[MonkeyDonkey]

I've just been googling this to find a number of wiring diagrams and information to create a vga - rgb scart cable.

Has anyone tried this?

I'm assuming its possible to get an RGB signal from VGA without needing a converter?

I've done a search on here but there never seemed to be a definitive answer.

If anyone has any more information on this it'd be great if you can post it.

Thanks!

[MarkE19]

AFAIK you will need a converter to go VGA > RGB
The reason I think this is because I've got an RGB>VGA converter to connect my TiVo to plasma and if I need a converter to go that way I can only assume I would need one to go back the other.
I got my converter from www.js-technology.com and it might be worth you contacting him to see if his converter will work in reverse, but I doubt it as the pins used on the scart (and possibly the VGA) would be different.

Mark.

[MikeTV]

I'm assuming its possible to get an RGB signal from VGA without needing a converter?

Not easily, but reputedly, yes. I have not tried it myself. The solutions I have heard about require creating a suitable VGA to PAL convertor cable. Also, you need a graphics card that is capable of outputting the right signals (PAL interlaced @15hz?), and not many can. To output the right signal, you also need to install and configure the "powerstrip" software.

In addition, graphics cards will not output the right signal during bios loading/startup, and these signals may even damage a regular PAL TV, and so be warned. Hence, you shouldn't connect up a TV until you are sure that Windows has loaded, and the PC is outputting the right PAL interlaced signal, which is tricky to do without monitor (some people use VNC to remote control the PC into the right state).

I believe there is a modded radeon card that outputs the right PAL signals, even during startup, but I'm not sure of the make. Anyway, some more googling may turn up more information.

[groovyclam]

I've done this recently.

I use a Radeon 9600 ( vanilla version - not Pro or SE ) card and get an RGB signal direct from the VGA port going to my Panasonic widescreen CRT telly.
Apparently any 9xxx Radeon card will work.

You need to solder your own cable using an old SCART you dismantle, a phono lead, a VGA 15-pin adapter and a 75 ohm resistor. I bought all the bits I needed from Maplins.

You also need to install Powerstrip on your PC to get an interlaced custom-size widescreen resolution working under Windows.

It works a treat. The display is far better using the RGB than the Radeon's S-Video port. The only problem is the soldering is fiddly - you need a very small soldering iron. You should probably also get a multimeter to test your soldering before using the lead in case you fry your telly or graphics card.

Here are two websites on how to build it:

http://ryoandr.free.fr/english.html

http://www.idiots.org.uk/vga_rgb_scart/

Use the pin connection table from the first site not the second.

[Matt Horne]

What res do you use for your TV? by default it only outputs 1024x768 when I plug mine into my Tv on my Rad 9600XT ?

Alos you can get a DVI -> Component from ATI which I guess if yo have component inputs would negate the fiddling around with a soldering iron

Matt

[Matt Horne]

Heres a link for the DVI Component convertor :

http://www.videocapturecard.com/hdtvaiwr8500.html

[groovyclam]

I run the widescreen resolutions at 720x576 which gives a bit of loss of picture top and bottom due to overscan

or 720x540 gives no overscan/full desktop but some of the bob/weave deinterlacing methods of DScaler and the Nebula software don't work so well with 540 vertical resolution so I go back to 720x576 for those.

This is on a "normal" CRT widescreen telly *not* a plasma or LCD.

The RGB output is vastly superior to the S-Video output at whatever resolution I pump out of the S-Video port.

I don't see how much use the DVI to component adapter you point to is when trying to connect the HTPC to a UK CRT telly - has *any* UK CRT TV got a component input ? Plus the homebrew VGA-RGBSCART lead carries the audio signal as well.

It is not hard to make the lead - I had never really soldered before in my life - it is just fiddly and intricate. A friend told me how to use a multimeter to test my soldering. Maplins sell fantastic little multimeters for a couple of quid.

All in all I think it cost me £17 in bits and pieces from Maplins and a whole afternoon of patient soldering.

[Matt Horne]

Yes mate.. most new CRt's have comp inputs..
My thomson has a comp input, which takes ntsc/pal prog scan so its gotta be better than the s-video output

[Matt Horne]

Another question.. if you use 720x576 do you then zoom the picture on your TV or use the 16x9 option (but I guess that would only horizontally stretch it ?)

I have ordered the DVI/Component dongle to give it a try

Cheers

Matt

[groovyclam]

if you use 720x576 do you then zoom the picture on your TV or use the 16x9 option

I'm not really sure what you are asking.

The homebrew lead always has widescreen switching enabled via the SCART so the picture is always autodetected to be widescreen by the TV. The Windows desktop fills a widescreen CRT TV and is not skewed or stretched.

If I am watching a 16:9 broadcast via the Nebula then everything is hunky-dory, if I am watching a 4:3 broadcast then the 4:3 picture is stretched across the widescreen of the TV and I have to force my TV into 4:3 mode with the TV remote "aspect" button ( I have asked the Nebula team to consider adding a new feature to automatically pad a 4:3 broadcast with vertical black bars either side so it fits in the 16:9 frame without being stretched )

Watching DVDs using ZoomPlayer is fine - it puts the required black bars into 4:3 DVDs and I don't have to override the TV aspect ratio manually.

Is that what you are asking ?

[Matt Horne]

yes thanks...

in my case if I send my tv a progscan signal it should fill the screen (it removes the options for zoom/wide etc etc) all depending on the res I set (i think)... should be a interesting experiment

cheers

Matt

[MonkeyDonkey]

Thanks all.

I may give this a go at some point, or I might take the safe option and just buy a converter .

[CodeThief]

I too have made this and I also run in 720x576 res, I just use Zoomplayer's Anamorphic option to effectively display a squished anamorphic image which the TV's 16:9 aspect displays un-squished, just like it would from a normal DVD player

Thief

[cowtipper]

whne your using the dvi dongle what frequency do you use as i am interested in purchasing one of these but need to be able to output 50hz for pal playback onto my plasma

[Matt Horne]

No idea yet... not received it..try avsforum as they have loadsa info on it..

Matt