How to Convert SCART to USB
How to Convert SCART to USB
podcastHow to Convert SCART to USB
March 11th, 2010
Cables & Leads
We have a new member of the team here at Cables & Leads. Clive Johnson or Cable Guy Clive as he has been aptly named, will be joining the technical department as a customer support technician.
Clive has over 5 years industry experience and brings an expertise in cabling and connectivity. Cable Guy Clive will be on hand to answer customer queries. He will also be taking over the technical side of the blog. Clive will be helping us provide even more of our popular “how to guides” and will allso be producing video guides and a podcast.
To make Cable Guy Clive feel at home, we have had a cartoon image of him created. Any post you see from now on with Clive’s cartoon on will be one of his posts.
I am sure you will join all of us here at Cables & Leads in wishing Cable Guy Clive all the very best in his new role. As long as he has a sense of humour and can make a good cuppa, he’ll fit in just fine.
If you have any technical queries you can email Clive directly on clive@cables-leads.co.uk
March 8th, 2010
Cables & Leads
Continuing on in our series of FAQ’s to help you, our customer, gain a better understanding of the technicalities of your equipment we have our USB faq.
USB was developed to be a simple and easy to use way for people to connect devices to your computer. Prior to USB it was necessary to power down your computer to connect or disconnect devices. Not only that but a lot of them came with complicated set up procedures all of this was one of the things that was seen to holding back people from fulling utilising their home computers. At the time of writing USB is now at version 3 and is probably the most popular way to make these connections and has met all of it’s original goals of being a simple and easy to use way to connect and use devices on your computer.
What does USB stand for?
USB is an acronym for Universal Serial Bus.
What is the biggest USB flash drive?
This is impossible to answer as it seems like every month something newer smaller and bigger comes along and the information I put here would be out of date. But at the time of writing the biggest USB flash drive is 256gb.
How does a USB flash drive work?
USB flash drives are used by most people in the same way that we used to use floppy disks. They have the ability to store thousands of times more information than floppy disks and are much easier to store and and format. Simple plug them into a available USB Port and transfer the files you like to it or manage existing files that are stored on it through your operating system.
March 3rd, 2010
Cables & Leads
This is another of the cables & leads series of FAQ’s which have been developed to help you our customers get a better understanding and options available to you for your home entertainment equipment connection needs.
Syndicat des Constructeurs d’Appareils Radiorécepteurs et Téléviseurs or SCART as it’s most commonly known was originally developed and mainly used in Europe for connecting audio and video equipment together. Developed in 1977 it soon became popular and in France it was a required fitment on all new TV’s. Although now it’s usage is on the decrease due to newer, faster better connection technologies like HDMI cables have had to be developed to meet the ever increasing demands put on their equipment by users.
Will a scart switcher damage my tv?
If the SCART switcher is of good quality and care is taken when using it and the cables then there should be no damage from using is. Always remember to follow manufacturers instructions carefully and if in any doubt contact them for help.
What is SCART?
SCART is a connection type which was developed to connect audio and video devices together. SCART is most commonly found in Europe although attempts were made to re-brand SCART and introduce it in to America and Asia with little success.
What is a SCART socket?
SCART sockets are rectangular in shape and carry 21 pins inside them. Developed and very popular in Europe.
February 18th, 2010
Cables & Leads
Here is the latest in our series of FAQ’s which we have been developing to help you our customers understand a bit more about the technologies which are now all around us.
VGA originally developed by IBM in 1987 and remained the most popular way to connect a computer display for many years. As time has gone by expectations of computer users has grown with the wealth of digital media which is commonplace now in our lives now we are in the digital age has seen a need for new faster and better technologies to be developed. Things like HDMI, DVI and DisplayPort have been developed to fill this need.
What does VGA stand for?
In its original guise it means video graphics array which was developed by IBM originally. It is also used as a term to mean the 15 pin connector used for the connection.
What is better DVI or VGA?
DVI due to it’s higher bandwidth and the quality of the transferred data to the display / screen. Also DVI is able to support higher resolutions.
What is the difference between DVI and VGA?
