Foxtel Digital Scart / S-Video output problem

[hespower]

I just got Foxtel digital installed this week in Brisbane. One of the lucky ones I suppose. I have a Pace 420s box. I also purchased the Pioneer DVR-510H-s DVD recorder.

My problem is that the S video output using an adapter via the Scart output of the Pace Box results in black and white pictures on the TV via the DVD Recorder. However if a separte S Video source is plugged into the DVD recorder then all is OK. So the Pioneer DVD recorder unit is OK.

The next piece of the puzzle is that if I plug the S Video from the Scart adapter at the back of the Pace box directly into my Sony TV (S video input) then all is OK and I get a colour picture.

Finally if I use the supplied cable from Foxtel which is the Scart to composite yellow video lead via the DVD recorder then all is OK as well. Although at the lower quality as I wish to use S Video all round. Not having a component input TV yet.
Any help appreciated as I know when I call Foxtel and JB Hifi that I will get a blank look on their faces.

[napalm68]

I expect one of the connections inside the svid cable or adaptor are broken.
I had the same thing on cables before. SVideo cable manufacturers ought to
be ashamed of themselves. The don;t shield them properly. There is not a
single commercial cable available in aus that has the main shield connected
(ie, the two big metal rings around the 4 pins are supposed to be connected
with braid along the whole cable. Even monster cables. Shithouse. As a
result, you have cables with two very small conductors connected to two
pins, and tiny braiding shield from each of these connected to the other two
pins. The don't take much stress.

"hespower" <hespower.13eyx4@no-mx.forums.eyo.com.au> wrote in message
news:hespower.13eyx4@no-mx.forums.eyo.com.au...
>
> I just got Foxtel digital installed this week in Brisbane. One of the
> lucky ones I suppose. I have a Pace 420s box. I also purchased the
> Pioneer DVR-510H-s DVD recorder.
>
> My problem is that the S video output using an adapter via the Scart
> output of the Pace Box results in black and white pictures on the TV
> via the DVD Recorder. However if a separte S Video source is plugged
> into the DVD recorder then all is OK. So the Pioneer DVD recorder unit
> is OK.
>
> The next piece of the puzzle is that if I plug the S Video from the
> Scart adapter at the back of the Pace box directly into my Sony TV (S
> video input) then all is OK and I get a colour picture.
>
> Finally if I use the supplied cable from Foxtel which is the Scart to
> composite yellow video lead via the DVD recorder then all is OK as
> well. Although at the lower quality as I wish to use S Video all round.
> Not having a component input TV yet.
> Any help appreciated as I know when I call Foxtel and JB Hifi that I
> will get a blank look on their faces.
>
>
> --
> hespower
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> hespower's Profile:
http://forums.eyo.com.au/member.php?action=getinfo&userid=11440
> View this thread: http://forums.eyo.com.au/showthread.php?threadid=41936
>

[tony_h]

hespower wrote:
> I just got Foxtel digital installed this week in Brisbane. One of the
> lucky ones I suppose. I have a Pace 420s box. I also purchased the
> Pioneer DVR-510H-s DVD recorder.
>
> My problem is that the S video output using an adapter via the Scart
> output of the Pace Box results in black and white pictures on the TV
> via the DVD Recorder. However if a separte S Video source is plugged
> into the DVD recorder then all is OK. So the Pioneer DVD recorder unit
> is OK.
Sounds to me like you don't have the menu setup to "SVIDEO" output. The
STB will only output composite on one of the SVIDEO pairs unless you
specifically tell it to output SVIDEO (the SCART actually carries RGB and
Composite amongst some other signalling like AV/WSS and analogue audio by
default).
The TV is probably autodetect, hence why the TV is colour, as it realises it
is only getting a composite input, but of course the DVD recorder is not
autodetect and is expecting an svideo signal.

Cheers
Tony.

[hespower]

Thanks Tony, it all makes good sense. Although if correct it would appear that I have now way of correcting the problem unless Foxtel come back out on site. How does one get access to talk to the STB to change anything? Other than a newly programed STB? Thanks Bruce

[hespower]

Thanks for the heads up on the cables. I shall do a thorough check with a DVM and see if anything doesn't stack up. At this point I'll try most things as I know Foxtek and JB Hifi will be useless.

Regards...bruce

I expect one of the connections inside the svid cable or adaptor are broken.
I had the same thing on cables before. SVideo cable manufacturers ought to
be ashamed of themselves. The don;t shield them properly. There is not a
single commercial cable available in aus that has the main shield connected
(ie, the two big metal rings around the 4 pins are supposed to be connected
with braid along the whole cable. Even monster cables. sh*thouse. As a
result, you have cables with two very small conductors connected to two
pins, and tiny braiding shield from each of these connected to the other two
pins. The don't take much stress.

