Damaging equipment with Scart connections?

MrOldSchoolCool · Post by **MrOldSchoolCool** » Fri Apr 17, 2015 7:22 pm

I don't think I am, but I'm worried that I may be damaging some things with my current scart setup.

I have scart cables for the Genesis, Saturn and SNES (all purchased from this lady http://www.ebay.com/usr/retro_console_a ... 7675.l2559 just the cheapest ones she sells) and run them through a scart selector that I purchased from a European eBay store. The picture is the exact same as it was without the selector, so I've just assumed that I'm not causing any damage. I've been playing this way for about 2 years now.

I play on a US tv (via scart to component converter) and I just ordered a US PVM that I'll be hooking this up to via rca to bnc adapters. Want to make sure I'm not doing anything dangerous before I hook up to this expensive tv.

BTW my SNES and Genesis are US consoles and my Saturn is a Japanese one.

tacoguy64 · Post by **tacoguy64** » Fri Apr 17, 2015 8:24 pm

I don't know where you got the idea that SCART connections will damage your tv.

MrOldSchoolCool · Post by **MrOldSchoolCool** » Fri Apr 17, 2015 8:32 pm

tacoguy64 wrote:I don't know where you got the idea that SCART connections will damage your tv.

The fact that I sound like an idiot to you is actually very reassuring

Let me try to simplify. I'm assuming that my Scart selector is for Euro Scart connections. Aren't those different than Japan Scart connections (the pinouts or something)?

I'm basically worried that running my Japan Scart cables through a Euro Scart selector (if that's what it is) will damage something.

bobrocks95 · Post by **bobrocks95** » Fri Apr 17, 2015 8:53 pm

Scart does have relatively high voltages running through the connector, but I don't believe any of that goes through a SCART to BNC adapter. Regardless, just don't hotplug it and you're fine.

As for JPN vs. Euro-SCART, are you sure your cables are JPN-21? A SCART switch should just route the pins the same way they come in.

BUT your SCART to BNC adapter may get things wrong if it's expecting a Euro SCART connection, and it's possible (would need to compare Euro pinout and JPN-21 pinout) that you'd feed a 5V line or something else dangerous into your monitor. Which would obviously be bad.

MrOldSchoolCool · Post by **MrOldSchoolCool** » Fri Apr 17, 2015 9:33 pm

bobrocks95 wrote:Scart does have relatively high voltages running through the connector, but I don't believe any of that goes through a SCART to BNC adapter. Regardless, just don't hotplug it and you're fine.

As for JPN vs. Euro-SCART, are you sure your cables are JPN-21? A SCART switch should just route the pins the same way they come in.

BUT your SCART to BNC adapter may get things wrong if it's expecting a Euro SCART connection, and it's possible (would need to compare Euro pinout and JPN-21 pinout) that you'd feed a 5V line or something else dangerous into your monitor. Which would obviously be bad.

I'm not using a scart to bnc adapter. I'm already using a scart to component adapter and so I'm just plugging little bnc to rca converters onto the bnc plugs on the PVM and hooking it up with component.

MrOldSchoolCool · Post by **MrOldSchoolCool** » Fri Apr 17, 2015 9:36 pm

Also, maybe I don't have Japanese Scart cables.

tacoguy64 · Post by **tacoguy64** » Fri Apr 17, 2015 10:11 pm

MrOldSchoolCool wrote:
tacoguy64 wrote:I don't know where you got the idea that SCART connections will damage your tv.
The fact that I sound like an idiot to you is actually very reassuring

Let me try to simplify. I'm assuming that my Scart selector is for Euro Scart connections. Aren't those different than Japan Scart connections (the pinouts or something)?

I'm basically worried that running my Japan Scart cables through a Euro Scart selector (if that's what it is) will damage something.