The two are very different in the way they work and the way that they interact with your display. DVI works on a pixel by pixel basis and interacts with them individually. Where as VGA sends the whole image to the display and it has to work out where to display them. DVI offers far greater image quality and better performance than VGA.
How convert VGA to component?
To be able to convert VGA to a component connection you will need a adapter cable available at cables and leads.
What is VGA resolution?
Technically the original VGA resolution was 640 x 480 although some of the later updates to the VGA display standard claim to be VGA and will support higher resolutions.
What is VGA?
VGA is a display standard that was first released and developed by IBM. Although in recent years many people call the 15 pin connector VGA now.
Are VGA monitor cables and power cords universal?
Yes they are. Although some monitors came with the VGA cable hard wired in to them.
What is a VGA camera?
A digital camera which can take photo’s at the standard VGA resolution 640 x 480. Good enough for email and internet use not so good if you want to print them out.
Which is better VGA or DVI for lcd?
To get the most from a lcd display it is far better to use a DVI connection due it’s increased speed and image quality.
How to connect VGA to HDMI?
You can buy a converter which will allow you to connect the two together. Although the image will not be in HD as VGA is only a analogue signal and not a digital one like HDMI is. Also the VGA interface is not fast enough to transfer the amounts of information needed by a HDMI cable.
What is a VGA monitor?
VGA monitors are the now old and outdated computer displays that were commonly connected to computers in the 90’s and very rarely used nowadays for various reasons.
What is the difference between VGA and megapixel?
VGA’s resolution of 640 x 480 holds 0.3 megapixels of information about the photo. So the more megapixels the camera is rated at the better the outputted image quality and detail. A old school 35 mm camera image will have around 20 million pixels worth of information.
What is a VGA port?
It is a graphics port which passes a analogue signal to a display a rounded rectangle in shape with a 15 pin connection.
How to use VGA laptop to TV?
First you need to make sure that you have the correct cable, connectors and any adapters to suit your equipment. Once you have then it is simply a process of plugging each end in to the respective ports and selecting the correct input channel on your TV. Before turning on your laptop you will also need to alter it’s resolution, it may be necessary to check your help documentation if you are unsure on how to do this.
Do you use both DVI and VGA cables?
No, only use one preferably a DVI connection if you can as they give far superior image quality to the older VGA standard.
What is better VGA or component?
For quality output a good quality component cable will give far better results than a VGA connection.
What is a VGA cable?
VGA cables are used to connect a computer to it’s display although this is now outdated and nowadays you are more likely to see DVI or DisplayPort technologies used for the same purpose. VGA cables have 15 pin connectors on both ends and will vary in length.
How long can a VGA cable be?
There are a number of things that can affect the length of VGA cable that you can use things such as cable quality, resolution, refresh rate of the output and display. As a general rule though with standard retail cabling you will possibly start seeing interference at around 10 feet in length. Over this you would most likely need higher quality cables or take it over a cat5e/6 network cable.
How to convert VGA to s-video?
It is a very simple process to convert VGA to s-video all you need is a adapter cable then plug them in.
Why use a DVI to VGA adapter?
There are number of reasons for this, you may want to use two monitors but have only one DVI output and one VGA output. You may want to use a older display on your DVI only computer and the list goes on..
How to connect VGA to your TV?
This will depend on the TV and what sockets you have spare then you will need a adapter or converter to connect the two together. This can be achieved by using a USB to VGA adapter from a computer.
VGA connector on TV is that good quality?
VGA is a legacy connection type now being outdated by newer and faster technologies which will give far better results.
Can dual monitors work if VGA and DVI are on motherboard?
Yes they can work seamlessly together although you should only connect one to a monitor at a time.
Laptop only has VGA out how do i connect to a TV?
You will need a laptop to TV kit which will include all the cables and connectors you will need to connect them together.
How to use RCA cable with VGA monitor?
To use RCA on your VGA monitor you will need a converter cable or converter plug.
What is a VGA adapter?
VGA adapters are used when you don’t have a VGA input on one of the devices that you want to connect together popular VGA adapters are available for many things like DVI, HDMI, RCA etc..
