Connecting a VCR - advice required

[Cass]

I’ve just set up my mother-in-law’s new LG LCD TV, and found it has only one SCART, which has so far prevented me from connecting her VCR to the TV. Currently, her Virgin V+ box is in the HDMI 1 socket and her DVD player in the single SCART. I tried daisy-chaining the DVD player via the VCR’s SCART but it didn’t work – the TV failed to detect a signal from either the DVD or the VCR that way. So, any suggestion as to the best way to connect the VCR? The options seem to be: (1) Buy a SCART splitter/switcher – but do these work reliably? (2) Attempt to connect using an RCA composite cable. The VCR does not have a video RCA socket on the back – only the L & R sound sockets – but it does have all three on the front, so I assume I could use those? Any thoughts on the best approach?

 

[professorhat]

Either approach should work fine. Probably the splitter is the easiest and best option - I used many a splitter in my time and all worked fine. You can get ones which auto-detect signal, or some which come with a remote to switch between the two sources.

One note on the RCA connection though - the RCA socket on the front is probably an input not an output (this is fairly typical to allow connection of a camcorder). However, you should be able to get a SCART to RCA converter which will plug into the VCR's scart socket on the back like this:

I assume the TV has all three inputs (i.e. yellow, red and white connectors)? As the yellow connection only carries video so you'll need the red and white to carry the sound.

 

[MajorFubar]

The VCR does not have a video RCA socket on the back – only the L & R sound sockets – but it does have all three on the front, so I assume I could use those? Any thoughts on the best approach?

No, the ones on the front of the VCR will be inputs, not outputs.

If the TV has a composite input, the best idea would be to use that via a SCART to composte adaptor, like the Prof has shown. Though make sure you buy an adaptor with a switch which can be changed between 'in' and 'out' (you want 'out' of course). You could also buy a SCART-to-phono cable instead, but the cheaper ones are only single direction so you have to be careful which ones you buy.

 

[The_Lhc]

Buy a cheap DVD player with HDMI and use another HDMI input leaving the SCART free for the VCR, maybe?

 

[Anonymous]

I suppose your dvd-player has component output (green,red,and blue rca sockets).If so, use them instead of scart.

 

[MajorFubar]

Buy a cheap DVD player with HDMI and use another HDMI input leaving the SCART free for the VCR, maybe?

The SCART to RCA adaptor recommended by the Prof and myself is going to be a bit cheaper than a new DVD player The fella wanted advice regarding how to connect the gear his mum-in-law's already got to her new telly, not to be told that she needs a new DVD player

 

[The_Lhc]

Buy a cheap DVD player with HDMI and use another HDMI input leaving the SCART free for the VCR, maybe?

The SCART to RCA adaptor recommended by the Prof and myself is going to be a bit cheaper than a new DVD player

Probably not by much, have you seen what DVD players cost now? He'll need the cable as well don't forget... EDIT: AND your suggestions are assuming the TV has the required sockets for your option, at least I know the TV will have two HDMI inputs.

The fella wanted advice regarding how to connect the gear his mum-in-law's already got to her new telly, not to be told that she needs a new DVD player

Just giving another option that needn't be expensive.

 

[AnotherJoe]

You'd get more precise answers if you actually gave the model numbers of the kit involved.

 

[The_Lhc]

You'd get more precise answers if you actually gave the model numbers of the kit involved.

Yeah but where's the fun in that eh?

 

[Big Chris]

Get her a Blu-Ray instead.

 

[Big Chris]

You'd get more precise answers if you actually gave the model numbers of the kit involved.

Cor! You want the moon on a stick you do!

 

[Son_of_SJ]

I’ve just set up my mother-in-law’s new LG LCD TV, and found it has only one SCART

I don't think that any new TVs that have more than one SCART input are being made. (But my 2009 Pioneer TV has three SCART inputs!)

The options seem to be: (1) Buy a SCART splitter/switcher – but do these work reliably?

Yes, they are reliable. Something like the first two that come up with this link from Maplin http://www.maplin.co.uk/productsearch?criteria=SCART%20Switches I use the 3-way switch box (the one currently at £15.99) in my parlour to select between the SCART outputs of my Freesat box, the DVD player and the analogue outputs of the Blu-Ray player.

These are manual switches, you have to press a button to select input A, B or C. As professorhat says, there are others that do automatic selection, but I'm not sure who sells them.

 

[Cass]

Thanks for the responses, guys - all much appreciated. I'll try the SCART-RGA cable, which I think would be the easiest set-up for my somewhat technophobic MIL to operate, as the various sources can be clearly named on the TV's input selection menu.

As regards kit model nos, I don't have them to hand and I'm not sure it would have helped much - the items are real bargain-basement stuff (I recall the DVD being a Technika), and both are over ten years old - closer to 20 in the case of the VCR.