After its first appearance, the SCART adapter caused, to put it mildly, an ambiguous impression among most users. The fact is that on TVs or tape recorders of a modern type, such connectors suddenly started to be used, while the overwhelming majority of residents of the CIS countries are accustomed to using standard “tulips”. Of course, today this situation will cause a smile for many.
At the same time, it is worth noting that the main reason why the SCART adapter did not get wide distribution then is not only that few people knew about it, but also the banal lack of appropriate cables for sale. Today it is possible to purchase any cable products on almost every corner, but in those days their cost was quite high.
What is this connector?
The SCART adapter is a 21-pin connector with which users can coordinate different types of TVs and media devices. Since its introduction, this interface has won the hearts of most European consumers. Manufacturers of household media immediately began to use it in their devices. It should be noted that the developers of this standard were very far-sighted, because their device is still actively used by leading companies.
Even 10 years ago, almost every video or television camera that was manufactured for the European market was equipped with at least one such connector. So, to connect the media equipment to the TV, the user had to buy a SCART adapter. The reason for this widespread use of this connector is its versatility. Despite the fact that it is provided fairly straightforwardly, that is, due to the number of contacts, the interface, although it has many negative sides, is quite convenient.
What are its advantages?
First of all, it is worth noting the fact that with the help of a single cable, users can record or play various video programs. This advantage was instantly appreciated by manufacturers of home computers, and over time as well as game consoles.
It is also worth noting the fact that the sound and image quality that is supplied through the SCART adapter is noticeably better compared to the signal of a standard RF modulator. At the same time, do not forget that the RF modulator does not provide for the possibility of transmitting stereo sound, introduces extraneous noise, and also provides for the need for extremely accurate TV settings.
Additional features
However, this was not enough, as a result of which the developers also laid a large number of potential opportunities in the interface, having reserved a place for new functions for the future. Since the VGA-SCART adapter became one of the most popular in Europe, this standard has just begun to acquire new properties. For example, using this interface today, various TV modes can be controlled, such as switching it to monitor mode and vice versa, switching the operation mode with RGB signals and much more. Moreover, these capabilities were previously very simple, while today SCART was able to transmit digital data, as a result of which the total number of commands has become almost unlimited.
To date, you can find a large number of systems that provide information exchange using SCART, as a result of which the VGA-SCART adapter, as well as many others, have gained great popularity.
Interesting features
It is worth noting several interesting functions that have become available through the use of this interface.
After you turn on the DVD player (or tape recorder, as it was originally), the TV automatically turns on. At the same time, if during watching a certain television program you have a desire to record it, with a single click you start recording this program. The FollowTV function provides users with the ability to “rewrite” the tuner settings from the TV to the media device. It also provides control over the operation of devices through the TV screen and automatic selection of the most optimal image format. After the playback ends, not only the player is turned off, but also the TV itself, which is also customizable and is a very, very interesting function.
Connectors
If the number of connectors that a SCART adapter adapter can have depends on its class, then even a standard satellite tuner has three of them:
- the first is designed to connect to a TV;
- the second is used to connect players;
- the third provides the ability to connect a decoder of various "closed" programs.
For the latter, it is especially convenient to use a SCART connector. An adapter from any other cables of this type can also be used - through them, the encoded signal will go to the decoder, and then come back in an “open” form. The situation is exactly the same with cable decoders of various paid programs, the use of which can now be carried out using a single cable of this interface.
Design
Many people who want to make a SCART-tulip adapter with their own hands try to understand the design of this interface.
First of all, it is worth noting that the needle contacts in such a connector are 20, and the role of the 21st contact is assigned to a specialized metal screen, which is located around the entire perimeter of this connector. Its second purpose is to protect contacts from any mechanical influences from the outside, and the counterpart is made using plastic molding. It is worth noting that it can have not only ears for self-tapping screws and screws, but also tides designed for installation on printed circuit boards.
The design that cable connectors of this type have can hardly be called original, but there are three main types that differ in housing design - the cable can be output directly, at an angle or sideways. Retention of the connector in the socket is ensured by specialized spring-loaded plug contacts, which makes even the SCART-USB adapter famous for its incredible reliability and fastener strength. You even have to insert such cables quite carefully so as not to budge the device.
Quality side
Using SCART contacts, not only audio, but also video and RGB signals are transmitted. The frequency range of audio channels in this case is approximately 20-20000 Hz, while the video signal occupies a frequency band from 6 MHz to 8 MHz.
It is difficult to imagine that a multi-pin connector, which is made of standard polystyrene, has approximately the same frequency characteristics as a specialized coaxial BNC or even a tulip. However, in fact, an attempt to increase the frequency properties of the connector was made, and in the SCART adapter each individual transmission channel is equipped with its own shielded conductor, which allows for a much more efficient isolation between the signals.
Almost any cord that you buy inexpensively “at the corner” will significantly degrade image quality. Since it is customary to use cheap shielded wires in them , while a high-quality coaxial cable should be used for high-quality video signal transmission. The impedance of such a device is 75 ohms.
Well-known manufacturers of cable products are actively offering their customers to purchase also a SCART cable, which in every possible way is trying to deprive the deficiencies inherent in this standard. Such devices are significantly different from those that you can purchase in some small local stores. After all, instead of the standard black insulation on an ordinary wire, they use a thick shiny harness, which includes completely separate video and audio cables, as well as gold-plated contacts and metal or metallized connectors. The cost of such products is an order of magnitude higher than conventional products, but it’s worth mentioning right away that its purchase does not guarantee you a better image, because, in addition to the cable, the connector itself also affects the quality.
S-video
Considering the signals that are transmitted using SCART cables, it is also worth noting separately S-Video, through which two signals are transmitted - brightness and color. After the emergence of this standard, SCART developers instantly added the ability to interact with it in their cables, and the “video” channel came up for the brightness signal, while in order to ensure normal operation with the color signal, we had to completely sacrifice RGB, or rather, the “red” channel . This possibility can be realized only in those TV models that use two SCART connectors at once, since the second one in this case will have to connect a separate RGB source, but almost always the mini-DIN connector is also used along with this connection method.
How are adapters used?
In the event that only one device uses the SCART connector, while the other uses some other version of the interface, you need to use some kind of adapter. It is worth noting that today the most common is the SCART-Tulip adapter, but there are also a large number of other adapter options for other types of connectors.
It is worth noting that today there are both standard adapters and cables. The first are standard SCART connectors, into which other connectors like S-Video or RCA are mounted, so today there is no difficulty in finding the SCART-3RCA adapter.
What can they be?
The adapters themselves can be bidirectional or unidirectional, stereo or mono, with or without switches, not to mention how wide the variety of adapter cables can be. In the event that you need to connect several others to a particular device at the same time, you can use a specialized SCART splitter, which can provide branching simultaneously into two or even three directions.
What can i buy?
Today, there are almost any types of cables and adapters on sale. It is worth noting that some large companies (such as JVC, Sony and others) provide their customers absolutely free products so that consumers do not need to think about how to make a SCART-VGA adapter with their own hands. The circuit of such devices is also freely available today, so you can always check your engineering strength, but if you try, you can always find on sale exactly the version of the adapter that you need.
Useful Tips
All known SCART inconveniences are fully compensated by the versatility of this connector. If necessary, you can find almost any adapter, including the SCART “bells” adapter, but at the same time you can realize the capabilities of this interface only if both devices differ in similar functions.
Thus, you can use SCART with almost any modern multimedia device. To date, manufacturers are introducing this connector into various types of equipment, and therefore you can be sure that the adapter you purchased or assembled will definitely be useful to you in the future.