[Dr Hu]

DON'T!

There are issues with this Maplin converter (actually a ShinyBow SB-3680) and the SVideo in port on Hauppauge cards.

See thread on Hauppauge forums:

http://www.hauppauge.co.uk/board/showthread.php?t=7249

It is corrupting the TV picture on bright colours on my (and others) Hauppauge 150MCE card.

I'm hoping that the Keene equivalent Pt No: CRS2000 is better.

http://www.keene.co.uk/pages/cat/13con/13F.html

Any input on whether this Keene part is OK?

[nigelbb]

This must be a Hauppauge WinTV PVR150 specific problem as I have been happily using this with a WinTV PVR250 without problems. I have also previously used the Maplin gizmo with an Nvidia NVTV card. Just yesterday I set up a test system with an ATI Home Theatre Pro 550 card again no image corruption problems of that sort are occurring. Incidentally while setting up this system I originally used composite & had forgotten how utterly crap the picture from a digibox is over composite!

The RGB->s-video converter from JS technology is reputed to be of better quality but does cost 75 pounds plus shipping http://www.js-technology.com/product...products_id=34

The better option is to do as I did & buy a used Sky+ box off Ebay for about the same price as the JS Technologies converter. The s-video out from the Sky+ box does gives a better picture than using the Maplins converter but not the enormous improvemnt going from composite to s-video.

[Joey!]

Originally Posted by nigelbb

This must be a Hauppauge WinTV PVR150 specific problem as I have been happily using this with a WinTV PVR250 without problems. I have also previously used the Maplin gizmo with an Nvidia NVTV card. Just yesterday I set up a test system with an ATI Home Theatre Pro 550 card again no image corruption problems of that sort are occurring. Incidentally while setting up this system I originally used composite & had forgotten how utterly crap the picture from a digibox is over composite!

The RGB->s-video converter from JS technology is reputed to be of better quality but does cost 75 pounds plus shipping http://www.js-technology.com/product...products_id=34

The better option is to do as I did & buy a used Sky+ box off Ebay for about the same price as the JS Technologies converter. The s-video out from the Sky+ box does gives a better picture than using the Maplins converter but not the enormous improvemnt going from composite to s-video.

Nope it isnt! I have had two of these shinybow converters, and ran them through multiple connections and sources! I am 100% sure its the shiny bow converters, a build problem! You are maybe lacking the eye to notice me and the doctor are obviously fussy guys :D I dont know how you havent noticed

I tested both converters with the following:
Using different cables
Using composite/S-video
Using different TV’s
Using Different Sky Boxes
Using Different Shiny Bow Converters
Using dvd players, with test patterns
using vhs players

All have the same problem with bright red colours, its a certain fault with these converters. Nothing to do with the card, as you can see from above. Its amazing how few people have noticed this problem

[Dr Hu]

Joey - its possible that ours are faulty and Nigels is OK......

[Westindieman]

I am about to build a media centre and was asking about going from NTL to the system, someone said I need a sweetspot. The converters you are talking about, will I still need a sweetspot with one of those? Anyway, what does a sweet spot do?

[Joey!]

Originally Posted by Dr Hu

Joey - its possible that ours are faulty and Nigels is OK......

I very much doubt it! I bought from two different dealers, and nigel is the odd one out it seems! Its more likely that nigel hasnt noticed the problem YET. Is he even using sky? maybe he hasnt encountered those bright red colours before? Who knows, there arent that many bright colours like that unless you watch sport for example!

[Dr Hu]

I see my faults all the time - every few minutes or so - so mine sounds worse than yours.

I dont know how you could say Nigel hasn't noticed it, as its pretty obvious - even my Technophobe wife noticed it straight away!

I get the faults like you posted in your MPG video, but I also get large 3 or 4 inch wide bands across the bottom of the screen in light pink or green on bright solid colour screens. They only flick on for a second or so.

My young daughter watches CBEEBIES a lot so maybe they have a lot of primary colours

[nigelbb]

Originally Posted by Joey!

I very much doubt it! I bought from two different dealers, and nigel is the odd one out it seems! Its more likely that nigel hasnt noticed the problem YET. Is he even using sky? maybe he hasnt encountered those bright red colours before? Who knows, there arent that many bright colours like that unless you watch sport for example!

I am sorry that you & Dr Hu have a problem but to conclude that I am too blind to notice this problem is rather insulting. I can assure you that there is no problem with my eyes or evidently with my Maplins converter box. I am hardly the odd one out as I know that there are other members of this froum who have taken my advice to get a Maplin RGB->s-video converter to improve the picture quality of Sky digital via a PC capture card.

