Full version: 1978 portable television converted to internet music & video steaming smart TV!

Preview of making this even more useful: • Retro TV. EVEN. MORE. ...
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/ dr.moddnstine
/ drmoddnstine
/ dr.moddnstine
Big thanks to LGR (lazy game reviews) and Jester for letting me use their content for the demo.
Lazy Game Review's channel: / phreakindee
Jester's website: www.newjesterberg.net/works.html

[@ApplesauceNinja]

Back in the day, electronics manufacturers tried to differentiate themselves with unique design aesthetics, which gave us some really cool designs. Today's televisions are all black slabs. I love that content providers like you are out there showing these old beasts some proper love!

[@mikesilva3868]

❤

[@larryinc64]

3:40 LGR sent me here, and your sending me back to him :P

[@stealth2467]

you're*

[@Penguin_Tree]

"4 years from now when you're still looking at this video" still here, havnt found a good crt for this project in that time

[@chabka34]

Just look up vintage portable tv on ebay

[@cajakit]

"These things are very hard to find in 2016 and imagine four years from now when people are still looking at this video, it's going to be even harder to find a replacement CRT." >Me seeing this for the first time exactly four years after this video was uploaded: "oh"

[@coreydunn]

hahaha same i was looking for this comment

[@blackbuttecruizr]

So cool to see someone repurposing old tech instead of throwing it in the landfill. Big kudos to showing people that things can still be done using a little know how and some old fashioned hard work.

[@Balc0ra]

I need this in my life now. That TV is just perfect.

[@pastelclouds7498]

Yeah!! I have one and its really cool :D

[@CptJistuce]

A little late here, but for anyone seeking to emulate this, I'd recommend a two-part solution. Tuck the hardware into an old VCR, then connect the VCR to the TV through the antenna terminal like normal. it avoids playing around near high-voltage components, and depending on the VCR, there can be a lot of room in there. (While not aesthetically appropriate for this build, a 90s VCR is almost completely empty aside from the tape mechanism.) Ideally, you don't even need the RF modulator. The VCR already has one, you just need to inject your video signal into the VCR's modulator.

[@NathanBowmanMusic]

VERY smart idea - I'm 100% doing that, thanks!

[@morphshag]

I have to say man. i LOVE this build. the older technology has a certain charm to it. It's not all about digital audio and 160 FPS 4K displays. Its the feeling, the warmth, the nostalgia. I love it man. awesome.

[@nashforrest9175]

i dont mean to be off topic but does anybody know a way to log back into an instagram account?? I somehow lost the login password. I would love any assistance you can give me!

[@reeceariel5631]

@Nash Forrest Instablaster :)

[@nashforrest9175]

@Reece Ariel i really appreciate your reply. I got to the site thru google and Im trying it out now. Seems to take quite some time so I will get back to you later with my results.

[@nashforrest9175]

@Reece Ariel It worked and I actually got access to my account again. I'm so happy! Thanks so much, you really help me out :D

[@reeceariel5631]

@Nash Forrest you are welcome :D

[@SkyHighGam3r]

This whole thing with updating old technology with modern functionality is the single-coolest thing on the internet. Keep up the awesome work!

[@electriccomics]

This is art to me. Recycling done in the best possible way. I have a little RCA tv by my computer desk, unfortunately however, It is black and white so I don't have much use for it; but it's a great thing to talk about when people first enter my room, the first thing everyone notices is my massive speakers and my little old TV.

[@GR8TM4N]

This is a awesome project. I can only imagine how cool it must be to stream 70s, 80s and 90s music videos into this TV and from there to the sound system. Pure bliss. I subscribed to your channel, I love this kind of stuff.

[@jayMane62]

Tame Impala videos playing on that retro TV setup is exactly how it should be done ✅

[@MozzerJr42]

When you moved the TV to the stereo and I saw you not only had a record player, tape deck but a reel to reel player aswell! You definitely appreciate the finer things in life, actual jealous of the reel to reel XD

[@WaybackTECH]

I certainly approve of saving this old equipment and preserving it as it was. It would have lost that vintage charm had you put an LCD or a tablet inside to replace the CRT. Adding modern converters to get a signal to it is just what has to be done to make this old stuff still function in the modern day. I don't think you would really have to worry about the picture tube going bad, they pretty much never do, it's everything else that connects to the tube that develops problem. Great job!

