at your JVC.
In fact I empathise with you !
I'm still using an old Sony 4x3 34" monitor because I'm also annoyed by the convergence and geometric errors in 16x9 sets, even the mighty Loewe Aconda 40" is not immune.

The only way to get perfect convergence and geometry is to use a fixed pixel display like an LCD or plasma.

cheers

Sinelanguage · « **Reply #6 on:** 31 Dec 2003, 05:56 pm »

hi,

micheal thanx for your input. I know some screens like LCD and Plasma use scarts but if possible il be using component + DVI connections where possible (BTW just bought an . As for the comments about this being an american forum.......?
dont understand that, I use any forum from around the world in order to get my info and communicate with other people and learn their culture, in fact that is the very basis of our hobby if you think about it... Film,Music, Drama from different perspectives... its the technology that will one day bind us and is doing that as i speak. It may solve more problems than our previous generation were capable of thats why its the World Wide Web... The world isnt just America although they may like to think it is

sorry if i missread the comment.

+ cheers Micheal

Sinelanguage · « **Reply #7 on:** 31 Dec 2003, 06:01 pm »

oops sorry

... (BTW i just bough an...was meant to say IXOS XBOX scart for improved picture... i have the component high definition box with S/DIF out but i have no component connections yet. Was actually looking at 4:3 LCD screens... actually like 4:3 better because of perfomance and price at the moment? what you think..

(ps. i like americans..

)

bubba966 · « **Reply #8 on:** 31 Dec 2003, 06:08 pm »

What I think Michael was trying to say about SCART & Americans was that this site is mostly used by people in the US. And that'd be why you're probably not going to get loads of help on SCART cables as no one in the US uses them.

michael w · « **Reply #9 on:** 31 Dec 2003, 10:32 pm »

What bubba said !

As for LCDs ...I would go for a 16x9 display.
Almost all movies, TV productions and games are now being framed for a rectangular world instead of the old square perspective.

And unlike the CRT based displays, LCDs/plasmas have none of the convergence/geometry problems.

cheers

greve · « **Reply #10 on:** 25 Jan 2004, 05:17 pm »

Quote from: bubba966

What I think Michael was trying to say about SCART & Americans was that this site is mostly used by people in the US. And that'd be why you're probably not going to get loads of help on SCART cables as no one in the US uses them.

Well, there are a few non-americans and not-living-in-america people on this forum, and I'm one of them.

I happen to use several QED RGB SQART and they're great. All previous comments in this thread are valid as well, I just thought I'd add my 25"ørepence"...

(I'm a Dane living in UK - both fanatic non-Euro countries and not getting the Dollar anytime soon either, I guess...)

bubba966 · « **Reply #11 on:** 25 Jan 2004, 07:39 pm »

Quote from: greve

Well, there are a few non-americans and not-living-in-america people on this forum, and I'm one of them.

Glad you stop by and participate. I think we could use a few more people in the UK stopping in.

I'm also happy to see that there's actually been a few answers given to this question.

Rob Babcock · « **Reply #12 on:** 25 Jan 2004, 10:15 pm »

Your resemblence to American actor Bruce Willis is striking, Greve! But aren't handguns essentially outlawed in England?

greve · « **Reply #13 on:** 25 Jan 2004, 10:32 pm »

Quote from: Rob Babcock

Your resemblence to American actor Bruce Willis is striking, Greve! But aren't handguns essentially outlawed in England?

I guess they are - not even all police officers have them... There was recently a debate in UK about this, as a police officer was killed in a trivial traffic incident, but if he had had a gun of some kind, it could most probably have been avoided. I guess the "over-politeness" in the British culture is to blame... I for one am a bit fed up with the British "let's not raise our voice and attract attention" over-cautious politeness...

Glad you noticed my resemblence to Bruce Willis - it's not a recent photo though...

Ferdi · « **Reply #14 on:** 26 Jan 2004, 08:51 am »

Greve's resemblance to Bruce is uncanny but I know the gun is a fake.

You're probably going to be happy with the QED/video only.

I have had my share of SCART related problems. Needed to connect my Rotel DVDP to my Loewe Xelos TV. I needed to get a component/RCA to Scart cable. I ended up getting it from Australia.

And yes, there are more Europeans here.

Ferdi

greve · « **Reply #15 on:** 26 Jan 2004, 09:16 am »

Quote from: Ferdi

Greve's resemblance to Bruce is uncanny but I know the gun is a fake.

Ferdi

FAKE GUN!!!??? Didn't you see me shoot out the windows in Nagatomi Tower??? Nothing fake about that, unless all guns in Hollywood Blockbusters are fake, of course...