SCART Switch/Splitter Recommendation

[BuckoA51]

I'd be extremely surprised if you didn't at least lose brightness by doing that, also watch out for voltage leaking across the connections and back into your consoles.

[Kyle]

I'd be extremely surprised if you didn't at least lose brightness by doing that, also watch out for voltage leaking across the connections and back into your consoles.

No loss of brightness. I'll let you know if I zap a console.

Really enjoy reading your site. The comment link is currently down.

[Overkill]

I tryed several scart Switchers over the years, and i allways ended unpluging and pluging the console for use each time, because of all the problems stated here. But i have one good scart switch, this one: bt21s - http://www.avstorm.co.uk/Switch_boxes/V ... _1751.html

It's only one till now that i can't barely notice picture degradation.

[Rock Man]

Ohhhhhh it's shiny!

[Overkill]

hell yeah

[BuckoA51]

Ohhhhhh it's shiny!

It looks 1970's!

Really enjoy reading your site. The comment link is currently down.

My site? I can't see any problems with the commenting, can you drop me a PM and let me know what browser you are using and what happened when you tried to comment?

[lettuce]

Is there an scart switch/splitters that have 6 inputs...all im seeing are just 3 or 4 inputs, i have a SNES, Mega Drive, Jaguar, N64, PS1, and PC Engine that all use scart inputs

[Overkill]

Is there an scart switch/splitters that have 6 inputs...all im seeing are just 3 or 4 inputs, i have a SNES, Mega Drive, Jaguar, N64, PS1, and PC Engine that all use scart inputs

You can get two "Keene SCART commander" and chain it togeter, like is explained in the BuckoA51's site

[lettuce]

Is there an scart switch/splitters that have 6 inputs...all im seeing are just 3 or 4 inputs, i have a SNES, Mega Drive, Jaguar, N64, PS1, and PC Engine that all use scart inputs

You can get two "Keene SCART commander" and chain it togeter, like is explained in the BuckoA51's site

Looks a good bit of fit, but £50 for a scart switcher why are these things sooo damn much they are simple in design really and should work straight forwardly enough but reading this thread there appears to be a lot of crap about. Would just like a manual switch over 6 slot scart splitter really for like £15, not a fan of devices like this need its own PSU

[speedlolita]

I've got the Trilogy 1 that people seem to rave about.

Quality of the unit is quite low and it's a pretty large unit. Think I'll replace it.

[rCadeGaming]

I also get a lot of my console cables from retro console accessories, but I chop off the SCART connectors and wire them to DB15HD (vga) connectors with my own pinout. Physical SCART connectors are oversized and they can become unreliable as the blades and slots wear.

If you can do some soldering, this is all you need for switching:

http://www.monoprice.com/products/produ ... 1&format=2

That will give you four inputs, and if you start chaining them together you can have more. If you're using strictly RGB, C sync/C video, +5V, ground, and L and R audio, you can use a DB9 instead of a DB15. I have one of those I can sell you.

All the necessary pinouts to wire to can be found here:

http://members.optusnet.com.au/eviltim/ ... escart.htm

[BuckoA51]

I've got the Trilogy 1 that people seem to rave about.

Quality of the unit is quite low and it's a pretty large unit. Think I'll replace it.

On the contrary I've found the Trilogy 1 to be of excellent quality, what exactly don't you like?

[Rock Man]

Is there an scart switch/splitters that have 6 inputs...all im seeing are just 3 or 4 inputs, i have a SNES, Mega Drive, Jaguar, N64, PS1, and PC Engine that all use scart inputs

I'm surprised nobody has recommended this man the Shinybow yet. It's rather expensive compared to say the Keene but it gets the job done. Holds 6 SCART input all RGB enabled. Plus it has two outputs giving you the choice of two displays. Every other gaming quality SCART box usually hits between 4-5. The SB has become cheaper last I checked, go take a look.

[rCadeGaming]

All you need is a physical switch with enough poles for what you're switching. D-Sub switch boxes cause no drop in quality because it's a straight through manual connection, no electronics. Just sayin...

