HS2 Won't Record RGB

Marcus Wood

Established Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2002
Messages
380
Reaction score
4
Points
104
Age
57
Location
London
I am feeding my HS2 an RGB signal from my Sky+ box. I had always assumed that the HS2 actually recorded an RGB quality signal, but I have now realised that it is converting the RGB signal to composite before it is recorded.

I have always thought it odd that the HS2 allows the RGB signal to loop through when it's switched off but when it's switched on, the looped-through signal is dowgraded to composite quality before being output as RGB (to my projector). This downgarde is particularly evident with Sky banners, where on composite you get moving dots around the edges of text etc.

So I tried recording Sky signals with banners on my HS2, and to my dismay I saw composite artifacts when I played back the recording. Pressing the 'TV' button on the remote (which switches off the RGB output) in the middle of the recording had no effect on the picture.

Am I missing something on the setup, is there a fault with my HS2 or is this a general design fault? Perhaps when Panasonic say the HS2 has an RGB input, they mean it just allows RGB to loop through when it's switched off.
 
You must be doing something wrong-my HS2 records RGB perfectly.Have you actually checked the connections menu to make sure that AV1 output and AV2 input are both set to RGB-that Sky+ is correctly set to RGB in the picture settings menu,and that you are using a decent quality fully wired Scart lead.And are you recording in XP-anything below that and the picture will drop in quality.
 
Actually it just occurred to me.I bet you are recording from the Sky vcr out socket qhich does not output RGB,only the tv out socket from Sky does
 
Here's a related question that I have asked before but is still unaswered....

On my E100 (and I believe on the HS2 and other Panny models),

When in timer mode there is no loopthrough signal at all.

Whilst recording in timer mode the loopthrough signal switches to composite (yet records in RGB).

After Timer recording has finished it reverts back to RGB.

This occurs on both 'Normal' and 'Decoder' settings on the AV connection set up.

I am recording from NTL cable.
 
No!

My Sky+ box is set to output RGB on the SCART, and I don't use the VCR SCART output at all (because it doesn't output RGB). I usually record in XP, and I was using XP for my experiment.

The only connection from my Sky+ box to my projector is via an RGB to component converter which ONLY accepts RGB signals. When the HS2 is switched off, the projector is definitely getting a proper RGB signal, because when I press the 'TV' button on the Sky+ remote (which switches off the RGB output) the screen goes blank. But if I do this with the HS2 switched on, it has no effect on the picture. I think that is the crucial point here.

So I can only think that when the HS2 is switched on, it must ignore the RGB input signal, and just use the composite signal. It then converts the component signal to RGB before output.

I know this sounds mad, and I can't see why it would be designed that way, but this is the only explanation that fits in with the facts: If the HS2 was actually recording RGB, then the picture would go blank on a recording if I pressed the TV button. If the HS2 wasn't outputting an RGB signal, I wouldn't get any picture on my projector.

Phelings & Kevo - what makes you so sure that your units record RGB? I had assumed mine was recording RGB until I did this experiment.
 
Hi

Sounds like you have a configuration problem. It does seem from your description that the Panasonic is only seeing the composite input from the Sky+ box.

Try another SCART cable, and make sure all your settings are correct on the Panasonic, perhaps toggle the settings in the menu to make sure.

When the recording is in standby, the SCART pins are connected 1-to-1 so you will get RGB. Maybe the Panasonic is faulty and internally its RGB processing is broken so it is using the composite feed?

Regards

Philip
 
I am sure mine is in RGB because I can easily tell the difference between something in RGB and something in composite.Admittedly telling the difference between RGB and S-video on an SP recording is a bit more tricky,but I have recently started using my motorised satellite receiver into my HS2.It only outputs composite on its vcr scart,but RGB on the tv scart,and with menus up its a cinch to see the sweeping improvement-not so easy on some of the low bit rate euro channels though.
And of course,switching Sky from PAL-RGB is noticeable immediately.
 
I believe that the tv/sky button problem has been mentioned elsewhere.Do you have the Sky+ within the RF loop-if so-take it out-then the only output possible will be RGB-not the composite from RF.If this is not the problem,then as Philip L says,you have something set wrong somewhere.
I am surprised that it took this experiment to show up a composite output,which,on dvd's especially,is hopeless compared to RGB.Projectors may give you nice big pictures,but CRT still gives the crispest most detailed pictures.Pity they are restricted to 36" or thereabouts.
 
If you have the hs2 av2 input set to rgb and send it a video signal it will record only a blank screen.
If you are recording succesfully you are either recording rgb or have selected an rf feed channel in error?

You are recording from av2?
 
Originally posted by Marcus Wood
Phelings & Kevo - what makes you so sure that your units record RGB?

:rolleyes: Experience!

After several years viewing RGB, S-Video and Composite on the same display you get accustomed to the different qualities and what each looks like.
 
I've now fixed the problem, but I don't understand the cause.

I just tried PhilipL's suggestion of toggling the input and output settings. Both were already set to RGB, but I tried setting them to composite and then back to RGB. When I did that on the input setting, that fixed it. (I was using input A2 by the way).

Weird or what??? Anyway, thanks for the suggestion, PhilipL, and everyone else for your input.

Out of interest, I did some comparisons between using RGB and composite for recordings, and the difference in quality between the two is surprisingly subtle. The projector I'm using is a Sony HS10.

Possibly I'm not seeing much difference because the main improvement with RGB is to contrast, and the HS10 has relatively poor contrast. Also I believe Sony projectors have a very good comb filter.

On the other hand CRT displays are likely to have less sophisticated comb filters and much better contrast. I doubt whether any domestic CRT TVs have as much resolution as an HS10 though (about 768x1366). My mother has a Toshiba 32" picture frame TV, and on that even really bad edge enhancement is hardly visible, whereas on the HS10 it's all too obvious.
 

The latest video from AVForums

Is 4K Blu-ray Worth It?
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Back
Top Bottom