Back when game consoles and what were called “home computers” had composite video output using RCA jacks like the one below…
…TVs had either coax cable input…
…or, if your TV was really old, antenna input:
In that era, you needed an RF modulator to convert your console’s or computer’s output into a signal your TV could use:
These days, there isn’t as much need for RF modulator boxes, as consoles and computers have VGA and HDMI outputs, and TVs have corresponding input jacks. However, there are still a number of monitors and other devices that don’t have HDMI inputs, which means that there’s a niche market for HD RF modulators. You can plug an HDMI cable into its input, and its output comes in old-fashioned-TV-friendly coax. If you need to play PS4 or Xbox games on your grandparents’ TV, you might want one of these:
2 replies on “Do you remember these?”
The HD RF modulator at $900 is ridiculously expensive. You can buy new a new monitor or two for that money.
I don’t think these are modulating to good old-fashioned NTSC analog SD broadcast video – by the look of the brochure, they’ll give you a nice, fancy HD ATSC (or other standard) channel with whatever HD signal you feed it, so the HD tuner built into your HD TV can pick up whatever signal you feed it.
I think hotels use things like these to set up HD video distribution without needing a set-top box in the room – most TVs in North America come with a tuner supporting ATSC or QAM.