[BuckoA51]

That's not accurate because the switching mechanism adds resistance to the connection that wouldn't be there on a straight-through connection.

and yep, the Shinybow's loved by several on here.

[rCadeGaming]

1. Measuring between a pin from the input of my DB15 switch and a pin from the output, I'm reading 0.9 ohms, and this is including the resistance in the test leads, which is significant at this level. Measuring from opposite ends of a line in a high quality 6ft Genesis SCART cable I'm reading 1.2 ohms. There's already more resistance in a good cable than the switch box.

2. Levels of resistance around 1-2 ohms are not at all significant in this kind of analog video. Especially considering that there's much more resistance created by the capacitors that are required on the RGB lines of most of the systems we're talking about, and that the sync lines may be attenuated with a resistor of hundreds of ohms.

3. Problems with audio and video noise are generally caused by grounding issues at either end of the cables, not insignificant levels of resistance.

4. Perhaps you'd like to explain what you mean by a "straight through connection." The only way to achieve a straight through connection is to actually connect only one console straight through. Once you're doing any kind of switching with multiple inputs, a "straight through connection" is not physically possible. If the switch boxes you're talking about don't have a physical switch then they have to use switch or relay chips, which commonly have an on-state resistance of several ohms. To approach the low resistance of a physical switch with a chip you need to use something like an optical relay, which is fairly expensive, and again these small levels of resistance are irrelevant to what we are trying to do.

You think it's worth it to get these expensive switch boxes, and that fine if you really like them, but it's not necessary to achieve the best quality. You don't have your facts straight. You could have a difficult time trying to prove a significant advantage to these other switch boxes when analyzing the signals with an oscilloscope, let alone what you could perceive in a practical setting.

Oh, and if you need a matrix switch, just hook two 4:1 switch boxes together with one backwards and you have a 4:4; and you can chain more together to get more inputs or outputs.

If you know what you're doing, you can be rid of bulky unreliable SCART connectors, take care of audio buzz from grounding issues, handle all your switching, and achieve the best possible quality, without buying these overpriced things.

[BuckoA51]

By straight through I mean connecting from console directly to display with no switch.

Ok, I'm no electrician and never claimed to be. What I can tell you is that I have tested dozens of SCART switches and in almost every case there's some loss of quality. Not talking about oscilloscopes or the kind of quality Monster Cable claim to achieve but blatantly don't, but actual things you can see on a screen. On the better passive manual ones like the ones Hama make it's barely noticeable however.

You would think it was a matter of just connecting two things together but for some reason that's beyond my understanding it's not. I've seen SCART couplers drastically change picture quality in one instance, even though there was nothing physically wrong with the coupler that I could detect, even had the pins tested on a multi-meter. I've heard people say how certain systems simply won't work with certain switching setups, even though there's no reason why they wouldn't and everything else on their setup is working just fine.

If you know what you're doing, you can be rid of bulky unreliable SCART connectors

If you know what you are doing, and have the time, patience and skill to source the connectors and modify them yourself, sadly not everyone does. I can see some demand in the future for this as SCART switches get rarer, console to D-Sub 15 connectors and then D-Sub 15 to SCART for the last connection to the device, though some powered D-sub15 switches don't like interlace for some reason.

[davyK]

I got hold of a Thor AVC 100 recently that has 5 inputs. It gives me a lovely crisp image. Had noticed when using a cheap SCART block that some console power LEDs were lighting up - slightly alarming.....so I consider this well worth the money. No faded picture - I get lovely bright colours and I can count the pixels on my Panasonic 32" CRT.

I had to order a JPN RGB SCART lead for my white Saturn to work with it though - the cheap block I was using seemed content with the PAL cable I was using.

Got this for £40 but it was an end of stock clearance.

Here's some reviews - includes the Thor.

http://www.videogameperfection.com/av-g ... h-roundup/

[rCadeGaming]

the kind of quality Monster Cable claim to achieve but blatantly don't

Haha, well some Monster Cable products are pretty good quality, but they're way more expensive than what they're really worth. You're paying mostly for marketing and "cool" (lame) looking designs.

