bobotech Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 I would like to get an RF demodulator. Think of it as a reverse switch box. You plug in your RF cord such as off your 2600 into it and it has composite and audio out. Of course the quality will still be just as bad as RF only and possibly worse but I would want one for testing purposes. Too much of a pain to mod every single non-composite system especially if you just want to test that they work. Its not like a modern LCD would even have RF input anymore. I know that I use a little 7 inch LCD with composite only inputs but I can't use them with old systems. You can use a VCR but that is just way too much work. I just want a little box about the size of a RF modulator. Suggestions for something cheap? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rex Dart Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 Pretty much any store that sells video equipment, I would imagine. Try Target, Best Buy, Frys, whatever's in your area. Suggestions for something cheap? Don't spend too much on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobotech Posted October 25, 2011 Author Share Posted October 25, 2011 I have never seen a demodulator. Only modulators. A rf modulator is the commonly available device (target/best buy/frys/etc) that takes composite INPUT and outputs RF that is connected to the antenna input on older TVs that don't have composite inputs. Those are cheap and I have several but they are the opposite of what I want. I want to take RF input and convert it to composite output. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tubular Gearhead Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 (edited) eBay Auction -- Item Number: 350364132406 Edit- whatever, for some reason the item # is not working for me even though I copied it right from Ebay. Just look for "rf demodulator", however, and there are a few there... Edited October 25, 2011 by Tubular Gearhead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rex Dart Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 Oh yeah, yikes. Looks like you'll be spending around $80 online for that. I wonder how hard it'd be to isolate the circuit responsible for this from a VCR & install in a little project box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRGilbert Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 If you are just using it to test systems, just pick up a little TV at Goodwill. I've got a couple of really small 9" Sony Trinitrons that have RF and av inputs that I use for bench testing systems and they work great. I've even tossed them in my car to demo systems that I sell on Craigslist with a little power inverter. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobotech Posted October 25, 2011 Author Share Posted October 25, 2011 (edited) Oh yeah, yikes. Looks like you'll be spending around $80 online for that. I wonder how hard it'd be to isolate the circuit responsible for this from a VCR & install in a little project box. Exactly. I don't have that kind of money right now. 20 bux is one thing but 80 is another. And with shipping, its actually around 100 dollars. Eeek. That is what I was hoping for, was a way of isolating the circuit used in VCRs or something like that. And I really don't want to deal with another tv even if its a small one. My 7 inch lcd is tiny and works perfectly for composite inputs, just has no tuner/rf inputs. Edited October 25, 2011 by bobotech Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rex Dart Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 You might have better luck swapping your 7" LCD for one that has an RF input. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck D. Head Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 (edited) Pick up a little TV for now, probably $10 at a non-Goodwill thrift. Then keep your eyes out at thrifts; I have seen at least three demodulators, including the one I bought for like $7.99 or so. EDIT: or......run the input into a VCR and back out through the RF. Edited October 25, 2011 by Chuck D. Head 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRGilbert Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 Pick up a little TV for now, probably $10 at a non-Goodwill thrift. Then keep your eyes out at thrifts; I have seen at least three demodulators, including the one I bought for like $7.99 or so. EDIT: or......run the input into a VCR and back out through the RF. Except he already said that he doesn't want a VCR or another TV. Are you sure what you found weren't the standard old RF modulators that let you hook up an AV source (like a DVD player) to an older TV? Those are cheap and everywhere. What he wants is totally different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rex Dart Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 I think maybe he does want another TV and doesn't know it; it'd be simpler than yet another piece of powered equipment and it'd Just Work. Hey, any idea if those RF Modulators happen to work in reverse? It's a longshot but possible. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRGilbert Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 I think maybe he does want another TV and doesn't know it; it'd be simpler than yet another piece of powered equipment and it'd Just Work. Hey, any idea if those RF Modulators happen to work in reverse? It's a longshot but possible. I can't see how. The modulator is like a little TV station for lack of a better description that "broadcasts" the input on the selected channel (3 or 4 usually) so the TV's tuner can receive it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck D. Head Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 Pick up a little TV for now, probably $10 at a non-Goodwill thrift. Then keep your eyes out at thrifts; I have seen at least three demodulators, including the one I bought for like $7.99 or so. EDIT: or......run the input into a VCR and back out through the RF. Except he already said that he doesn't want a VCR or another TV. Are you sure what you found weren't the standard old RF modulators that let you hook up an AV source (like a DVD player) to an older TV? Those are cheap and everywhere. What he wants is totally different. Missed that he said he didn't want a tv / vcr. Mine is almost exactly like this one, maybe a little larger and has internal power supply. Note that it only has one audio out jack, maybe the stereo can't be split back out of the composite signal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRGilbert Posted October 26, 2011 Share Posted October 26, 2011 Pick up a little TV for now, probably $10 at a non-Goodwill thrift. Then keep your eyes out at thrifts; I have seen at least three demodulators, including the one I bought for like $7.99 or so. EDIT: or......run the input into a VCR and back out through the RF. Except he already said that he doesn't want a VCR or another TV. Are you sure what you found weren't the standard old RF modulators that let you hook up an AV source (like a DVD player) to an older TV? Those are cheap and everywhere. What he wants is totally different. Missed that he said he didn't want a tv / vcr. Mine is almost exactly like this one, maybe a little larger and has internal power supply. Note that it only has one audio out jack, maybe the stereo can't be split back out of the composite signal? No biggie. That was a sweet Goodwill find then, I imagine most folks would have no idea what that was ever for. I wonder why MCM stopped selling those? