Why invented the SCART connector and what are its advantages

In the late 80-ies in our country there was a video revolution. Films, music programs and even erotic films, recorded on a magnetic tape, poured into the USSR. The availability of recently banned spectators was drunk, causing vague hopes that soon everything will become "like abroad." But this social phenomenon had another side - technical.

Video, video ...

First all the video equipment was very expensive. No one was surprised by the announcements in the newspapers with proposals to change the summer residence or even a room in a communal flat to the desired apparatus of the VHS system. And if the VCR itself was just an expensive thing, the cost of a foreign TV simply beat all conceivable records and was in direct contradiction with common sense. In the late eighties, the Japanese multi-system receiver could cost several thousand "wooden", although it was quite decent for a specialist to consider a salary of three hundred rubles.

How to connect the video to domestic TVs

Happy owners of the Japanese or South Korean miracle soon came to the conclusion that our TVs can also be used to watch foreign video programs. Most Soviet devices, modern at that time, already had all the necessary devices for connecting video equipment, namely: the built-in PAL-SECAM decoder and the SCART connector on the back cover. Remote control, they also were equipped or had the opportunity to easily install the necessary boards, control modules and photodetectors of the infrared signal. Immediately, there was a shortage of appropriate connecting cables, which were readily replenished by numerous cooperatives and private enterprises.

The simplest wiring

The SCART-socket connector itself is not difficult, especially since the first fans of video required the most simple functions. Those who wanted only to watch already recorded programs had three main contacts: the second and the sixth (a jumper was placed between them) were responsible for the sound, the twentieth for the video, and, of course, an earthen plate was necessary (the plate that surrounded the entire connector). The same applies to those who bought the player - the device is relatively inexpensive in comparison with the "full vidak". To use a shielded cable with 75 ohm frequency resistance, but in practice, given the short length, many manufacturers neglected this condition, especially since the quality of recording of most of the cassettes left much to be desired, and the clarity of the picture was affected by the connector properties in the last place.

In order to make it possible to record on the device from an external low-frequency source (another VCR or TV) in the "audiomono" mode, the number of pins needed to be doubled, adding the 1st, 3rd (sound) and 19th (video) contacts.

These annoying 20 contacts and the "earth"

Typically, the connecting cord was a cable on one side of which was a SCART connector, on the other, two, four or six contact groups of the American RCA standard (called a "tulip" for a specific form). At its core, it was a simple adapter that allowed the galvanic connection of the source with a video monitor (TV). Owners of video equipment often swore, cursing the imperialists for their lack of desire for universal standardization, believing that 21 contacts for such a simple device are too many.

Only TV specialists, for whom the SCART connector scheme did not constitute a "Chinese document", were able to assess the whole perspective of this approach from the French Union of Electronics Manufacturers, after which it received its name (Syndicat Des Constructeurs D'Appareils, Radiorecepteurs Et Televiseurs - SCART).

Why is it so difficult? But why!

Unlike the usual "tulip", the SCART RCA connector has a number of advantages that provide extensive control capabilities, better color rendering and even digital transmission, which was unthinkable in the early 80's (it was developed in 1983).

Today, little-educated consumers in electronics know that the variety of colors on the screen is created by only three components: red, green and blue. Separate their supply to the color module eliminates a number of disturbances and makes the picture clearer. This capability is provided by the SCART connector, in which the 7th, 11th and 15th contacts are for RGB signaling, and alternating with them the 5th, 9th and 13th are designed for shielding casings.

But this is not all the features that the SCART connector has. Pinout involves the ability to automatically turn the TV on and off at the same time as the source of the low frequency signal (DVD or VCR), regardless of which firm produced the equipment. The widescreen display mode is turned on independently.

In addition to these functions, there are two digital contacts - the 12th and 14th, prophetically identified by French engineers in 1983, when virtually all consumer electronics was analog. There is also a connector for connecting the timer, it is under the tenth number.

So, 20 contacts and one common (total 21) - this is not so much. For modern entertainment video centers they are still enough, although to turn on Dolby Surround is not enough ...