Question about the Advanced Scart cable: What "channel" is it meant to display on?

Draeger

Draeger

Draeger

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Just got back from town with a Microsoft Advanced Scart cable.

When I say "channel", let me explain.

I have two Scart sockets on the back of my TV which is a 32" Hitachi non-HD.

One Scart socket is named EXT1 and the other is named EXT2.

The Xbox Advanced Scart is plugged into EXT1.

However, when I press the AV button on my TV remote control, it cycles through the various EXT channels including one called RGB. Normally this shows nothing but since plugging in the MS Advanced Scart, I'm now getting sound from the 360, but a black screen. If, however, I press the AV button on the remote once more whilst on the RGB channel, for a split second before it moves on to the EXT channel, I see the 360 screen.

So can some one clear this up for me as I think I'm confusing myself a bit here.

The Advanced Scart is supposed to give me RGB for a output for a sharper picture?. Yes/No?.

If so, is it supposed to display on the TV's RGB channel?.

If not am I supposed to have it in EXT1 which I would imagine is the equivilent of AV1, or not?.

I cant make my mind up if its giving me a clearer image on EXT1 through the new Scart compared to the standard "out of the box" Scart or not. Kinda a placebo thing.

Cheers for any advice.
 
Normally, a TV will have one or two RGB SCART sockets and one plain one plus a composite connection on the front, identified by EXT1 and EXT2 for the RGB, EXT3 for the non-RGB and EXT4 for the composite.

An RGB signal is normally indicated by having three dots appear in the rounded square of the EXT icon.

Are you switching channels using a button with a rounded square with an arrow coming out of it? Keep it on EXT1. An AV button generally means something else like switching between a DVD and a TV.
 
When you're on the RGB channel, have a wander around the menus of your TV via your remote, you may need to enable something on it to allow RGB, as on my old Sony CRT it needs to be set to RGB.
 
Have you got the 360 set to pal 50 or 60? whichever you have, try changing it to the other and see if that makes a difference (you'll have to plug in your old cable to be able to see & change it ;) )
 
Not sure, I'll need to check that.

Finally got it working, it turns out that only the Scart socket marked EXT1 on the rear of the TV is the RGB socket. The other one is just a vanilla Scart socket.

Pulled out the TV Scart ( it was originally in EXT1 ) and fitted the advanced Scart from the 360 to EXT1.

Fired up the Xbox and I must say I noticed the difference straight away. As an experiment, I powered down and put the standard 360 Scart cable back in and it definately didnt look as good, a bit "fuzzy" around the edges, especially text.

Only problem now is because I have now got the 360 into where the TV Scart going to the Skybox was, I cant get the TV or Sky to show any programs, just get a black screen with sound. Think that might be down to me switching them around although strangely enough, it does the same when I put the standard Scart from the Xbox back where it was before I began all this and put the TV Scart back in. I used to be able to watch TV, then switch of the Sky box and start the 360 and it would come up automatically.

Not now for some strange reason?. Needs more investigation!!. Now I need to physically unplug the TV Scart from EXT1 and plug the Xbox Advanced Scart in to it there to play the thing. When I want to watch TV, I have to do the reverse and plug the TV socket one back in.

Advanced cable though, has definately improved picture quality for gaming though. Not bad for £17.99!!!.

Downside is, now the wife really doesnt think we need a new HD TV!!!. :p
 
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