Easiest way is if you have an old vcr with rf output but you need a coaxial cable.
Otherwise you can get a cheap rf modulator like this https://www.amazon.com/RCA-Compact-RF-Modulator-CRF907A/dp/B0014KKV7W
If you want the best possible rf picture you can get a Blonder Tongue Agile modulator but they are pretty bulky and might need more adapters to work.
We used RF modulators back in the day if the tv has a coaxial port this is cheap and highly effective
Ah, gotcha. Took a brief look and thought I found what you were looking for but forgot when I used this back when I was young, it was the other way around (rca to coax). Now I remember the converter is called a "VCR" lol
To make sure I understand here, you have a TV with a broken display, but working speakers, and want to use it for audio. Correct?
What kind of connectors does the TV have? Does it have composite audio? If so, the Pi can output that directly. Its audio isn't great by itself, though, so you'd be better off getting a USB sound box with composite output.
If it has HDMI input, then you can connect that directly.
If it's an old tube TV that only has coax input, then you'll need an RF modulator that takes composite in and coax out. I think this will do.
Not sure about DirecTv, but I have Dish Network and did this. Getting an additional box means another fee tacked on and my bill is high enough as it is. Dish boxes (aka Joeys) output HDMI & composite signals simultaneously so in my case, HMDI goes to the "main" tv and the composite output then goes into an inexpensive RF modulator. From that I ran coax to the secondary TV which is tuned to channel 3. We also bought a second RF remote off of Ebay so we can have one in each room. It's worked great this way for several years.
Edit: Missing words.
>I don't think I'm going to be able to inject video from the RPi into the existing screen
Looks possible with this: http://www.amazon.com/RCA-Compact-RF-Modulator-CRF907R/dp/B0014KKV7W
You'll just have to hook the coax up to the antenna.
I've used something similar (but with S-Video) on my SEGA back in the days.
you can also get an analog RF modulator for about 12 bucks on amazon that has r/y/w on one side and a cable connector on the other - so that unused cable jack on the back of your tv can become the input for your old analog game systems - just make sure it is set the the same channel as the adapter (usually channel 3 or 4). They even bridge the cable input/output so you can use it in between the tv and an analog cable box.
Some Gamestops will carry them, since they will work with PS3 too. But you're better off getting an RF adapter box at Walmart and just using the composite cables that came with the system with it.
Edit: Something like this one would work.
You could use a Roku 1. It has an AV composite out option.
https://www.roku.com/products/roku-1
However, since it sounds like your TV only has a coax rf input, you will need to run the Roku output through a modulator to give you a channel 3 or 4 signal. You can still find rf modulators on sale at many places. Here is one from Amazon.
On Amazon, you can get an RF adapter (usually a 2-pack) for $6-7. It looks like a female RCA to a screw-on coax male. That'll get the Atari cable to a standard RF.
Then the question is, will your dad's TV accept RF input (through the coax cable jack)? If yes, you're all done. If not, then find a cheap RF to Composite converter (or a VCR with RF input and RCA output). Then route the Atari through that into a standard composite input.
EDIT: If HDMI is your end goal, then you'll want a line doubler with HDMI output such as the Retrotink 2X or Framemeister.
So your chain looks like:
ATARI RF > RF TO COAX > COAX RF TO COMPOSITE > FRAME DOUBLER (HDMI OUT) > TV
https://www.retrotink.com/product-page/retrotink-2x
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0014KKV7W/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_i_Km-.DbR3RXNR5
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XSL31B3/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_i_4n-.DbERDACKD
I got a 15" screen from Amazon after reading a recommendation from another FPV'er. It blue screens, which was a bummer.
In hindsight, I wish I would have gotten this one: http://www.readymaderc.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=11_22_228&products_id=2319
It's a bit more than what I spent for mine, won't blue screen, and the 4:3 ratio makes it effectively almost as big as the 15" screen I use (FPV doesn't use widescreen).
That being said, instead of going the DVR route, you can buy an RF modulator like this one: http://www.amazon.com/RCA-Compact-RF-Modulator-CRF907R/dp/B0014KKV7W and that will also get rid of blue screen for any monitor (as long as it an antenna jack). The only caveat is that it runs off of 9 volts, so you'd need a regulator to bring the voltage down or its own 9v battery.
Looks like you may need an RF modulator to convert video signal to RF.