I think I understand now. I'm pretty sure Japan used something similar to SCART but they are wired differently, JP21 if i'm not mistaken. But yes, don't use them, they could damage your console. If I'm not mistaken you would want to keep the Saturn separately. I don't have much experience with Japan consoles but the worst I assume can happen is you damage your console and not the monitor.

bobrocks95 · Post by **bobrocks95** » Fri Apr 17, 2015 10:20 pm

MrOldSchoolCool wrote:
bobrocks95 wrote:Scart does have relatively high voltages running through the connector, but I don't believe any of that goes through a SCART to BNC adapter. Regardless, just don't hotplug it and you're fine.

As for JPN vs. Euro-SCART, are you sure your cables are JPN-21? A SCART switch should just route the pins the same way they come in.

BUT your SCART to BNC adapter may get things wrong if it's expecting a Euro SCART connection, and it's possible (would need to compare Euro pinout and JPN-21 pinout) that you'd feed a 5V line or something else dangerous into your monitor. Which would obviously be bad.
I'm not using a scart to bnc adapter. I'm already using a scart to component adapter and so I'm just plugging little bnc to rca converters onto the bnc plugs on the PVM and hooking it up with component.

My bad. Same rule of thumb applies to the SCART to Component adapter though, you could fry it with a JP21 SCART cable. If you have a multimeter you can look up the pinout here and see how things are wired. A little tedious but it's not really worth the risk if you have an inkling your cable might be JP-21

MrOldSchoolCool · Post by **MrOldSchoolCool** » Fri Apr 17, 2015 10:24 pm

Well, this might not have to be so complicated.

I've been using the current setup for 2 years on the same tv and nothing has happened to the tv so far (or the scart to component converter).

So, wouldn't that mean it's fine?

bobrocks95 · Post by **bobrocks95** » Fri Apr 17, 2015 10:52 pm

Oh, then yeah, there's no way you've got a JP-21 cable in there. The converter acts as a buffer basically, if it's still working then everything's kosher.

HydrogLox · Post by **HydrogLox** » Sat Apr 18, 2015 12:02 am

MrOldSchoolCool wrote:(all purchased from this lady http://www.ebay.com/usr/retro_console_a ... 7675.l2559 just the cheapest ones she sells).

MrOldSchoolCool wrote:Also, maybe I don't have Japanese Scart cables.

retro_console_accessories put the JP-21 pin (Japanese 21 pin) vs SCART article on ebay - and her cables have always been clearly marked as either (European) SCART or (Japanese) JP-21, doesn't matter if the console is Japanese or not. So if you purchased SCART cables from retro_console_accessories then they are wired to the European standard, not the Japanese one (which technically isn't SCART - it simply uses the same EIAJ TTC-003 spec 21-pin connector (chassis/shell ground counts as a pin)).

MrOldSchoolCool · Post by **MrOldSchoolCool** » Sat Apr 18, 2015 3:12 am

HydrogLox wrote:
MrOldSchoolCool wrote:(all purchased from this lady http://www.ebay.com/usr/retro_console_a ... 7675.l2559 just the cheapest ones she sells).

MrOldSchoolCool wrote:Also, maybe I don't have Japanese Scart cables.
retro_console_accessories put the JP-21 pin (Japanese 21 pin) vs SCART article on ebay - and her cables have always been clearly marked as either (European) SCART or (Japanese) JP-21, doesn't matter if the console is Japanese or not. So if you purchased SCART cables from retro_console_accessories then they are wired to the European standard, not the Japanese one (which technically isn't SCART - it simply uses the same EIAJ TTC-003 spec 21-pin connector (chassis/shell ground counts as a pin)).

That clears it up. I feel pretty positive that the cables I bought from her said SCART because that was the key word.

Out of curiosty, what would happen if you plugged a JP-21 cable into a Scart to Component converter? Would it display any picture or sound at all?

FBX · Post by **FBX** » Sat Apr 18, 2015 1:38 pm

MrOldSchoolCool wrote:
Out of curiosty, what would happen if you plugged a JP-21 cable into a Scart to Component converter? Would it display any picture or sound at all?

