review of cool novelties scart cable for plus

[arnoldemu]

I tried it on GX4000 again. The picture is much better than on my 464Plus.
I'll check on my 6128Plus (maybe Amstrad didn't skimp on that one?)

original post (thanks Bryce):

I got one of these today
I can finally continue testing. I will be getting one for CPC too soon (I used to connect the cpc to the CM14 monitor).

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AMSTRAD-CPC-464-6128-PLUS-MODELS-TV-CONNECTION-KIT-PSU-ADAPTER-SCART-/390531959470?hash=item5aed84caae:g:CZsAAOSw2XFUa4MD

Also available from www.coolnovelties.co.uk

Cable and power supply work on GX4000 and 464Plus (not tested on 6128Plus yet but should work). For GX4000 it connects like a monitor would, in the monitor socket and in the monitor power connector.

Power supply is 2.5A, seems ok and has an adaptor for Plus already connected. I can give manufacturer details if you want. Seemed to be ok with C4CPC but I'll check with @gerald later.

The cable feels solid it's 2metres long and gives a good picture.

Cable issue:

it's not "active" - so there is no power on the rgb select line (and there is no provision to connect a battery). On my old 4:3 trinitron CRT I had a picture for 1 second (which was great!) and then it was R0>65 and then it went black. The TV *did* have a external input select (same for selecting s-video and scart). It worked great on a modern tft where I could choose the input.

Things I noticed which are problems on my system:

My 464Plus suffers from vertical bars! @Bryce knows what this is. It's cheapness on Amstrad's part where they didn't fit something to the colour outputs. It's not distracting and I saw them on my CM14.

The TFT shows the pixels really chunky  "Modern" TV's with their brick pixels! I wish it was like a CRT and blended them.

There is really minor ghosting on one side of the graphics.

I'll post pictures later.

To sum up:

if you have a modern tv where you can choose the input. Then this cable is fine for you. Picture and sound and power are good.

[arnoldemu]

I removed the post by accident  by doing an edit and not a reply.

Re-typing:

I got a scart cable and power supply from ebay from coolnovelties.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AMSTRAD-CPC-464-6128-PLUS-MODELS-TV-CONNECTION-KIT-PSU-ADAPTER-SCART-/390531959470?hash=item5aed84caae

also from www.coolnovelties.co.uk

Picture is good. Sound is good. Power supply is good (2.5A).
Power supply has an adaptor added to it so it fits GX4000 and Plus.

On my GX4000 picture is good, on my 464Plus less so (a bit of minor ghosting and some vertical banding) but I think that is due to cheapness by Amstrad and not fitting some resistors or something to the colour outputs. @Bryce knows about it.

Cable is not active. My old sony trinitron tv (CRT) had the picture for a second, went like R0>64 then went black. It doesn't have an input selector.

Newer TFT worked fine when I selected the input.

Newer TFT's show mode 0 pixels like bricks even with 4:3 mode
Not a problem of the cable.

[arnoldemu]

bonus! If the adaptor is removed from the power supply then it can also power CPC (not disc drive on 664 or 6128).

I will be getting a active scart cable for cpc from the same place. I'll post a review here soon. I can then continue my cpc and plus tests!