[@dawsonwillibey9855]

Four years from now, still looking at this video

[@VGA_Guy]

That "Screen Door Effect" is the shadow mask on the CRT. It is used to make sure the beams from the electron guns line up with the red, green and blue phosphor dots/stripes. Also you can ditch the RF modulator if you wire the composite directly into to area after the audio is separated. Of course, looking at the inside of the TV, that might be a tad difficult.

[@wildbilltexas]

Awesome demonstration. If you were a kid or teenager in the 70's or 80's and had a TV in your bedroom, most likely it would be a small portable TV like this GE.

[@johns.7609]

wildbilltexas or a magnavox with a WIRELESS remote and woodgrain case. Oh I was thrilled that Christmas. I remember thinking how amazing the PQ was. Felt like the luckiest kid ever. 😄

[@wildbilltexas]

That would be a very expensive TV where I grew up in small town Oklahoma. When I was in high school I had a 12 inch Philco Color TV that my father bought cheap at a motel sale that was being renovated. It had a lot of tubes in it.

[@johns.7609]

***** I'm sure it wasn't too expensive given that my parents didn't have much money to throw around. I estimate the year was about 1987-1988. But I played plenty of Nintendo on my neighbor's old Philco/Ford floor cabinet TV. :)

[@rexthesheep]

This is super cool! I don't mind that you're just rambling, because it's fun to listen you to talk about this project! I kind of wish I had something like this now. It'd be a great conversation starter for sure!

[@SimpleCarGuy]

you can change to 4:3 on chromcast

[@TheMichaelDarling]

Cute lil TV? Cute lil guy too. Great video. Have a friend who restores antiques. Gonna beg him to do this for me

[@2vacuumboy]

Yup really cute guy

[@BlkRamGuy]

When I first discovered your channel I thought your Nintendo Retropie build was a thing of art! But that was until I saw this video, this is awesome! great content, can't for more!

[@Sharptooth100]

Even a 1978 Portable television is great having audio video input mods for NES, SNES, SMS and Sega Genesis as those options.

[@MegaManNeo]

Love watching your videos in 60Hz, it's quite new to me on KZbin. And then all that retro stuff.... sweet! Not to mention LGR... great stuff! This TV is awesome btw, love it (had two similar ones but my mom got rid of it) :D

[@NoTySir]

That's the coolest thing I've seen in a while. Well done!

[@DMonZ1988]

this is fantastic, great job! i'll be keeping my eye open for an old TV from now.

[@DMonZ1988]

+DMonZ1988 p.s. nice eames chair!

[@K0media]

Amazing work dude. I loved the idea authenticity. Well done.

[@jheady]

Awesome project. Great job, seriously. On the 4:3 zoom issue, I have had luck in the past when I did VJ work 15+ years ago using an AverMedia AverKey scan converter. I used it mostly for composite video/VGA, however it had a pan/zoom function that really helped when I needed to adapt different sources (removing black bars specifically) on the output (mixer to projectors).

[@GoldenDanceShoes]

I really love this Tv project. Thanks for sharing it!

[@5argetech56]

Looks like a VCR, Cassette Deck, 10" Reel to Reel, Vintage receiver, Turntable. You got it going on in any decade :). Nice setup!!!!!

[@willy7369]

Another excellent mod. Retro Tv made for today. Love it.

[@OliverEngelhardt]

Awesome Video! Love your Channel so far!

[@troylaureyns1944]

This channel is the coolest shit like its amazing that you have the creative mind to see a TV from 1978 and make a project from it

[@NiteJerk]

Very cool set up, I love your house. Reminds me of my Grandma's house. :D

[@coolelectronics1759]

wow thats so cool! Can it cook me up a TV dinner too? and I thought it was surreal enough to have my 5inch GE color spacemaker set doing youtube, vaporwave videos, 80s music videos and futurefunk wirelessly picking up the cable box from it's builtin rabbetears as my treadmill TV. I was born in 93 and it feels like owning a time machine its so surreal watching old 80s music videos and vaporwave on these tube sets.

[@adventureskulldraws]

i never knew i thought this stuff was cool until stumbling upon this! hoping you make more weird things!

