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Connecting it all up

Why are there so many sorts of connecting cables? Find out with this quick guide.

Why are there so many sorts of connecting cables?  Find out wit
published on UK Free TV

Why are there so many sorts of connecting cables? Find out with this quick guide.

The connectors on each cable are called plugs (and are also called male) and they will usually fit only into one sort of socket (or female connector).

Most cables you will come across are male to male. Occasionally you will find leads with a socket on one end and a plug on the other, and these are called "extension cables".

SCART



The SCART cable is used to connect a set-top box to a television set, or to a video recorder. This can only be a short cable. The SCART cable carries all of these types of signal:

  • analogue stereo sound
  • a single RGB television picture
  • a single composite video picture
  • a single S-Video video picture
  • widescreen picture signal


As stereo sound, RGB picture and widescreen signal is the best possible combination for digital television viewing, it is vital to use a SCART lead between any set-top box and the main television.

The composite video picture with stereo sound is the best combination for a VHS video recorder. If your set-top box has two SCART sockets, it is likely that the one marked TV will carry RGB picture information and the other will not.

If your television has more than one SCART input, you may need to choose a special one (marked RGB) if you want to use RGB from the SCART cable.

On most set-top boxes it is possible to turn the RGB output on and off. This can be used to test the RGB input function on the television ? the picture quality appears blurred when it is disabled.

If have a DVD player, rather than a VHS recorder, you can attach this to the set-top boxes second SCART connector. The signal from the set-top box will normally be overridden by the DVD player when it is on, usually in high-quality RGB.

Some very cheap SCART cables do not have all the pins connected. They may not provide RGB and widescreen picture signals. SCART cables are normally no more than three metres in length.

UHF lead



The UHF lead is a lead that you would traditionally associate with television signals. They can carry:

  • up to 45 (but normally only five) analogue television channels
  • a single picture from a set-top box
  • around 50 analogue cable TV channels
  • mono sound
  • NICAM stereo sound
  • Teletext services (for example, Ceefax)


You can't avoid these cables if you are going to use Freeview, as these cables are the only ones that you can use to distribute Freeview signals around the house.

Where you have an integrated digital television (an idTV) you just need to get the signal from the aerial to the television with one of these cables.

If you are using a Freeview set-top box, you will need to get the signal from the aerial to the set-top box using this aerial lead, but for best results connect the TV to the box with a SCART cable.

You can also use a UHF lead to connect a set-top box to a television somewhere in the house. Your set-top box will require a RF (radio frequency) modulator. Note that "RF passthough" is another way of saying there is no modulator. You will be able to "tune" the second television into the picture showing on the set-top box.

Some boxes (all Sky boxes) have the ability to connect a remote control receiver to the second TV end of the interconnecting cable, so you can change channels.

The set-top boxes, whilst providing a reasonable quality picture to the second TV, will always provide only mono sound via a UHF lead.

The step-change in picture quality obtained by switching to RGB on a SCART is far greater than any obtained though spending any more on a gold-plated SCART cable.

Satellite or cable TV cable



These cables are usually very stiff, and have a very basic screw connector on the end. Usually they will provide an unbroken link to the satellite dish. At the dish end they plug into the device on the end of the arm, the LNB.

Don't try to disconnect these cables when the set-top box is on. Usually there is a small voltage that will cause dangerous sparks.

If the cable connects to a satellite dish, there is not much you can do with the cable. Each receiver in the set-top box needs it's own wire to the LNB. With a personal video recorder (such as Sky+), or a multi-room installations there are two cables to the four-output LNB on the dish. If you want more rooms, each will require it's own cable.

If the cable is providing cable TV, then it is possible to use inexpensive "Y connectors" to link the incoming signal to various set-top boxes, cable modems, or - via an adaptor - directly to the back of a TV.

Composite video cable



This is the most simple and basic video connection you can get. It carries:

  • a single picture from a set-top box


The picture will be in colour, and of comparable quality to a analogue broadcast station. However, there is no sound. For that reason this cable is often found joined to a stereo audio cable.

These signals are quite robust and can be carried for many metres. Often modern television sets have a single yellow photo input on their front input panel.

You also use an identical cable to carry digital stereo (SPDIF) sound.

Stereo audio cable





These cables carry the left and right channels of sound on two joined cables. They are usually required when a SCART cable is not being used, as the SCART cable already carries stereo sound.

If you are connecting your set-top box to an external stereo system, a separate stereo audio is used.

There is no real practicable limit to the length of these cables, but excessive length will degrade the quality of the signal.

S-video cable



The S-video standard is not well supported by most UK digital TV boxes, and very few have a S-video socket. If you need one for a particular analogue camcorder, use it, but avoid S-video with digital television. If you are using what appears to be a monochrome picture from a SCART lead, it will certainly by an incomplete S-Video signal and you should change to the RGB input.

VGA cable



This is the cable you will use to connect a computer to a old style monitor, and some modern LCD screen too. Most modern LCD TVs will have a VGA input too.

