Making DTV out of Analog (TV)

DTVuser2009 · 04-27-2009, 01:49 PM

I always wondered. if i got a cool TV with a neat on screen display to find out it's analog only (like the TouchTune i want badly) and then not being able to have fun with it because i am not changing channels with the TV. which led me to this idea. anyone with electronics or soldering skills feel free to give input.

can one take a old Analog TV, any old TV, and simply remove the NTSC tuner and solder in a ATSC (DTV) tuner in place of it, and voila! DTV! is that possible? i mean you lose nice features like EPG but you don't need a converter? isn't that the only difference in a cheap DTV CRT TV and a analog one from a year or so back? the ATSC tuner? perhaps the same rule can work on VCRs or DVD Recorders which apparently are still sold today new without the digital tuner.

1inxs · 04-27-2009, 09:03 PM

You pretty much answered your own question. Your analog only TV wouldn't recognize the signal from the DTV tuner without converting it to analog. Therefore needing a digital to analog converter.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DTVuser2009

I always wondered. if i got a cool TV with a neat on screen display to find out it's analog only (like the TouchTune i want badly) and then not being able to have fun with it because i am not changing channels with the TV. which led me to this idea. anyone with electronics or soldering skills feel free to give input.

can one take a old Analog TV, any old TV, and simply remove the NTSC tuner and solder in a ATSC (DTV) tuner in place of it, and voila! DTV! is that possible? i mean you lose nice features like EPG but you don't need a converter? isn't that the only difference in a cheap DTV CRT TV and a analog one from a year or so back? the ATSC tuner? perhaps the same rule can work on VCRs or DVD Recorders which apparently are still sold today new without the digital tuner.

HTNut · 04-28-2009, 07:28 AM

Yeah, you could replace the NTSC tuner with some kind of NTSC to ATSC tuner, but I don't think you can actually get the TV to work with an actual ATSC tuner.

Wonder what HD would look like if you did manage to connect it though?

DTVuser2009 · 04-28-2009, 06:54 PM

wait a minute. there are standard def CRT digital TVs and all they got is a ATSC tuner. there wouldn't need to be any conversion since the TV would already be taking in the digital signal, and since it'd be a SD DTV tuner, where is the need for a converter? a converter is merely a ATSC tuner inside a set top box which makes DTV available for any device with an analog only (NTSC) tuner. if the TV in question already had the proper tuner, there'd be no need for a converter in the first place. i'd basically be removing the component which is incompatible with DTV and then putting a component in that is compatible. the difference is no box required and one could use the TV as they always did.

1inxs · 04-28-2009, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DTVuser2009

wait a minute. there are standard def CRT digital TVs and all they got is a ATSC tuner. there wouldn't need to be any conversion since the TV would already be taking in the digital signal, and since it'd be a SD DTV tuner, where is the need for a converter? a converter is merely a ATSC tuner inside a set top box which makes DTV available for any device with an analog only (NTSC) tuner. if the TV in question already had the proper tuner, there'd be no need for a converter in the first place. i'd basically be removing the component which is incompatible with DTV and then putting a component in that is compatible. the difference is no box required and one could use the TV as they always did.

Your original post was

Quote:

Making DTV out of Analog (TV)

If you find a CRT DTV then you don't need to do a thing. It would already be a digital TV.

staticMHZ · 04-28-2009, 08:52 PM

I still have my trusty 1985 Randex 14" Color TV with knobs with a converter box hooked up to it. The picture looks great. I know this little guy will work for a few more years. The back sticker says it was manafactured in October 1985. Has UHF/VHF knobs.

ShowMeRon · 04-29-2009, 05:17 AM

Without doing much research, just the cost of the ATSC tuner alone wouldn't be cost effective compared to the price of a converter box. The wiring and mounting would be a nightmare, there are several various supply voltages that are different from the NTSC tuner. It would be fun to try but pricy.

DTVuser2009 · 04-29-2009, 06:36 AM

the reason for this was for those who have a good Analog and want to use their old remote and change channels and not have to use a converter.

Digital TVs at even 13" here are over $299. i can't imagine a 25" DTV price. if i had a great older 25" console but want to use its remote and tuner i'd want to find a way to make it work without the converter. that means a replacement tuner itself, making it then compatible the same way as a new DTV.

Or i could just stick the entire converter in there and find a way to get the infrared for the converter through the TV so i could use it without having it obviously showing, but that still takes the fun of the Star System Magnavox's On Screen Display. with a converter seeing the channels 'fly away' on the older display won't work, since the converter will change the channels instead of the TV. there hasn't been a TV made today since which has such an amazing OSD. i would want to have the tuner digital so i could still take advantage of that.

The converter would also take the fun of hearing that 'PSSHHT!' burst of static when changing channels that the Star Systems were famous for.


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