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Digital to analog TV?

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NutmegCT

NutmegCT

Great Pumpkin
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Is there some device that would let me take the TV program I'm watching, and "transmit" it to a non-digital TV upstairs via antenna?

A "digital to analogue" converter that uses RF to an old TV? There are no over-the-air TV signals where I live, so it needs to be something that takes what comes from my digital box and goes to the old TV antenna via RF.

I've always liked using old tech to show the young folks some history.

Tom M.
 
Thanks Rick. That system uses IR to send the signal, which is fine, but it requires RCA plugs from the receiving device to the receiving TV. If it (either the sender or the receiver) would broadcast in television RF, it would work - but the wired connection from the device's receive to the old TV won't work for me.

My "demonstration" TV would be a 1940s through 1950s TV, which wouldn't have the RCA connections, and would rely solely on RF to antenna.

I appreciate the suggestion.
Tom M.
 
okay...you're not going to find something that TRANSMITS on the "old" TV frequency that meets FCC regs, I don't think, especially since they used that for Cell Phones or some such rot.
However:
If you are on cable, have you obtained a cable to wired connection adaptor and tried this TV out with the your old TV?
Has a female end, and two wires with spade ends.
Another option:
https://itstillworks.com/connect-older-tv-cable-5231.html
 
Thanks Dave. If the "old" TV frequencies are no longer available for an old TV, then I guess I'll give up on the project. The old TVs all have antenna connections, usually just two screws which hold the antenna's (rabbit ears) spade connectors - or even just the TV's built in antenna. No RCA or coax cable connections.

Can't use the "two wires with spade ends" if there's no "old" TV RF available.

I don't think the "it still works" system will work, as the cable output from the cable box is still a digital, not analogue RF, signal. And that won't get me a "through the air" RF to the TV anyway. (Unless I'm missing something.)

Thanks.
TM
 
NutmegCT said:
Thanks Dave. If the "old" TV frequencies are no longer available for an old TV, then I guess I'll give up on the project. The old TVs all have antenna connections, usually just two screws which hold the antenna's (rabbit ears) spade connectors - or even just the TV's built in antenna. No RCA or coax cable connections.

Can't use the "two wires with spade ends" if there's no "old" TV RF available.

I don't think the "it still works" system will work, as the cable output from the cable box is still a digital, not analogue RF, signal. And that won't get me a "through the air" RF to the TV anyway. (Unless I'm missing something.)

Thanks.
TM
Click to expand...
Adaptor/converter boxes to allow new signals into old TV sets are cheap, but if you're running off cable, it works. Until recently I used an old CRT set that would have required an adaptor, but now does not.

The read on this is confusing, but you may be able to just connect up and use the "free" channels, but then, you may require the cheapest cable company box...run the cable, into the box, into the TV via the adaptor styles shown, and set the TV for a specific channel and change via cable box. It does work, but you ain't gonna be able to use the "ka-chunk" channel changer.
 
Yep - I have considered that. The adapter boxes that were made for the time when we switched from analog to digital TV years ago. Those boxes took the "new" digital signal from the cable box and converted to analog for the non-digital TVs.

But that still doesn't solve the problem of getting the cable box's output to the old TV via RF. I don't want to use any wires. Oh well - the truth is out there!
 
When you figure it out, it will be worth a lot. It will allow you to wirelessly stream video from you computer to any TV in the house.
 
OK, this is totally illegal, and probably won't work, but ... If you just want the RF link and one channel is OK, find an old analog antenna amplifier. Feed it the RF output from a digital converter, then route its output to rabbit ears. You'll probably need a balun or two to link it all together.
That might give you a very low power transmitter that could be received a few feet away. Maybe even the next room.

Probably best not to touch the transmitting antenna while the amp is on. Shouldn't be enough power there to hurt anything at all, but better safe than sorry.
 
You could try it without the amp, if you don't happen to have one lying around. The power out of the converter is miniscule, but might be enough.
Most antenna amps have a bit more, so they can drive a passive splitter.
 
Yeah, but what are you amplifying and transmitting? New digital, since he has no over-the-air signal?
Now he needs a D-to-A converter. Then he's dealing with Cable signal.
Interesting.
 
No, the old converter boxes receive a digital signal over the air, decode it to video n audio, and then re-modulate it to an analog RF signal suitable for non digital TVs. Usually you can choose whether its channel 3 or 4.

But it's the same as what they used to broadcast, just very low power. Probably a bit hotter than what the amp is expecting, but I'm hoping it can handle it and bump the power up a bit. We used to play with walkie-talkies that ISTR only put out 10mW or so, and they would reach across the yard.

To look at it another way, I'm just replacing the wire from converter to old TV, with an amplifier and a pair of antennas. The signal has to be the right form, because it would work with a wire. The only question is whether enough of it will get through the air for the old TV to receive.

I don't know the answer, but its worth a try. If the rabbit ears don't work, you could actually try constructing a folded dipole antenna instead. Kind of big, but maybe hang from the ceiling or something. Easy to make, just two lengths of twin lead with the ends twisted together and a 300 ohm balanced feed at the center. Well, assuming you have some twin lead laying around, I threw all mine out years ago.

If you really want to get crazy, do a pair of double folded dipoles. :smile:
 
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