How do I connect my laptop to my TV using a VGA cable?
There are kits available to suit most laptops that allow you to do this take a look on our site for TV to laptop kits.
Cant get sound from TV when in the VGA mode?
This is because VGA does not transmit sound only images. You will need to connect the sound from your laptop / computer using a phono / RCA lead.
Can VGA be converted to component?
You can convert the connection using a adapter but the signal will be only as good as VGA.
How to fix no VGA detected?
Check the connections are both ok and that they have both been tightened up correctly also check the condition of the cable itself to see if it is in good order.
Is there a real difference between DVI and VGA?
Most people who have looked at a computer display using both connection types that they can see a big difference in image quality and crispness when using DVI.
Can VGA to HDMI converters increase picture quality?
Some people say that they can see a difference but there shouldn’t be any, as you are restricted by the VGA connections limitations.
Can VGA cable carry an HDMI signal to a TV?
Simply put, no. As they are both completely different technologies one HDMI is digital and one is analogue.
Can you covert direct TV signal to VGA monitor?
Yes you can do this conversion but you will need to use a dedicated signal converter.
Can I connect my VGA cable to an RCA input?
Connecting VGA to RCA is possible with the correct converter kit.
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February 4th, 2010
Cables & Leads
A ridiculous amount of coverage has already been devoted to the iPad, and you know what? This is just the beginning.
As incredible as it may seem, we’re just on the cusp of iPad mania. That’s because Apple’s introduction of the iPad last week signalled the start of a nebulous period of roughly 60 days before the iPad is actually available in late March. Though you might reasonably assume there would be a lull in iPad coverage, just the opposite is the case. The mania seems to reach new heights each day, stoked by Apple’s secrecy, the fervour of Apple fanboys (and detractors), the questions and uncertainties raised by Apple’s announcement and the anticipation over actually being able to purchase an iPad.
Every nuance of Apple’s announcement, every decision about the iPad’s features or omissions (no camera, no Flash technology), every element of the iPad’s design and technology is being dissected in a seemingly endless stream of news articles and blog posts, with headlines like “Four of the iPad’s Biggest Whiffs,” “Apple iPad: 25 Unanswered Questions” and “The iPad’s Five Flaws, and Why They Don’t Matter.”
And, from all indications, iPad mania is not limited to rabid Apple enthusiasts. Everyone, it seems, wants to know what it’s really like. Stephen Colbert appeared at the Grammy Awards with an iPad, generating a fury of Twitter posts. The iPad isn’t even in stores, and yet it’s already a cultural icon. No wonder several friends of mine, when asking me about it, were surprised to learn you couldn’t order one yet.
It will be a relief when the iPad finally arrives.
Steve Jobs Showing the New iPad
Until then, here’s a primer on some of the key issues and questions to emerge about iPad, as well as spots to help you keep tabs on the latest iPad news, speculation and commentary.
• The publishing industry: In one extraordinary development, the iPad — and its iBookstore for e-books—apparently led to a weekend of brinksmanship between Amazon and Macmillan, a major book publisher, over pricing of books for Amazon’s Kindle device. (Macmillan wanted to raise prices.) Amazon relented, issuing a statement saying the company would “capitulate and accept Macmillan’s terms because Macmillan has a monopoly over their own books.”
As technologist John Gruber wrote at his blog, Daring Fireball: “Just me, or does it seem like an Apple device that won’t ship for another 53 days already upended Amazon’s Kindle business? What kind of sense does it make to accuse a publisher of having a ‘monopoly’ over its own titles?”
• The disappearing file system: Yes, that sounds technical, but bear with me; this issue has implications for everyone using computers. For years, computer users have gotten used to navigating through folders and files to find documents. Files, folders, documents — that’s the vocabulary of what it means to use a computer. If you want to work on a file, whether it’s a spreadsheet or an image, you find it, then open it, and start working.
But the iPad, like the iPhone and (as well as popular Apple applications, like iTunes), largely does away with the traditional file system, or so it seems. You want to work on a presentation? You open an app. To add cool effects to a photo? You choose the right app. It is quite possible this is a shift we will increasingly see in the software used on personal computers.
