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View Full Version : VM box - what connections on rear?

MarcLister
22-02-2009, 18:44
We already have a VM box but Mum always uses the TV in the living room. I'm thinking of getting a second VM box in my room, in the basement, so I can watch what TV I want, when I want.

I've asked around on how to convert the SCART from the VM box to a monitor and I'm confident I can sort out getting the audio played. However I don't know if the current VM boxes have RCA audio outputs or not. Our VM box doesn't but then it is about 8 years old. If a new VM box would have RCA audio output then I can either connect the VM box RCAs to the PC soundcard inline socket and use speakers or headphones off the PC OR connect the VM box RCAs direct to some speakers or headphones.

So if anyone with a VM box could tell me if it has some audio RCA outputs I'd be most grateful. :)
leowyatt
22-02-2009, 18:49
I'll have a look at our box upstairs and let you know.
MarcLister
22-02-2009, 18:51
Thanks very much. :) Could you also tell me who makes it and what model etc? So if it does have Audio RCA outputs I can ask VM for one of those to guarantee I get one I can get audio from.
leowyatt
22-02-2009, 18:51
bear in mind our box is nearly 2 years old now.
MarcLister
22-02-2009, 18:55
Ours is 8 years old at least. :D From the old NTL days. :shocked: So even if it doesn't I can still try to find out what VM boxes there are and which have Audio RCA outputs. :)
leowyatt
22-02-2009, 19:12
Ours is a Scientific Atlanta Explorer and does have RCA audio out :)
MarcLister
22-02-2009, 19:14
Excellente. Does it look like this? http://www.virginmediainfo.co.uk/TVDrive/TVDrive_Back2.jpg

Are you using it as a VM box or a VM+ box? If you are using yours as just a VM box that is pretty good news for me. :D
leowyatt
22-02-2009, 19:21
No that is our V+ box (the photo), we have an old er non V+ box which is what I checked uptairs.
MarcLister
22-02-2009, 19:25
OK. So the non-V+ box has audio RCA out?
leowyatt
22-02-2009, 19:26
yep :)
MarcLister
22-02-2009, 19:29
Lovely. :)
MarcLister
28-02-2009, 01:54
If I wanted to connect the VM box to my Dell monitor would http://www.cableuniverse.co.uk/catalog/cables/s-vhs-2-x-rca-to-scart-15-metres.html do the trick?

:)

Oh and I assume that with this VM 2nd box I will be able to change channels independently of the other VM box? I.e. I can watch a different channel to my Mum upstairs?
leowyatt
28-02-2009, 09:36
yes they are completely independent too. Another thing is if you have sky sports on your package you can watch that upstairs and downstairs :)

EDIT: not sure on the cable as I don't know what connections the new boxes have. I'll check ours and see what we have.
MarcLister
28-02-2009, 13:30
yes they are completely independent too.Fan-dabbi-doze. :D

Another thing is if you have sky sports on your package you can watch that upstairs and downstairs :)Yes we have Sky Sports. No we wouldn't watch it upstairs and downstairs. :D Mum is a religious convert to the Hallmark channel. Why do you think I want my own VM box in my room?! :angry:;D

EDIT: not sure on the cable as I don't know what connections the new boxes have. I'll check ours and see what we have.Cheers sah. You're a star. :cool:
Del Lardo
28-02-2009, 16:56
Bloody hell an 8 year old VM box that's still going.

When you phone up to order your VM box you should just be able to ask for a new one for your Mum as well. A lot has improved in STB silicone in the last 8 years!
MarcLister
28-02-2009, 17:45
Bloody hell an 8 year old VM box that's still going.

When you phone up to order your VM box you should just be able to ask for a new one for your Mum as well. A lot has improved in STB silicone in the last 8 years!Haha, not surprised. What kind of improvements would we see?

Actually, I've just remembered our VM box broke 2-3 years ago and we got it replaced. But with another of the same model. I told my Mum to ask for one of the silver ones as my internet research told me that the silver ones were better than the black Pace ones. She didn't bother to ask and we got a black one so its about 2-3 years old but the same model as the one it replaced.
LeperousDust
28-02-2009, 19:14
The speed of the newer samsung boxes rock compared to the SA ones. We've got on in our flat, and my parents one at home always feels slooooooow.
MarcLister
28-02-2009, 19:23
Jolly good stuff.

And the SCART to S-VHS/RCA should work OK? I can get the sound and video from the VM box using the SCART and have the S-VHS plug into the monitor and the RCA plug into some speakers or get an RCA to 3.5mm audio plugin and plug that into the linein of my sound card on the PC and plug headphones into that?
Mark
28-02-2009, 20:43
Don't know what Dell monitor you've got, but if it's a 24xx or 27xx, I think they've all got S-VHS and Composite inputs. It's a given that any VM box will have one or the other of those (via a SCART adapter most likely). My 2707 has no problem at all with Composite and S-VHS inputs, though with mine at least the PQ was a bit 'brutal' until I fiddled with the settings lots. You might want to plug your Dell monitor into the VM box you've already got and make sure you're happy with it.
MarcLister
28-02-2009, 21:29
Don't know what Dell monitor you've got, but if it's a 24xx or 27xx, I think they've all got S-VHS and Composite inputs. It's a given that any VM box will have one or the other of those (via a SCART adapter most likely). My 2707 has no problem at all with Composite and S-VHS inputs, though with mine at least the PQ was a bit 'brutal' until I fiddled with the settings lots. You might want to plug your Dell monitor into the VM box you've already got and make sure you're happy with it.It is a Dell 2007WFP 1680x1050. I checked and it has Composite and S-Video ports. So I should be fine.

