[comp.sys.amiga.hardware] Help wanted on SCART connector

stuart@siesoft.co.uk (Stuart Hood) (07/16/90)

I have just bought a TV which has a SCART input. I am thinking of
buying an Amiga if:

a) it is possible to connect it to the SCART.
b) the quality of the picture is sufficient to read 80 columns of text.

A friend has an Amiga with which I could test this but we don't know
which of the Amiga's connectors to wire to the SCART. Any information
on which to use and whether a mistake could damage either the TV or the
Amiga would be much appreciated.

If this is not possible, does anyone know what the quality is like
using a UHF modulator?

Thanks in advance,

Stuart.

--
Stuart Hood 65-73 Crockhamwell Road, Woodley, Reading, Berkshire, RG5 3JP, UK
Phone: + 44-734-691994 				Email: stuart@siesoft.co.uk
-------- Happiness is a state of mind, not a state of employment ------------

grr@cbmvax.commodore.com (George Robbins) (07/19/90)

In article <1990Jul16.094028.12793@siesoft.co.uk> stuart@siesoft.co.uk (Stuart Hood) writes:
> I have just bought a TV which has a SCART input. I am thinking of
> buying an Amiga if:
> 
> a) it is possible to connect it to the SCART.
> b) the quality of the picture is sufficient to read 80 columns of text.
> 
> A friend has an Amiga with which I could test this but we don't know
> which of the Amiga's connectors to wire to the SCART. Any information
> on which to use and whether a mistake could damage either the TV or the
> Amiga would be much appreciated.

Well, as I understand it, SCART is an all-in-one connector, that might have
both composite and RGB on it.  If the interface is composite video or thru
any RF modulator, you aren't going to get readable 80 column text.  If it's
thru an RGB interface, the capability is there, but the result depends on
the quality of the monitor electronics/crt resolution.

RGB monitors with a SCART cable are the standard Amiga setup for France
and presumably any other hard-core SECAM countries.

-- 
George Robbins - now working for,     uucp:   {uunet|pyramid|rutgers}!cbmvax!grr
but no way officially representing:   domain: grr@cbmvax.commodore.com
Commodore, Engineering Department     phone:  215-431-9349 (only by moonlite)

ccc121e@monu6.cc.monash.edu.au (Dave Schwarz) (07/20/90)

In article <1990Jul16.094028.12793@siesoft.co.uk>, stuart@siesoft.co.uk (Stuart Hood) writes:
> I have just bought a TV which has a SCART input. I am thinking of
> buying an Amiga if:
> 
> a) it is possible to connect it to the SCART.

When i Got my Amiga 1000 it came with a 1081 color monitor which
was connected to the amiga by a, yep you guessed it a SCART connector
so, yes it is possable to connect an Amiga to a monitor with a scart connector
Try this for a start (ps It has molded plugs so this was fun)

looking at the scart connector from behind I will call the top left
hand pin 1 and the bottom right hand pin 20, where the top left hand pin
is next to the bit that juts out. (I am sure there is an official pin out
but I dont have it)
     ---------------------------------+
     \ 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  |
     |  11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 |<------------------
     +--------------------------------+                   \
Amiga db23	Scart                                      \
gnd on plug	grn (on mine its soldered to the metal case \)
3		13	(analog red)
4		15	(analog green)
5		17	(analog blue)
10		1	(composite sync()
		pin14 is a shield for 13
		pin16 is a shield for 15
		pin17 is a shield for 17 
		pin2 is wired in parrellel to pin12
		pin2 is a shield for pin1 
I think that all the shields go to pins 16,17,18,19,20 which are ground
on the amiga db23
as well my plug has audio into the monitor from 2 rca plugs which plug on the 
back of tha amiga and go into 
	left audio pin 8
	right audio pin  10
	audio grn pin 9
on the scart plug

> b) the quality of the picture is sufficient to read 80 columns of text.

the quality will depend on you  monitor, mine is excellent, but it is
after all a proper monitor, but from what I understand most monitors
with scart connectors should give very good displays, better than a TV.

> 
> A friend has an Amiga with which I could test this but we don't know
> which of the Amiga's connectors to wire to the SCART. Any information
> on which to use and whether a mistake could damage either the TV or the
> Amiga would be much appreciated.

When doing things it is always possible to blow up things
(I know cause I have !) but when playing with vidio its hard to blow
up things unless you realy try. Basicly Dont solder conectors while
they are still plugged in (both ends must be unplugged), and it is very hard to
go wrong. Please note that when you go inside a monitor its a different story

> 
> If this is not possible, does anyone know what the quality is like
> using a UHF modulator?

