Intellivision and flat-screen TV

[+DZ-Jay]

Hi all,

 

I recently purchased a flat-screen Pansonic Plasma TV and tried hooking up my Intellivision Master Component to it. I used the same equipment I had with my previous CRT set: Cable TV coax and Intellivision (shielded) RCA cables going into a slider-switch box, and a coaxial cable coming out of that box into the TV.

 

The picture and sound looks good enough--except for one really annoying issue: every second, there is a "spike" that causes the image to twitch and the sound to crack loudly. Moreover, the spikes come at apparently regular intervals, and almost sound like they have a funky "beat."

 

I haven't timed it, but this beat occurs at about 30 Hz, with a double spike once in a while. It then sounds something like:

 

"crack... crack... crack... crack... crack-crack.... crack... crack... crack..."

 

This is using channel 4 because channel 3 is always very noisy. However, switching to channel 3 stops the spikes (but looks distorted like crap).

 

I thought the switch box was faulty, so I bought a new one. When that didn't solve it, I thought the RCA cable may be at fault, so I replaced it. I then panicked when I considered it could be my Master Component!

 

However, I hooked everything back to my old CRT, in exactly the same way, and it worked beautifully (with a bit of noise, but that's understandable).

 

Does anybody know if I need something in between my Intellivision and my HDTV to make them compatible?

 

Thanks in advance!

-dZ.

[Charlie_]

I have issue with my Intellivision on my Sony LCD. Some times the picture "jumps".

In space armada, the 1st few screens seem OK, but when I reach a level with a certain background color it starts jumping.

Just like yourself, testing it on a CRT and it is fine.

 

So the Intellivision must put out a signal modern tuners don't get along with.

[Fushek]

I use an rf adapter to hook up to my Samsung DLP tv and have had no problems. Have you tried one of those?

[townparkradio]

My recommendations as the son of a TV repairman who picked up a lot of info over the years:

 

Don't use the slider box. Pointless in this day and age. Get an RCA F-type to coax male adapter. Then, if need be, use a signal strengthener.

 

I use this one for my large HDTV http://www.walmart.com/ip/RCA-10dB-Video-Signal-Amplifier/11600128?ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=11600128&sourceid=1500000000000003142050&veh=cse

 

My small one, I don't need it.

 

If you use more than one coax for input, just get a manual switchbox and plug all sources into that and just press the button for the one you want to use. Wal-Mart and Radio Shack have them for under ten bucks. Those slide adapters are rather crappy, especially for modern HDTVs. The signal coming out of these old systems is already very weak, and the way those are designed weakens it even further. Old TV tuners were expecting to have to deal with aerials, and were designed for weak signals. Modern HDTVs don't expect anyone to be using aerials anymore, so don't have an internal amp.

 

My brother had the 30hz flicker problem with his Inty as well, and the signal booster evened it out.

[townparkradio]

I have issue with my Intellivision on my Sony LCD. Some times the picture "jumps".

In space armada, the 1st few screens seem OK, but when I reach a level with a certain background color it starts jumping.

Just like yourself, testing it on a CRT and it is fine.

 

So the Intellivision must put out a signal modern tuners don't get along with.

 

Same for you. Use an F-type instead of the box, and get a signal amp.

[townparkradio]

And for the love of everything holy, people, make SURE you change the aspect ratio the TV is displaying at when playing Inty games. That's my pet peeve. Intys display at 4:3, not 16:9.

Edited June 26, 2012 by townparkradio

[+DZ-Jay]

And for the love of everything holy, people, make SURE you change the aspect ratio the TV is displaying at when playing Inty games. That's my pet peeve. Intys display at 4:3, not 16:9.

 

Oh, don't worry about that. It annoys me to no end seeing wide-screen TVs showing regular shows stretch to fit a 16:9 aspect ratio--even at Best Buy.

 

But what annoys me more is having to switch every time I flick through channels and find that they all broadcast at different resolutions. Shouldn't the darn thing be smart enough to detect this in the signal automagically?

 

-dZ.

[+DZ-Jay]

My recommendations as the son of a TV repairman who picked up a lot of info over the years:

 

Don't use the slider box. Pointless in this day and age. Get an RCA F-type to coax male adapter. Then, if need be, use a signal strengthener.

 

I use this one for my large HDTV http://www.walmart.c...3142050&veh=cse

 

My small one, I don't need it.

 

If you use more than one coax for input, just get a manual switchbox and plug all sources into that and just press the button for the one you want to use. Wal-Mart and Radio Shack have them for under ten bucks. Those slide adapters are rather crappy, especially for modern HDTVs. The signal coming out of these old systems is already very weak, and the way those are designed weakens it even further. Old TV tuners were expecting to have to deal with aerials, and were designed for weak signals. Modern HDTVs don't expect anyone to be using aerials anymore, so don't have an internal amp.

 

My brother had the 30hz flicker problem with his Inty as well, and the signal booster evened it out.

 

I'll try that out. I thought (please forgive my ignorance) that the switch box had some sort of signal amplifier or filter in it. Live and learn.

 

-dZ.

Edited June 26, 2012 by DZ-Jay

[Carl Mueller Jr]

posted by accident

Edited June 26, 2012 by Carl Mueller Jr

[TrekMD]

I just got an Intellivision and it is not playing well with my LCD TV. The image keeps shaking even though the sound is fine. I may have to try a signal amplifier. I do have it connected through an RF adapter. Thankfully, I have a 13 inch CRT that I can use but I rather play the games on a bigger screen!