• Magazines: I was hoping for a whiz-bang demo of a tablet-friendly magazine at the iPad launch. No luck. The Unofficial Apple Weblog asked, “Where’s the iMag store?” But maybe Apple is counting on magazine publishers to develop new ways of distributing magazine via apps, as is already happening with the iPhone, or via websites optimized for the iPad’s touch-screen capabilities.
• Too much control of apps?: Pretty much anyone can develop and sell software for Macintosh and Windows computers, but if you want to sell an application for the iPad or iPhone, the app needs to get Apple’s OK. That’s controversial with the iPhone, but even more so with a device likely to have many more uses, including many professional ones. Such a system raises a lot of legitimate concerns about whether one company should have this level of control, and the possibilities for its abuse to harm competitors.
Plenty of other questions are being discussed and dissected in minute detail. What was Apple thinking by not including a camera? (That one’s mystifying to me.) Will the use of Flash, a technology used at many websites, decline in use because it’s not part of the iPhone and iPad? Will future versions of the iPad allow for multitasking — the ability to use several apps at once?
by Allan Hoffman
Article Source: http://www.nj.com/business/index.ssf/2010/02/apple_ipad_mania_will_only_gro.html
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January 22nd, 2010
Cables & Leads
As with most things these days’ things get smaller and faster but they seem to come with more features or more potential for expansion. Even the humble network or Ethernet cable hasn’t managed to escape from this trend. There is a drastic need for this though and that is with the take up of digital devices within our homes and the need to transmit vast amounts of data between these digital devices.
Whether you are using your computer connected to your TV for watching High Definition Movies or listening to MP3’s stored on your computer on your home entertainment system you will be able to do all of this and potentially a lot more as time goes by.
So what are the differences between Cat5 Cable and Cat6 Cable?
Cat5 cable has been around now for many years, although they have managed to keep pace with what was needed from them being able to transmit at either 10 or 100 mbps. Unfortunately this is now just too slow, with all the changes in the equipment that has gone on. There is also a enhanced version of the cat5 cable called cat5e which is capable of transferring at up to gigabit speeds (1000mbps) also offering better shielding and less corruption of data although they can not be certified to run at these speeds.
Click Here to Buy a CAT5 cable
Cat6 cable on the other hand has been developed to allow for far greater transfer speeds while offering even better protection against data loss. This has been achieved by changing the way that the cables are made offering a separator which runs the full length of the cable. Cat6 Cable is certified to at least gigabit speeds and most Cat6 cables are more than capable of running at 10gigabit.
To achieve the faster speeds stated previously from a Cat5e cable or Cat6 cable it is not just a case of plugging the cable into existing equipment as many people believe it to be. A network connection is only every as fast as the slowest component, so if your existing equipment is not able to run at the faster speeds then it will not be any faster than it is at present. With all of that said you would be able to expand in the future without having to get new cables if you chose Cat6 cable now.
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January 15th, 2010
Cables & Leads
If you are trying to convert SCART to USB you will be happy to know that there are SCART to USB kits available that allow you to do this very easily. Whether you are trying to record TV programs to your laptop or recording your old videos and writing them to DVD’s. Some kits even supply you with not only the connectors and adapters to allow you to connect your video recorder or other output device such as a Sky HD box to your laptop. But they also supply you with the software that you need to record your videos or TV on to your computer in a simple and easy way.
Even when you have a kit with everything you need there are as always a few things that you will need to take care of and keep an eye on to make sure that your recordings are as good as you would want them to be.
Click Here to buy a SCART to USB Kit
Ensure you have enough space on your hard drive to store the recorded files uncompressed video files are large in size and take up huge mounts of space. If you are short of space then backup as much data as you can to a DVD or another computer / hard drive to increase free space before recording. Similarly between each recording also back them up as you have made them, this will help with the performance and quality of the recordings.
Make sure that the cables are connected not only the correct way around but also are connected tightly and not much chance of them falling out. Also make sure that they are not trailing across the floor where people can trip of them and pull them out mid-recording.