"hespower" <hespower.13eyx4@no-mx.forums.eyo.com.au> wrote in message
news:hespower.13eyx4@no-mx.forums.eyo.com.au...
>
> I just got Foxtel digital installed this week in Brisbane. One of the
> lucky ones I suppose. I have a Pace 420s box. I also purchased the
> Pioneer DVR-510H-s DVD recorder.
>
> My problem is that the S video output using an adapter via the Scart
> output of the Pace Box results in black and white pictures on the TV
> via the DVD Recorder. However if a separte S Video source is plugged
> into the DVD recorder then all is OK. So the Pioneer DVD recorder unit
> is OK.
>
> The next piece of the puzzle is that if I plug the S Video from the
> Scart adapter at the back of the Pace box directly into my Sony TV (S
> video input) then all is OK and I get a colour picture.
>
> Finally if I use the supplied cable from Foxtel which is the Scart to
> composite yellow video lead via the DVD recorder then all is OK as
> well. Although at the lower quality as I wish to use S Video all round.
> Not having a component input TV yet.
> Any help appreciated as I know when I call Foxtel and JB Hifi that I
> will get a blank look on their faces.
>
>
> --
> hespower
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> hespower's Profile:
http://forums.eyo.com.au/member.php?action=getinfo&userid=11440
> View this thread: http://forums.eyo.com.au/showthread.php?threadid=41936
>

[napalm68]

If you have a multimeter, just do a short circuit test between both ends.
The 4 pins should all connect. The outer shield (as explained before) NOONE
connects. It should be a short circuit too...

"hespower" <hespower.13fnia@no-mx.forums.eyo.com.au> wrote in message
news:hespower.13fnia@no-mx.forums.eyo.com.au...
>
> Thanks for the heads up on the cables. I shall do a thorough check with
> a DVM and see if anything doesn't stack up. At this point I'll try most
> things as I know Foxtek and JB Hifi will be useless.
>
> Regards...bruce
>
> napalm68 Wrote:
> > I expect one of the connections inside the svid cable or adaptor are
> > broken.
> > I had the same thing on cables before. SVideo cable manufacturers
> > ought to
> > be ashamed of themselves. The don;t shield them properly. There is
> > not a
> > single commercial cable available in aus that has the main shield
> > connected
> > (ie, the two big metal rings around the 4 pins are supposed to be
> > connected
> > with braid along the whole cable. Even monster cables. sh*thouse. As
> > a
> > result, you have cables with two very small conductors connected to
> > two
> > pins, and tiny braiding shield from each of these connected to the
> > other two
> > pins. The don't take much stress.
> >
> > "hespower" <hespower.13eyx4@no-mx.forums.eyo.com.au> wrote in
> > message
> > news:hespower.13eyx4@no-mx.forums.eyo.com.au...
> > >
> > > I just got Foxtel digital installed this week in Brisbane. One of
> > the
> > > lucky ones I suppose. I have a Pace 420s box. I also purchased the
> > > Pioneer DVR-510H-s DVD recorder.
> > >
> > > My problem is that the S video output using an adapter via the
> > Scart
> > > output of the Pace Box results in black and white pictures on the
> > TV
> > > via the DVD Recorder. However if a separte S Video source is
> > plugged
> > > into the DVD recorder then all is OK. So the Pioneer DVD recorder
> > unit
> > > is OK.
> > >
> > > The next piece of the puzzle is that if I plug the S Video from
> > the
> > > Scart adapter at the back of the Pace box directly into my Sony TV
> > (S
> > > video input) then all is OK and I get a colour picture.
> > >
> > > Finally if I use the supplied cable from Foxtel which is the Scart
> > to
> > > composite yellow video lead via the DVD recorder then all is OK as
> > > well. Although at the lower quality as I wish to use S Video all
> > round.
> > > Not having a component input TV yet.
> > > Any help appreciated as I know when I call Foxtel and JB Hifi that
> > I
> > > will get a blank look on their faces.
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > hespower
> > >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > > hespower's Profile:
> > http://forums.eyo.com.au/member.php?action=getinfo&userid=11440
> > > View this thread:
> > http://forums.eyo.com.au/showthread.php?threadid=41936
> > >
>
>
> --
> hespower
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> hespower's Profile:
http://forums.eyo.com.au/member.php?action=getinfo&userid=11440
> View this thread: http://forums.eyo.com.au/showthread.php?threadid=41936
>

[hespower]

The problem was found to be in the set up menu of the pace STB. It was set to PAL, instead of S Video. So I can confirm the new Pace 420s satellite box will do composite (yellow) naturally, S Video and componet video also via either of the two Scart connectors. However the wonderful book talks nothing of it supplied with the STB.