[@ChrisOlewnik]

Great Video! I had the same TV growing up in the early 80! :D

[@HDXFH]

Very Unusual Flyback and Tripler Arrangement!

[@jdrs4214]

Dude, you and I have a lot in common. I rebuilt a 90s era Webber sport’s PC that a school coach gave me by upgrading it with a Hero Maximus board w/intel i7 processor. I previously saw a video about how you upgraded an Aptiva box with a similar Azus Hero board, and kept its originality. I also have that tiny GE TV set just like that in storage, but I think the tube is garbage. The last time I used it was in 1997 on an NES, and the tube was blurry white, and had these strange lines running diagonally across the tube. I also saw in this video, that you also have a vintage receiver... is it a Marantz??? Awesome video bro!!!! I like how your stuff is old school, but yet, so 21st century.

[@kyle8952]

This is a chaotic mix of adapters and converters.

[@imperfectluck3552]

cool videos man ! subbed, lets get you to 10k.

[@denoise47]

I really like how this old tv sounds

[@fooshyandbuster]

Love it and subscribed! I love to tinker and this looks like a wonderful and doable project to undertake. Can you please keep us updated on your progress with aspect adapters? Keep up the great work!

[@Spielername]

I really like the sound this old boxes make! 📺🎶

[@mikeymike3240]

that was awesome, I love my 33' crt that I use for gaming, but now it's got a new lease of life with the chrome cast. 😀 👍 👍 👍 👍 👍

[@Atila237]

Very cool keep up the great work!!

[@SproutyPottedPlant]

Nice CRT! It looks not worn out at all! Also nice beanie, you look great wearing a beanie.

[@anthonyvanacore9647]

I found an RF To HDMI modulator from China on Amazon, it comes with a remote, you’re able to adjust the vertical and horizontal scaling and choose Pal or NTSC

[@dirkrieger8783]

have got a link to that device?

[@paulstubbs2778]

Wow, I was amazed you were able to cram all that extra kit inside the TV, also your hack of the I/R motion detector is novel, I'd probably cook up something with a few transistors and a relay, pinching some 5V from the chromecast supply to run it. As a CRT replacement, I've wondered about forming some acrylic sheet to look like the screen (form it over an old CRT?), then give the back of it a light coating of something to simulate the grey of the original tube, then mount one of those mini LED projectors at the back of the case, back projecting onto the screen. Normally you could back project onto something like tracing paper, however that stuff cannot be formed into a curved surface like the old tube, so hence the acrylic sheet concept.

[@steveseeling844]

Keep it up man! Great video!

[@the_peefster]

Just finally got the right adapter from Amazon today I had been wanting to do this with one of my tvs for ages. Three times from different sellers I was sent the backwards adapter from what I had ordered (av2hdmi vs hdmi2av)

[@captaincolumbo4056]

hey bro any updates if you got it working because I've been trying to do it too and I dont know what I'm doing wrong

[@squirralien1863]

I have a few furniture piece quadrophonic stereos in the nice cabinets with the four cabinet speakers, now I want a cabinet old school TV to mod for many modern day uses with the old screen, so I have much research to do and a nice cabinet tv to find.

[@jcwadkins2100]

love channels like this. this is my fiirst time watching and u got my sub for good. now gunna go watch the video u assumed were all here from :p

[@johnwattie1786]

So cool. I think you just made me a fan of "retro"

[@MrWolfSnack]

Tsk, tsk, kids these days...makes me sick.

[@Crlarl]

You just made a subscriber out of me. This was amazing.

[@Kakarot1436]

LGR is like, my favorite.

[@rdablock]

And 8-Bit guy

[@Kakarot1436]

8-Bit Guy is amazing, as well.

[@InResponseOutreach]

Thank you I appreciate you and your effort

[@t0nito]

how did you deal with the 4:3 aspect ratio?

[@ReviewUnboxingPT]

this is really really cool!

[@Ginger_Spice]

:blink blink: It's glorious! I did something sorta similar with an 1956 Magnavox HiFi, and a small bluetooth adaptor. I just need to figure out how to remotely turn the radio on when I want to listen to something because leaving a tube radio on all the time is probably not such a good idea... I didn't even consider doing an arduino project to handle that. Awesome video!

