Scart Cables

[Tosh McCaber]

I'm having problems with losing sound from my Sky Digibox, but I'm OK with sound from my DVD recorder. This problem is definitely through poor connections in the existing scart leads. I'm not in the HD league as yet. However, I think that I need to upgrade on the (basic) set of scart leads that I presently have. Having looked at the the variety on display in Comet, Currys, etc, I see leads from a fiver or less, right up to Monster leads costing £80(!). I'm sure that there must be a law of diminishing returns here.
I am considering purchasing a Plasma TV in the near future. Can anyone recommend middle of the road scart cables, or the price range that I should be looking at, to get reasonably priced leads that will not break the bank? What would be the minimum cost range for such leads?

[planecrazy.eu]

Well Monster Scart cables will go from £25 upto £120. They do work, we had a nice setup at work with PIP and various inputs, and the quality is obvious. However, we could never tell the difference between the "2" or 200 range, which is the next stage up from the bottom compared with the 300 or THX range, so dont bother with them?

However, i would forget SCART forever now, if you get a PLASMA/LCD you will in most caes get a HD set, so you then have HDMI connections that are much better than scart, you also have componant on some sets, which is also a very good connecticty method.

So, to sum it up, MONSTER have a lifetime warrety, get the £40 one, they are the best value to benefit and qualty in my opinion, cheap scart leads break and do affect quality...

When i worked for one of em stores, i sold heaps of MONSTER THX and the £80 monster cables, and never had a complaint, however, the different between the £40 and £80 just aint worth it...

I know many people will probibaly disagree, but, as i say, this is just my opinion and experience...

[Tosh McCaber]

Thanks, pc, for the info- I was actually thinking more towards my present setup. I believe that it will be some time before HD becomes generally available on a widespread basis- I was hoping that there may be something nearer to the £20 mark- would I notice a large amount of quality reduction?

[BEagle]

Some SCART plugs do not fit the sockets very well and work loose over time, particularly if 'earthquake bass' is your thing.

To be honest, good everyday fully wired SCARTs are probably all you need - 'monster cables' and the like shouldn't make the slightest difference to your audio except from amplifier to speakers.

Unplug, blast of switch cleaner over the pins, then replace firmly. Try that before spending any money on expensive cables.

[frostbite]

Plugs with gold plated pins are more reliable.

[Keef]

Plugs with gold plated pins are indeed more reliable, but if the socket on the equipment is a cheapo one with plain copper (or worse) connectors, then the posh plug is not going to yield many benefits.

When we bought our new television three years ago, the shop tried to sell me £40 SCART leads. I thanked them, and went to the local chap and bought leads for under a fiver. They've been fine - never a hiccup. If they did misbehave, they'd get a blast of Servisol and a wiggle before being pushed back in.

[planecrazy.eu]

Well you have the choice of all those makes, but i would stick with monster, philips and the other "so called premium brands" are not so good...

Have a look, i think Comet do a 1M Monster Scart For £20, i think that be the best for the cash, or

Go for componant cables, thats 3 cables for picture and 2 cables for audio, i dont think Sky has these connections, but most progressive scan DVD players do, and so do most plasmas, they will be the best for picture quality...

When the pice comes down, Sky HD with HDMI will be the best bet... Or even V+ From Virgin Media.

Gold plated leads are better, thats very true, but all the gold plating in the world wont make the picture better if the data/signal is distorted between the connection ends.

At the end of the day, you are not talking massive differences, buy what you can afford, least with Monster its a cable for life, as if they break they can be exchanged, i cant tell you how many £5 or so cables have been introduced to my bin in the past. Anyway, sounds like i am trying to sell them to you. I cant honestly think what other makes out there are any good though for you to try, i am not impressed with Philips, thats a sure, if you can find Panasonic leads, they are good, but you have to find them as iv no idea where they sell em, we have them for display use, but stopped stocking them long ago...