Solution was to stuff around with the remote control until it was found in the menu structure. I did howver find one S Video cable that needs replacing in the process.

Thanks for the support...Bruce

[tony_h]

hespower wrote:
> The problem was found to be in the set up menu of the pace STB. It was
> set to PAL, instead of S Video. So I can confirm the new Pace 420s
> satellite box will do composite (yellow) naturally, S Video and
> componet video also via either of the two Scart connectors. However
> the wonderful book talks nothing of it supplied with the STB.
>
> Solution was to stuff around with the remote control until it was
> found in the menu structure. I did howver find one S Video cable that
> needs replacing in the process.
>
> Thanks for the support...Bruce

Do I win a 2 years free subscription to Foxtel for being the first to solve
your problem?

[hespower]

Wish I could afford a 2 year sub to Foxtel for you. Amazing what time a little documentation in the book would have saved.

What I can say is that the quality is excellent. Next step will be component output but that will need the Plasma job..not any time soon...Thanks once again.

[Alan Rutlidge]

"hespower" <hespower.13mbbm@no-mx.forums.eyo.com.au> wrote in message
news:hespower.13mbbm@no-mx.forums.eyo.com.au...
>
> Wish I could afford a 2 year sub to Foxtel for you. Amazing what time a
> little documentation in the book would have saved.
>
> What I can say is that the quality is excellent. Next step will be
> component output but that will need the Plasma job..not any time
> soon...Thanks once again.
>
>
> --
> hespower
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> hespower's Profile:
http://forums.eyo.com.au/member.php?action=getinfo&userid=11440
> View this thread: http://forums.eyo.com.au/showthread.php?threadid=41936
>

Your FOXTEL Customer Service installation technician should have known this
if you had asked about it at the time the equipment was installed. The Pace
STU also outputs RGB if the unit is set up to do so.

Which state are you in? Relevant to the training your FOXTEL instal tech
may have received.

Cheers,
Alan

[matt]

Here's a curly one for X1 owners which might also have some bearing on the
issue here.

My digital Foxbox was set to svideo by scart but I still had a black and
white picture.

I flicked through the settings on the X1 and noticed that the signal
detection was set to auto. It was actually picking up a SECAM signal though.
Once I changed the signal detection to PAL it all came through in colour.



"Neversoft P/L" <nospam@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:E047c.117709$Wa.63319@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
> Press the Setup Button, the select System Settings, Picture Settings and
> change the Video Output from PAL to S-Video and press select.
> "hespower" <hespower.13fn1m@no-mx.forums.eyo.com.au> wrote in message
> news:hespower.13fn1m@no-mx.forums.eyo.com.au...
> >
> > Thanks Tony, it all makes good sense. Although if correct it would
> > appear that I have now way of correcting the problem unless Foxtel come
> > back out on site. How does one get access to talk to the STB to change
> > anything? Other than a newly programed STB? Thanks Bruce
> >
> >
> > --
> > hespower
> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > hespower's Profile:
> http://forums.eyo.com.au/member.php?action=getinfo&userid=11440
> > View this thread: http://forums.eyo.com.au/showthread.php?threadid=41936
> >
>
>

[Andrew Woodward]

Er... page 30 of the pdf digital manual from the foxtel web site tells you about setting the output options.......

[mddawson]

One problem with the new STU is that when you select RGB or S-Video for the Scart video output, both Scart sockets are changed. Unlike the old UEC STU where you could change each Scart individually, there is no option for this with the PACE STU.

[Alan Rutlidge]

"mddawson" <mddawson.13ruuz@no-mx.forums.eyo.com.au> wrote in message
news:mddawson.13ruuz@no-mx.forums.eyo.com.au...
>
> One problem with the new STU is that when you select RGB or S-Video for
> the Scart video output, both Scart sockets are changed. Unlike the old
> UEC STU where you could change each Scart individually, there is no
> option for this with the PACE STU.
>
>
> --
> mddawson
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
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> View this thread: http://forums.eyo.com.au/showthread.php?threadid=41936
>

Saving grace is if you need S-video or RGB via the SCART connector you can
still get (AFAIK) a composite vodeo signal from the yellow RCA connector on
the rear of the STU.

Cheers,
Alan