You would think it was a matter of just connecting two things together but for some reason that's beyond my understanding it's not. I've seen SCART couplers drastically change picture quality in one instance, even though there was nothing physically wrong with the coupler that I could detect, even had the pins tested on a multi-meter. I've heard people say how certain systems simply won't work with certain switching setups, even though there's no reason why they wouldn't and everything else on their setup is working just fine.

Well, sorry I jumped on you for the "resistance" explanation. These things do happen, that's just not why. Whether it's a mechanical or electronic switch, amplified or passive, problems can certainly arise do poor quality and design. Unless it's really poor it's not due to resistance, it's commonly from grounding issues, and the other big thing is cross talk. This means signals bleeding from one line to the other, like the 5v line "leaking" voltage onto one of the color lines, causing all kinds of problems. This is caused by cheap switch/relay chips, poorly designed switching circuits, or low quality and/or improperly wired manual switches.

Also, the different inputs need to be properly isolated from one another to avoid problems like Davy's describing. It sounds like either the 5 or 12v line from the selected input, or the switcher's power if it's amplified, is leaking to the other inputs. Again, probably from cheap switch/relay chips, poorly designed switching circuits, or low quality and/or improperly wired manual switches.

If you know what you are doing, and have the time, patience and skill to source the connectors and modify them yourself, sadly not everyone does.

It's not difficult, if you can use a computer you could probably handle simple soldering and reading pinouts. Understandably, not everyone thinks it's worth the time though. Not everyone has a sick mind and think's it's "fun" like me.

console to D-Sub 15 connectors and then D-Sub 15 to SCART for the last connection to the device,

Yes, this is exactly what I mean. In my case, it ends in a DB15HD in standard VGA pinout with an audio breakout. This is because I live in the US and the TV doesn't have a SCART socket. I run the RGB signal through a VGA to component transcoder. VGA and component are equivalent in quality, you just need to translate the colorspace from red/green/blue to luma/blue difference/red difference. A proper transcoder will do this without degrading quality and leave the resolution untouched.

some powered D-sub15 switches don't like interlace for some reason.

You shouldn't need any amplification unless your running through a pretty long cable. For a normal 6 footer plus a few more after the switcher it shouldn't be necessary.

[BuckoA51]

It's not difficult

Sadly for me it is, I'm so terrible at anything like that it's not even funny, in the past I sometimes even wondered if I'm somehow backward, I mean my handwriting is so poor it's barely readable and almost had me held back in school. I type absolutely everything I can and I can't write with a fountain pen or even write in "joined up" writing anywhere near legibly. Needless to say my attempts at soldering were not very successful.

Had noticed when using a cheap SCART block that some console power LEDs were lighting up - slightly alarming

Oh yes I've definitely seen this especially on those passive auto switches (unpowered and no push button to select)

[ninn]

Oh, and if you need a matrix switch, just hook two 4:1 switch boxes together with one backwards and you have a 4:4; and you can chain more together to get more inputs or outputs.

Hi!

Can you please explain that further - I can't see that working.

Thanks in advance,
ninn

[BuckoA51]

You take the output of one 4 way switch and feed it into another switch, that then means you can switch the output of the first switch a further 4 ways. Remember in this context we're talking D-Sub15 connectors which don't have the input/output direction that SCART cables have.

[rCadeGaming]

Yes, Bucko is right.

[rCadeGaming]

You're passing a directional signal through this, it'll work with any signal format that's wired correctly to the dsub connectors, it's just the second switch that's backwards. It's the switch that's non-directional, so it doesn't matter.

[chadti99]

When I told you on PM that some switches were "hazardous" I meant the cheap ones which don't isolate the SCART sockets from each other. This can lead to voltage from one system leaking into another, in one instance enough to turn on my SNES without it even being plugged into the wall. Even so we're talking 9 volts or so, so it's not going to burn down your house, but it's not exactly an ideal thing to do to your vintage consoles.

I own a cheap SCART Block that did the exact thing above(turn on consoles), so I never used it. I have been aching for more scart switchers(I have the madcatz rgb one, wish they'd make more).

