TVs with analog PAL tuners

[TheKrell]

My wife bought a cartridge programmer for her computerized Knit King kntting machine with only 1 output, that being an unlabelled RCA jack. Next to that jack is a switch labelled "CH3/CH4". The problem I have is that this thing came from the UK and it almost certainly used PAL modulation rather than NTSC.

Now, apparently TVs that can handle NTSC and PAL are called "multisystem" TVs. The cheapest I can find is $162 for a dinky 22" set. I thought my USB tuner stick might do both. But alas, that's strictly ATSC as are most new TVs these days. Is there a cheaper alternative?

 

[primestar31]

My wife bought a cartridge programmer for her computerized Knit King kntting machine with only 1 output, that being an unlabelled RCA jack. Next to that jack is a switch labelled "CH3/CH4". The problem I have is that this thing came from the UK and it almost certainly used PAL modulation rather than NTSC.

Now, apparently TVs that can handle NTSC and PAL are called "multisystem" TVs. The cheapest I can find is $162 for a dinky 22" set. I thought my USB tuner stick might do both. But alas, that's strictly ATSC as are most new TVs these days. Is there a cheaper alternative?

Try one of these from Amazon: Amazon product ASIN B092LNGNFM
Or maybe this one, as it has more ratings: Amazon product ASIN B07M8RNRGT

 

[TheKrell]

Try one of these from Amazon: Amazon product ASIN B092LNGNFM
Or maybe this one, as it has more ratings: Amazon product ASIN B07M8RNRGT

Thank you Mike. It would appear that both of those use composite video, and not modulated RF video (channel 3 or 4). Am I confused about these signals?

 

[primestar31]

Thank you Mike. It would appear that both of those use composite video, and not modulated RF video (channel 3 or 4). Am I confused about these signals?

I don't know. If you need a different converter, I'm sure there's one out there. I'd be tempted to try the second one for sure, and see what happens. For $15, it can't hurt. You could always return it for FREE it it doesn't. Amazon makes that easy,

 

[waylew]

My wife bought a cartridge programmer for her computerized Knit King kntting machine with only 1 output, that being an unlabelled RCA jack. Next to that jack is a switch labelled "CH3/CH4". The problem I have is that this thing came from the UK and it almost certainly used PAL modulation rather than NTSC.

Now, apparently TVs that can handle NTSC and PAL are called "multisystem" TVs. The cheapest I can find is $162 for a dinky 22" set. I thought my USB tuner stick might do both. But alas, that's strictly ATSC as are most new TVs these days. Is there a cheaper alternative?

Have you just tried hooking it to a TV and see what happens ?

 

[n0qcu]

If I remember correctly if it is PAL you would just get a black & white image instead of color on a NTSC TV.

Sent from my iPhone with Chrome

 

[TheKrell]

Have you just tried hooking it to a TV and see what happens ?

I have to wait until later today when my coax adapter arives. I have a pile of video cable adapters, but I could find no RCA to F connector adapter. Amazon should get me 2 by today. I have plenty of twin-lead baluns!

If I remember correctly if it is PAL you would just get a black & white image instead of color on a NTSC TV.

I sure hope so. B&W would probably suffice for the purpose of programming that Knit King cartridge.

 

[Juan]

Maybe this for your pc

Robot or human?

 

[TheKrell]

If I remember correctly if it is PAL you would just get a black & white image instead of color on a NTSC TV.

I was thinking about this some more, and I wonder how that would handle the 25Hz frame rate.

 

[TheKrell]

I was thinking about this some more, and I wonder how that would handle the 25Hz frame rate.

Well, so far, so bad. My adapter allowed me to physically connect the coax. And I can tell from scanning for channels that either channel 3 or channel 4 is being sent by the cartridge programmer. But the screen is black. This was using my only unused TV, which is a Cielo from Walmart.

I'll try Juan's video capture stick. No, maybe I'll try this one on Amazon which costs a little more, but also has an A/V adapter for even more flexibility, and easy returns if it doesn't work.

Amazon product ASIN B07FLKD5JQ

 

[Larry1]

Would you have an old VCR you could try to use as a converter from RF to composite?

 

[TheKrell]

I'll try Juan's video capture stick. No, maybe I'll try this one on Amazon which costs a little more, but also has an A/V adapter for even more flexibility, and easy returns if it doesn't work.

Amazon product ASIN B07FLKD5JQ

Another swing and a miss! The stupid adapter software will not run without being registered, and the license code cannot be entered. It literally won't let me enter the code on the CD sleeve. I sent the vendor on Amazon a detailed message asking for help. If they don't answer in a week or so, I'll return the damn thing and try again.

Would you have an old VCR you could try to use as a converter from RF to composite?

I have already recycled all my old VCRs except for one combo VHS/DVD unit which hasn't been turned on in years. Thank you for the suggestion, but why would I expect an old VCR built for NTSC broadcast channels to work with PAL?

 

[Juan]

Another swing and a miss! The stupid adapter software will not run without being registered, and the license code cannot be entered. It literally won't let me enter the code on the CD sleeve. I sent the vendor on Amazon a detailed message asking for help. If they don't answer in a week or so, I'll return the damn thing and try again.

I have already recycled all my old VCRs except for one combo VHS/DVD unit which hasn't been turned on in years. Thank you for the suggestion, but why would I expect an old VCR built for NTSC broadcast channels to work with PAL?

