Why is everyone so enamored by SCART for RGB?

[FBX]

Eh, SCART is fart. I have been advocating using VGA cabling and separate 3.5mm audio leads for a while.

Not a fan of 3.5mm audio leads. Those sockets are notorious for wearing out over time. Ever use one on a Genesis or Mega Drive? It can often sound like you're trying to connect audio using static cling.

Truth be told, SCART at least contains everything, is one socket to plug in, and has enough room in the cable head for adding caps and/or resistors as needed. Most any other cable type is going to force you to have to make some sort of 'box' in the line for adding components into it because there won't be any room in the cable head (like RCA jacks for example).

Plus, I have to think if there were a better alternative where the parts were widely available, everyone would have been using it by now. SCART is NOT that bad when you really think about it.

Now onto my reply to the OP's bullet points:

1. Not an argument against SCART. (Build quality does not define a cable connector type)
2. Not an argument against SCART. (Build quality does not define a cable connector type)
3. Not an argument against SCART. (Build quality does not define a cable connector type)
4. A case made for BNC because of professional monitors using that standard (mostly). Now imagine having to deal with 5 to 7 BNC sockets for each and every console versus 1 SCART head. SCART wins.

[xAzurexEonx]

Eh, SCART is fart. I have been advocating using VGA cabling and separate 3.5mm audio leads for a while.

yes you are one of the few I've noticed using VGA. I followed you a bit on forums and your website. dunno if it got buried by the time I got serious about this, but would like to see how you've setup, especially if you've got switchers.

[neorichieb1971]

Apart from Scart being a bit buzzy on the audio (most that i've tried) the main thing I don't like is how big the connector is.

With switch boxes it would be easier if people making cables made one scart standard, but another that can be supported by a type of AV connector that was used on the console end. Then you could have 10-15 connectors in a box the size of a OSSC.

[FinalBaton]

and has enough room in the cable head for adding caps and/or resistors as needed. Most any other cable type is going to force you to have to make some sort of 'box' in the line for adding components into it because there won't be any room in the cable head (like RCA jacks for example).

I'm firmly in the VGA camp but I gotta say, that's 1 positive for SCART

[orange808]

I'm shocked this thread has gotten this far without mention of HDRetrovision cables.

[DirkSwizzler]

I'm shocked this thread has gotten this far without mention of HDRetrovision cables.

Bob's been trying to give some of those away for months and nobody will take them.
EDIT: This was supposed to be for comedy. But I now realize it was a mistake because you have to be up to date on the weekly roundup to get it. Otherwise it just sounds mean. He's had 2 giveaways where people won them. One couldn't use them. the other already had them. So he made a joke about it.

Apart from Scart being a bit buzzy on the audio (most that i've tried) the main thing I don't like is how big the connector is.

Fully shielded solves this. MLiG and RetroRGB have covered it. It's a matter of cable quality and not SCART.

Eh, SCART is fart. I have been advocating using VGA cabling and separate 3.5mm audio leads for a while.

Question. Is there a standard for which pin to put csync on? I've seen some solutions use H and some use V and it bugs the crap out of me.

[orange808]

If anybody has gen 2 HDR cables that they want to "give away", I'll gladly take them off your hands. Not sure what you're getting at. I think you're saying they are crap--and I have been very happy with mine. So, I disagree.

[Guspaz]

Built-in audio is really nice, and I like how easy SCART is to modify. Without special tools or skills, you can open up a SCART header, rewire stuff, put stuff in, add some pigtails to pull some signal like audio off if you need to... It's a super forgiving connector to work with thanks to the scart head.

My only complaint about SCART is the directionality. Things would be so much simpler if all SCART cables were pass-through instead of the in/out pins for audio and video. Some of that previously mentioned rewiring that I've done has been specifically because I wanted a cable to be a different direction than it was originally wired for, for example opening up a SCART-to-Framemeister adapter and switching the direction so that it can be used as a SCART-to-NESRGB adapter.

I'll agree with Fudoh: the vast majority of the complaints in this thread have to do with the *cable* quality, having nothing at all to do with the connector used.

As for HD Retrovision cables, I'm very biased for a whole ton of reasons, but they're really good cables built to really good standards with really good characteristics, and SCART cables that can match them in quality (packapunch or the RCA equivalent) aren't all that much cheaper, particularly after you consider the high cost of good SCART switches. The problem with them is that the total set of systems directly or indirectly compatible with them is too limited for them to be a universal solution. It's why my setup is primarily RGB SCART, with some HDR cables sprinkled in where appropriate.

As for Bob's giveaway, it has nothing to do with people not wanting them, and everything to do with the way he manages giveaways. I think the first person that won already *owned* a set, and there's not much he can do if people simply don't respond.

[FBX]

I'm shocked this thread has gotten this far without mention of HDRetrovision cables.

Those aren't a 'standard' but rather a 'solution'. They are a conversion kit, not a cable connector type.

[DirkSwizzler]

If anybody has gen 2 HDR cables that they want to "give away", I'll gladly take them off your hands. Not sure what you're getting at. I think you're saying they are crap--and I have been very happy with mine. So, I disagree.

