Splicing together a proper SCART cable

[Pasky]

So I had couple questions regarding splicing SCART cables up to different terminators. On a SCART to BNC (RGBS) cable, should I solder the shielding ground to the outside of the SCART (pin 21) or just leave it floating and just let the TV ground it. If I recall correctly, you don't want to ground the shielding on both ends of the cable but I don't remember why.

The other question I had is when going from SCART to mini din 8 (xrgb mini pinout). Where should you terminate the shielding ground? Should you tie all grounds together to the single ground pin on the mini din 8?

Thanks in advance!

[mgy1523]

What you want to do is have the Red BNC cable go to SCART Pin 15 and the shielding of that BNC cable (its ground) go to SCART Pin 13. Green BNC would be SCART Pin 11 and it's ground would be SCART Pin 9. Blue BNC would be SCART Pin 7 and it's ground would be SCART Pin 5. Finally, the SYNC would be SCART Pin 19 and it's ground would be SCART Pin 17. That's of course just for RGBS, not including audio.

I almost for got as well... SCART Pin 21. Yeah, just solder the shielding to Pin 21.

Man, I'm really tired and haven't sleep in awhile and keep having to reread your question and keep realizing I'm answering things you aren't asking and most likely already know. As for the Mini Din connector, there is of course the ground pin (pin 4) and as well as the grounding that is the outside metal that is the chassis of the Mini Din.

[mgy1523]

Found this on Shmups actually, this is a good diagram

[Pasky]

I'm not talking about the individual grounds with BNC to scart, I know where those go. I'm talking about the outer shielding. I was curious about the individual grounds when wiring to the mini din 8.

[mgy1523]

Okay I just woke up. What I do is take the shielding of the cable that encompasses all the cables and wire it to pin 21 by itself separate from all other grounds. Works perfect with absolutely no interference or any type of lines.

[HydrogLox]

The other question I had is when going from SCART to mini din 8 (xrgb mini pinout).

I recently got fed up with having the (for me) useless RGB 21 to XRGB-mini Mini-DIN-8 adapter that came with the unit. This was the RGB 21 wiring that I found:

• Pin 21 Ground bridged to pin 18 (RGB Blue Ground), bridged to pin 17 (RGB Green Ground), bridged to pin 13 (RGB Red Ground), bridged to the full cable shield. (Actual physical bridges: (full shield,21), (21,18), (18,17), (18,13))
• Pin 20 RGB Blue [pale blue cable]
• Pin 19 RGB Green [pale green cable]
• Pin 18 RGB Blue Ground from pin 21
• Pin 17 RGB Green Ground from pin 18
• Pin 16 not connected (Video signal switch (+5v))
• Pin 15 RGB Red [pink cable]
• Pin 14 not connected (Ym/Ys ground)
• Pin 13 RGB Red Ground [black shield off pale blue cable] and from 18
• Pin 12 not connected (RGB video signal mask (Ym))
• Pin 11 not connected (AV control signal)
• Pin 10 not connected (Sync Output)
• Pin 09 (Composite) Sync Input [yellow cable]
• Pin 08 not connected (Sync Output Ground)
• Pin 07 (Composite) Sync Input Ground [black shield off green cable]
• Pin 06 not connected (Right audio output)
• Pin 05 Right Audio Input [dark red cable]
• Pin 04 not connected (Audio output ground)
• Pin 03 Audio Input Ground [black shield off pink cable]
• Pin 02 not connected (Left audio output)
• Pin 01 Left Audio Input [white cable]

So as you can see the individual signal cable shields were used as the signal grounds, used interchangeably, and all the grounds are bridged to the full cable shield.

To convert it to SCART, I performed the following steps (in the above list the disconnects are in bold):

1. Disconnect Pin 01 Left Audio Input [white cable]
2. Disconnect Pin 03 Audio Input Ground [black shield off pink cable]
3. Disconnect Pin 05 Right Audio Input [dark red cable]
4. Disconnect Pin 07 (Composite) Sync Input Ground [black shield off pale green cable]
5. Disconnect Pin 09 (Composite) Sync Input [yellow cable]
6. Disconnect Pin 19 RGB Green [pale green cable]
7. Disconnect Pin 20 RGB Blue [pale blue cable]
8. Connect Pin 20 (Composite) Sync Input [yellow cable]
9. Connect Pin 06 Left Audio Input [white cable]
10. Connect Pin 04 Audio Input Ground [black shield off pink cable]
11. Connect Pin 02 Right Audio Input [dark red cable]
12. Connect Pin 11 RGB Green [pale green cable]
13. Connect Pin 09 (Composite) Sync Input Ground [black shield off pale green cable]
14. Connect Pin 07 RGB Blue [pale blue cable]

The resulting SCART wiring is (new connections are bolded):

• Pin 21 Ground [full cable shield] bridged to pin 18
• Pin 20 (Composite) Sync Input [yellow cable] {Composite video input S-Video Y input}
• Pin 19 not connected {Composite video output S-Video Y output}
• Pin 18 {Blanking signal ground} from pin 21, bridged to pin 17, bridged to 13
• Pin 17 {Composite video ground} from pin 18
• Pin 16 not connected {Blanking signal}
• Pin 15 RGB Red [pink cable] {RGB Red up S-Video C up Component PR up}
• Pin 14 not connected {Data signal ground}
• Pin 13 RGB Red Ground [black shield off pale blue cable] and from 18
• Pin 12 not connected {Reserved/Data 1}
• Pin 11 RGB Green [pale green cable]
• Pin 10 not connected {Clock/Data 2/Control bus (AV.link)}
• Pin 09 {RGB Green Ground} [black shield off pale green cable]
• Pin 08 not connected {Status & Aspect Ratio up}
• Pin 07 RGB Blue [pale blue cable]
• Pin 06 Left Audio Input [white cable] {Audio input (left/mono)}
• Pin 05 not connected {RGB Blue Ground} ***
• Pin 04 Audio Input Ground [black shield off pink cable] {Audio ground}
• Pin 03 not connected {Audio output (left/mono)}
• Pin 02 Right Audio Input [dark red cable] {Audio input (right)}
• Pin 01 not connected {Audio output (right)}

*** ideally pin 5 should bridged to ground - but it works as shown because all the grounds are inter-connected anyway.

While you're at it you may also want to a add a 2 x (female) RCA phono connector cable for audio breakout.
Some consoles may benefit from a sync-stripper to get "(Composite) Sync Input" from "Pin 20 Composite video input S-Video Y input" but I don't require one for my Japanese Saturn, Dreamcast, PS1, and PS2.

What I do is take the shielding of the cable that encompasses all the cables and wire it to pin 21 by itself separate from all other grounds.

For this to make a difference the Mini-DIN-8 pin 4 (Ground) and the shield (Ground) would also need to be kept separate (which may not be the case with the supplied adapter).