What is SCART?

What it is

The pins carry stereo audio in both directions, composite video, and separate red, green and blue lines. What a given socket accepts depends on the device. One input may take only composite, another RGB, and some take S-Video. A cable can be wired for RGB, for composite or for both, and a cheap one may leave the RGB wires out.

SCART is analog and has nothing to do with HDMI. JP21 is a Japanese connector with a similar 21-pin plug but a different pin layout, so a SCART cable cannot be assumed to work on JP21 equipment, or the other way around.

Why it matters

• RGB: separate red, green and blue lines give a sharper picture than composite, without its dot crawl and smearing.
• Socket support: some SCART inputs ignore RGB. Look for an input labeled RGB, check the manual, or try it.
• Console wiring: consoles output different signals on their SCART plugs, so use a cable made for your console.
• Sync: RGB needs a timing signal as well, and SCART usually carries it as composite sync. See RGB and sync.

How this shows up in our work

We collect working CRT televisions and monitors and pay for rare professional ones. See the CRT recycling page for what we take.

Before a set is rehomed we connect real video sources to it, so we know which of its inputs work.

Learn more

• SCART on WikipediaLists what each of the 21 pins carries, useful when checking a cable.
• Component video on WikipediaDescribes the other analog route to a sharper picture than composite and S-Video.