This is what I'm using : https://www.amazon.com/RCA-Compact-RF-Modulator-CRF907A/dp/B0014KKV7W
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It should work, right ? My question is should I solder the coaxial to the UHF or VHF antenna
Je pense pas l'autre prise sert a brancher une antenne. Pour être plus précis j'utilise ce modulateur rf acheté en import américain : https://www.amazon.com/RCA-Compact-RF-Modulator-CRF907A/dp/B0014KKV7W
Quick and dirty: :)
You can insert a channel with an RF modulator like this onto channel 3 or 4. Attach the antenna feed and RF modulator into a splitter in reverse.
https://www.amazon.com/RCA-Compact-RF-Modulator-CRF907A/dp/B0014KKV7W/
Now, here's the rub. You need to block the transmission from the RF modulator going to the antenna or else you'll broadcast your channel to the neighborhood. A high-low VHF splitter will take care of this beautifully. Connect the antenna to "HI", the splitter to "LINE", and cap off the "LO"
https://www.amazon.com/FYL-SEPARATOR-JOINER-FREQUENCY-CABLETRONIX/dp/B01F3YAXM2
Now, you will loose about 4db signal strength from your antenna and will no longer receive Lo-VHF channels, but most stations don't use it anyway.
EDIT: Even better. Connect the RF modulator to the "LO", the antenna to "HI", and the TV to "LINE." This will simplify the connection and also minimize signal loss to about 1db.
You'd need something like this (https://www.amazon.ca/RCA-Compact-RF-Modulator-CCRF907/dp/B0014KKV7W) to accomplish your goal since professional monitors don't tend to have channels that you can tune to to use RF. Don't expect much in terms of quality out of any choice that you go with since RF is crap.
There's no such thing as a "360 RF adaptor", but you just use a regular RF adaptor with the 360 Composite AV cable.
You'll need an rf modulator, like this one https://www.amazon.com/RCA-Compact-RF-Modulator-CRF907A/dp/B0014KKV7W
If there's no coax connector on the back, you'll also need an antenna adapter like this one https://www.amazon.com/RCA-VH54R-Matching-Transformer-VH54R/dp/B00005T3EY/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_23_lp_t_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=SCJBM46AQKFHHE22KS5W
That tv is really cool, good luck!
Set the TV to VHF Channel 3 or 4 and run whatever you want through a demodulator (just like you used to do with your game consoles). You might need a coax to antenna adapter.
https://www.amazon.com/RCA-Compact-RF-Modulator-CRF907R/dp/B0014KKV7W
https://www.amazon.com/RCA-VH54R-Matching-Transformer-VH54R/dp/B00005T3EY/r
If you don't know, its called an RF Modulator to convert Composite (yellow/white/red) to coax. Most VCRs can also do the job.
My TV/setup is similar: TV -> coax -> RF modulator -> composite -> Wii.
Maybe give this a try. RF modulator + coax cable
I'm going to bet someone is just messing around with an RF modulator on a Raspberry Pi or something.
It would explain the crappy analog signal.
Well, assuming it has no inputs other than antenna ports, I would Start by getting or building a TV modulator and an adapter to connect F type coax of the modulator to the TV screw type terminal antenna.. Now at this point you have inputs so its up to you. You could play PS3 games on that TV(in standard def) if you were so inclined....
Or you could do what I did. I had an old 5 inch analog tv, so I opened it up, mounted a Raspberry Pi 2, RTLSDR, Bluetooth/WiFi and still had room for half of the D batteries at the propper 12v. It can be powered from car batteries, mains power,etc. Battery life is lowered due to the draw from the 12v to 5v or the raspberry pi, but it is a neat concept. runs for about 2 hours on battery. A word of warning, before opening the thing up make sure it has been unplugged, without batteries for a long while as the capacitors can hold a charge for sometime. Best of luck!
1985 is just new enough that it would have had a coaxial port. All you would need is an RF modulator, and a Roku Express +, and you'd be able to use it perfectly fine.
https://www.amazon.com/RCA-Compact-RF-Modulator-CRF907A/dp/B0014KKV7W/
Get a cheap converter box for an additional $30, and you could still have it in service with ATSC signals. If you set the converter box to channel 3, and the RF modulator to channel 4, you would only need to change the channel on the TV to switch between your aerial and roku. (the channel buttons on your TV efectivly become the equivilant to "source input" on modern TV's)