Scart and surround sound

[Cordery]

I have had a Sony DAV-SC5 surround sound system (SSS for short!) for over twenty years and it works perfectly. Being a bit of a ‘techno dunce’, I bought an LG TV which doesn’t have a Scart socket as it is a flat screen TV, so managed to source a box of tricks that allows the Scart in and HDMI out to my new TV. While the sound is still excellent, the picture is too dark for me to enjoy watching anything. I have tried three different items to see if one is better than another, but no luck. I don’t want to bin my SSS as it’s so good, so does anyone know of a modern style flat screen TV that has a Scart socket, or perhaps a better way of trying to connect up? My TV doesn’t even have the three red/white/yellow slots at the back. Thank you.

[daveyh64]

The majority of new TVs (if not all) on the market will not have Scart sockets anymore and the same goes for the audio (red & white) and video (yellow) RCA connectors. All in favour of the more versatile HDMI connection.

It’s also cheaper for the manufacturers.

I don’t understand why you think your TV being dark has anything to do with the Scart or lack of.

Have you tried adjusting your TVs Settings menu picture controls.

Navigate the TVs Settings menu and adjust the Brightness, Contrast, Colour and perhaps backlight, there will be many other controls too.

Look up the TVs model number on LGs support site and see if you can access the online manual for your TV.

Would you consider buying a new A/V processor with HDMI connectivity.

Lots of very good ones at pretty reasonable prices.

[royabrown2]

@Cordery

I perfectly understand why the SCART to HDMI might be giving you problems; I presume this is when you play a DVD on the DAV-SC5? And the broadcast picture, and that from other possible devices, is fine?

This being so, you need to take @daveyh64‘s advice as given, but take care only to make the adjustments on the input for the DAV-SC5, as it would likely make the other inputs overbright.

You might want, though, to look first and see if you can make any adjustments on the SCART to HDMI convertor.

And I can’t quite rid myself of the feeling that you might have been able to find a better one; what’s the model number of this convertor, and where did you get it from, so I can look it up and see what’s being said about it on the internet?

Also, did the DAV-SC5 used to act as a sound system for the TV, which would have been possible over SCART, but isn’t with the new arrangement? If it is now just a DVD player, or you only get surround when playing DVDs, you might want to look at a more modern unit to replace it, to augment the sound from your new TV.

[Cordery]

Hello and thank you for your message. The picture on my TV is only too dark when using the boxes I bought. If I adjust the settings on the TV those will apply even when I'm not using the surround sound system and I don't want to keep having to change the set-up and back again each time.

[Cordery]

Hello royabrown2. Thank you for your reply. Yes, you're correct. The picture is only too dark when using the DAV-SC5 and is perfectly fine otherwise. 

The Scart to HSMI converters have no way to make adjustments as they are both relatively cheap Chinese imports, as usual. £20 or so.

Sony sent me a long link to the on-line manual for the SSS which is https:/www.sony.com/electronics/support/res/manuals/4248/42484081M.pdf (kind of trips off the tongue). I also have the paper version of the manual which came with the SSS as in those days you actually got it on paper!! I haven't been able to find any setting that allows me to change the picture just for the SSS without affecting anything else, especially normal TV use. One of the converters I have is a Neoteck NTK234 and the other doesn't have any name or code on the box, both bought from Amazon (of course). 

You are also correct in suggesting that with my old TV and using just a Scart lead to connect to the SSS I could use the SSS as a sound system with the TV picture which I can't now. That often used to be rather handy. 

I'm afraid I am not very in-the-know with technology - maybe a 3 out of 10 on a good day - so I am happy to receive any advice out there. Basically, I just want to be able to enjoy my still brilliant Sony SSS with all its wires and not have to replace it with something that operates via Bluetooth. That's just not for me, although I would consider buying a more modern unit if it worked as I would like it to, but I wouldn't know where to start. Thanks again for your help.

[royabrown2]

@Cordery 

I just looked in that manual, and there’s no SCART on the DAV-SC5.

So if that’s the right manual, how was it connected to the previous TV?

[daveyh64]

When you set the TV up you adjust the picture to suit by adjusting the picture controls.

For anything that you have connected to your TVs HDMI connections you would adjust the picture settings for that attached HDMI device. The TV remembers the settings you have input so when you change from HDMI device to TV and back again you will not have to continually change the picture settings. You’ll need to get hold of the online manual for your TV.

What devices do you use with your TV and Sony AV and what connections do they have. It would be nice to get an overview of your viewing/ listening equipment. As your Sony is now over 20 years old there might not be much left in the tank, a new AV processor may become something you need, (after all you’ve just replaced an older TV) They all use wired connections, HDMI mostly, some may still have the red/ white/ yellow RCA connections plus optical, WiFi and your dreaded bluetooth but you may not have to use that.

There are many AV processors on the market costing from a few hundred pounds to thousands. There is a lot to choose from Sony AVs are recommended and start off at quite reasonable prices. Do you have a Richer Sounds near, if so pop in and discuss what you may need, they are usually very good and won’t try to oversell, they offer very good warranties and after sales service. All you need to do is jot down what you want the AV to do and the devices you have with their connections, plus your budget. If your local branch has a listening room you can arrange an appointment to road test any AVs you are interested in before buying.

[Cordery]

Thanks for your message. I always assumed that if TV picture settings are changed for something that’s connected I would have to change them back again each time. I will give it a go and see what happens. If the TV does remember the settings each time then I’m good to go. Maybe it could be as simple as that, or as simple as me! 

For info, other devices I have connected to the TV are a SkyQ box and a Sony DVD recorder, both of which connect via HDMI and the picture through both of those is as good as just TV.

I’m grateful to you for your help.

[Cordery]

Ah, guess what? When I looked up the manual via that long link it looked at first sight exactly the same as mine, but based on your reply I just had another, closer look. As you say, the picture of the back of the unit via the link doesn’t have a place for a Scart. In the manual that came with my SSS, the difference is that the area which has the Scart socket has been replaced with the sections that say “Monitor out” and “Scan select”. Apologies. Community member daveyh64 has suggested I simply adjust the picture settings while watching a DVD so that it’s good enough to watch, then when I go back to just watching the TV the settings will revert back to how they were until I go back to watch another DVD later and the settings for it will have been remembered by the TV. If that turns out to be so, then I’m in business. It might just be that easy. Thanks again for your help.

[royabrown2]

@Cordery 

It should be that easy, but the mechanism is a little different from what you describe.

When you have an LG TV set to a certain input, and you change the settings, then by default, those settings apply just to that input.

You get the option to make all the other inputs the same, but as you are just correcting this one input, it’s important not to use that option.

Then you get the desired result.

On the other point, using the SSS to play the TV sound, you should be able to connect an optical cable from the optical output on the TV to the optical in, Video 2, assuming that that part of the manual is correct,mand get back the full use of the SSS.