Scart to component

Hi

I am looking to replace my home cinema unit and the one I'm looking at has scart but my old unit is component. The chap told me that you can get component out of scart with a converter.

I see there is such a beast but is the output quality the same??

Thanks

Richard

You have been told a half-truth. You can only get component from SCART socket if the manufacturer added that facility.

ARCAM did this with their DVD players, but very few other companies have followed suit. Strictly speaking it's not allowed. Ebay has cables that seem to suggest they give Component from SCART, but that only works if your SCART socket has the Component out feature. If not, then the cable is a waste of money.

You can get adapter boxes that will convert SCART to Component. They include an active circuit to rematrix the RGB signal in to Component. You can't get Component by just a cable on its own.

Final thing....quality. RGB from SCART is technically better than Component. However, Component has the ability to include Progressive Scan (480p/576p), so it's swings and roundabouts.

In the end though it's all a bit academic. If you are still using a CRT TV then Prog Scan is irrelevant. RGB SCART is the best format. If your TV is a flat screen then the best signal is either RGB SCART or Component in non-progressive form (480i/576i). The TV will have to deinterlace progressive anyway before scaling to fill the panel, so give it a clean interlaced (i) signal.

Hi chris
Thanks for the help

I have a Linn Classik movie DI which like most has a dodgy transport on DVD. However it suits my needs and I'm currently using a separate transport via optical in.

The replacement DI is scart but I'm not sure if this has the same facility as the Arcam?


Richard

It doesn't.

RGB SCART is technically superior, so I wouldn't waste too much more energy worrying about the differences. Just hook it up and use it.