Scart Lead Help???

[12-51-00]

Okay, so I plugged my NTSC/J Dreamcast into the TV in my bedroom using a Scart Lead and the picture is B&W... Thinking the TV (a Sony LCD one) must not be able to handle an NTSC signal I plugged in a PAL Dreamcast but again it's displaying in B&W. I've tried both DCs with two different scarts but it's still B&W.

I don't think it's the TV as a Digital Box and a DVD Player both use the same scart socket without a problem and again NTSC R1/R3 DVDs are fine too. I've also had a chipped PSone playing Japanese games on the same TV although that was with an old skool RF/Coaxial/"Whatever It's Called" lead.

Anyone got an ideas?

[chaoticjelly]

Is it an RGB Scart?

[12-51-00]

Is it an RGB Scart?

I have no idea, they work fine on any other TV though.

[chaoticjelly]

Pop it open and see if pins 13, 15 and 17 are connected and its RGB..

But even if it was composite that doesnt explain the black and white picture on the PAL Dreamcast..

[smouty]

Have you got your TV selected to the right input?

[fallenangle]

It could well be a (RGB) SCART lead problem. If you've tried it with a PAL DC also whether it's RGB or not that should still give a colour image through any SCART socket. There are some dodgy DC SCART leads out there - I have bought 4 in the last couple of years and had to return 3 (all BTW were ones with built in AV blocks).

Just a thought - if the TV socket has S-Video capability enabled that might be it. Try turning it off.

BTW are you sure it is in b/w and not just weak colour?

[chaoticjelly]

I have an official Sega Dreamcast RGB Scart for sale if your interested 12-51-00 I can't imagine any other lead being better..

[12-51-00]

I have an official Sega Dreamcast RGB Scart for sale if your interested 12-51-00 I can't imagine any other lead being better..

Thanks but they're both already official scarts, they work fine on my other TVs... It's just this one TV... Strange a Sony Anti-Dreamcast conspiracy perhaps?

[chaoticjelly]

Do you have a multimeter? Check the connections first I'd say before writing it off to a conspiracy

[funkydan]

I have to ask: "Is it a black and white TV?"

Sorry, not very helpful, but mildly amusing so that makes it ok

[12-51-00]

Do you have a multimeter? Check the connections first I'd say before writing it off to a conspiracy

No, I'm not at all technically minded when it comes to AV equipment. If it's expensive, well designed, and it has a Sony or Bang & Olufsen Logo on it then that's enough for me. I'm the same with computers, if it isn't Apple I won't use it.

Anyhoo, I think I'll just get a VGA box and try find one of the leads with the Yellow, Red and White ends for the games that won't play through that.

[smouty]

I would try the RGB lead in a different SCART socket first
Not all are RGB enabled.
What TV is it?

[fallenangle]

I've been checking around to confirm something I thought I'd read and, bizarrely, I found the info here in the Tech Features.

The Official Sega DC RGB SCART lead is not fully wired. It's missing the composite in/out pins and some others. It will only work properly with a RGB enable SCART socket. Unless there is a problem with the cable or socket the first thing you should check is that the socket is RGB and,as I said previously,isn't switched to S-Video. ,

[12-51-00]

I would try the RGB lead in a different SCART socket first
Not all are RGB enabled.
What TV is it?

I can't, the TV only has one scart socket. It's a Sony KLV-17HR2. Like I said it's nothing special just one for the bedroom. It ran a PS2 fine using a Red, White and Yellow wire thingy. Anyone know what they're called so I can try find one for the DC?

I've been checking around to confirm something I thought I'd read and, bizarrely, I found the info here in the Tech Features.

The Official Sega DC RGB SCART lead is not fully wired. It's missing the composite in/out pins and some others. It will only work properly with a RGB enable SCART socket. Unless there is a problem with the cable or socket the first thing you should check is that the socket is RGB and,as I said previously,isn't switched to S-Video. ,

Both cables are fine on other TVs though so it must be like you say. Looking at the Scarts though... one has all the pins in and the other is missing quite a few. Does that mean one's RGB and one's not? I didn't realise there was 2 kinds of Scart can the TV be switched back?

EDIT: By the way thanks for the help everyone

[chaoticjelly]

I can't, the TV only has one scart socket. It's a Sony KLV-17HR2. Like I said it's nothing special just one for the bedroom. It ran a PS2 fine using a Red, White and Yellow wire thingy. Anyone know what they're called so I can try find one for the DC?

Googling says that the SCART socket on this model of TV is RGB.
Red White and Yellow is AV i.e. Composite Video i.e. Left and Right Audio, Composite Video. Aka Compo****e Video.

Both cables are fine on other TVs though so it must be like you say. Looking at the Scarts though... one has all the pins in and the other is missing quite a few. Does that mean one's RGB and one's not? I didn't realise there was 2 kinds of Scart can the TV be switched back?

EDIT: By the way thanks for the help everyone

The official cable I have is also missing pins i.e. not "fully-loaded" which was surprising, it also comes with a little slip of paper advising that

"Note on connecting to a TV with a scart cable"

"Some televisions may have two or more Scart sockets for plugging in Scart cables. In such cases, check the owner's manual provided with your television and connect the Dreamcast Scart cable to the socket that supports RGB input (usually Scart 1). Note that the Dreamcast display (video) may not be visible if the Scart cable is connected to a Scart socket that does not support RGB input"

But from what it seems you seem to be doing everything correctly