Need Input - Scart Box help

djsim101

Hey Retro Gamers,

I need your input. I posted this question in a different forum but I guess I might have better luck here.

I currently own a Saturn, Dreamcast, and megadrive (also a C64, but that is connected differently) and only have the one RGB SCART connection on the LCD TV. I am having no look with the scart 4:1 boxes that I already have.

At present, the megadrive display is jumpy, the DC is so dull that you cannot see the picture and the saturn has whitle lines that jump around the place.

Can anyone of you guys recommend me a scart box that will work for me? I dont mind paying a bit more for a decent one as long as I get good picutres for each of my consoles.

Cheers Lads,

o1s1n

Make sure you get a scart box with switches on it. It sounds like you have one of those auto detect ones that affects picture quality.

/Edit- some of those picture problems could be caused by the LCD too. They really don't like old consoles. Megadrive/Atari/Neo Geo and C64 games have a jumpy picture on my LCD. You'll probably need to get a CRT.

djsim101

Hey Yeah o1s1n,

I checked all that and I bought a manually switched one that supports RGB across all 4 scart connectors. Okay it cost only ten euro = so maybe that is my problem.

Do you have one yourself that you use?

I was recommended the Joytech AV control centre or the Quintro Scart Switcher but these cost big bucks.

MontgomeryClift

I think you need to spend some money on one of these. I have a Hitachi 3 SCART thing from Argos, with a clicky switch, and it's junk. Colours come and go at random.

o1s1n

I use a 3 button switcher I bought in Maplin. Not sure of the brand, but it was expensive enough for what it is. About 20 euro. Have that going through an RGB scart socket in a Mitsubishi CRT. Everything works perfect. CRT is the only way to go in this case. Grab a cheap one off adverts.ie

djsim101

Thanks o1s1n, I knew you would get that dig in sometime about the CRT:) Unfort with my room setup, I cannot get a CRT Monitor.

I agree with you MontgomeryClift, I have bought 2 cheap ones and both crap. I was hoping one of the retro guys could point me in the right direction of a decent one that they use with an LCD TV:pac:

Retr0gamer

Not to offend you but I hope you are using true RGB scart and not the yellow red and white cables. if you are using the yellow red and white cables you'll get terrible picutre quality especially on an LCD TV.

djsim101

No offense taken:pac:

I am using the true RGB SCART. All 3 systems in question work great and display great when I plug them individual into AV 1 on TV (RGB support).

The problems is arise once I introduce the SCART Box. It says the scart box is RGB compatible but it only cost me a tenner so I have my doubts.

Not pratical removing and swapping the scart connections every time I want to change systems:(

Retr0gamer

Well I remove the scart cables. Pain in the arse but no where near as bad as swapping the component cable between Wii and 360! Best thing to do to see if you are getting a god RGB signal is to check it there's any dot crawling:

o1s1n

I do kind of have a similar problem to you. Currently in my spare room I have the following hooked up to one CRT tv via RGB (only 1 RGB socket too) -

Megadrive 2 /32x/cd2 combo
Megadrive 1 (Need to have two MDs connected as this one is overclocked!)
Neo Geo AES
Amiga 1200
Saturn
Snes
Dreamcast
ps2
JAMMA supergun

Don't have an RGB cable for the Xbox so that goes into the other scart along with the NES and N64.

But that's still 9 RGB scart connections and a switcher with only three on it Decent switchers with more than that cost too much money. I used to cut down on that by one by having the Dreamcast into an LCD monitor via VGA, but the monitor has been taken for other uses at the moment. So it's back to the tv.

What I do though is have the switcher around the side of the tv. So I can unplug consoles easily. It's annoying having to disconnect scarts, but it sure as hell beats having to give the tv a blind reacharound! I don't know how the hell Retr0 does that. Would really turn me off switching consoles.

Myrddin

Stupid question prob, but I presume the linkers can't be chained?

o1s1n

I've been meaning to try that out. Wonder would it degrade the picture quality?

djsim101

Thanks retrogamer, but how can I check this image against an RBG connection? Image displays fine on my PC which is also conencted to my LCD TV through HDMI, I have an all one LCD

Its good to know that other people are in the pain as I am

Might call into Maplin (hate shopping there) to see have they anything to offer.