I did clearly state that I was using a digibox. I have been using the Maplins gizmo for over a year before I replaced the digibox with a Sky+ that obviated the need for the converter.

I am very picky about picture quality. That is why I got the converter in the first place as the picture from the digibox over composite was so poor when displayed on my 46" Sony RPTV.

As it appears that you bought your converters recently while I bought mine in December 2004 & that you guys have a problem while I don't then it is likely either that there has been a re-design or change of components or that yours are from a bad batch.

[mdekkers]

Originally Posted by Bruce Willy

I am about to build a media centre and was asking about going from NTL to the system, someone said I need a sweetspot. The converters you are talking about, will I still need a sweetspot with one of those? Anyway, what does a sweet spot do?

A sweetspot doesn't work with MCE (or most other media center software) While the sweetspot does give an awesome picture quality, the lack of support in modern media centre type applications renders it very wife/kids unfriendly. If you want to spend some time fussing everytime you want to watch the telly, and you fully understand all the in depth technical details of video signal processing, then the sweetspot is fine. If you just want to hit the button and have something that "Just Works (tm)" then don't get one.

[AWLaLa]

I bought mine late last year, and initially didn't notice any real problems.

It wasn't until Christmas started approaching and there were lots of reds on greens flying around on the adverts and the like (actually I remember really noticing it on Vodaphone adverts); then I really started noticing the problem. Like everything else once you've noticed it once it begins to bug you and you begin looking for it in other places, daring the picture to 'do the wild thing'!

Anyway, I bought an RGB>S-video convertor from JS Technology and no more problems.

I'd also be interested to know if the one from Keene works out, since it is a bit cheaper and could be of use for my next box I build.

LaLa

[nathsea]

I too have this problem with my convertor from Maplins, I brought mine over a year ago, and it took a while to start, but it is definitley doing it now.

It appears to be when the screen is meant to be bright white, the screen has a purple hue to it. I also get the red / green blocking.

It is starting to get on mine and the wifes nerves, spookily we were discussing it last night. I`m glad you guys have confirmed it is the box, I shall have to look at getting a replacement.

Dont suppose any of you guys have opened one up to see if there is anything we can adjust?

Nathan

[Joey!]

Hmmmm now we are getting somewhere, people coming forward with their experiences! Seems everyone has the same problem apart from nigel very strange I must say. Seems no one else has one that actually works well lol!

Who knows, maybe even the other converter brands have the same problem

[Joey!]

Originally Posted by AWLaLa

I bought mine late last year, and initially didn't notice any real problems.

It wasn't until Christmas started approaching and there were lots of reds on greens flying around on the adverts and the like (actually I remember really noticing it on Vodaphone adverts); then I really started noticing the problem. Like everything else once you've noticed it once it begins to bug you and you begin looking for it in other places, daring the picture to 'do the wild thing'!

Anyway, I bought an RGB>S-video convertor from JS Technology and no more problems.

I'd also be interested to know if the one from Keene works out, since it is a bit cheaper and could be of use for my next box I build.

LaLa

Aha! One that works :D The only problem is the price with those! How much did you pay?

[kudosdude]

Me too, I'm on my second "Shin/tybow".
I am looking at finding a replacement for it, as it is the weakest link in my setup.
Now do I go out and spend £100 on this converter from JS Technologies, or do I buy a cheap dvd recorder with scart input and component output?
Any thoughts?

[nigelbb]

Buy a second hand Sky+ box off Ebay. This has the best quality s-video out to feed MCE.

[Dr Hu]

Buy a second hand Sky+ box off Ebay. This has the best quality s-video out to feed MCE

This is what I have just done - Apart from it doesn't have to be a SKY+ box.....

I originated this post - as I was disappointed with my ShinyBow - I looked around for a replacement converter - the only one recommended was the JS Technology one at £75......

I scooted around on eBay - and there were two S Video converters on there - a Keene one and a JS Technologies one - but I found a cheaper solution which cuts out the middle man anyway - I bought a standard Grundig GDS3000 Sky Digibox off eBay for £25 - loads cheaper than a converter and it has a direct SVideo out feed.

I've fitted it tonight and there is a definate improvement - the picture is crisper and (hurrah) no more colour blocking/banding.

Definately the way to go - But ONLY the Grundig boxes have S-Video out as standard - the GDS3000 are the most recent, it has a silver fascia and looks modern - so I replaced my Amstrad Digibox - straight swap out - no probs - took all of 2 mins.

