Argos RGB scart splitter & splitter info (component)

[Streets Of Rage]

EDIT by charlesr (13-02-2004) to place useful info in first post:

THIS 3way splitter is excellent value for money. You have to choose your own scart cable to connect it to the TV. Make sure your cable is long enough to reach from the scart socket on your TV to where you keep the splitter. Visual performance drop is negligable when compared to plugging devices directly into the TV. The unit is plastic, with manually selected channels. In addition to the channel selectors, there are two signal routing buttons, which must both be in the "up" position, achieved by pressing one down slightly so the other pops up. There are also audio outputs for directing the audio signals to an amplifier. There is also and "RGB on/off" button, which is nice for seeing the difference between RGB and composite and thus educating your friends. We prefer the manual switch boxes rather than auto-switching devices, since they generally give less problems with interference and also allow you to leave 2 devices turned on without issues.


A similar device is available at Index online. This is metal and slightly cheaper. I can't vouch for the picture quality, but several people on these boards use them and are very pleased with them.


THIS Argos rgb splitter has 5 inputs, but the output lead is built in, so you can't choose your own and the lead is obscenely short. My NTSC GC gets interference through this device (I have tried replacing it twice, but it seems like a "feature" of the unit), but is perfect with my PAL DC, NTSC N64 and VCR. I plug this into the 3way splitter above "daisy-chain" style. Some people have had other problems with this unit.


If you are unsure which scart lead to go for and aren't bothered about ultimate performance, THIS Hitachi lead is fully wired for RGB and is a good price. Use this to connect the 3way splitter to your TV. I use this on my TV and have compared it to a ?50 ixos cable and the difference in performance is tiny. People have commented on how good the picture looks.


THIS 3way component splitter is used and recommended by at least two forum members. It also has 2 svideo, 2 composite and 10(!?!) audio inputs.


More component switching recommendations HERE

[Ginger Tosser]

Linky

Its the one everyone seems to have, including me.

[charlesr]

This get's asked once a week, so I sticky'd it.
If anyone would like to do a FAQ to extend our current one, including issues like GC memory cards in different regions, rgb cable recommendations, no your n64 doesnt do rgb as standard etc. i.e. things that get asked all the time, that would be awesome.

[Weinberg]

So if this is a RGB splitter, will RGB enabled devices like a Sky box or Panasonic Q automatically come on to your tv when they're switched on?

[vic_viper]

Nope...you have to choose the correct RGB input from the bank of 3 buttons.

When ever i've had the misfortune of using the ones which autodetect the picture quality has always been atrocious...best to stick with this one.

[bcass]

Argos do a newer version now, apparently of equal picture quality, that accepts 5 inputs rather than just 3: http://www.argos.co.uk/webapp/wcs/st...roductId=60374

The only downside is that it doesn't have phono-audio-outs, which was rather usefull for connecting all your kit to your amp using 1 connection.

[Ginger Tosser]

Argos do a newer version now, apparently of equal picture quality, that accepts 5 inputs rather than just 3: http://www.argos.co.uk/webapp/wcs/st...roductId=60374

The only downside is that it doesn't have phono-audio-outs, which was rather usefull for connecting all your kit to your amp using 1 connection.

I did try the 3 port version of this and thought it was poor quality in both build and picture.

[beecee]

Argos do a newer version now, apparently of equal picture quality, that accepts 5 inputs rather than just 3: http://www.argos.co.uk/webapp/wcs/st...roductId=60374

The only downside is that it doesn't have phono-audio-outs, which was rather usefull for connecting all your kit to your amp using 1 connection.

thats the one i use and i have no complaints, pic quality is excellent.
as for the phono outputs, not needed if your tv has phono outputs! which most stereo tvs have.

[Xexex]

I did try the 3 port version of this and thought it was poor quality in both build and picture.

Sounds like you had the wrong one, or a faulty one. Argos do two three-port SCART boxes, one is great, and one's not. The great one does NOT have a built-in SCART lead for output.

Tim (tm)

[huxley]

looks like this

[bcass]

Yep, thats the good one. Seems that this new 5 output job is based on the good one, not the naff one (which looked a bit more like the 5 output job, just to confuse matters!).

[charlesr]

The one in the pic above has serious issues if I plug my GC thru it. Diagonal lines moving across the screen. The GC works fine thru the other one though. I use one of these 5 port ones to plug other stuff thru (DC/PS1/Video) and they all work fine. Weird.

[bcass]

Modded NTSC cable or PAL (probably a daft question, but still...)?

[Scythe]

looks like this

Well just to muddy the waters further, I have this one and have serious issues with the build quality, ie it doesn't work anymore! When it did, my DVD picture would dissappear and the modded GC would flicker of very quickly but enough to annoy, the only thing that worked ok was the DC.

[charlesr]

modded rgb cable