SCART-adapter: types and description

After its first appearance, SCART-adapter caused, to put it mildly, ambiguous impressions of the majority of users. The fact is that on TVs or modern-style tape recorders, such connectors have suddenly started to be used, while the majority of residents of the CIS countries are accustomed to using standard "tulips". Of course, today such a situation for many will cause a smile.

At the same time, it should be noted that the main reason why SCART-adapter has not received wide distribution then is not even the fact that few people knew about it, but also the banal absence of relevant cables for sale. Today it is possible to purchase any cable products practically at every corner, but at that time their cost was quite high.

What is this connector?

SCART-adapter is a 21-pin connector, through which users can coordinate different types of TVs and media devices. After its appearance, this interface has won the hearts of most consumers in Europe. Manufacturers of home media technology 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.

Almost 10 years ago almost every video- or TV-camera, which was manufactured for the European market, was equipped with at least one such connector. So to connect media equipment to the TV the user had to buy a SCART-adapter. The reason for this wide distribution of this connector is its versatility. Despite the fact that it is provided quite rectilinearly, 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 should be noted that with the help of a single cable users can record or play various video programs. This advantage was instantly appreciated by the manufacturers of home computers, and over time also of game consoles.

Also worth noting is the fact that the sound and image quality that is fed through the SCART adapter is noticeably better than the signal from a standard RF modulator. At the same time, do not forget that the RF modulator does not provide for the possibility of stereo transmission, it introduces extraneous noises, and also provides for the need for an extremely accurate setting of the TV.

Additional Features

However, this was not enough, as a result of which developers also laid in the interface a large number of potential opportunities, reserving a place for new functions for the future. Since the VGA-SCART adapter has become one of the most popular in Europe, this standard has just begun to acquire new properties. For example, with the help of this interface, today you can control various modes of the TV, such as switching it to monitor mode and back, switching the mode of operation with RGB signals, and much more. At the same time, these capabilities were previously very simple, while today SCART was able to transmit digital data, so the total number of teams became almost unlimited.

To date, you can find a large number of systems that provide information exchange with SCART, so the VGA-SCART adapter, as well as many others have become very popular.

Interesting features

It is worth noting several interesting features 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 you want to record it while watching a certain TV program, you start the recording of this program with a single click. The FollowTV function allows users to "rewrite" tuner settings from the TV to the media device. It also provides control over the operation of devices through the TV screen and automatically selects the most optimal image format. After the playback recording ends, not only the player turns off, but the TV itself, which is also tuned and represents a very, very interesting function.

Connectors

If the number of connectors that a SCART adapter adapter can have is directly dependent on its class, then even the standard satellite tuner has three:

• The first is intended for connection to the TV;
• The second one is used for connecting players;
• The third provides the possibility of connecting the decoder of various "closed" programs.

For the latter, it is especially convenient to use a SCART connector. The adapter from any other cables of this type can also be used - through them the encoded signal will go to the decoder, and then back in an "open" form. The same is true with cable decoders of various paid programs, the application of which can now be carried out with the help of 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 should be noted that pin contacts in such a connector 20, and the role of the 21st contact is assigned to a specialized metal screen that is located around the entire perimeter of this connector. The second purpose is to protect the contacts from any mechanical influences from the outside, and the counterpart is produced by molding from plastic. It should be noted that it can have not only ears for screws and screws, but also tides intended 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 the design of the case: the cable can be output directly, at an angle or sideways. The connector in the socket is held in place by specialized spring-loaded contact pins, so even the SCART-USB adapter is famous for its incredible reliability and fastening strength. Even inserting such cables is rather cautious, so as not to move the device.

Quality side

With 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 the frequency band from 6 MHz to 8 MHz.

It is difficult to imagine that the 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 carried out, and in the SCART adapter each separate transmission channel is equipped with its own shielded conductor, which allows much more efficient isolation between the signals.

Virtually any cord that you buy inexpensively "on the corner" will significantly degrade the image quality. Since it is customary to use cheap shielded wires, while a high-quality coaxial cable must be used for high-quality video transmission . The impedance of this device is 75 ohms.

Known manufacturers of cable products are actively offering their customers to purchase a SCART cable, which in every possible way tries to deprive the inherent disadvantages of this standard. Such devices are significantly different from those that you can buy in some small local stores. After all, instead of the standard black insulation on a conventional wire, they use a thick shiny bundle, which includes completely separate video and audio cables, as well as gold-plated contacts and metal or metalized connectors. The cost of such products is an order of magnitude greater than that of conventional products, but at the same time it should be said that its purchase does not guarantee you a better image, because besides the cable, the quality itself is affected by the connector itself.

S-Video

Considering the signals that are transmitted using SCART cables, it is worth noting also separately S-Video, through which the transmission of two signals - brightness and chroma. 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 for the normal operation of the color signal it was necessary to completely sacrifice RGB, or more precisely, the "red" channel . This feature can be realized only in those models of TVs, which use two SCART connectors at once, because the second one in this case will have to connect a separate RGB-source, but almost always, together with this method of connection, a mini-DIN connector is also used.

How are adapters used?

In the event that only one device uses a SCART connector, while another uses a different version of the interface, you need to use some kind of adapter. It is worth noting that today the most common is the SCART adapter "tulip", but there are also a lot of other variants of adapters for other types of connectors.

It should be noted that today there are both standard adapters and cables. The first are standard SCART connectors, in which other connectors like S-Video or RCA are mounted, so today there is no difficulty in finding a SCART-3RCA adapter.

How can they be?

The adapters themselves can be bi-directional or unidirectional, stereo or mono, with or without switches, not to mention how wide a variety of adapter cables can be. In the event that you need to connect several other devices to a certain device at the same time, you can use a specialized SCART-splitter that can provide branching simultaneously into two or even three directions.

What can I buy?

For today on sale there are almost any kinds of cables and adapters. It should be noted that some large companies (such as JVC, Sony and others) give their customers absolutely free of charge such products, so that consumers do not have to think about how to make a SCART-VGA adapter with their own hands. The circuit of such devices is now freely available, so you can always check your engineering strength, but if you try, you can always find the version of the adapter you need.

Helpful Tips

All known inconveniences of SCART are fully compensated by the versatility of this connector. If necessary, you can find almost any adapter, including a SCART adapter, "bells", but at the same time realize the capabilities of this interface is possible only if both devices differ in similar functions.

Thus, you can use SCART with almost any modern multimedia device. To date, manufacturers are implementing this connector in various types of equipment, and so you can be sure that the purchased or assembled adapter will definitely be useful to you in the future.