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dino Posted October 26, 2011 Share Posted October 26, 2011 On a related note, if you run the system through a VCR is the quality a lot worse than RF or pretty much the same? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobotech Posted October 26, 2011 Author Share Posted October 26, 2011 Pick up a little TV for now, probably $10 at a non-Goodwill thrift. Then keep your eyes out at thrifts; I have seen at least three demodulators, including the one I bought for like $7.99 or so. EDIT: or......run the input into a VCR and back out through the RF. Except he already said that he doesn't want a VCR or another TV. Are you sure what you found weren't the standard old RF modulators that let you hook up an AV source (like a DVD player) to an older TV? Those are cheap and everywhere. What he wants is totally different. Missed that he said he didn't want a tv / vcr. Mine is almost exactly like this one, maybe a little larger and has internal power supply. Note that it only has one audio out jack, maybe the stereo can't be split back out of the composite signal? No biggie. That was a sweet Goodwill find then, I imagine most folks would have no idea what that was ever for. I wonder why MCM stopped selling those? That is exactly what I'm looking for. Something simple and easy to use. But i was hoping for cheap. just seems odd that those devices are so pricy compared to the common RF Modulators. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schizophretard Posted October 26, 2011 Share Posted October 26, 2011 On a related note, if you run the system through a VCR is the quality a lot worse than RF or pretty much the same? In my experience it is the same or better. It is like composite but with the RF interference. The sound is separated from the video but you still have to minimize the interference from the Atari to the VCR. S-VHS(what I use as my demodulator) is even better because it is s-video. I don't own a D-VHS yet but I assume that since it has component out that it would be even better. It might even work well with an s-video modified Atari because it would have even more color separation going out through the component cables. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dino Posted October 26, 2011 Share Posted October 26, 2011 On a related note, if you run the system through a VCR is the quality a lot worse than RF or pretty much the same? In my experience it is the same or better. It is like composite but with the RF interference. The sound is separated from the video but you still have to minimize the interference from the Atari to the VCR. S-VHS(what I use as my demodulator) is even better because it is s-video. I don't own a D-VHS yet but I assume that since it has component out that it would be even better. It might even work well with an s-video modified Atari because it would have even more color separation going out through the component cables. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schizophretard Posted October 26, 2011 Share Posted October 26, 2011 Pick up a little TV for now, probably $10 at a non-Goodwill thrift. Then keep your eyes out at thrifts; I have seen at least three demodulators, including the one I bought for like $7.99 or so. EDIT: or......run the input into a VCR and back out through the RF. Except he already said that he doesn't want a VCR or another TV. Are you sure what you found weren't the standard old RF modulators that let you hook up an AV source (like a DVD player) to an older TV? Those are cheap and everywhere. What he wants is totally different. Missed that he said he didn't want a tv / vcr. Mine is almost exactly like this one, maybe a little larger and has internal power supply. Note that it only has one audio out jack, maybe the stereo can't be split back out of the composite signal? No biggie. That was a sweet Goodwill find then, I imagine most folks would have no idea what that was ever for. I wonder why MCM stopped selling those? That is exactly what I'm looking for. Something simple and easy to use. But i was hoping for cheap. just seems odd that those devices are so pricy compared to the common RF Modulators. The keyword is common. RF modulators are cheap because they are common. The most common RF demodulator you will find that you might already have is a cable/satellite box. Another thing you could try is an NTSC TV tuner with an RF in that you hook into your USB and use the screen you are reading this on to test your systems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenfused Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Something like this might work: eBay Auction -- Item Number: 250572507442 It looks like it has composite out in addition to vga. Way back there used to also be add-on tv tuners for composite monitors which is essentially an older version what this is. The only disadvantage may be is that you may have to retune to the channel whenever it looses power vs a switch to pick from a couple channels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobotech Posted October 27, 2011 Author Share Posted October 27, 2011 Something like this might work: eBay Auction -- Item Number: 250572507442 It looks like it has composite out in addition to vga. Way back there used to also be add-on tv tuners for composite monitors which is essentially an older version what this is. The only disadvantage may be is that you may have to retune to the channel whenever it looses power vs a switch to pick from a couple channels. 30 bux (including shipping). Not bad. I'm tempted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+remowilliams Posted November 5, 2011 Share Posted November 5, 2011 I'm using an Ambery RFDM2, not cheap but it works really well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+wongojack Posted November 15, 2011 Share Posted November 15, 2011 Something like this might work: eBay Auction -- Item Number: 250572507442 It looks like it has composite out in addition to vga. Way back there used to also be add-on tv tuners for composite monitors which is essentially an older version what this is. The only disadvantage may be is that you may have to retune to the channel whenever it looses power vs a switch to pick from a couple channels. 30 bux (including shipping). Not bad. I'm tempted. Hey bobotech, did you buy the $30 one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+wongojack Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 I communicated with the seller on that $30 option who said that they have never tested the device with a classic gaming system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobotech Posted November 23, 2011 Author Share Posted November 23, 2011 No I never did try it. I ran out of money for now so I never bought it but still tempted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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