[winawer]

'ello. Please direct me if this isn't in the correct forum. You PJ people tend to be mighty helpful and non-patronising, and since it's PJ related, I figured I'd try here. I recently purchased the Sharp XV-Z200 PJ and the Sony DAV-DZ500F all in one (as a first foray into the world of home cinema I'm absolutely loving it). In terms of television though, I've got meself right confused and could do with some help.

By the time the World Cup comes around in a few months I'd like to able to use the PJ for television. I knew before buying it that the Sony amp/receiver/dvd player wouldn't contain a TV tuner. Am assuming I need to buy a TV tuner and there begins the bafflement...

First question: will a Freeview digi box suffice? If so, how do I connect it? Will I need a cable from aerial to the digi box, then out from digi box and into the sony amp/receiver/dvd player, then out from there into the PJ? Is that correct? Or can it stop once it's gone into the amp/receiver/dvd player (with the video going along the component cables currently linking the PJ with the amp/receiver/dvd player?).

Second question: According to the freeview web site, my location receives the digital signal but I may need to upgrade the aerial. This could be tricky (am only renting the property). If I am unable to receive Freeview, then does that render digi boxes useless as TV tuners? (ie do they pick up only digital signals, or do they pick up analogue too?). If Freeview digi box is a no-goer, then is it possible to buy analogue TV tuners? Or is there something else that I would need?

Any help will be massively appreciated.

[cyberheater]

I would say go a buy a freeview box from somewhere like Maplins who have a good returns policy and go home a try it.

You can get indoor booster ariels.

Also, you can just connect it directly to the PJ to test the connection via a scart to composite adaptor just to test that it works then try feeding it into the amp.
To get it to do what you want. The av receiver would have to convert s-vid/composite/rgb to component format. Are you sure you amp does this conversion?

[winawer]

Hero - Big thanks for the reply cyberheater. I'm not sure I'm going to be able to get it to work though - still can't quite get my head round it.

Have edited my original post here as it was a bit confuddled.

Question: Does the video from the freeview box need to go via the Sony amp/receiver on its way to the PJ? Could I not connect the freeview box to the PJ with a yellow composite video cable (for the video), and the freeview box to the Sony amp/receiver with a red audio cable and a white audio cable (don't know what they're called, sorry)? Would that work?

[guido]

Looking at the user guide for the Sony... I guess you are already using the component out to connect to the projector.

Most freeview boxes just have a Scart output... which may or may not be RGB enabled. If it is RGB and the the display you use has RGB enabled Scart, then use this mode to get a better picture. However the Sony only has Audio L/R and Composite Video connections for a single input (labelled SAT). A lot of boxes comes with Scart to Composite plus Audio adaptor (scart to three phono red/white/yellow)... and you could use this on the Freeview box and then plug this into the Sat terminals on the Sony... this is assuming that the Sony box will output the Sat input via the Component out and not just on the Scart socket(?). This is called Component Up-Conversion. Picture quality will be pretty bad TBH using composite video.

You could as suggested run just the Audio to the Sony, and take composite video direct to the projector. Not sure this would improve the picture.. as you would need a long composite lead going to the projector.

If the projector has two sets of component inputs, then the best Freeview picture will be by getting a Freeview box with RGB Scart, then using an RGB Scart > Component converter taking the component to the PJ. Analogue L/R Audio will be fed direct to the Sony either from the Freeview box if it has L/R Audio out, or from the Scart > Component comverter which will split out the audio for you.

Have you tried the Progressive on and off from the Sony to see which gives you the better picture when playing DVDs? Depending on the quality of the de-interlacer in the projector it may be better to let the projector do the conversion to progressive... it is with mine, as my PJ has the Faroudja chipset so I have my DVD player set to Progressive off. Although some people have said that the Sharp is not so good at this... try it and see I guess.

[winawer]

Many, many thanks guido . The fog is beginning to clear, though I'm still struggling in terms of what is possible and what isn't

I've attached three pictures. First is the back of a recommended Humax freeview box that I'm thinking of buying. Second is the back of my projector. Third is the back of my Sony amp/receiver/dvd player.

