My TV or recorder has no SCART socket!

Do you want to connect a digital TV set-top box to a telly that doesn't have a SCART socket, or to a video recorder that doesn't have a spare SCART socket?

You should be able to connect a set top box via the TV aerial socket, or using a different connector on your TV or recorder.

Connect via your TV or recorder's aerial socket - There are three options:

Option 1 - Box with Modulated Output

 

Use a digital TV set-top box that has a modulated output that connect to your TV or recorder's standard aerial socket. Some set-top boxes, including Sky and older BT Vision boxes have a modulated output that can connect via an aerial lead. If you have a set-top box with a modulated output, you can connect it to a TV or recorder using an aerial lead, then tune your TV set or recorder into the output channel of the set-top box.

Many of the basic Freeview boxes don't have a modulated output and only support connecting by SCART. If your TV or recorder doesn't have a spare SCART socket, consider the Icecrypt T5000, pictured below - this is a Freeview receiver box that is designed to work on TV sets and recorders that don't have a SCART socket - it just uses the standard aerial socket.

 

The Icecrypt T5000, for TVs without a SCART - Available from Amazon.co.uk and Play.com

Option 2 - Connect via an old VCR

 

Most video cassette recorders have a "modulator", which means a VCR can be connected to a TV that doesn't have a SCART socket. If you have a digital TV box that can only connects to a TV via SCART, then what you can do, is route the box through a video recorder to the TV.

To do this, plug the digital TV receiver into the video recorder using a SCART lead. Next, connect the video recorder to your TV via the aerial lead. Then, tune your TV in to the output of the video recorder. Finally, set the video recorder to use the SCART (possibly labeled Line 1, AV1, Ext, AUX on the VCR remote). This way, you're passing the output of the digital receiver through the video recorder to the TV - the video recorder has to stay switched on for this to work.

 

Option 3 - "Get an RF Modulator Box"

 

Connect a set-top box through an RF modulator box. If you have an existing set-top box that doesn't have a modulated output, you can use one of these boxes to convert SCART outputs to an aerial feed (see below).

RF Modulator Box

If you've got a Freeview set-top box or a DVD player, and you want to connect it to a TV set or video recorder that doesn't have a SCART socket, then you can buy something called an RF modulator.

This has a SCART socket on it, and converts SCART signals from equipment with a SCART socket, into a signal that can be transmitted through a TV aerial lead. Plug your Freeview box or DVD recorder into one end using a SCART lead, and the other end into your telly or old video recorder using an aerial cable. You then need to tune your telly or recorder into the channel that the Modulator box creates.

RF Modulators are available from maplin.co.uk and from tvcables.co.uk

 

Other connectors:

Some TV sets and video recorders have other 'Line In / AUX' connectors that can be used to connect a box to - such as S-Video, composite video or component video sockets. With an appropriate cable, you may be able to make a connection. You can get SCART converters at maplin.co.uk or tvcables.co.uk.

 

 

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