Confused about TV's / SCART

Greetings!

 

I've recently bought a used cabinet in good condition that I plan to use as my first MAME project build. I'm extremely new to this stuff, but having my own arcade machine is something I've wanted for the last 15 years, so I couldn't let the opportunity slip me by.

 

The cabinet is hefty though, it's an old Golden Tee cabinet, and the old monitor was I believe a 26" but was removed. As the cabinet already has a bezel, I want to replace the TV with something of equal size, so an old CRT TV is probably my best bet, nothing else will fit!

 

Based on my research, my question is this: Will any old TV with a SCART input do the job? Or is there a specific type of TV that I should be going for? I've seen a few 26" TV's that'll probably fit, but without knowing what I need I'm hesitant to buy anything until I know more. My other question is about the VGA to SCART adapter that I'll need. I've seen people build their own, but can I just purchase a run of the mill adapter from eBay or is there something specific that I need to do?

 

Thanks for any advice and apologies if this is in the wrong section, I wasn't sure which would be most appropriate.

SCART is a connector standard, not a connection standard, it was an attempt (by the french - Syndicat des Constructeurs d'Appareils Radior?cepteurs et T?l?viseurs hence SCART) to create a single AV connector for input and output that would support the common AV connectivity methods of the time, which is why it is so bulky and has 21 pins.

 

It supports...

Stereo input

Stereo output

Composite input

Composite output

S-Video input

S-Video output

RGB Component

Plus the relevant syncs and grounds for the above.

 

For arcade use you are only going to be interested in the component signal inputs, BUT SCART is a connector standard only, not a connection standard so just because a TV has a SCART connector does not mean it has all the pins connected to anything. SCART is everywhere in europe on TVs from the cheapest low end to the high end sets, on many older TVs the SCART connector only provides composite video and L + R audio, all the other pins connect to fresh air. It tended to be the higher end sets that had component video wired up as until the arrival of DVD players most VCRs only gave out composite, with the exception of the high end ones. In Australia only high end sets (imports from europe), or sets made by a company that supplied both countries with the same model (with different tuners) have SCART so sets found here may be more likely than roadkill TVs in europe to support component.

 

Its the same with SCART cables, ones that came with devices that didnt support component often didnt have those pins connected up by the cable, a fully populated SCART cable has a cable thats over 1cm thick and is pretty stiff, the cheap floppy ones often have a lot missing. Which led to the crazy situation where if you were trying to get device A hooked to TV B you had no idea if it was A, or B or the cable itself that was mismatched, and even it did "just work" it was usually running on composite video only, until you tried to select component or s-video output on the source, at which point the screen would go blank, ahh the joys of SCART. Unlike modern HDMI the devices do not negotiate their capabilities over the link before selecting which method to use, SCART is really just a dozen cables bundled together and crammed into a single connector.

 

So - to answer your question "will any TV with a SCART do the job?" - No

 

How can you tell whether a TV has component video inputs via its SCART connector? You would have to dig out the specs for the TV, read the manual, or take the back off and see if the relevant pins on the connector go anywhere, and if they do go somewhere, is it to an unpopulated part of the board. Also on some TVs you need to ground a "select" pin on the SCART connector to tell the TV to use component, if it supports it.

Good grief, that's a lot to digest and didn't do much to help with my confusion. :redface

For maybe just use a tv out card or cheap converter

Good grief, that's a lot to digest and didn't do much to help with my confusion. :redface

 

Only a few % of the TVs that have SCART connectors (which is only a few % to start with!) will be wired the way you need.

 

In a nutshell, it means your chances of finding a suitable one are slim.

ok guys what about peri-tv scart connections ?

They are the same thing, the connector is sometimes called Peritel, or Euroconnector, but SCART is the most common name.

cheers womble

 

i got a trinitron with a heap of weird ass connectors and that is one (plus 32 pin rgb)