Why can't you use the RGB input on the Panasonic/Toshiba Plasmas

[Jon Weaver]

I am still a bit confused why I can't use the RGB(HV) input on the Panasonic plasma

I currently only need to connect an RGB device and don't really understand the difference between the RGB-HV inputs that you get as on the Plasma, and a RGB input found on a normal TV.

I wrote this post a while ago and was told that it wasn't possible, but my colleague who has a Projector has a cable which connects his RGB device to the RGB input on his projector without any 'conversion'.

The RGB input on the Plamsa has Horizontal and Vertical Sync, where as the RGB output uses composite as Sync. But isn't there any reason why this can't be connected up?

The output pins from the SCART are:

5 - Blue Earth
7 - Blue
9 - Green Earth
11 - Green
13 - Red Earth
15 - Red
17 - CVBS/Sync Earth
20 - CVBS/Sync

Is there any way that these can simply connected to the RGB inputs and the CVBS signal to one of the Syncs (H or V)? Or is there a techincal reason why this can't be done.

I understand that this will reneder the component inputs un-usable, but as this stage, I only want to connect RGB until I get myself sorted.

 

[codlord]

I think the confusion is RGB (as in Scart RGB) is not the same as Component. The inputs on the Plasma are Component (on the Panny/Tosh plasmas they can either be five cables RBG-HV or three cables Y-Pb-Pr).

As you say, Scart RGB has a composite sync and no, you can't just connect this up to a component input - it needs seperate horizontal and vertical sync signals.

 

[Jon Weaver]

The inputs of the Plama are not Component, its RGB OR Componenet.. They share the same connectors but they are completely different.

When its in RGB mode, its not component, its RGB.

The issue is whether the RGB input on the Plasma is the compatable with the RGB output of a that standard devices give (i.e DVD, Digibox etc).

I know that the Plasma RBG input needs horizontal and vertical sync, where as a normal RGB input just needs composite sync.

I am 99% sure that you can't use the RGB input in this way, but I do know that RGB and Component arn't the same!

 

[Joe Fernand]

Jon

If you want to connect an RGB source (Digibox, DVD etc) directly to the Panasonic plasma RGB inputs you will require a cable that has a SCART at one end and four BNC or RCA connectors at the other end - set the panel up to RGB with SYNC on Video. (The SCART cable is wired R+G+B+ Composite). The R,G,B go to the first three connectors on the RGB input and the Composite goes to the Composite input.

Now the drawbacks
01 On the Panasonic display you can use either the Composite video or the S-Video but not both; so having the Composite utilised for the SYNC from your RGB source you now cant use the S-Video input and all you are left with is the VGA port.

02. Many Digibox's output far from standard voltages/signal strengths and many plasma displays simple wont lock onto the SYNC if the output voltages are in any way out of spec - Dr John's RGB converters always output a nice steady voltage and the displays are happy to SYNC up to the signal.

03. Many systems we put together have to cover:
Component video - DVD player.
RGB - Digibox of one sort or another.
S-Video - games console, VCR, camcorder

And this is where the RGB to VGA converters from Dr John are very useful in that they allow you to use the VGA port for an RGB source (the converter inputs the R+G+B+Composite and outputs R+G+B+H+V - which is the default state for this input) and still retain Component video for your DVD player and S-Video for your secondary source.

Best regards

Joe

 

[Jon Weaver]

That answers my question... The fact that I have to use the composite input for Sync, means that this won't work for me, because, as you say, I will need to connect a composite video source (VCR) to the Plasma too.

Still, it might be a way to get the Plasma up and running in RGB, before I get a JS converter.

Thanks for the info