Broadcast television RF spectrum auction

[as_the_gavel_falls]

I'm thinking that pretty soon (3 years) classic games could begin to stop working. The huge amount of RF traffic that is going to be moving on this spectrum may mean having to get lead wallpaper

[supergamer]

I'm thinking that pretty soon (3 years) classic games could begin to stop working. The huge amount of RF traffic that is going to be moving on this spectrum may mean having to get lead wallpaper

 

S-video mods for everyone!

[Ross PK]

Why will there be high amounts of RF traffic? What's going to happen?

[DragonmasterDan]

I'm thinking that pretty soon (3 years) classic games could begin to stop working. The huge amount of RF traffic that is going to be moving on this spectrum may mean having to get lead wallpaper

 

Not likely unless you're right near a place of broadcast. Most cable service connects through RF for example, I don't see it affecting things directly plugged in except in special circumstances where you're really near whatever is using RF.

[JB]

Why will there be high amounts of RF traffic? What's going to happen?

When they shut analog TV off, they're going to recycle that portion of the spectrum for other wireless applications.

The theory is that they'll saturate the area more than the existing TV broadcasts do.

 

 

Which isn't TOTALLY without merit, as you can pack channels closer on a modern digital comm standard than a 60-year-old analog video standard.

 

And there's no guarantee the channels will be the same width as TV channels, or that they'll line up properly.

So while the option of 2 and 3 or 3 and 4 may CURRENTLY guarantee a clear channel, there's no guarantee that this will be true in the future.

 

 

 

 

 

And I don't think lead is a good RF shield. Line your house with aluminum foil wallpaper instead. It's a proven technology.

[supergamer]

And there's no guarantee the channels will be the same width as TV channels, or that they'll line up properly.

So while the option of 2 and 3 or 3 and 4 may CURRENTLY guarantee a clear channel, there's no guarantee that this will be true in the future.

 

Indeed. There's that FCC notice on most RF devices, explaining how they 1) "must not cause interference" and more importantly 2) "must accept any unwanted interference".

 

By the wording you'd think it'd prohibit shielding altogether.

[Bruce Tomlin]

I'm thinking that pretty soon (3 years) classic games could begin to stop working. The huge amount of RF traffic that is going to be moving on this spectrum may mean having to get lead wallpaper

I have no idea what you're talking about.

 

First of all, the auction is only for the high UHF (they already sold off 63-83 years ago, now they're selling off 55-62 or so), which classic games NEVER used. Those that had RF outputs used channel 3 and 4. (or at least they did in the US, where this spectrum auction is happening). (And even though we're losing 25% of the channels just like the first time, ATSC is capable of adjacent channels in the same market, and of closer geographic spacing of same channels, which reduces the need for so many channels.)

 

It is possible that TV sets sold after 2009 might not have an NTSC tuner any more, but you can still use an old broken VCR as a tuner if a video-out mod isn't for you.

[supergamer]

It is possible that TV sets sold after 2009 might not have an NTSC tuner any more, but you can still use an old broken VCR as a tuner if a video-out mod isn't for you.

 

Thats a good point and usually how I've resorted to hooking up RF-only systems. It's a shame there's not a small non-PC based dedicated TV tuner that takes coax in and has video out. At least not that I could find through google.

[JB]

And there's no guarantee the channels will be the same width as TV channels, or that they'll line up properly.

So while the option of 2 and 3 or 3 and 4 may CURRENTLY guarantee a clear channel, there's no guarantee that this will be true in the future.

 

Indeed. There's that FCC notice on most RF devices, explaining how they 1) "must not cause interference" and more importantly 2) "must accept any unwanted interference".

 

By the wording you'd think it'd prohibit shielding altogether.

1 means it can't get out. Since you can't stop it from generating it, that means shielding is required.

 

I think 2 means unwanted interference can't make your toy go kerblooie.

It's possible they just mean it can't activate a small minigun to blast the source of the interference.

[Jess Ragan]

I honestly don't mind. I think it's time that the truly dedicated classic gamers step up to composite or S-video. RF video looks terrible, and nobody but the most hopelessly nostalgic individuals will miss it once it's gone.

 

Hopefully once 2009 hits, we'll start seeing a lot more video mod kits for sale on the Internet. I've got my Atari 5200 and ColecoVision ready for the 21st century, but it'd be nice to bring my Intellivision and Astrocade up to current video standards as well. As for my Fairchild Channel F... well, that's not much of a concern.

[as_the_gavel_falls]

I'm thinking that pretty soon (3 years) classic games could begin to stop working. The huge amount of RF traffic that is going to be moving on this spectrum may mean having to get lead wallpaper

 

Not likely unless you're right near a place of broadcast. Most cable service connects through RF for example, I don't see it affecting things directly plugged in except in special circumstances where you're really near whatever is using RF.

 

That's what the spectrum is being sold for Wireless broadband internet. That's be your computer transmitting back to (most likely) googles wifi stations.