[@FreerunMediaService]

Nicely done! My next project ;-)

[@DarthProlif]

you are certainly inspiring me to do a similar project. only difference that id do is put in composite or RGB ports for retro consoles and maybe a HDMI

[@OnlyKronix]

This is awesome!

[@welshdave5263]

Came her from LGR, stayed to see how the PIR sound timer was done... But, fair point, I understand why you have not shown it, I have enough smarts on how it may be done, so, thanks for the inspiration.

[@atariforever2002]

I must have missed it but where are you grabbing power for the Chrome Cast dongle, the RF modulator, the HDMI converter, and the light/sound sensor inside the TV?

[@MrWolfSnack]

Hence why he said he doesnt want to be responsible for fires. He likely is pulling it from the main transformer, which on a 40 year old TV puts an immense strain on the aging parts. I will bet you this "hack" wont last a year,

[@virgobro2025]

I love the red TV color. usually TVs were boring grey or black when I was growing up.

[@weirdscix]

I might see if I can find myself an old portable TV and do this, don't know why I've never thought of doing it

[@Tropicalwebsurfer]

cant you just tell us how you took apart the motion sensor just so we all dont die from not knowing how?

[@ryanbareither89]

My guess would be to run wires in parallel between the speaker and the output and ground of where the PIR sensor on the light is.

[@cynaraos]

headsup, the traditional, oooold kind of youtube annotation system was removed across all videos recently so you might want to put a link in the description for the video you said would be put in an annotation

[@JRJohnson1701]

I honestly want to see an old style HD TV, with the channel dial able to change channels, a pull-on volume dial, and dial controls for picture quality, that can also be controlled via the remote control if I want. But it's at least 720p or even 1080p

[@dragonthc]

Thank you for including warnings about the flyback. Kids these days don't know about high voltage.

[@SeaJay_Oceans]

5 years from then, yes - it's hard to find good CRTs ! So much amazing technology, left on the sidewalks for the trash... very sad, beautiful woods and plastics.

[@Agamemnon2]

I think you definitely did the right thing leaving the old CRT in there, you'd have lost that characteristic shape of the screen too, which would have affected the looks quite a bit. And you have selected such a nice looking retro TV so looks are paramount.

[@Shol2thaVa]

4 years from (then(2016)) chiming in lol x'D Nice project! =)

[@rbmwiv]

Very nice. There’s something different about a CRT tv glow very nice.

[@sethhorst6158]

I have one of thos GE tv but it has woodgrain. BTW great job with the set up.

[@jacknicholson1288]

You are growing like mad!

[@MagnumForce51]

EDIT: lol you mentioned doing this at the end of the video.... lol If it helps, you might be able to find the pin out to the main IC by putting it's chip number into google. Worked for me with my tiny 5 inch CRT. Though given the age of this TV one might not be as lucky. But I saw a large chip near the back of the PCB on your tv. I would start there. There's probably a composite output pin on that chip. You just have to probe for it. As long as you find a ground connection that's not tied to AC ground it should be safe to probe for it if you know what you're doing. ;) [End of edit] Some old tvs might have a composite video signal originating from somewhere on the PCB of the tv. I have a 5 inch portable B&W tv that had one and I soldered in a connector. I bet one could do the same to many old 80's era TVs if you looked hard enough. THough the tv I did my mod was a design from the late 90s (and the particular one I had was manufactured in 2002). So perhaps the complexity of the setup of your tv would be greatly reduced if you can find a schematic of the PCB/IC of that tv and then tap directly into the composite signal being generated internally. :D

[@zivadavid4680]

This would be epic to watch retro music videos on!!!

[@coolelectronics1759]

and vaporwave! so surreal! This is truely a piece of function art!

[@2Old4Toys]

what model number for the HDMI to Composite adaptor with scaling?

[@Xanthro2]

Talking and talking, yet still interesting and enjoyable. :) Thank you.

[@orbitalsatellite]

someone should message james rolfe and tell him to watch stranger things on something like this. dr. m, you really make me feel nostalgic about these old tvs and appliances that you modify. would be nice to incorporate the dialer on this tv somehow, too.

[@Jshaw71]

That's kinda cool, I wish my gxtv was still working, I would try to do something like this, It would be much more capable as a media center, esp, as it had great sound, with a subwoofer too!

