need help to connect 160GB ATv to old TV

[chimpboy74]

Hi I have a 160GB ATV that I had connected to my main TV via HDMI.

I have just bought a Macmini and have relegated the ATV to the kids playroom.

However the TV i that room only has a scart connecter. I have bought various cables, adapters (to connect to the green blue red connectors - sorry dont know their proper name!) etc but I cannot get the ATV to work through this TV.

Is there a setting in my TV or in ATV I need to use to get this to work? I thought I was just buying the wrong type of cable or adapter but nothing seems to work. I wondered if because I had it to connect through hdmi and output in highest res wether that was the issue?

I'm starting to tear my hair out about this as the kids keep pestering me for films to watch

 

[jcschlic]

So you are using a component (red/green/blue) to SCART adaptor?

check this out:

http://www.js-technology.com/technical/Connecting-Apple-TV.pdf

 

[chimpboy74]

do I need a converter? The adapter I have is this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0018D5IP0/ref=oss_product

 

[ichaddy]

If you have the technical inclination you can hack the ATV1 and use a bog standard component or s-video cable.

Hack = Patchstick, SSH and install nitoTV. This contains a TVComponent patch that sends all the video signal through just one of the RGB ports.

I've done this for two Apple TVs recently. Sure beats buying adapters when you can use a $1 s-video cable and a $1 audio phono cable.

goto http://wiki.awkwardtv.org for all the information you need.

Cd

 

[chimpboy74]

If you have the technical inclination you can hack the ATV1 and use a bog standard component or s-video cable.

Hack = Patchstick, SSH and install nitoTV. This contains a TVComponent patch that sends all the video signal through just one of the RGB ports.

I've done this for two Apple TVs recently. Sure beats buying adapters when you can use a $1 s-video cable and a $1 audio phono cable.

goto http://wiki.awkwardtv.org for all the information you need.

Cd

hmm Im not that technical. I was hoping just to plug an adapter (a cheap one) to it and get it working. Seems I cant just do that.

AAAARRRRRGGGHHHH I dont want to have to buy a new tv. i bought this one about 7 or 8 years ago (it was top notch at the time) for my bedroom but It got used less than 20 times since then. Seems a shame to replace it because of ATV.

 

[chimpboy74]

....actually I say Im not that technical. i did once install ATV flash but had no end of problems with it losing Wifi signal since the hack I uninstalled it. Might be worth going back of the nitotv patch is included in that?

 

[mchalebk]

do I need a converter? The adapter I have is this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0018D5IP0/ref=oss_product

That link doesn't have any technical detail, so it's hard to tell if that should work. However, it is called "SCART PLUG TO 3 PHONO COMPONENT/RGsB ADAPTOR"; it might be the wrong direction ("SCART to component" instead of "component to SCART").

I'm from the US, so don't know much about SCART. However, I think the link that jcschlic provided has some good info.

 

[diminiko]

Unfortunately this is not a straightforward problem. SCART does not carry component video signals. Only a converter box can change the signal to the type needed by your TV's scart input.

Having said that, some higher end TV's can have multiple scart inputs, one of which may be YPB capable (accepts component signal. A simple adapter may work on these, but I have not tried it. You need to check the back panel of the TV or its manual to see if this is the case.

Check for other types of inputs on your TV both on back and front panel. If you find composite inputs (often yellow for video and white + red for audio) then you can use a simple, non software based, method to trick the ATV1 to output through these.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlhIexkjfuk

 

[eTip]

Instead of buying another TV you could also buy a cheap LCD that has a DVI input and use an HDMI out to DVI in. I have an old Compaq 15" LCD that I am going to use for that purpose in my spare room (tested it with an existing ATV1). The LCD I am using has a second VGA input so it will also double as an extra screen for my PC. I haven't checked LCD pricing in a while but I would think you could get a used 20" for fairly cheap. But, I suppose that's small for a screen these days. Perhas even more so to kids.

