Panasonic Q, will it work?

[dan20382]

right, ive been reading forums for like a week, and i have still found no answer this question.

I have a UK telly with two scart sockets (non RGB) and the normal yellow, red, white phono style connectors on the front. (composite i think)
i have no manual so cant check ntsc compatiblity.

if i use the s-video out from the back of the GCQ into an s-video-scart adapter via an s-video - s-video lead. will it output in full colour?

I read on this website that it will work fine because s-video connections by-pass the whole ntsc/pal thing. and on other websites they say it will still be black and white on a pal telly.

Please put these doubts at rest so i can just hurry up and import the damn thing, ive just found a well good deal. but cant rist X pounds on import if it wont work.

Thank you for any help.

Dan.b

[wod]

have you got a ps2 as you could try a 60hz game and if it comes out in colour then it'll work. you can get an rgb cable for the q but that only works for games not movies, s-video is only for movies

[Lyris]

S-Video doesn't bypass color systems, it's still PAL and NTSC, unless I'm mistaken. RGB SCART bypasses color systems.

Whether your TV is NTSC compatible or not, if you're using an S-Video cable you'll need to check if your TV can accept an S-Video signal through the SCART sockets. Is there a channel on your TV called S-VID or something similar (even although there is no port?) If not you'll get black and white still. My TV is NTSC compatible but shows S-Video signals in black and white.

Most likely if your TV can't show RGB it probably can't show S-Video or NTSC either...

[charlesr]

I read on this website that it will work fine because s-video connections by-pass the whole ntsc/pal thing. and on other websites they say it will still be black and white on a pal telly.
Dan.b

Dan, I don't know where u read that on our site, but if it's in the faq, it needs changing quick. svideo is dependent on the type of ntsc. Whereas RGB is an independent format. If your TV does RGB, (which you say it doesn't), then it will output in colour if you get a special custom made rgb cable for the Q. However, to get a colour signal otherwise, you need a TV that supports NTSC3.58 (not NTSC4.54, which is just pal at 60Hz). The best suggestion is as above, to test with a PS2, cos they output 3.58 when you choose 60Hz (I think).

[Lyris]

Yeah, all the PS2s I've tried show NTSC when 60hz is selected.

[charlesr]

You could just import it and hope. If it doesn't work, get a ?25 ntsc-pal convertor. Picture quality will be ****e(ish), but will do until you save up for a new TV.....

[dan20382]

right, basicly, i now know for sure my telly wont work (virtua tennis2, ps2, 60hz.........gutted, didnt work)

so, i sell it and tick up a new telly for the soul purpuse of running the q.
because im that sad.

so what connections do i need on the back of the thing to get the best from the q. (both dvd and games)
im sue RGB is the best, i had an RGB dvd player, but swapped it with one with yellow composite and svideo. composite is piss poor compared to RGB. havnt tried svideo so cant compare, but its got to be better than that ****ty yellow phono thing.

but i hear the q dont output RGB (weak)

basicly, whats the best way to connect a q to a tv.

cheers chaps

dan

[dan20382]

"if your tv has an s-video connection on it, you will have no problem playing import consoles on it in full colour"

thats what it sais in import/tech

[wod]

but i hear the q dont output RGB (weak)

basicly, whats the best way to connect a q to a tv.

cheers chaps

dan

use s-video if your can it'll be a better picture

[charlesr]

Er. Always use RGB if you can. RF<composite<svideo<rgb<component
The Q will output RGB for games if you get a special cable made up (around ?50). It only outputs svideo though on dvds, which is not as good as RGB. So make sure your TV support NTSC3.58, and RGB (via scart socket) and svideo (via another scart socket). You don't want the svideo lead plugged into the front of the telly.
Preferably, don't use the Q for DVD's; get a standalone DVD player that does RGB and use that instead, cos it's better than svideo.
If anyone says otherwise, I will smack them.
If you are rich as, then get a TV with component inputs too. Then you can output the RGB as three separate colours/leads to the TV from the Q, for ultimate quality and possibly the option of progressive scan if you TV is v.expensive.

[Papercut]

"if your tv has an s-video connection on it, you will have no problem playing import consoles on it in full colour"

oops, blatantly incorrect if your tv doesn't support NTSC.

A modded RGB scart cable is the best type of connection available for Q with a normal TV, and the signal is very good (certainly not weak).

s-video is quite good, but the color bleed/diagonal banding bothers me (not Q specific, just s-video). Its very slight though, most people don't really notice it.

[dan20382]

ok, thats great.
RGB for games
s-vid for dvds
(does the composite give total playback, ie. games/dvds)
where do i get an RGB lead for the q?
i hear you have to chop about inside the console, and sod that.

[Lyris]

I think if you want it to play PAL DVDs the console needs to be opened and have more Video RAM added (PAL DVDs being higher resolution and all...), although I could be wrong, I don't own a Q.

Saurian on this forum can make the cable for you, just PM him.