Scart leads/Switching boxes

[Pavey]

I know this has probably been posted thousands of times before but i'm getting the serious arse'ole with getting behind the Tv to change leads,and probably causing damage to my much over used socket, so i was wondering what RGB wired switching boxes you are all using and where are they from.
I've seen one on Lektropacks but it weighs in at ?60 which seems a bit steep for what it is.Is'nt there one from Argos that does the job as well? Obviously i want the best picture possible.
Ta very much.
Nick

[RLench]

I knackered my old TV by constantly switching scart leads over


You need this switchbox. Best value one on the market IMO:

http://www.argos.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10001&langId=-1&catalogId=1751&productId=90827

RGB, good quality and well-built. I've got mine attached to the wall so they're out of view, but within easy reach. You'll need a good scart lead to connect it to the TV though. It doesn't come with a connecting lead.

I'm using two - one daisy-chained to the other - and there is still no drop in quality

Make sure you buy that one though...Argos sell another for the same price that doesn't support RGB

[Pavey]

Thanks for that mate.
Thats what i feared,knackering my Tv.
Cheers

[Hitcher]

This may interest you -

Got it this morning and here's my little review for anyone interested in buying it.



In the box is -

1x AV Control Centre
1x Remote Controller
1x AC Adapter
1x Scart Cable (fully wired)
1x S-Video Cable
1x Phono Cable (video/audio left/audio right)


It features -

4 RGB scart inputs to 1 RGB scart output
4 S-Video inputs to 1 S-Video output
4 phono seperates (video/audio left/right) inputs to 1 phono output
4 digital optical imputs to 1 digital optical output



Each type is totally seperate of each other (ie a scart input will not affect the phono output) so this could be used as 4 different switching units -

A 4-1 RGB scart switcher
A 4-1 S-Video switcher
A 4-1 phono switcher
A 4-1 optical switcher


I've set it up with the following devices all outputting RGB via scart -

Digital TV box
Dreamcast
US N64 (RGB modded)
Saturn

There's no loss of signal strength that I can see on any unit.

You can either press the numbered button on the remote or cycle through the inputs on the centre itself to select whatever you're watching.

I have tried the B TECH BT945 AV unit in the past but it suffered from interference on the other inputs if I had my DC turned on so I sent it back.

This unit however had no problem with the DC on, in fact I turned on all the inputs at the same time and neither interferred with the other.


Overall I have to say I'm very impressed with it, no more getting up for us lazy ones and for only ?39.99 (including leads) it's a bargin.

play.com link

Soon available in silver -

[Pavey]

Wow,that is cool.
Think im sold on the shiny silver model.
Thanks for that.

[rjpageuk]

Indeed - very nice.

I need to get myself a couple of these.

[angel_fear]

Thanks for the review. I might pick it up since i'm out of connections in the TV and my PS2 is currently the only one using RGB.

[cartman]

Just a quick question, I noticed that this unit has both S Video and Scart Inputs.

Can you connect say an Xbox through the Scart and a DVD Player through the SVideo, on the same input ?

Reason being I have 4 Scart Consoles and 1 S Video DVD Player.

BTW, will not be using console and DVD player at the same time.

[Hitcher]

Just a quick question, I noticed that this unit has both S Video and Scart Inputs.

Can you connect say an Xbox through the Scart and a DVD Player through the SVideo, on the same input ?

Reason being I have 4 Scart Consoles and 1 S Video DVD Player.

BTW, will not be using console and DVD player at the same time.

Yes you can.

They are seperated from each other so to watch the S-Video input you'd need to have the S-Video out running to your TV.

Hope that makes sense.

[RLench]

That looks very nice...might buy one myself. As much as I like the Argos one, it is damn ugly

[cartman]

Hitcher,

Thanks for the reply, will have to order one now

BTW, you don't know when the silver is available do you??

Regards


Adrian

[Hitcher]

According to play it's now out and they're just waiting for stock.

Link

[helicon2]

Cheers for the review Hitcher. As I have 4 consoles and want to have them all connected at once, this looks ideal. The only question I have about this unit is, do you have problems connecting all the scarts at the same time with regards to the cable overlapping the next scart socket?

[Hitcher]

No problems with that because the way the scart lead is made means they're all coming out at an angle away from each other.

[a9801Rob]

This box looks like it could save me a lot of hassle - thanks Hitcher!

Couple of q's...

Do you think the remote control(s) would manage if you had two of these boxes daisy-chained together? Also, did you manage to avoid getting stung by customs at ?39.99 from Play.com?

Cheers,

Rob