Some vcrs could be set for PAL in a secret menu...if you have a pc with a dvr program( has a dvd/cd drive) would be your best bet to set to pal

 

[Juan]

Some vcrs could be set for PAL in a secret menu...if you have a pc with a dvr program( has a dvd/cd drive) would be your best bet to set to pal

I think its called region code

 

[TheKrell]

Some vcrs could be set for PAL in a secret menu...if you have a pc with a dvr program( has a dvd/cd drive) would be your best bet to set to pal

Thank you Juan, but the probability of finding a secret menu on my combo VCR/DVD player is vanishingly small I think. I don't even think it has an RF input, but perhaps my memory is faulty on that part.

All my PCs have DVD burners and I generally use PowerDVD to play them. Again, no RF input.

Now I have purchased several TV tuner cards or sticks that came with ArcSoft software to record off the air... Perhaps I could get one of those software products to work on my new multi-system tuner stick. But they all ran as ArcSoft. This new one claims it's BlazeHDTV 6.0, even though it still states "ArcSoft" on the license sticker. Seems like a long shot but maybe.

All these tuner stick manufacturers seem to use ArcSoft to drive their hardware, scan, play liveTV, and record. On my other tuner sticks, this software worked pretty well including waking up and recording at the appropriate time. The unfortunate situation with those other tuners is they all suffered heat death.

 

[Juan]

Thank you Juan, but the probability of finding a secret menu on my combo VCR/DVD player is vanishingly small I think. I don't even think it has an RF input, but perhaps my memory is faulty on that part.

All my PCs have DVD burners and I generally use PowerDVD to play them. Again, no RF input.

Now I have purchased several TV tuner cards or sticks that came with ArcSoft software to record off the air... Perhaps I could get one of those software products to work on my new multi-system tuner stick. But they all ran as ArcSoft. This new one claims it's BlazeHDTV 6.0, even though it still states "ArcSoft" on the license sticker. Seems like a long shot but maybe.

All these tuner stick manufacturers seem to use ArcSoft to drive their hardware, scan, play liveTV, and record. On my other tuner sticks, this software worked pretty well including waking up and recording at the appropriate time. The unfortunate situation with those other tuners is they all suffered heat death.

What model dvd player?.. who is the manufacturer...usually its a special key sequence...almost like getting into a bios

 

[mikekohl]

Thank you Juan, but the probability of finding a secret menu on my combo VCR/DVD player is vanishingly small I think. I don't even think it has an RF input, but perhaps my memory is faulty on that part.

All my PCs have DVD burners and I generally use PowerDVD to play them. Again, no RF input.

Now I have purchased several TV tuner cards or sticks that came with ArcSoft software to record off the air... Perhaps I could get one of those software products to work on my new multi-system tuner stick. But they all ran as ArcSoft. This new one claims it's BlazeHDTV 6.0, even though it still states "ArcSoft" on the license sticker. Seems like a long shot but maybe.

All these tuner stick manufacturers seem to use ArcSoft to drive their hardware, scan, play liveTV, and record. On my other tuner sticks, this software worked pretty well including waking up and recording at the appropriate time. The unfortunate situation with those other tuners is they all suffered heat death.

If you are grabbing video and converting it from PAL to NTSC, that is the best method. Most European Sat receivers, VCRs and other consumer devices used to have a PAL type RF fitting and a tunable UHF modulator (sometimes screwdriver adj, sometimes software changeable). If you have something putting out PAL but using 3/4, it may be a hybrid that was designed for the Hong Kong or other Asian markets. If the RF connection was F type, the 3/4 could still be the same, but highly unusual.

 

[TRG]

My grandma knitted some pretty bitchin sweaters and scarves long before computers and programmable knitting machines existed. Just sayin'.

 

[TheKrell]

If you are grabbing video and converting it from PAL to NTSC, that is the best method. Most European Sat receivers, VCRs and other consumer devices used to have a PAL type RF fitting and a tunable UHF modulator (sometimes screwdriver adj, sometimes software changeable). If you have something putting out PAL but using 3/4, it may be a hybrid that was designed for the Hong Kong or other Asian markets. If the RF connection was F type, the 3/4 could still be the same, but highly unusual.

It's a Knit King brand which exists in the UK but not America. The (Japanese?) manufacturer called their knitting machines "Brother" in America. The connector is an RCA jack and not an F connector.

My grandma knitted some pretty bitchin sweaters and scarves long before computers and programmable knitting machines existed. Just sayin'.

How about knitting by hand? My grandmother knitted by hand. My wife also knitted by hand but discovered knitting machines, bought a Bond Incredible Sweater Machine from the UK, and from then on she was hooked (no pun intended) and started buying more and more complicated knitting machines.

She bought one with a motorized carriage which made so much noise, she never uses it any more. Then she bought her Brother which is programmable for patterns via a special USB to floppy disk jack that Brother used at that time. Then she bought a newer and even fancier Knit King which she expected to program via that same special cable since it was newer than the Brother. Alas, the Knit King had no such capability and is instead programmed via a plug-in cartridge somewhat like a game console. Then she bought a cartridge programmer, also from the UK, expecting me to get it working overnight! I sure crashed and burned on that oneat least so far.

At first I thought this was a rather expensive hobby. But now I know that she may have actually made money reselling these old knitting machines for much more than she purchased them for originally. She has made $hundreds on several. She only gained $10 on her worst sale even including the $90 shipping charge. Yes; they are heavy.

 

[TheKrell]

You know, I thought of another unused TV that I could try. It's a portable with a 7" screen which IIRC could tune both ATSC and NTSC. I never used it after an extended hurricane-induced power failure which killed all the TV in the house. (It came with a car charger.) I might get lucky and discover it can also render PAL...