Digital TV converter question?

[Ritchie200]

I'm having trouble getting the new digital stations on my TV.  I can't even get anything on Channel 1!  Can someone tell me what kind of converter I need - the one I have doesn't work!
Jim

[Shrapnel]

What are you using for antenna? The Digital signals are fussier than the old analog, and so indoor antennas may not cut it anymore. They also seem to be a tad bit more directional. Your converter should be one of those small boxes sold for the "digital switchover" if your TV doesn't have a digital turner built in.

[PRR]

> I can't even get anything on Channel 1!

Before 14 June 1948, it was pretty awful, but I've been watching it ever since. Good stuff on there.

Be sure to diddle "button" 14, the Fine Tuning.

Is Warranty still in effect?

If not: test all the flux capacitators.

All tubes are readily available, even early-production with the 6SH7.



And get that shag carpet off the top! Golly, looks like Dacron, and that's sure to mess-up reception!

[Ritchie200]

Hah!  I knew one of you guys would get it!  (sorry Shrapnel, just funnin!) Found this beaut Hali at a garage sale for $10.  It still works!!!  The electrostatic flux caps are 1KV rated caps that may be taking a crap - might be hard to find replacements for them.  It will probably just sit on my shelf, so no big deal.  My wife just rolls her eyes, but it is a great piece of broadcast history!  PRR, I take it you have one too?

Jim

ps the "Dust rug" came with it - gotta be some mojo there!

[Shrapnel]

LOL....  That's what I get for NOT taking a good look at the attached photo.... but who knows, the converter just *Might* let it display something again.... anybody still have a 75R to 300R Antenna adapter floating around???? It would be just my luck that that museum piece used some other impedance for the antenna though.  :laughing7:

[PRR]

> 75R to 300R Antenna adapter floating around????
> impedance for the antenna though

Don't make no difference. It's a Hallicrafters... it will pick-up Timbuctu. And his VCR or Digi-TV box's Ch3 output is very strong. Impedance mis-match is not going to matter. Cable don't matter. Alligator clips will work. Until last year, a foot of wet pasta would pick-up local TV.

Altho for other reasons, the input "must" be 50, 75, or 300. Coax is naturally 50 ohms. We can stretch it to 75 or 90 ohms. Twisted pair is naturally 100 ohms. Twin-lead stretches that to 300. Big spaced-pair can go 600. But rational design and cost keep us in the middle of this range.

Oh, 50 feet of line badly mismatched will add a ghost. Rather, a fringe on the right of each edge.

The one "gotcha": depending on year, he might have to hit button 2 to get what we call Channel 3. OTOH, "5" or "6" plus a big twiddle on button 14 might still pull in FM radio. Loud and distorted.

He's obviously joking us.

The other obvious use is an oscilloscope. It's electrostatic deflection. You need about 100V of drive signal, and the deflection voltage must be centered on one of the anode voltages. You can do it with a couple 300V transistors. The headache is building a semi-sync sweep. Or use a couple 6KCT:16 OTs backward from a stereo amp to make patterns.

[billcreller]

Funny you should mention wet pasta PRR.  That's what I'm using on my non-digital TV in my office. with a new converter.  I watch mostly Clint Eastwood spaggetti westerns on it.