| The signals carried by Scart are - | | | | switches a composite input to S-Video input. |
| Composite Signals - which is the lowest quality, signal | | | | Before Scart, there were no standard connectors or |
| carried by Scart where luminance and chrominance | | | | sockets for signal inputs for a consumer TV. It was |
| signals are mixed. Due to the interference that is | | | | only the RF antenna that plugged into the TV and |
| caused by this mix of signals, it is considered to be | | | | even this socket differed between countries in its |
| of low quality and such a mix of signals would be | | | | design. Incompatible standards of plug-ins existed in |
| produced by VHS VCR equipment. | | | | TVs manufactured by different companies, such as, |
| S-Video - This is a high quality video. S-Video has the | | | | a VHS VCR equipment would have composite video |
| luminance and chrominance signals in the same way | | | | signal through a German-originated DIN-style |
| as the composite, but these are two separate | | | | connector, a RCA connector, which is of American |
| signals, without any possibility of any interference | | | | origin, or a BNC connector. |
| between them. | | | | Scart sockets have now become the standard in |
| RGB - RGB stands for Red, Green and Blue. This is | | | | connecting audio video devices together and have |
| similar to S-Video, and is a high quality video interface. | | | | provided a much simpler solution, with one socket |
| These are the colours representing the picture in a | | | | plug containing all necessary signals. With Scart being |
| TV. In a domestic source, a synchronisation signal is | | | | a standard all over the world, it has provided a real |
| also required, which is present on the composite line. | | | | solution to connectivity, with even one cable |
| Scart has become the common connector for audio | | | | connecting two Scart compatible devices. There is, |
| visual equipment in Europe and has become the | | | | what is termed as 'polarisation' in the connector, |
| standard connector for such applications. Different Pin | | | | which will not to let you insert it in the wrong way. |
| configurations exist in Scart, depending upon the | | | | Multiple Scarts can be daisy chained in handling |
| configuration available in your video device. | | | | multiple signal sources into a single TV socket. Scart |
| Sometimes the configuration could be chosen, such | | | | connectors can pass the signals unchanged when not |
| as, composite or S-video, by simply changing a | | | | active. The voltage levels of the signals are generally |
| software setting. | | | | around 1 volt, which provides good noise immunity. |
| Scart is a bi-directional connector as far as standard | | | | A Scart enables a device to command a TV set to |
| composite video and analog audio signals are | | | | switch between signals, in order that overlays in the |
| concerned. The feature of a Scart being bi-directional | | | | TV picture image could be created. A VCR would |
| is used for a Pay TV, and in the past, used for | | | | have its power coming on as soon as the cassette is |
| decoding a tele-text. But now it is being applied to | | | | inserted and the TV set would change into video |
| set-top boxes. A set-top box is a device, which is | | | | mode and then start playing immediately if the |
| connected between a TV set and an external device | | | | cassette's write protection tab is absent. When |
| and is used to decode the signal and send it to the | | | | switched off, the VCR will send a signal to the TV |
| TV for display. A TV sends its antenna video and | | | | set to power off, if the set has been powered on |
| audio signals to Scart sockets all the time and | | | | by the VCR and is still in the video mode all along. |
| receives back these signals and displays them | | | | It is always preferable to buy a commercial cable |
| reproducing the audio and video. This process allows | | | | because of the detailed pin-crossovers and close pin |
| the concept of transparent set-top boxes having no | | | | connections, though it is possible to build your own |
| tuner. It just hooks on the TV and pre-process the | | | | connecting cable. Different cables have different |
| television signals. | | | | applications. A cable for connecting a VCR or a TV |
| A VCR has typically two Scart sockets. One is | | | | set to a high-fidelity audio system needs to use only |
| connected to the TV and the other one goes to the | | | | three of the 21 pins. Connecting a VCR to a |
| set-top box. When the power is off or when it is in | | | | computer monitor is a difficult proposition with a |
| an idling state, the VCR will forward the signals | | | | Scart connector. This is for the reason why it is |
| received, to the set-top box decoder for processing | | | | difficult to synchronise composite video signal, |
| and then the signals would go to the TV. In recording | | | | consisting of red, green and blue, from the VCR with |
| a scrambled show, the set-top box will be driven by | | | | the RGB signals required by a computer monitor. |
| the VCR from its own tuner and send the | | | | In order to achieve the connectivity, you will need a |
| unscrambled signals to the TV set for viewing or | | | | digital SCART adapter, along with the reverse one, |
| simple recording control purposes. As mentioned | | | | turning your DVD or Video player into a serial digital |
| earlier, Scart can also power on and off a TV, more | | | | interface (SDI). A professional SDI monitor costs |
| precisely bring it alive from a stand-by mode in a way | | | | more that $2,000 and the above solution is cheaper, |
| a remote control would. Many TV sets have two | | | | and brings to you the same solution of a separate |
| Scart sockets, where one is used for switching from | | | | SDI. |
| a composite input to RGB input, while the other | | | | |