AV Output/Lead Sound Issue...?

[Anonymous User]

Hello,

I purchased a NOW TV White Box a day and a half ago & already had quite a bit of hassle setting it up. I am connecting it to an old Hitachi CL28W440AN (CRT) TV which has no HDMI inputs, only SCART(s) and AV/composite inputs.

I can actually connect it with HDMI using an HDMI2AV adaptor then running av leads from the adaptor into a SCART adaptor OR av leads directly into composite inputs on the telly, both methods work BUT I run into the 'purple screen' issue which I have already read a lot about and seems an absolute nightmare. I have already tried some of the suggested methods of remedying that, but frankly have no intention whatsoever of faffing around bending down unplugging powering things on and off repeatedly etc etc.

Which brings me to the main point of my posting. Having settled on only being able to use it with this old telly using AV direct from the port on the NOW TV Box, I am getting issues where

a) if I push the jack all the way into the box it doesn't work properly (sound & vision all screwed) - so I have to have it sort of half way in which feels a bit amateurish but does work.

b) with the above method, although the picture is perfect as is the quality of the sound, I am only getting sound through one branch (the white one). Hence am only getting sound out of one speaker on the TV (which IS stereo). If I put the white lead into the red input on the TV it just makes the sound come out of the opposite speaker I.e. right. The red sound lead seems to be doing nothing.

Ring any bells with anyone else?

The AV lead I am using is NOT the official Sky one but IS surely exactly the same type indeed I did my research before buying just I don't see the point in paying £5 for a 2 quid lead. Is there something hidden on the official Sky lead like a special shape on the jack that goes into the NOW TV Box?

The box outputs in stereo using HDMI but alas no picture due to dreaded purple screen as already described.

For something I only really bought to 'catch up' on some TV occasionally (as I don't like watching on a little smartphone screen), I feel it's already given me a fair bit of stress, starting to have an "if it seems too good to be true it usually is" taste to it...

I would appreciate any advice on the above technical issue (the AV sound one, unless someone actually found a silver bullet one-time fix for the purple screen).

I can understand Sky not including AV cables in each package, as obviously most people won't need them. However, it would be a nice touch perhaps if they could stick them in the post complimentary, it would sugar the pill a bit, so to speak, for the likes of myself who already have our work cut out trying to get the box to work.

Thanks

[commanda6]

Hi @ukbobboy

Another bit of info for you, but I forgot to put in my last post. HDCP1.2 is used on protected HD content up to 1080p so that's what now TV currently use. But that protection is only present on HD content does not affect those that are using AV cables. People using AV cables are limited to 480p and that is not classed as HD. In order for content to be classed as HD. It has to be at a resolution of 720p or higher.

[ukbobboy]

Cheers Commanda6

It's always good to know this type of information because it helps to make informed choices.

UK Bob

[SeeMoreDigital]

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@commanda6 wrote:

People using AV cables are limited to 480p and that is not classed as HD.

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Actually a composite video signal is not capable of passing 'progressive' images. So it's 'interlaced' at best 😉

That being said, if the 'white' box is sending a 480 video signal from its composite output, anyone wishing to view this signal will require a multi-standard television, as the video signal will technically be NTSC. And not all CRT televisions support NTSC!

Cheers 

[commanda6]

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@SeeMoreDigital wrote:

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commanda6 wrote:

People using AV cables are limited to 480p and that is not classed as HD.

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Actually a composite video signal is not capable of passing 'progressive' images. So it's 'interlaced' at best 😉

Cheers 

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Hi @SeeMoreDigital

thinking about it, you might be right, which means when I said for 480P . I probably meant 480i , but I said p due to force of habit 

[Anonymous User]

@ukbobboy that's a fair question. The box only uses HDCP on the HDMI output - the AV cable port is without content protection.

I'm pretty sure that most (if not all) TVs which have HDMI inputs are HDCP compliant, so theoretically there should be very few TVs where that's an issue.

As for older TV compatibility with the AV cable port, they have to support NTSC 60Hz, which a lot of older TVs don't. Many pre-HDMI TVs were built purely to the PAL 50Hz standard for the UK market, and only later multi-market models which were sold in more countries also support NTSC.

Thanks,

Tom

[ukbobboy]

Thanks Tom-R

It's good to know that "compatibility with older TVs" is not an issue (aka added burden).

Cheers

UK Bob

[Anonymous User]

Thanks Tom. Is it only the white box that needs the Sky av cable?

[Anonymous User]

@Anonymous User the black box is HDMI only, so the AV cable isn't an option unfortunately. The only way to watch a black box on a non-HDMI TV would be to find some way of replicating HDCP at the point where you connect the HDMI to the AV adaptor. I'm not sure if a way even exists...

Tom

[commanda6]

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@Anonymous User wrote:

Thanks Tom. Is it only the white box that needs the Sky av cable?

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@Anonymous User  you will only need an AV cable if you are using a white box and you have a TV that does not support HDMI. Only the white box can use an AV cable, but it still recommended that you use HDMI if possible , as the white box can use HDMI as well and actually comes with HDMI cable. The newer black box is HDMI only.

CC @Anonymous User