The Humax has RGB Scart output, as well the yellow/red/white composite video/analogue audio, as well as RS232 (whatever that is).

Unfortunately, the projector has only one set of component inputs (currently being used for DVD from the Sony), so I don't think using an RGB Scart > Component converter is going to work. The projector though does have several other inputs not being used, so is it possible to buy an RGB Scart > DVI converter, or RGB Scart to S-Video convert, or RGB Scart > RS232 converter?

[Aside: I've never come across RS232 before, but since the Humax freeview box has RS232 out, and the projector has RS232 in, presumably I could just use a RS232 cable to connect the two for the video, and use the red/white analogue L/R audio from the box (it has L/R audio outs) into the Sony for the audio. If this makes sense then will it provide a better picture than running composite video into the projector?]

Basically I'd very much like to avoid composite video if I can but not sure the best way of doing this/what options are available.

Guido - in terms of Progressive on/off from the Sony when playing DVDs I must admit I've only tried with Progressive on, on the assumption that this would be better. I'll try it with Progressive off though and report back with whether it's better/worse/similar.

As ever, thanks again for any assistance re: freeview connectivity etc etc

RS-232 is for control, unfortunately you can't use it for video. Have you considered using the DVI input on the pj, even if with a SCART adapter (if one exists)? It'd still beat composite.

[Kalos Geros]

Check the manual for Humax to see whether you can switch SCARt output to S-video...if YES, then go buy SCART-S-video cable and you are done, getting better PQ than with composite...if you can find info that your PJ can take 15Khz/50Hz RGB signal to its VGA port (not likely but possible), go get a RGB SCART-RGB VGA (D-SUB) cable and you'll get the best picture you can get from this freeview receiver...

[winawer]

Thanks ss60camaro350 and Kalos Geros. Can't say how much 'tis appreciated.

According to Humax listing on the superfi site (http://www.superfi.co.uk/index.cfm/p...roduct_ID/2312) the freeview box has "Scart 1: RGB, S-Video, composite video and stereo audio outputs" so I assume that the answer is Yes to question posed by Kalos Geros in the first part of his post.

One final question: Is it possible to do what ss60camarao350 is suggesting and use a Scart cable coming out of the Humax and having an adapter/converter so that it uses the DVI input on the the PJ? If so, is that going to produce better quality than the Scart S-video cable connection as suggested by Kalos Geros in the first part of his post?

PS: Re: the second part of Kalos Geros's post - I've no idea whether the PJ can can take 15kHz/50Hz RGB signal to its VGA port. Sorry for not understanding but I'm not even sure it has a VGA port? (unless it's known under a different name?!). The inputs the PJ has are:

Components (Y, Cb, Cr) x 1 (3 RCA)
S-Video x 1
Video (RCA) x 1
input RVB (Mini Sub-D 15)
Input DVI-I (Digital and analogue) x1 (RVB)
audio input
RS-232C x 1 port

Is there a VGA port in amongst that lot?

Thanks again for helping out a newbie folks.

[bob corb]

I went through this process a few months ago when I first bought a PJ. My freeview box (Pioneer) has RGB, composite and S-Video all available through the scart connector. I had to use S-video at first as my old DVD player didn't do component but I recently upgraded it and bought a set of component leads. I was using a "premium" 10m Maplins S-video lead and now use a Belden/Canare component but the difference is only really noticeable when you are using a good quality DVD disk. When you watch freeview the picture quality is not worth the expenditure so I would recommend using a decent S-video lead.

My freeview box has a digital output so I use that to take the sound to the amp rather than phono connectors.

[winawer]

Cheers Bob. Looks like an S-video connect from freeview box to PJ is the way to go here.

One question re: the audio - what do you use to connect the digital output from the freeview box to the amp?

[guido]

Just to throw a spanner in the works... instead of freeview box, could go for a Shuttle Media PC with Freeview tuner card, then go DVI from Media PC to Projector

Your amp has no digital audio in..... so that will not be an option for direct connection.