The moulator that I have seen works, give color but is not very easy to
read, If you intend to play games its ok but for programming,using as
a terminal and the like it realy hurst your eyes after a while, and its
hard to read when in 80 column mode, you have to use 60 column mode.
> 
> Thanks in advance,
> 
> Stuart.
> 
> --
> Stuart Hood 65-73 Crockhamwell Road, Woodley, Reading, Berkshire, RG5 3JP, UK
> Phone: + 44-734-691994 				Email: stuart@siesoft.co.uk
> -------- Happiness is a state of mind, not a state of employment ------------

Dave...
(In Melbourne Australia) (On his trusty 1000)
-- 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|Dave Schwarz @ Monash Uni Caulfield Campus   |         Dont you just love a   |
|900 Dandynong Rd,East Caulfield,Vic,Australia|         place that takes away  |
|ccc121e@monu6.cc.monash.edu.au      <------  |your name and gives you a number|

rosenber@ra.abo.fi (Robin Rosenberg INF) (07/21/90)

>I have just bought a TV which has a SCART input. I am thinking of
>buying an Amiga if:
>
>a) it is possible to connect it to the SCART.
>b) the quality of the picture is sufficient to read 80 columns of text.

Yes, it's possible and quite common to use a TV connected through
SCART. Especially since it's hard to find a TV set without it
nowadays. Since SCART is an RGB connector (plus sound and composite and some
other lines) it gives you as good a picture as the tube allows.

>A friend has an Amiga with which I could test this but we don't know
>which of the Amiga's connectors to wire to the SCART. Any information
>on which to use and whether a mistake could damage either the TV or the
>Amiga would be much appreciated.

Try to get the Amiga dealer to lend you a cable to check it out.

>If this is not possible, does anyone know what the quality is like
>using a UHF modulator?

A SCART connector is both cheaper and better than an modulator. 

----
Robin Rosenberg

gmb@iclswe.icl.se (Grahame Budd) (07/23/90)

stuart@siesoft.co.uk (Stuart Hood) writes:

>I have just bought a TV which has a SCART input. I am thinking of
>buying an Amiga if:

>a) it is possible to connect it to the SCART.
>b) the quality of the picture is sufficient to read 80 columns of text.

The SCART input supports all three methods of connection, these can be:

1.  RF input, the signal which comes from the antenna is RF and this is the
    output from a UHF modulator.
2.  Composite video. This is the picture and sync signals as extracted from 
    an RF signal or as the "video" output from some VCRs.
3.  RGB + sync. This is the three picture signals plus a sync signal.

The RGB has the best quality, CompSync next and RF third. 

The problem with SCART inputs is that the interface can support all three
types of system. There are some SCART inputs which support RF and Composite
but dont have the RGB connected. The only way to find out is to check the 
manual for the TV. Generally they list the inputs, if the RGB and SYNC aren't
mentioned then the TV wont accpet them.

The composite input is also the sync input for RGB signals. Some TV's also
require the sync and fast blanking signals to be connected together. The old
SONY monitors have this problem, (but a great picture).

The only way to be sure is to test it out.

>If this is not possible, does anyone know what the quality is like
>using a UHF modulator?

Using the newer modulators it is fairly ok and will just about support 80 col
working. The older ones were pretty fuzzy and only worked at 60 col. If you
do ues a modulator they also have a Composite output which is better than the 
standard RF.

khl@doc.ic.ac.uk (Kang Ho Lee) (07/23/90)

In article <1990Jul20.074335.10120@monu6.cc.monash.edu.au> ccc121e@monu6.cc.monash.edu.au (Dave Schwarz) writes:
>In article <1990Jul16.094028.12793@siesoft.co.uk>, stuart@siesoft.co.uk (Stuart Hood) writes:
>> I have just bought a TV which has a SCART input. I am thinking of
>> buying an Amiga if:
>> 
>> a) it is possible to connect it to the SCART.
>
>When i Got my Amiga 1000 it came with a 1081 color monitor which
>was connected to the amiga by a, yep you guessed it a SCART connector
>so, yes it is possable to connect an Amiga to a monitor with a scart connector
>Try this for a start (ps It has molded plugs so this was fun)
>
I also have a 1081 monitor, when I try using the SCART connector to connect my
Amiga to my new colour TV, it behaves very strangely. First, the stereo sound
seemed fine but the screen was blank. Then I found that if I press the
TeleText button the image from my Amiga showed up "genlocked" with the
Teletext. Since then, I've tried a few different TV and they all seemed to do
the same thing ( TV tried : Mitsubishi, Sony, Bang & Olufsen ). Can anyone
tell me why this is so?

[Stuff deleted]

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