TV Autoselecting MPC input ? (2 Viewers)

[Al_Ghazi]

OK - A question that may expose me for being a bit thick. I have used XBOX Media Centre (XBMC) until this week - for my old version 1.0 XBOX. XBMC did everything I wanted, but the poor old xbox - 5 long years of modding and abuse - it just won't go on.

So I built a media PC in an Antec Fusion case (looks sexy!) to replace the tired old xbox. Loaded MCE and hated it, Loaded Mediaportal and it is like this fantastic world where all my XBMC stuff is made better by an order of magnitude!

Anyway - The dear old xbox (god bless it) when I used to turn it on, would magically take over the TV. I mean - if the TV was set to the normal tuner, and the xbox powered up, the TV would autoswitch to the AV port that the xbox was on.

But with the PC I have to manually set the AV port on the TV every time I power up.

What is this magic that the xbox had, and how do I get the PC to do the same thing? I have 3 SCART inputs on the rear - nothing special.

Anyone?

Ghaz.

 

[Efros]

its to do with one of the pins on the scart plug can't rmember off hand been in the US too long. you can rig some autosensing gear to do it. pin 8 maybe.

 

[Al_Ghazi]

Good advice, thanks - it seems that this might work. I have googled this and came up with the following information which may be of use to others who want to autoselect a SCART port:

This information is from: http://freespace.virgin.net/matt.waite/resource/av/scart.htm

SCART Pin assignment

1 Right audio out (500mV rms Lo Z)
2 Right audio in (500mV rms Hi Z)
3 Left audio out (500mV rms Lo Z)
4 Audio ground
5 Blue video ground GND
6 Left audio in (500mV rms Hi Z)
7 Blue video in (700mV p-p 75R) INPUT
8 Source switching / 16x9 [note 1]
9 Green video ground GND
10 Data bus
11 Green video in (700mV p-p 75R) INPUT
12 Data bus
13 Red video ground GND
14 Data bus ground
15 Red video in (700mV p-p 75R) [note 3] C IN IN

16 Fast blanking (<0.5V off , >1V on) [note 2]
17 Composite video ground GND
18 Fast blanking ground
19 Composite video out (1V inc syncs) OUTPUT
20 Composite video in (1V inc syncs) [note 3] Y IN IN
21 Chassis ground

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Note 1: (Pin 8 usage)
On many TV's taking pin 8 high will auto select the SCART input. With a voltage range of 4.5V to 7.0V a compatible set will select AV input in 16x9 mode. With a voltage range of 9.5v to 12.0v the set will select AV input in 4x3 mode.

I have no idea how to do this of course - My motherboard outputs to s-video, and I convert this with a SCART adapter. Not sure if it is possible to apply the voltage required, although my soldering iron stands ready... If there is a known elegant solution I would be grateful to hear of it. or perhaps I should just give up and get that Sony plasma... hmmmmmmmm...

Ghaz.