If the converter was meant for Euro SCART, then you would not get an appropriate picture. This is because the pins are fed different signals in the JP-21 spec. You'd specifically need a JP-21 to Component converter.

bobrocks95 · Post by **bobrocks95** » Sat Apr 18, 2015 7:13 pm

The AV Control pin can carry up to 12V, so I wouldn't be surprised if it fried your adapter, since it will try to use pin 11 for the Green signal and instead find a potentially high voltage line if you're using a JP-21 cable.

pedroTFP · Post by **pedroTFP** » Wed Jan 31, 2018 2:43 pm

Hi,
sorry for thread necromancy, I’m a long time lurker who registered today because... he is an idiot. ^^'
I live in Europe and I have a CRT TV; I recently bough on eBay a jap Mega Drive. Opening the box I was pleased to find a Scart cable and I plugged the console… then no video nor sound. After some investigations, I think it is a J21 cable which looks to have fried both my multi Scart-RGB socket and my CRT RGB plug: image now looks ok (with my other consoles and cables) but it randomly goes up and down vertically.

Does any body know how to fix it? I don’t know where to look for a CRT repair service nowdays…

Thanks.

gray117 · Post by **gray117** » Thu Feb 01, 2018 12:41 pm

By 'multi Scart-RGB socket' do you mean the other socket on the crt or a standalone switcher? (Many sets having an rgb specific socket as well as a [rgb/]composite[/component] compatible socket)

If a standalone switcher, is it just toast or does the issue only show up when the switcher is used in conjunction with the tv?

I presume the image acts in the same way if connecting via other inputs such av/composite/svideo ? ... Since I suspect you might have done/strained something relating to sync...

Hopefully if the image mostly works (does the image constantly go up and down, or only occassionally?) you might be able to find a capacitor or something that has obviously failed. Anything more elaborate than that and it might be an impossible/costly task, even if you can track down the issue, since the component may no longer be manufactured if it's got something to do with the vertical deflection or similar...

What crt is it?

pedroTFP · Post by **pedroTFP** » Thu Feb 01, 2018 4:07 pm

Hi,
thanks for the fast answer.
The CRT is a Panasonic Quintrix TX29AS1C (ca 2001) and the problem does not depend by the switcher (JOYTECH - AV Control Center https://www.unilibro.it/videogame/xbox/ ... 0166013168) because it happens even linking directly a Dreamcast via RGB to the TV.

Anyway, my heart is lightened because after contacting a couple of Panasonic service centers and describing the problem they said it should be fixable. Now I just've to carry that beast down 3 very tiny ramps of stairs.. ^^'
I'll let you know how it goes, meanwhile thanks a lot for caring; now that I've "broken ice" with posting I hope to be able to contribute more to this community.

Xer Xian · Post by **Xer Xian** » Thu Feb 01, 2018 6:28 pm

pedroTFP wrote:Anyway, my heart is lightened because after contacting a couple of Panasonic service centers and describing the problem they said it should be fixable. Now I just've to carry that beast down 3 very tiny ramps of stairs.. ^^'

Is Panasonic really servicing CRTs in Italy nowadays? Or are you taking it to an ordinary local repairman?

Nice CRT you've got there anyway

pedroTFP · Post by **pedroTFP** » Fri Feb 02, 2018 1:48 pm

Yes, I contacted 3 different authorized Panasonic repairers (I got anxious ^^') and they say it's doable.
When I get there I'll ask if they some other good CRT somewhere, I may get some good deals, If you leave in Italy'll let you know where if you want.

Xer Xian · Post by **Xer Xian** » Fri Feb 02, 2018 1:53 pm

pedroTFP wrote:Yes, I contacted 3 different authorized Panasonic repairers (I got anxious ^^') and they say it's doable.

Cool, I probably wouldn't have even bothered contacting them figuring they would laugh at me hard after mentioning 'tubo catodico'

And thanks for your offer, but it's unlikely it will be anywhere near where I live. And I already have too many CRTs as it is anyway

pedroTFP · Post by **pedroTFP** » Mon Feb 05, 2018 3:19 pm

Just FYI, it looks the problem solved by itself; I left the TV unplugged for a couple of days and now everything looks ok. Lucky me. ^^'

shmups.system11.org

Damaging equipment with Scart connections?

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