I know there are ones out there that cost over 100 sterling but surely we can do better than that.

Damn love for owing more than 1 console:)

o1s1n

You can't see the dot crawl in that gif he posted? It's just an animation, so you should be able to see it on your LCD. The colours are off and it's moving up and down a bit.

Maplin are indeed a total rip off. The 4 scart switch block like mine was something like 25 euro last time I was in there. I really don't like giving them business due to their silly prices.

Stoner

not to take from the great advice here, but you might consider posting over on the home AV forum, no harm in getting input from those guys too.

I have terrible trouble with my RGB monitor sometimes, I try to let my amp do the switching, but that is an expensive option. I have a switching box that I find to be poor quality too, but the amp is very good, it has one component RGB, one composite and one S video monitor connection, its great for switching AV, cuts down o connections . However my 7 year old plasma can struggle with its I/O cards, it only has two card slots for input devices, dont ask

I always struggle with the Wii though, I can only get it working on the standard yellow, red white composite connections and it does not look great.

One handy feature of the plasma is the split screen function - i can have a direct screen for screen comparason for for different inputs. the difference between component and composite is huge (as we all know)

anyway I usually find the guys on home AV very helpful along with the guys on www.avforums.com

Retr0gamer

The gif I posted is an animation of what dot crawl artifacts look like. Take a look at it, then hook up you set up to what you think is RGB and start up a game. If you look at the edges of 2D art like say the start up logos or main menus and you are getting the same dot crawl artifacts then you aren't getting an RGB connection. The vertical edges should show no dot crawling.

djsim101

Thanks Stoner, I have already posted my question in AV, hopefully along with their help, I will get it sorted.

djsim101

Thanks also Retro, I will try that out ,now that the Ireland match is over.

I picked up this one the way home from

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=394375

Which I must give it a go. I was told I can have my money back it it dosent work. The sales guy wanted me to buy for 60 euro:p

djsim101

Well I am heading back to Maplin tomorrow. As expected, didnt work.

And now, a more worrying development, my DC now has now picture, just sound, even without the scart adapter:mad::mad::mad:

Adyx

o1s1n wrote: »

I do kind of have a similar problem to you. Currently in my spare room I have the following hooked up to one CRT tv via RGB (only 1 RGB socket too) -

Megadrive 2 /32x/cd2 combo
Megadrive 1 (Need to have two MDs connected as this one is overclocked!)
Neo Geo AES
Amiga 1200
Saturn
Snes
Dreamcast
ps2
JAMMA supergun

Don't have an RGB cable for the Xbox so that goes into the other scart along with the NES and N64.

But that's still 9 RGB scart connections and a switcher with only three on it Decent switchers with more than that cost too much money. I used to cut down on that by one by having the Dreamcast into an LCD monitor via VGA, but the monitor has been taken for other uses at the moment. So it's back to the tv.

What I do though is have the switcher around the side of the tv. So I can unplug consoles easily. It's annoying having to disconnect scarts, but it sure as hell beats having to give the tv a blind reacharound! I don't know how the hell Retr0 does that. Would really turn me off switching consoles.

Apologies for hijacking the thread, but how much did you pay for the Dreamcast VGA cable and where did you get it if you don't mind me asking?

o1s1n

Adyx wrote: »

Apologies for hijacking the thread, but how much did you pay for the Dreamcast VGA cable and where did you get it if you don't mind me asking?

From an ebay seller based in Canada. If you search Ebay America for Dreamcast VGA boxes he should come up.

He's the cheapest guy to get them from. €25 including delivery.

Adyx

Thanks. I came across a few all right but some were upwards of €45. Somebody even had a special adapter type thing for about €100. :eek:

djsim101

Hey Guys - update.

That maplin scart adapter seems to be working perfectly for the megadrive and Saturn running from SCART 1 RGB port on TV.

I now think that the scart lead from Dreamcast is the problem. I have ordered another from ebay.

Fingers crossed that is the problem and somehting that I bought from Maplin might actually work:eek::eek: