Scart splitter\extension adapters ruin picture quality
 

I have a 32" flatscreen that has a single SCART input socket. It is mounted on the wall and so removing one RGB to SCART lead for one of my retro computers for another RGB scart lead is very fiddly.

I have brought a cheap SCART splitter. A SCART female to female adapter to use with a regular SCART cable. Both of these would let me easily plug one of my RGB - SCART leads to the TV through a SCART splitter or adapter. But the problem is both of them ruin picture quality.

But I don't understand why the cheap SCART splitter and SCART adapter mess with the picture quality because I have taken them apart and I can see that all the SCART pins are wired correctly and they have the same build quality as the RGB - SCART connectors that give a great picture quality for my Amiga, BBC Model B and Amstrad CPC 464. The only different thing with the SCART splitter and adapter is that they don't have a surrounding metal rectangular D make connector. Well that is the extent of my novice electronics knowledge.

What am I not doing right to preserve the good picture quality?

The splitter sounds like a passive multiple. I bet the signal is losing voltage as it goes through. I am guessing and using my knowledge of Modular synthesis where signals often need to be split. It sounds like you need a powered, buffered scary splitter.

The wiring in side could also be crap.

The SCART splitter is by far the worse in giving a very faint distorted image. The adapter though gives a slightly distorted image that has a blue hue. This is the wiring of it https://imgur.com/a/kBy9Ylr

Ugh... Well there's your problem. Analogue signals are very sensitive to their wiring, and especially video signals need to have the correct impedance and be screened for as much of their length as physically possible. Without the shields connected, you're losing your screening, and possibly your ground reference too.

The splitter might also be not switching every signal - it might be wired just for composite for example, and the RGB is getting pulled down by anything else that's plugged in. But even if it's switching each line, as was pointed out, the signal will degrade with every contact it encounters. Purely mechanical switches like that with many poles are rarely of sufficient quality or isolation to transmit a signal well. If it's an electronic switch it should be better, but again, the lack of screening or the lengths of the unscreened sections might be letting it down.

Ok can someone then recommend a good SCART to HDMI converter that will handle the separate RGB signals.

Im using a bainbridge scart switch box with all my retro stuff and a decent belkin scart cable from the splitter to the tv, all works with a great picture quality, had cheap ones in the past, I remember a passive one that if my amiga was on, my saturns power light would glow slightly because the voltage was seeping back into the saturn via its scart cable.

I also have tried few passive switches (15+ years ago), all of them were completely unusable, horrible amount of ghosting and blurriness. Only active scart switchers didn't have any image quality problems.

Is your powered scart switch box the same as this one? https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0015YSK...a-304379114860

Its the 5 input one here, works perfectly for me.
- https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bandridge-P...4S53F16FY2APF3

I had a passive SCART splitter many years ago which had no noticeable impact on picture quality. I can't give you a brand name or model number, but it was only a cheap one. They do exist.

I recommend the Bandridge SVB7725, as you can see here in this video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=998tBzpJhVo

Its really great AND i did not have the "power issue" like these guys. (and i use all the ports it have) Highly recommended :great

Yes please.

Sorry Xav, I actually said I can't give you a brand name or model number... I don't even know where the device is anymore. I decided to eliminate as many SCART connections as possible from my setup, the connectors are just too unreliable.