Modulator hookup, someone please refresh my memory

[bfollowell]

I have a buyer for a 520STM that I'm selling and he wants to confirm the modulator works. Why, I have no earthly idea, because I'm selling it with an SC1224 monitor, but that's beside the point. I need some sort of RF switch to connect to the antenna jack on the back on my TV right? Then I need to select low or high on the back of the ST, which corresponds to channels 3 or 4, and that's where I tune my TV, right?

 

There's no other way to check this out without the RF switch right?

 

I have a really old one that I believe was from an old Super Nintendo or maybe an original NES. I get nothing at all on channel 4. I get absolutely horrible low and medium resolution images on channel 3. I'm not sure if it's the modulator or the RF switch I'm using but, since I'm only getting output from one channel, I suspect that it's the ST's modulator.

 

Any advice or information?

 

Thanks.

[ParanoidLittleMan]

I think that it's called antenna cable, even in USA. Well, on Atari side it is RCA jack, on TV side old fashion coax antenna conn. Atari ST RF output is for VHF channel 2-3 , and needs fine tune.

That buyer is really funny - but hey, as it says: buyer is always in right. I'm sure that I did not use that RF in last 30 years at all.

[bfollowell]

Thanks for the reminder!

 

I agree. I always heard RF output was horrible, even 30 years ago. I'm sure it hasn't gotten any better with age. I was thinking it was channels 3 & 4 or 2 & 3. It's been far too long for me to remember for sure. I had an ancient looking switch that probably came with my original 800 or maybe my old Vader style 2600, and I got nothing at all from 2, 3 or 4, even with fine tuning. The results in the pictures were from an old Nintendo RF switch, probably from an old SNES, but maybe from an old NES. I believe this was from channel 3.

 

Anyway, as bad as it may have looked back in the day, I think modulator output would've looked better than this when everything was new.

 

He thinks he can clean it up though, and still wants me to keep the monitor and ship just the external drive with Gotek installed and the 520STM. He paid my Buy It Now price of $250, which I really didn't expect anyone to even consider. No one had even bid on it yet and the starting was $100. I really didn't expect to get this much out of it even with the end of auction bidding war that usually goes on. I'd have been thrilled with $150+s&h. Like you said though, the customer is always right. I hope he's very happy with it. Heck, maybe he's a member here.

 

Edited February 19, 2020 by bfollowell

[anzac]

The modulated signal will vary in quality depending on the cable used and modern TVs are not really good for tuning really old hardware.

 

i would imagine the switch you're using might cause some signal degradation also. When I used my 1040STFM hooked to a TV soooooooooooo many years the image was terrible even with fine tuning and original Atari cable. Good enough for games but desktop was terrible.

 

Advice? If you got such a good deal, make an effort to securely pack the monitor and surprise ship it to the buyer

 

not only precious hardware is saved but he'll also get a better deal too than he expected too