(Warning: these are really stupid questions. Modern Technology is not my forte. I apologise in advance. cough )
Does your standard issue DVD work with TVs that are more than a few years old? (No, I don’t know exactly how old; yojimbo gave it to me about 3 1/2 years ago and it was old even then, he probably doesn’t remember himself!)
Is there anything on the TV I need to look for to know if it will work or not?
Also, the DVD I’m looking at says “Scart cable not included”, do I need a Scart cable (whatever that is)??
It’s at times like this I wish we could post anonymously on this board :o
I have no idea what a “scart cable” is, but there’s no particular reason a DVD player won’t work with a new TV. You might need an RF modulator if the TV doesn’t have RCA video or S-Video connectors.
Here is how to tell. Look at the back of the TV set. If it has only a single input connector, a round screw-on type, you will need to purchase an RF Modulator. This will take the video and audio signals from your DVD and convert them to channel 3 or 4 so that your TV can deal with the signal. If you are already using an antenna/cable/satellite, etc. hooked up to your TV you may also need to get a switch so that you can change between one and the other.
If your TV has other connections, like a set of Red/White/Yellow RCA connections (small round push-on type) or an S-Video connection (round with 4 small holes and a rectangular tab inside the circle) you should be able to connect your DVD directly.
Or if you have a VCR already hooked up to that TV, and that VCR has RCA connectors in it, run the DVD player to the rca IN on the VCR and then run a coax from the VCR to the TV.
All you gotta do is have the TV on chnnel 4 (or 3 if your VCR is weird), have the VCR switched on and on the “AUX” or “LINE IN” channel, and the DVD player will work through the VCR.
If you have CABLE going to the TV, put the cable through the VCR’s IN coax and then put that OUT to the TV (same as above). You shouldn’ thave to have the VCR on to work the cable tv in this case.
We have a 25 year old color TV connected to cable. Works like a charm.
Several weeks ago we bought a DVD/VCR combo player for it (so we don’t have to lug the DVD player from the bedroom). We merely connected it up between the cable and the TV. Works like a charm.
I think in Ireland the RF modulator would be more likely to use channel 36 or thereabouts. Also, it might be worth double-checking that the TV doesn’t have a SCART input, because that will give a noticeably better picture than an RF modulator - look for a large (4cm x 1cm) not-quite-rectangular socket with two rows of small slots. Most TVs this side of the pond have them now, but by the sound of it your TV is not exactly on the cutting edge of audio-visual technology, so it could be RF modulator or nothing.
Let’s say you have a really old TV and you don’t have cable.
If your TV only has connectors for a rooftop/rabbit ears antenna, you’ll need to get two devices – An RF modulator (previously mentioned) that takes the DVD signal and turns it into a traditional TV signal on Channel 3 or 4.
You’ll also need a coaxial/twin lead transformer to transfer the signal from the round cable to the twin-lead flat antenna wire. Then you connect the twin leads to the back of the TV (there will be two screws labled VHF and two labeled UHF. Connect to the ones marked VHF).
If your TV is a little newer (“cable-ready”) you can get by with just the RF modulator.
If your TV is newer still, you’ll see red, white and (usually) yellow plug-ins on the back of the TV. Get yourself “RCA cables” and connect them to the corresponding outlets on the back of the DVD player. You’ll need to set your TV to the A/V or cable setting.
All of this stuff is cheap and available at any electronics store or even a large discount store. Nothing requires opening up the TV or DVD player.
The standard way of connecting DVD output to your TV in Ireland is SCART/Peritel as described by Usram. This is a large rectangular 21-pin socket on the back of the TV. Failing that, you use the 3 RCA (yellow-white-red) connectors.
If your TV doesn’t have either, then you’re stuck with getting an add-on bit of electronics that will give you an RF signal (with an inferior picture and mono sound), or looking around for another TV.
Maplins, which has a store in Jervis Street, offers this model for £29.99, which has both phono (RCA) and SCART inputs. You can set the output to any UHF channel.
“Better”? Hard to imagine what SCART is better than, other than providing massive leverage for dislodging the internal electronics of whatever it’s connected to, and taking up disproportionate amounts of space for (usually) about 5 connections. It’s always seemed to me like the ultimate in bad design.
Gah!!! type out a post, preview - no-ones posted, correct a typo, preview - and about 8 people have posted rendering my post irrelevant - well goddamnit, I’m going to post it anyway, so there-
(of course, Real Men don’t preview)
Just to clarify, This Picture
shows a “SCART to phono” adapter - the connecter on the right is a Scart (a “scart lead” will have one at seach end) the others on the left are “phonos” (at least in Blighty, prob the same for Ireland, I think these are what Americans call RCA , bless 'em ) Scart adapter, but with a S-Video connector (far right) as well as phonos
So, if there are any holes round the back, or under a flap on the front, that these connectors would fit - you’re home free - just get the right scart -> scart lead or whatever.
If there isn’t, then the RF modulator thang is your man.
(some players do come with them built in - but probably not many, it’s worth asking though)
Nah, the British 13amp plug - not just clunky, but the longer path for the earth wire means it always pulls out first - sometimes touching the live terminal :eek:
I don’t really care about the design. Sure, it’s a bit clunky, but it fits on the back of the tv, and on the back of the dvd. So why care?
It’s certainly better than a single rf cable, though I suppose an argument can be made for rca plugs or s-video. However, scart has been around since (at least) the mid 80’s and is fairly standard. S-video and rca is more recent. So if the choice is between scart or just rf, scart is the better option.
Ruadh, I’m as technologically challenged as you are. I have a 20+ year old TV and had been told that I couldn’t connect a DVD player to it. I didn’t think any more about it until last Christmas when my brother-in-law told me he had gotten an adapter at Radio Shack.
I bought a combination DVD/VCR player with the adapter and it works beautifully. My TV is connected to an outside antenna rather than cable.
Careful with putting the DVD through the VCR. If you get any disc encoded with Macrovision, you’re going to get a messed-up picture (unless you’ve got a DVD player with built-in Macrovision stripping.) It won’t hurt anything but the picture displayed, but it means that you won’t be able to watch that particular DVD until you do something about the protection, either by using something that can strip Macrovision or plugging it directly into the TV.