I thought about what I could do to use the SCART block. I went ahead and did some checking on where the voltage was coming from the consoles and the main stuff is from pin 8(aspect up) and pin 16(blanking). Now from eviltim's console scart pinouts I saw that pins 8 and 16 are connected on certain consoles(with resistor to step down voltage)(NOTE:this is for NTSC, PAL is different). I went ahead and opened the scart block and cut all the traces between pin 8 of the scart plugs. I plugged it into the xrgb(with an adaptor of course) and all works well. I'm not sure if I need to cut the traces on pin 16 as the voltage passed across is less and does not turn anything on. Also when using a block I make sure to only turn on one console at the time.

NOTE: this only works on the XRGB as it does not need to be told to accept RGB. A regular SCART TV needs that voltage to change from composite to RGB.

Anybody else try this?

I just tried this on a cheap SCART block that I picked up from Ebay along with my XRGB Mini. I actually had to cut the traces on pin 11 on the block to work with my Japanese 21-pin RGB cables, this pin corresponds to pin 16, the one you didn't cut. To play it safe I went ahead and cut the traces on pin 8, these are identical between jap and euro scart.

I've got the following switching properly, granted I only have one console on at a time:

Sega Genesis Model 1
Super Nintendo
NeoGeo AES

Only problem I'm having is when I plug in my RGB modded PC Engine Duo-R I can only use it, I can't get any other connected devices to sync up regardless of what is powered on. Any ideas on what could be causing this? This is a Doujindance unit from Ebay if that helps.

I know I should probably order a decent switch but besides the PC-Engine it appears as if this $10 box may work.

[Adderall]

I chain these... no issues to report.

well... the buttons get confusing sometimes but that's about it.

[chadti99]

I chain these... no issues to report.

well... the buttons get confusing sometimes but that's about it.

How many devices can you switch between? I'm thinking this would give you 5 inputs for around $200 or is my math off?

[Adderall]

How many devices can you switch between? I'm thinking this would give you 5 inputs for around $200 or is my math off?

Yes, 5 inputs. I spent less than 200 for sure... one of these I got off YJP for a few bucks because it said "not tested". Turned out the SCART connector just needed a few spots reconnected/soldered and it was good to go. I don't remember how much I bought the other for.. a member here or at NG.com and I recall paying a fair amount.. maybe 80 or so.

I think it would be fun to switch to BNC and get one of these:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/310373482482?ss ... 1423.l2649

[lettuce]

I also get a lot of my console cables from retro console accessories, but I chop off the SCART connectors and wire them to DB15HD (vga) connectors with my own pinout. Physical SCART connectors are oversized and they can become unreliable as the blades and slots wear.

If you can do some soldering, this is all you need for switching:

http://www.monoprice.com/products/produ ... 1&format=2

That will give you four inputs, and if you start chaining them together you can have more. If you're using strictly RGB, C sync/C video, +5V, ground, and L and R audio, you can use a DB9 instead of a DB15. I have one of those I can sell you.

All the necessary pinouts to wire to can be found here:

http://members.optusnet.com.au/eviltim/ ... escart.htm

Regarding these 4-Port VGA Monitor Switch Box, it seems like a viable option just would need to chop the Scart ends of each of my cables (maybe ill by a 2nd lot of cables) what about the resistors fitted inside the Scart plug itself are these still needed if id be using a BD9 or 15??.

Also what about the audio (as these VGA only carry video), i have HANTAREX CT 28 EQ MONITOR i use for my retro gaming and so doesn't have traditional CRT TV inputs on the rear...



so im wondering whats the best way to get audio if going down the 4-port VGA switch box route (as the Hantarex only appears to have a mono phono socket ), also do these switch box's work with the DB9 cable rather than DB15??, if so i can plug straight into the DB9 socket on the Hantarex

[rCadeGaming]

what about the resistors fitted inside the Scart plug itself are these still needed if id be using a BD9 or 15??.

One set of resistors/capacitors can be installed inside the switch box on the output lines, so whatever you input will run through them.

Also what about the audio (as these VGA only carry video)

Notice that I'm rewiring things to my own pinout. I use DB15HD's in a custom pinout that can carry several types of video depending on what pins are used, as well as the audio, all in one cable.

Give me a few days, I'll post up a thread about one of these switch boxes I've customized, with pics and explanations and such.