Tag: plasma tv component video composite scart rgb progressive

How to connect your Plasma TV

A plasma screen is really a computer screen and thus not as easy to connect to your video units as a traditional TV. After a lot of researching and browsing and asking, below I have summarised how to do it.
Ranging from lowest quality to highest these are various video signals that a Plasma TV should handle. Since you have invested in an expensive TV you should really try to use RGB quality or above:

  • Aerial antenna.
  • Composite video. Usually one single cable with yellow connectors
  • S-video lead. Is usually a black lead that actually carries the video information on two separate leads.
  • RGB SCART. Carries the information on 3 separate leads (red, green, blue).
  • (Progressive) Component video. Also carries the video on 3 separate leads but has more bandwidth for the signal due to better use of colour space.
  • DVI. Digital video from a computer

#PAGEBREAK#
Just do it

  1. Identify which of your video devices can do RGB out. Your digital TV, sky digital, DVD player, PlayStation 2 and Xbox should be able to do this. Your VCR will not
  2. Get enough SCART leads that are fully wired to support RGB and connect the devices to each other, resulting in one SCART
  3. Get the RGB to Plasma VGA converter form The Media Factory. This will convert your SCART contact to a VGA contact with correct synchronisation signal that your Plasma TV needs. Expect a cost of £125
  4. Get a good quality VGA lead. Around £50
  5. Connect the devices that do not support RGB with S-video or composite in the worst case
  6. Use a cheap SCART switcher if some devices lack a second SCART socket

Theoretically you should be able to us a SCART-to-3 or 5 leads converter and plug this into your Plasma TV. The problem is that Plasma TVs require a stronger synchronisation signal than most SCART carry so even if you find a Scart-to-5-RCA lead it does not guarantee success.
#PAGEBREAK#
My case
One progressive DVD player that connects straight to the Plasmas BNC contacts. Playstation 2 via Sky and a second satellite receiver to a SCART switcher, via the above mentioned RGB to VGA converter and then to Plasmas VGA contact. Composite and S-video leads connected to a video switching amplifier for easy connecting of portable video sources, e.g. camcorder and digital camera.
Update 28/01/04
The comments are now closed. Please post any new questions in the forum.