Sorry, it was a joke and I recognize that it doesn't translate to text now. Bob had 2 giveaways where people won them. The first couldn't make use of them, the second already had them and requested that Bob make a joke that he couldn't give them away.

[Unseen]

The real problem with SCART is that it can carry a plethora of different signals in close proximity to one another, which is a recipe for disaster for things unshielded.

If you look at the pin assignment you will notice that the designers already anticipated that - there are signal-specific ground pins in proximity of the signal pins, so you can easily connect the shield of your shielded wire there.

[MKL]

there are signal-specific ground pins in proximity of the signal pins, so you can easily connect the shield of your shielded wire there.

The problem is that the connectors at the console end don't offer such a convenience. It would be great to have minicoax for R, G, B, sync, audio L, R and then mylar foil and copper braid around all them but with DIN, mini-DIN and various proprietary connectors on the consoles it isn't feasible or not easy at all.

[orange808]

I'm shocked this thread has gotten this far without mention of HDRetrovision cables.

Those aren't a 'standard' but rather a 'solution'. They are a conversion kit, not a cable connector type.

Given that OP is frustrated with SCART problems, a solution makes sense.

I use them where I can. Looking forward to a Dreamcast solution, as well.

[xAzurexEonx]

I'm shocked this thread has gotten this far without mention of HDRetrovision cables.

Those aren't a 'standard' but rather a 'solution'. They are a conversion kit, not a cable connector type.

Given that OP is frustrated with SCART problems, a solution makes sense.

I use them where I can. Looking forward to a Dreamcast solution, as well.

It's a rather loose fitting "solution" though. I mean how long are we going to wait to have the majority of consoles setup with these? If you just need a SNES/GEN to work no problem, but you are still stuck with using whatever other connectors the rest of your consoles have.

Most are just now piling a mess of different connectors, switchers, adapters, and so on. The all in one SCART idea was really misplaced for us outside this EU standard, because we had to pretty much recreate it all. Component style (RCA etc) take up much the same space AND since these were far more common it would've been cheaper/faster. Including just modifying what switchers we already had over these nearly $200 yet to be completed ones.

[RocketBelt]

I'm not sure if anyone has mentioned scart source auto switching via pin 8. It's very convenient.
Switch on the PS2, the tv auto switches to the AV channel in rgb mode. No messing with the tv menus. Ready to play.
It was the same for everything, PVR, DVD player, xbox, gemacube. All auto switched.
The PQ with rgb was always perfect with a half decent cable. Yes I had a few cables that were skinny like shoelaces which had a bit of banding but just threw them out. I could go out and buy quality cables for under a tenner on any high street.
Also it was very versatile. Svideo on the N64? No problem sir. Stick it into a scart adapter and run it through the same switch.
And I never had one fall out of a socket.

[FinalBaton]

^^^^^^
That's a good point about S-video and Composite and YPbPr all being passed through SCART (your SCART switch would need to accept all these signals tho).

Also, are there N64 and Gamecube SCART cables wired for S-Video? I've never seen those, but I suppose one could make them him/herself.

An Extron Crosspoint accepts all these connection as well, but you need to deal with many BNC connections, of course.

[xAzurexEonx]

Auto-switching is a nice feature IF your TV could detect, something we missed out in the US. It's now more common with HDMI switching, but this is hit and miss.

I know JVC had the CompuLink for their devices to auto switch, but it was for their own products.

[lechu]

I personally use BNC to Scart into my OSSC. On the console side, I use BNC cables from Retro-access (very well made). Rather than going through the trouble to twisting and untwisted the cables when I want to change, I use male phono adapters on the console side and female phono adapters on the OSSC side. So if I need to plug and unplug anything, it's as easy as plugging and unplugging component cables.

[Ryoandr]

I find it rather funny that OP despise SCART for it's cable quality, and yet uses cables from SCART cables for doing console-box junction.

John Goodenough I guess.

[orange808]

I find it rather funny that OP despise SCART for it's cable quality, and yet uses cables from SCART cables for doing console-box junction.

John Goodenough I guess.

I like turtles.

[Arasoi]

.

[chuckster]

I don't use SCART in my setup due to cost and simplicity (My cabling would disagree with me there, but ). That said, I can't think of a better connector for hobbyists. Yes, it's bulky, but that also makes it easier to rewire. Not being a US standard makes it a little more difficult/pricey to support here with consumer TVs, though. That's the argument that led me to component and S-video personally.

VGA has a few nice points compared to SCART, but many of the concerns. The switching options are cheaper, but otherwise I don't see much difference from SCART for retro gaming. You still need a breakout cable (and possibly a sync combiner) to use it with PVMs or CRTs, and cabling is just as expensive or more so unless you make your own.

In the end it's one plug vs. 3-5 for component, which is worth the price of a high-end switch and a handful of RCA-BNC connectors. Otherwise S-video is good enough for me on most things. Everyone has a different setup though, and I am glad there are so many options. SCART (and VGA) does everything you need and it provides the best in analog video and can even pass audio through.