Scart v HDMI

Robertcb1

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I understood you had to have SKY HD via a HDMI lead which Sky duly installed. However I have noticed there appears to little or no difference in the picture quality when watching HD via Scart or HDMI. Is this normal?

Also when it is on Scart, I only press the source button on my Samsung remote once to access Ext.1 but when on HDMI I have to source through Ext.1, Ext.2 before arriving at HDMI which takes quite a few seconds.
 
I understood you had to have SKY HD via a HDMI lead which Sky duly installed. However I have noticed there appears to little or no difference in the picture quality when watching HD via Scart or HDMI. Is this normal?

Also when it is on Scart, I only press the source button on my Samsung remote once to access Ext.1 but when on HDMI I have to source through Ext.1, Ext.2 before arriving at HDMI which takes quite a few seconds.

No this isnt normal!!!:eek: Something cant be set up right... you should see a MASSIVE difference between Scart and HDMI for HD
 
I understood you had to have SKY HD via a HDMI lead which Sky duly installed. However I have noticed there appears to little or no difference in the picture quality when watching HD via Scart or HDMI. Is this normal?

No, it obviously isn't normal. Scart can't deliver a high definition picture. HDMI can. It may look the same when viewing standard definition - it certainly won't look the same when viewing high definition.

Also when it is on Scart, I only press the source button on my Samsung remote once to access Ext.1 but when on HDMI I have to source through Ext.1, Ext.2 before arriving at HDMI which takes quite a few seconds.

HDMI doesn't (by default) autoswitch. You may be able to configure your TV (or your Sky remote) to switch to the correct HDMI input on your TV when you turn the Sky box on.

If it's anything like my Samsung TV, I just press the HDMI button once on the remote (rather than the source button) and it jumps straight to HDMI1 - which is what I have my Sky HD box connected to. Far quicker than messing about scrolling through non-HDMI sources.
 
I understood you had to have SKY HD via a HDMI lead which Sky duly installed. However I have noticed there appears to little or no difference in the picture quality when watching HD via Scart or HDMI. Is this normal?

Also when it is on Scart, I only press the source button on my Samsung remote once to access Ext.1 but when on HDMI I have to source through Ext.1, Ext.2 before arriving at HDMI which takes quite a few seconds.

Depends on how big your TV is and how far you sit from it to watch. It's very hard to tell HD from SD on a small screen (say 19") unless you glue your nose to the screen. The difference is much more noticeable on a bigger screen especially if you are sitting fairly close.
 
No, it obviously isn't normal. Scart can't deliver a high definition picture. HDMI can. It may look the same when viewing standard definition - it certainly won't look the same when viewing high definition.



HDMI doesn't (by default) autoswitch. You may be able to configure your TV (or your Sky remote) to switch to the correct HDMI input on your TV when you turn the Sky box on.

If it's anything like my Samsung TV, I just press the HDMI button once on the remote (rather than the source button) and it jumps straight to HDMI1 - which is what I have my Sky HD box connected to. Far quicker than messing about scrolling through non-HDMI sources.

My TV is a modern Samsung 46" LCD. There is a significant difference between SD and HD using either Scart or HDMI. The HD picture quality on either is excellent but there is only a marginal difference between HD on Scart and HD on HDMI. A relative of mine with a large screen LG TV has the same experience.
Have you any suggestions how to programme the Samsung remote source button to go direct to the HDMI as I can't find anything in the manual.

Thanks
 
My TV is a modern Samsung 46" LCD. There is a significant difference between SD and HD using either Scart or HDMI. The HD picture quality on either is excellent but there is only a marginal difference between HD on Scart and HD on HDMI. A relative of mine with a large screen LG TV has the same experience.
Have you any suggestions how to programme the Samsung remote source button to go direct to the HDMI as I can't find anything in the manual.

Thanks

You cannot get HD through Scart. I'm not saying you cant see a difference... its just not HD through Scart
 
Have you any suggestions how to programme the Samsung remote source button to go direct to the HDMI as I can't find anything in the manual.

No. Like I said, I don't use the source button if I want to select one of the HDMI inputs. I use the HDMI button - which immediately selects HDMI1 as input. And if I press it again it selects HDMI2. And if I press it again it selects HDMI3. And if I press it again it selects HDMI1 - again.

I never touch the source button on my TV remote - as I don't have anything connected to it via scart except a video recorder. Which I don't think has been switched on in over twelve months. My Sky box and my Blu Ray player are both connected to it via HDMI - so I only use the HDMI button.

I have a Samsung plasma - not a Samsung LCD. They may have different remote controls. The other alternative is to see whether you can program your Sky remote to automatically select HDMI1 as source input on the TV - some people have achieved this with certain TVs. I've never tried with mine - I just use the HDMI button on the TV remote.
 
No. Like I said, I don't use the source button if I want to select one of the HDMI inputs. I use the HDMI button - which immediately selects HDMI1 as input. And if I press it again it selects HDMI2. And if I press it again it selects HDMI3. And if I press it again it selects HDMI1 - again.

Not all Samsung remotes have an HDMI button.

The remote for my old R88 Samsung did have an HDMI button but the remote for the 5 series I bought last year doesn't. In any case I have a Harmony remote so it's not an issue.
 
I have a 42" Hitachi Plasma (42PD7200) & the HD picture is excellent through both the Scart & HDMI but like Robertcb1 I find that there is not a HUGE difference with most HD material. I've flicked back & forth between Scart & HDMI a number of times & studied the difference & yes the 1080i is better, but not substantially.
 
You cannot get HD through Scart. I'm not saying you cant see a difference... its just not HD through Scart

Correct HD can only be transmitted digitally using hdmi / dvi or analogue by a component connection. Scart can only carry RGB to 576i so for a HD signal it's downscaled from 1080i to 576i (albeit good quality) and scaled back by the TV to it's native screen pixel dimensions

Look carefully at the BBC HD preview loop HD test card. You should be clearly able to see the difference in resolving fine picture detail using the alternative connections

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/bbcinternet/2008/12/a_christmas_present_from_the_h.html
 
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I have a 42" Hitachi Plasma (42PD7200) & the HD picture is excellent through both the Scart & HDMI but like Robertcb1 I find that there is not a HUGE difference with most HD material. I've flicked back & forth between Scart & HDMI a number of times & studied the difference & yes the 1080i is better, but not substantially.


you must be doing something wrong - I had the same set and the difference was huge with HD material.
 
This is a surreal thread, why would anyone use a scart connection if HDMI was available, even with more button presses on the remote.

Like a previous poster, I have one scart lead connected to the TV for a VCR that hasn't been used for >12 months.
 
Yeah there should be a major difference between scart and HDMI. Some HD material is staggering.
My guess is he's using a poor standard picture mode, Can truly ruin the image if settings are not good, but regardless should still be a good difference when viewing HD.
Sure it's not set on 576p on HDMI in box settings?
Stupid question but my mate had his 360 on 576p for 4months when he got new HDTV before i went round and spotted it instantly and changed it. :rotfl:
He said wow after and so should the OP be saying at times.
 
I understood you had to have SKY HD via a HDMI lead which Sky duly installed. However I have noticed there appears to little or no difference in the picture quality when watching HD via Scart or HDMI. Is this normal?

Also when it is on Scart, I only press the source button on my Samsung remote once to access Ext.1 but when on HDMI I have to source through Ext.1, Ext.2 before arriving at HDMI which takes quite a few seconds.

On the sky picture settings have you got the hdmi resulution set to 1080i? Sounds like you have it set to 576i
 

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