Hi there

 I finally picked up my Avant last night in a van, got it home and the picture is superb - a much better buy than a cheap LCD.

Anyway, I have a couple of questions - the set is type 84/21 with SW 3.2

The remaining two scart sockets on the back are marked AV and Decoder:

1) Are they both RGB?

2) There is no STB Controller fitted - is this why I can't press DTV and pass the SKY+ signal through teh Decoder Socket? - or does it need a software upgrade? Any idea on costs of either - I'm happy to fit it myself.

3) How can I use the other SCART Socket marked Decoder above the internal VTAPE scart? - I tried setting one of the TV Channells to decoder and then selecting it but that didn't work.

Any help would be much appreciated - and thanks to all those who praised the Avant - I'm certainly very happy with it.

The AV socket is RGB but the decoder, I think, is not. Have you downloaded the manuals? To use the sockets you have to assign them to whatever function you need - look in the user and reference manuals as this tells you how far better than I can!

The software can be updated to 4.2 in your model and you can have a STB-C fitted - you will need to ask your dealer for prices. Make sure you get the latest software for the STB-C as you need the Sky+ option. 

I have a similar model Avant and have not got to the bottom of the scart sockets yet! Peter says you have to assign the sockets but this is not possible if they don't appear on the menu! Unfortunately the manuals are not much help, at least not to me. I have not had much time to get down and dirty with it so far but I will get to the bottom of it.

Tell me, what is the difference between a Sky box and a decoder, if any? My decoder socket appears to be dead, so how do I activate it? Software update? Hardware missing?

I would be surprised if it is hardware missing as the set seems to be fully loaded with all the gizmo's

I think there is a lot of confusion with the AV & Decoder sockets and their assignment for several reasons:-

1. The way they were assigned changed depending on software version of the TV
2. The sources available would dynamically change in the Decoder menu depending on what you had set the AV too.
3. What appeared as possible sources would also depend if there was a STB controller fitted or not.

With regards to RGB on each of the sockets, it is as follows:-

• AV socket accepts RGB in
• Decoder socket does NOT accept RGB in
• Videotape socket does accept RGB in

All sockets receive 16:9 formatting via pin 8 of teh SCART

Thanks for the replies and clearing up the RGB confusion.

I've got my Sky+ box plugged into the AV Socket now and this appears to be fine, I've plugged the DVD into the Video socket on the Sky+ box and this also works and sends an RGB signal through to the Avant. Both are controlled by a lintronic box. Have set the AV socket to DVD so to switch on the set I press the DVD buttton and then DTV to controll the Sky box or DVD to operate the DVD Player - all good so far. I tried setting it to V.Aux, but that means pressing TV and then list then go - not that much of a problem but this way there's less button pressing.

I've also got an iPod with Onkyo Dock and have plugged this into the Camcorder socket and will program it as Camera in the lintronic box - that way I can listen to the ipod through the Avant Speakers and BL4000's and also distribute the sound and picture through the link system. Not sure if it will work but will try.

I played around a bit with the Decoder socket and discovered that if you go into TV Tuning, pick a channel, go into MORE and then change the decoder setting to AV - the decoder socket can be accessed but as it's not RGB it's not worth plugging the DVD or Sky box into - but at least it's an extra socket. I thought about plugging my iPod into it but then I'd have to program it as TV on the lintronic box and that wouldn't work as it would also control the TV. I guess it would provide an extra socket for a games console or door camera though.

Anyway now that I've sorted out the sockets - I'm really looking forward to watching films on it tonight!