Testing the monitor with the current VM box is a cracking idea. I haven't got that cable I mentioned earlier yet. I think it could be worth me waiting until I get the box, then seeing what connectors it has and then buying the necessary cables to get the video and audio to the monitor and speakers OR PC.
Mark
28-02-2009, 21:37
A VM box is always going to have a SCART socket. Of that much you can be sure. :)
MarcLister
28-02-2009, 23:57
A VM box is always going to have a SCART socket. Of that much you can be sure. :)How can you be so sure? :huh:

I didn't say what I wanted to very well I think. :D

It's a given that any VM box will have one or the other of those (via a SCART adapter most likely).I think this confused me. Not sure what you were saying. There'd be an adapter with the box to convert the SCART into a composite or S-video?
Del Lardo
01-03-2009, 00:25
How can you be so sure? :huh:


It's a standard requirement for every Service Provider in Europe.

On the rare occasion you see a European STB with out SCART it will have RCA with a RCA to SCART adaptor included in the box thought that will limit you to composite rather than RGB.
MarcLister
01-03-2009, 01:16
It's a standard requirement for every Service Provider in Europe.I was being, or trying to be, sarcastic. :D

On the rare occasion you see a European STB with out SCART it will have RCA with a RCA to SCART adaptor included in the box thought that will limit you to composite rather than RGB.Ah. Didn't know that. :)
MarcLister
02-03-2009, 17:40
Just rang VM and someone is coming out this Thursday between 8am and 1pm to install the second VM box. The git on the phone wouldn't let us have a new box for upstairs and told us to ring the faults department for that. Bah!
LeperousDust
03-03-2009, 14:33
Just ring faults and tell them it keeps randomly crashing and is really slow. Job done.
MarcLister
03-03-2009, 14:43
Ironically it is. :D Probably doesn't help that Mum keeps turning it off and night meaning I have to turn it back on the next day whenever I want to watch TV.
LeperousDust
03-03-2009, 15:26
Actually i think turning it off once in a while (or everyday) isn't bad at all. Our ancient one always used to speed up after a total power down. If you left it on standby for a while it really got bogged down.
Steeps
03-03-2009, 19:02
Not all VM boxes have separate sound out, Been through 7 STB's myself and only 3 of them had the separate sound connectors. Luckily managed to get a scart lead off the guy which splits the sound off so I could still channel the sound straight into my amp when I just wanted the radio on.

(2 silver samsungs did, 1 grey traditional box did, the others didn't)
MarcLister
03-03-2009, 19:10
Luckily managed to get a scart lead off the guy which splits the sound off so I could still channel the sound straight into my amp when I just wanted the radio on.Something like this? http://www.cableuniverse.co.uk/catalog/cables/s-vhs-2-x-rca-to-scart-15-metres.html

I won't order it yet. The VM box should be installed tomorrow so I can see what connections it has and by something accordingly. I could even pinch the crap 2nd TV we have in the dining room for temporary use until I get the correct cable(s) to connect the VM box to the monitor.

Just need to decide what to do on the sound front. Input the RCA into the PC linein and get sound on my headphones that way. Or reclaim my stereo off my brother and put the RCA into that. Or buy some nice cheap £30 odd speakers I've found on Amazon that everyone seems to love.
ChemicalKicks
03-03-2009, 19:30
We already have a VM box but Mum always uses the TV in the living room. I'm thinking of getting a second VM box in my room, in the basement, so I can watch what TV I want, when I want.

I've asked around on how to convert the SCART from the VM box to a monitor and I'm confident I can sort out getting the audio played. However I don't know if the current VM boxes have RCA audio outputs or not. Our VM box doesn't but then it is about 8 years old. If a new VM box would have RCA audio output then I can either connect the VM box RCAs to the PC soundcard inline socket and use speakers or headphones off the PC OR connect the VM box RCAs direct to some speakers or headphones.

So if anyone with a VM box could tell me if it has some audio RCA outputs I'd be most grateful. :)

The last box I had from Virgin had no RCA output, I had to use a scart splitter to output to an audio amp.
MarcLister
05-03-2009, 13:56
The box has been delivered. Currently hooked up to a spare TV. No RCA on the back so I'll probably be getting that Cable Universe SCART to RCA/S-Video. Will that work OK for me? It won't be unidirectional in the wrong direction will it?
Mark
05-03-2009, 14:09
It most certainly will. Don't get that one.
MarcLister
05-03-2009, 14:13
It most certainly will what? :huh: Be unidirectional in the wrong way?:'(
MarcLister
05-03-2009, 16:50
Would either of the below be OK for me then?

http://www.cableuniverse.co.uk/catalog/cables/scart-adaptor-svhs-2-x-phono.html

http://www.cableuniverse.co.uk/catalog/cables/scart-adaptor-s-vhs-composite-audio.html

With the necessary S-VHS and Phono/RCA cables to go from the adapter to the monitor/speakers of course. :)

The cables being http://www.cableuniverse.co.uk/catalog/cables/Budget-S-Video-Cable-SVHS-Cable.html and either http://www.cableuniverse.co.uk/catalog/cables/2-rca-plug-to-2-rca-plug-budget-12-metres.html or http://www.cableuniverse.co.uk/catalog/cables/35mm-stereo-plug-2-x-rca-phono-plug-Nickel-budget-10-metre.html.