Connecting console to TV

[miffy495]

Yup, my 360 came with everything it needed for a good setup, with the exception of the fucking expensive wireless internet add-on. As I'm in North America and have little to no knowledge of your mystical "SCART" system, What I end up doing is using the easy-to access component inputs on the side of my TV and just swap the cables for whatever I'm using. Stupid TV doesn't have enough to have 2 game systems and a DVD player all on component at the same time. Grrr.

[brkl]

  Marek said:

Edit: this random page from Google says "Component > Scart > Composite".

The writer of that doesn't seem to really realize what the SCART RGB signal is. "Component > Scart > Composite" doesn't even make sense. SCART carries composite signal, so how could composite be better or worse than SCART? What he's referring to is the RGB signal carried by SCART which fits Wikipedia's definition of a component signal:

"Component video is a type of analog video information that is transmitted or stored as two or more separate signals. "

RGB has three signals, of course. S-video has two, brightness and color. Composite has only one signal and is the weakest.

HOWEVER

Once we get out of semantics, it may actually be true. Far as I know, the "component" video output doesn't send an RGB signal. Maybe it is better.

[Oath]

  miffy495 said:

Stupid TV doesn't have enough to have 2 game systems and a DVD player all on component at the same time. Grrr.

To combat this problem you could buy a switch box, so you can have everything hooked up and then just flip through your gadgets with a remote. There won't be any significant loss in quality, unless perhaps you buy the cheapest thing available. Something like this might be suitable.

[eljay]

Component cables carry Y, PB and PR (or CB and CR) I'm not sure what those are, but they aren't the same as RGB ;;

On switch boxes, if you don't mind having to get up a mechanical switch box can't possibly have any signal loss, I have a 3 way manual switch for my set up.

to Oath again: sorry, didn't mean to make you doubt yourself, I was just surprised now I understand more why people were pissed off that sony only included composite in the 60GB PS3, Microsoft set a precedent (and well done them).

[brkl]

I think it's three signals with luminance and something to do with blue and red. Still, it's three signals. I don't know why it would be significantly better or worse.

[vimes]

Y is the luminosity(blue+red+green),Cb is Y-Blue channel and Cr is Y-Red channel... so you can easily get the Green Channel with a simple equation and it allows for consistency checking... which ensure an output image truer to the source than RGB.

I mean, that's the theory when the signal is carried through by hertzian waves... I'm not sure you can find inconsistencies in a signal transmitted by wire from a nearby console.

[nsps]

Does this alleged SCART thingy have progressive output? That could be what makes it less than "component."

If it offers 480p or more, you might as well use it. If not, go component.

I also just got an HDTV and am going to test a couple connections on my Powerbook (right now I'm using S-video until the cables I ordered arrive). I will report on my success.

Y is the luminance, Pb and Pr are the difference between blue and luminance and red and luminance, respectively.

[brkl]

I actually don't think so. I'm not sure about 480p, but it certainly doesn't support HD resolutions. I'd say that if you have a normal TV, it won't matter whether you use SCART's RGB or what are commonly called composite cables, but if you have a TV that supports HD resolutions, you should use composite cables.

[nsps]

Just came across this:

http://www.wiichat.com/nintendo-wii-hardware/3866-scart-need-help-europeans.html

So it sounds like you can't do 480p, in which case, you'll probably want to go component to get a signal that compliments your new TV.

[Marek]

Okay, so another noob question from me.

My 360 is connected using composite cables. My Wii with component. I will eventually get composite cables for the Wii because it has the most need for a good signal. But I still want to keep my 360 connection optimal.

I only have one composite input on my TV. Are there SCART to composite converters? Or what else should I do?

[brkl]

Composite BAD

Component GOOD

You probably need a switchbox.

[eljay]

First things first, I'm going to presume you got the names the wrong way around as you would be crazy to want to switch to composite hehe ;;

Composite = the image is composited into a single signal, lame.

Component = each component of the image carried separately, therefore better.

(hopefully a helpful way to remember which is which)

Now onto your actual question, does your TV have a VGA input? if so get the 360 VGA cable, image quality is roughly equal to component (there is some debate about which is better).

If not then you can pick up a mechanical Component Switch box off ebay for about £10 so you just flick a switch to change consoles...

(going with a mechanical switch rather than one with a remote means there is no chance of signal loss)

LJ

[Marek]

OH FOR FUCK'S SAKE. I NEVER GET THEM RIGHT.

You don't name one thing zapzillidapdop and name another one zipzallidopdap and expect people to remember which is which.

Anyway, I'm using the VGA input for my laptop. I connect it very often to watch divx videos. So I will have to get a switch, although some kind of SCART -> component thing would be ideal so that I could switch sources simply with the TV remote.

[eljay]

Sorry but there is no SCART - component jack as they carry different types of signals (RGB as opposed to Y/Pb/Pr), never mind the fact that SCART will only support 480i.

If you really want to use a remote you can get a non-mechanical switch box but those are pricey....

[Marek]

;(;(

[eljay]

Haha, is your TV really so far away that it's an issue?

lazy!

[miffy495]

I see switchboxes every time I go into EB for about $25 Canadian, so you shouldn't have too much trouble tracking one down. And yeah, if you're playing a Wii on it, your TV is recommended to be no more than 8 feet away, so is it really that much hassle?