 

[chimpboy74]

Unfortunately this is not a straightforward problem. SCART does not carry component video signals. Only a converter box can change the signal to the type needed by your TV's scart input.

Having said that, some higher end TV's can have multiple scart inputs, one of which may be YPB capable (accepts component signal. A simple adapter may work on these, but I have not tried it. You need to check the back panel of the TV or its manual to see if this is the case.

Check for other types of inputs on your TV both on back and front panel. If you find composite inputs (often yellow for video and white + red for audio) then you can use a simple, non software based, method to trick the ATV1 to output through these.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlhIexkjfuk

Thanks
Might give this a go cause I can get the two required adapters from amazon fro about £5 total. My only problem is that you have to be able to see it on the tv to go through menus etc. I cant even get a picture.

any ideas?

 

[diminiko]

Thanks
Might give this a go cause I can get the two required adapters from amazon fro about £5 total. My only problem is that you have to be able to see it on the tv to go through menus etc. I cant even get a picture.

any ideas?

This will only work if you have composite inputs on your TV (yellow for video and red/white for audio).

If you do, then connect the green output on the apple TV to the yellow input on your TV. This should give you a black and white picture. If this is the case then go ahead and purchase the adapters to complete the process described on the video.

Good luck!

 

[chimpboy74]

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The tv does have the yellow red and White but I get no image. Not even b&w

 

[diminiko]

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The tv does have the yellow red and White but I get no image. Not even b&w

Sorry if this is stating the obvious but have you turned the apple tv on after everything is plugged in and have you selected the right input on the TV's menu? You will need to cycle the inputs till you hopefully see the menu screen. Don't forget that the ATV goes to sleep after a while so cycle the inputs soon after you have turned the ATV on to be sure to see the menu page is on.
o
A final thought is to plug the ATV into a modern TV with a HDMI input and manually setting the resolution to 480P or 480i before attaching it to the older TV, in case the ATV is stuck in 720P.

 

[blueroom]

Have you checked out how cheap a new LCD or Plasma TV is going for? Consider applying the price of the adapter towards a new TV instead.

 

[chimpboy74]

Sorry if this is stating the obvious but have you turned the apple tv on after everything is plugged in and have you selected the right input on the TV's menu? You will need to cycle the inputs till you hopefully see the menu screen. Don't forget that the ATV goes to sleep after a while so cycle the inputs soon after you have turned the ATV on to be sure to see the menu page is on.
o
A final thought is to plug the ATV into a modern TV with a HDMI input and manually setting the resolution to 480P or 480i before attaching it to the older TV, in case the ATV is stuck in 720P.

Yes. I sometimes hear the sound (a bit choppy sounding though) but no image. Might need to try your second point as when it was connected to my main tv it wes deffo in 720p so perhaps I need to do as you suggest

Have you checked out how cheap a new LCD or Plasma TV is going for? Consider applying the price of the adapter towards a new TV instead.

£200 vs £5. I think cause the telly I have has only been used a handful of times I'm loathe to give up on it just for this. The annoying thing is I can stream all movies from macmini to my iphone connected to the TV via s-video. Problem is that ties up my phone whilst films are being watched and for some reason when I pause it it wont play back through TV when I press play again. I have to stop the film remove from dock and start again.

I'm starting to think there is a fault with either my TV or Atv that I cant get anything to appear.Or diminiko is right about connecting to another TV to adjust settings.

 

[chimpboy74]

ah hah!
progress....

Changed TV output settings on my other tv. Connected back to TV I want to use it with. No picture, perfect sound. Much swearing and gnashing of teeth. Eventually pulled out S-Video cable (that my iphone dock connects to TV). Voila! picture!!! (B&W but I expected that) Now to try the trick listed above....

 

[chimpboy74]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlhIexkjfuk

I have now done this as per the instructions in youtube video and have colour appletv on my telly. Only problem is picture quality is atrocious. i know its not the TV as normal TV looks OK (despite not being HD)

Anyone any ideas?