Can Wi-Fi and wireless phones generate video interference on RF cables?

[azure]

I remember playing on my 2600 in the 1980's with a crappy TV, crappy switchbox, crappy wires, and I still got a fairly good video quality. I don't recall people complaining about Atari video quality back then like they do today. The system just worked. It wasn't perfect, but it was clear for a CRT and there little to no snow, static, or wavey radio noise.

 

However, this past week, after setting up my 2600 and 2600Jr, I was getting terrible video quality. That was until I tried using a higher quality RadioShack audio cable. The noisy video was irritating me so bad, but I first thought it was in the switchbox, so I made an RCA to F connector cable. That helped, but I still had a lot of video interference. I tried using a different RCA cable, but still had a lot of noise. Then finally, I put in the higher quality audio cable in the RF port and now I have good video like I remember in the 80's. It's not crystal clear, but it's exactly like I remember how it should be on a CRT. I presume the audio cable is shielded, so it's blocking much of the radio noise.

 

We didn't have Wi-Fi in the 80's. There also wasn't wireless handset phones and cellular phones (not including car phones, which were exceedingly rare.) There is a lot more radio noise today than back then, so has anyone given this much thought as to a big source of video quality problems with old consoles and RF connections?

[Crimson Tibiasm]

I've made a video about interference a long time ago and posted it to a new topic here: https://atariage.com/forums/topic/274279-atari-2600-and-sears-video-arcade-rf-shielding-and-switch-box-replacement/

[mr_me]

Old videogames use a vhf frequency that's under 100 MHz. Cordless phones, cell phones, wifi, all use much higher frequencies and shouldn't interfere. Any electronics, motors, power supplies, conductors, and lighting can all potentially produce interference.

 

Try using an rf shielded cable like rg6. AV cables are not usually shielded. The cable that originally came with your videogame console back in 1980 was probably shielded.