Familiarise yourself with the software before hand and possibly do a test recording before hand.
Following the above process and advice will help make the entire project go without too many hiccups giving you the ability to watch and relive all of those happy memories again.
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January 11th, 2010
Cables & Leads
Converting a USB port to allow a connection through a HDMI cable to a HD ready display is easily achievable; although at first glance it can seem a little complex, fortunately you can get a USB to HDMI Kit to help make the whole process a lot easier to do. By doing this you can use two displays on your PC or laptop this can be used to duplicate what is showing on your initial display or as a extra screen so for example you can be writing a document / surfing the web while watching movies or videos on the other. I am sure you can appreciate the benefits of both. But how can it be done and what do I need in a USB to HDMI Kit.
As USB is not designed to transmit video signals that your display can read then you need to do a little bit of manipulating, converting the connection first to DVI and then out through a HDMI lead to the display. To make this operation easier there are kits available that give you everything you need,
A USB to DVI converter that plugs in to a spare USB slot on your PC or laptop, this then makes the operating system see the USB slot as a new display port.
Click Here to Buy a USB to HDMI Kit
A DVI to HDMI converter that allows the connection of a HDMI lead to your high definition display for you to do whatever you want with it.
A set of audio leads RCA type, as both DVI HDMI can transfer both audio and video channels at the same time your USB ports will not allow this so it is necessary to use separate cables for the audio channels.
The idea of the USB to HDMI Kit is to help utilise existing equipment in different ways, having two displays for your computer can have many benefits including watching modern internet based media through your high quality TV display etc…
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January 7th, 2010
Cables & Leads
CES 2010 is abuzz with stories about the impending arrival of 3D HDTV, but what does that really mean for consumers? Do you need a new TV? A new Blu-ray player? What about new cables?
HDMI has become the standard interface for delivering high-quality audio and video content to HDTVs. TheHDMI consortium just released new guidelines for 3D certification. The 3D requirements in the v1.4 spec requires that displays support all mandatory 3D formats and that source material must support at least one of the mandatory 3D formats.
PCMag had the chance to ask what this all means to Steve Venuti, president of HDMI Licensing, before he headed off to CES this year. Here’s his insider’s take on where this technology is heading.
How big will 3D TV and peripheral sales be this year?
As HDMI Licensing, LLC is just in charge of licensing the HDMI specification; we are not privy to the product plans of our adopters. However, we certainly do receive first-hand information about the types of features that Adopters are excited about. From those conversations, it is clear to us that 2010 will be the first real year that 3D is launched into the home in a mainstream manner. While we don’t have specific sales forecasts, all of the major brands of HDTV manufacturers are launching 3D sets this year.
Will 3D displays essentially require HDMI? Is there any other way to send that much information?
No.3D can be done through other interfaces such as DisplayPort, DVI or analogue. However, each manufacturer will likely have to create proprietary 3D communication structures/meta-data structures that would be specific to each manufacturer or technology vendor. HDMI is the first interface to define a common 3D communication structure to enable 3D interoperability. HDMI has given manufacturers assurance that 3D devices will work together.
What will consumers need to buy to get a real 3D experience? A new set top box? A new HDTV? A new cable?
They will need new devices that support 3D. Some devices, such as the [set top box], may be software upgradable depending on the service provider and (the STB) hardware combination. Upgradability is determined by the service providers. Consumers will [also] need an HDTV that is HDMI 3D capable. Consumers will not need a new cable as long as their cable is a high-speed HDMI cable capable of supporting the full 10.2 Gbps bandwidth of HDMI.
What exactly are the 3D requirements within HDMI 1.4?
We have divided up the specification into two formats: mandatory and informative. We have done this because the market is still nascent, and there are many competing formats that many manufacturers are working with. Thus, we have stated that HDMI requires certain mandatory formats that anyone who implements 3D over HDMI must use. Therefore, manufacturers are free to use any or all of the “informative” formats that are contained within the specification. This way, the HDMI Consortium allows a variety of formats, but ensures that devices that implement 3D over HDMI will interoperate.
Article Source: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2357710,00.asp
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