You are suppoosed to phone SKY tyo tell them you have changed your box - but this is mainly if you watch Movies on Box Office though - It works without it - I will get round to calling them next week.

So - I've answered my own question - don't use a Maplins SVideo converter - connect directly with a replacement digibox (its cheaper too!)- when I bought mine over the Hols there were at least 10 for sale on eBay - mine was a buy it now for £25 - bargain.

[pmc]

Good idea, I'll look into it. My digibox is 6 years old so an upgrade might be due anyway! Cheers.


EDIT: whoops wrong thread. Good idea anyway

[nigelbb]

The Grundigs are cheap because they are old V1/V2 boxes. They will work perfectly well apart from being a lot slower in the menus & changing channels than a modern box. Sky+ is the only modern box with s-video output.

[Dr Hu]

I don't think you can say Fast Channel Changing and Media Centre in one sentance.

Thats the only one thing that drives me mad about MCE - you can't roll up and down the channels to flit about - you can only do so using the EPG

[Joey!]

I am considering getting one of the boxes, is the quality of the boxes really that bad? Or will it produce good quality output as any other box?

[evolution400]

I had a Maplins RGB>SVIDEO and used it for around 6 - 8 months I found it an improvment over composite and experienced none of the reported problems I now have moved to DVB-T because IMO the picture is much better and free !!!!
Sold the box to my brother who is very happy with it and he alos noticed an improvment over composote connection and no issues reported.

[Spacecat]

my maplins shiny bow has worked perfectly for 14 months into my ATI 550 pro TV card, no probs at all.

In fact the picture is literally identical to the direct STB feed from the box

[Spacecat]

Originally Posted by Dr Hu

I don't think you can say Fast Channel Changing and Media Centre in one sentance.

Thats the only one thing that drives me mad about MCE - you can't roll up and down the channels to flit about - you can only do so using the EPG

u just go up and down on the channels buttons on the remote without going into the EPG or press the number

[joegib]

Originally Posted by Spacecat

my maplins shiny bow has worked perfectly for 14 months into my ATI 550 pro TV card, no probs at all.

In fact the picture is literally identical to the direct STB feed from the box

Me too — I used one between a spare STB and a Leadview analogue TV card for about 6 months. Only junked the set-up in favour of a DVB-T device when I got fed up using the STB remote to change channels.

[Joey!]

Originally Posted by Dr Hu

This is what I have just done - Apart from it doesn't have to be a SKY+ box.....

I originated this post - as I was disappointed with my ShinyBow - I looked around for a replacement converter - the only one recommended was the JS Technology one at £75......

I scooted around on eBay - and there were two S Video converters on there - a Keene one and a JS Technologies one - but I found a cheaper solution which cuts out the middle man anyway - I bought a standard Grundig GDS3000 Sky Digibox off eBay for £25 - loads cheaper than a converter and it has a direct SVideo out feed.

I've fitted it tonight and there is a definate improvement - the picture is crisper and (hurrah) no more colour blocking/banding.

Definately the way to go - But ONLY the Grundig boxes have S-Video out as standard - the GDS3000 are the most recent, it has a silver fascia and looks modern - so I replaced my Amstrad Digibox - straight swap out - no probs - took all of 2 mins.

You are suppoosed to phone SKY tyo tell them you have changed your box - but this is mainly if you watch Movies on Box Office though - It works without it - I will get round to calling them next week.

So - I've answered my own question - don't use a Maplins SVideo converter - connect directly with a replacement digibox (its cheaper too!)- when I bought mine over the Hols there were at least 10 for sale on eBay - mine was a buy it now for £25 - bargain.

I finally decided to buy one of those boxes! Thanks for the tip on that one dr, I managed to get one for the same price. Exactly what do you have to do, in order to set up the new box?

Thanks again!

[Joey!]

Thanks to the DOC! I bought one of those boxes Wow! It was easy to set up, and I rang sky (got through immediately) and it was working within a minute! Last time we had problems for days, so thats why I didnt get the box sooner. No more problems and the quality is so much better, even on my tv (as I now have the rgb scart slot free) so its great news all around. As you can see here, different colours with the converter and without it:

http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/3985/1vp9.jpg

The right = without the converter, and is alot truer picture. Always suspected it was a lot greener with the converter, but never had anything to compare to. Can see it here, and this is quite tame to as some of the recordings I had, which were really green.