If you want to connect a set-top box to a LCD monitor, you can buy a conversion box from around 60. However this will not result in a better picture than using an existing SCART socket if there is one.

The only way to get higher than normal television resolution is to use a VGA in conjunction with a personal computer or modern games console.

DVI cable



If you want to get the very best out of a television or monitor use a digital video interconnect (DVI) cable.

This will be the only way for most televisions and monitors to receive high-definition pictures from a computer, and some set-top boxes.

If you can use either a VGA cable or a DVI cable, choose the DVI option.

HDMI cable



If you want to get the very best out of a television use a HDMI cable.

This will be the only way for most televisions to receive high-definition pictures from set-top boxes.

Help with Television sets?
Why are all TVs on sale not digital?1
Do I still have to pay for a TV licence?2
I had perfect channel 5 reception - until I got a digital TV box!3
I Have a Pocket Tv For taking out so I can keep up with news and sport. Will thi4
The pictures from my digital box are all green!5
In this section
Loft aerials1
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How to receive Freeview on your PC3
Indoor aerials4
Whole house digital TV5
Now and Next6

Comments
Thursday, 15 September 2011
KB Aerials Sheffield
sentiment_satisfiedSilver

6:29 PM
Sheffield

Debs
If your thomson freesat box doesnt have aN HDMI connection thenm you cant connect it to a HDMI on the TV

RS 232 is a data link probably for a service technician to access it for repair purposes it is not intended as a connection to a tv so you cannot use that

connection via scart leads for the freesat is your only option

Keitj KB aerials Sheffield

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KB Aerials Sheffield's 274 posts GB flag
KB's: mapK's Freeview map terrainK's terrain plot wavesK's frequency data K's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Briantist
sentiment_very_satisfiedOwner

7:15 PM

Mary Beecham: To be honest, you should probably ditch the VCR and get a Freeview+ box instead. They are much easier to use than a VCR. Your VCR is not designed to work "after switchover" as it has no digital tuner.

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Briantist's 38,915 posts GB flag
KB Aerials Sheffield
sentiment_satisfiedSilver

8:37 PM
Sheffield

Mary
I second what Brian says!

Keith

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KB Aerials Sheffield's 274 posts GB flag
KB's: mapK's Freeview map terrainK's terrain plot wavesK's frequency data K's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Friday, 16 September 2011
A
Andy
6:17 AM

Hi, do you know where I can get a scart to 'mini scart' lead
I have a new bush LEd tv which I need to connect to my sky box.
The sky box has the original scart socket, but the new TV has what it calls a 'mini scart socket. (I think these are also called Samsung mini scart jacks)
I can find absolutely no where who supply such a thing. So have a new Tv that is unusable

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Andy's 1 post GB flag
Briantist
sentiment_very_satisfiedOwner

8:17 AM

Andy: There was one in the box that came with your TV...

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Briantist's 38,915 posts GB flag
Tuesday, 20 September 2011
R
roy halls
12:19 PM

Ihave just installed a new tv fully HD.working fine excellent reception.
However my digital DVD recorder (Panasonic as the new tv) with built in freeview has lost the previous digital channels installed into the menu, and however I try to re install through ihe installing proceedure all I get ia message " analogue not available" until I sort this out I can,t record and watch another programe.Can you advise please

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roy halls's 1 post GB flag
M
Mike Dimmick
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

2:32 PM

roy halls: I'd contact Panasonic's support. Some units did require the GuidePlus service on analogue in order to pick up the programme guide.

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Mike Dimmick's 2,486 posts GB flag
C
Claire Evren
2:40 PM

Hi, decided to move my sky box from my livingroom to my bedroom as I now have virgin in the livingroom. Just looking for some help on setting this up. I have a coax cable to run from my aerial through to the bedroom which goes into the back of the sky box, I also have the main plug, hdmi cable and a scart lead. is that all I need to set it up?

Any help much appreciated.

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Claire Evren's 1 post GB flag
M
Mike Dimmick
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

6:28 PM

Claire Evren: For satellite TV, you need a cable running from the dish to the box. This is the screw-on connection typically labelled LNB1 on a satellite receiver. If you only have an aerial lead, which pushes in (typically labelled RF1), you would need to get a cable run from the dish to your bedroom.

You can connect to the TV with EITHER HDMI or SCART, you don't need both (and this will often result in getting SD pictures on HD channels). If the TV has HDMI, use that.

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Mike Dimmick's 2,486 posts GB flag
Friday, 23 September 2011
D
darrell
4:09 PM
Barnet

i have a labgear ampified aerial fitted in my loft,its about 2 years old ,the green light is on when plugged into the mains but we have no signal on my digital tv,s.is it the amp or aerial i have to replace.?

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darrell's 2 posts GB flag
darrell's: mapD's Freeview map terrainD's terrain plot wavesD's frequency data D's Freeview Detailed Coverage
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