[bob corb]

Oops, sorry I should have looked a bit closer at the equipment spec. In this case I use an optical cable though...

Guido - I've got a shuttle PC with freeview, I thinks its pretty cool but I've not connected to the PJ yet as I have an infocus with that stoopid M1 connector. Have you got a shuttle? Have you tried using it for HD video? I'd be tempted to find a suitable lead if I knew there was something worth watching? (Sorry for the slight Hi jack).

For Freeview I use Hauppage software which is pretty poor IMHO (very slow to change channels and the MPEG files it records can only be played properly via the Hauppage software if you wan to avoid the sound losing sync with the picture...) I think Showshifter software may be a the way to go...

[guido]

Originally Posted by bob corb

Oops, sorry I should have looked a bit closer at the equipment spec. In this case I use an optical cable though...

Guido - I've got a shuttle PC with freeview, I thinks its pretty cool but I've not connected to the PJ yet as I have an infocus with that stoopid M1 connector. Have you got a shuttle? Have you tried using it for HD video? I'd be tempted to find a suitable lead if I knew there was something worth watching? (Sorry for the slight Hi jack).

For Freeview I use Hauppage software which is pretty poor IMHO (very slow to change channels and the MPEG files it records can only be played properly via the Hauppage software if you wan to avoid the sound losing sync with the picture...) I think Showshifter software may be a the way to go...

No shuttle but I keep going back to the Shuttle web site ... need a new Freeview box and want one with Hard Drive.. also want to build a media PC.. its getting closer.. matter of when not if! Haven't tried anything via the M1 connector.. but the M1>DVI and M1>HDMI are all available and not badly priced. Ideally I would run a 10m HDMI-HDMI cable to future proof any change in projector/DVD player with a decent spec cable... but as yet haven't seen any Graphics Cards with HDMI? means would need converters at both ends Work is looking at some small form factor PCs... hoping they will go shuttle (the bloke doing the study hadn't heard of shuttle - but he has now) so I can get in on the back of a big order (unlikely but I can hope!). My PJ is ceiling mounted so cant really try my PC directly without splashing out on a cable.. keep meaning to try the component out from my 6600GT.. but havent got round to that either! My m8 uses MythTV on a linux box as his media centre... I have seen it and it looks good... he has Telewest cable and doesnt watch live tv at all now.

[\thread hijack over ]

Yes you have a VGA input in that mix...its the "15 pin RGB D-sub" connection. That usually doubles as a vga and sometimes also an additonal component input on many PJs. I would use the DVI if possible, but I have no idea if SCART to DVI adaptions exist.

[Kalos Geros]

Originally Posted by ss69camaro350

Yes you have a VGA input in that mix...its the "15 pin RGB D-sub" connection. That usually doubles as a vga and sometimes also an additonal component input on many PJs. I would use the DVI if possible, but I have no idea if SCART to DVI adaptions exist.

Same problem as with SCART-VGA...DVI chip needs to be designed to accomodate for 15khz/50Hz signal...I would guess that if VGA(D-DUB) on PJs is able to accept 15khz/50Hz interlaced component video and 31khz RGB VGA (as is the case with most PJs) then it is to be expected that interlace RGB is also supported because all that is required is already there...I'd take a risk with maybe a cheap SCART/VGA (D-SUB) cable and see if that works...

[winawer]

Thanks chaps. One question: Is the risk worth the possible gain over Scart S-video? Or is the difference not likely to be much?

[Drew2]

Optoma supply a scart - vga adapter with the H27 so would guess you can pick them up. Then you could use a vga to dvi-i lead to hook upto your PJ, don't see why that wouldn't work.

[Kalos Geros]

No, no...there's no risk of burning something, just that it may not work and you forked out some money for it...the difference is obvious...

Drew, he could do what you propose with DVI-I provided that 15khz/50Hz capability is also present on the DVI port...with this setup winawer could also free up the D-SUB port for progressive scan componet signal from his DVD player...