[@famousbastard5344]

you know that epiosde of futurama where fry wants to live in the 90s

[@famousbastard5344]

thats you

[@doctorwhofan6340]

9:48 you just trolled us. Great job bro.😂👍

[@matthewsimon6606]

Hey bro that's awesome. I see that you are a lot like me, when you showed it playing get smart, bewitched, the Munsters etc. I love the classic TV shows, etc. I was born in 80 so I grew up with all of that "retro" stuff, I have a house full of flat screens now and really, I hate them. They do not have a better picture them a very good tube TV in my opinion there's just something with the colors and the way the tubes natural curve is gives it a more realistic perception I think. Or even a good widescreen flat tube 1080p Samsung TV I think blows away almost all flat-screen tv's of today. Flat screens were really made to be lightweight and space saving, not a better picture but you try to tell that to some people and forget it lol I have actually set my 1080p JVC flat-screen next to my high resolution tube pc monitor and side by side the tube blows the JVC away and the JVC has a beautiful picture right up there with Samsung TV pictures quality and LG. But I would love to do one of these tube chromecast projects and you got me started now lol but I have to find a good tube TV to do this with, I think I'm going to go a bit more modern and try to find a 30in 16:9 1080i Samsung widescreen tube from around 2001-03, and put my chromecast into it and maybe do a couple other things. I have a laptop I might be able to put inside of it and run a wireless keyboard and mouse to it and then put a couple USB ports on the back, side or front of the TV, wherever would suite the need for them.best , and run Linux Ubuntu 18.04lts on it and chromecast, that would be a very nice clean computer / chromecast streaming device all in one 200lb package lol but at least nobody is gonna easily steal it right... But you did a great job on re-purpousing your vintage red ge great job & idea. I will be sure to send you a video link if I ever get to do what I was just talking about doing. Keep up the great work and keep these old electronics alive, if it weren't for them we wouldn't be where we are today and people need to learn where all our modern stuff originally came from at be see it worked great for our needs. Funny how back then that suited people's needs just fine because nobody even knew back then they had a need for a cell phone etc etc because it was not invented so people do not have a need for something that don't exist and if they do they invent it. That what is so awesome about people, if we have a need, we figure it out.

[@julianleiss]

You’re a genius! Thanks.

[@damienhartley3222]

My question about casting. Do you need to connect Android/windows to cast via home network or with the cast broadcast it's own wifi direct network.

[@hanspeters2928]

Great video! One question, when using the HDMI to composite converter, did it automatically give you the correct aspect ratio? I've tried using a similar converter but it gives out a 'widescreen' signal which ends up vertically stretched on a 4:3 CRT. Thanks!!

[@RobbieMcKane]

This is a really nice piece of work. I'm curious to ask more about the HDMI>composite adaptors. In my setup I have a chromecast going via an HDMI>composite adaptor to an old 4:3 CRT TV, but almost all of the streaming apps cut of about 3/4 of the video with the overscan, kind of the reverse of what you describe at the end of your video here. Have you had any luck finding an adaptor solution with that aspect ratio switching functionality?

[@Santyy10]

I don't need the timer, but I don't understand how you managed to connect the Chromecast, modulator, and HDMI2AV converter to the power cable. Where can I find information that helps me?"

[@Andreas-fe3hx]

Love this thing.

[@johneygd]

Despites that 4.3 ratio flaw, it's still a nice well done project.

[@paule6101]

did you get a hdmi to av adapter that crops the widescreen picture for 4:3? I'm planning a similar project and have seen a number of adapters with a zoom option, wondered if you could recommend one. Thanks

[@paullee107]

I use an hdmi to coax converter. Is that why my aspect ratio is still off? Is there a benefit to going to rca out?? I have the ohm adapter too.

[@mrapter7]

Got a nasty shock from a small crt once.... Learned my lesson.

[@MrWolfSnack]

If you knew what you were doing you wouldn't have gotten electrocuted to begin with. Learn TV repair first, before opening it up, idiot.

[@BLY99]

+Luke Brosious CRT TV's can kill you, always unplug them for 24 hours before working on them.

[@intel386DX]

wow a color TV from 1974 I love it :)))) I have an little old TV but only black and white one :(

[@accidentaljester]

Great video, Do you have a breakdown list of all the parts used? I'm sure someone would like to duplicate this.

[@lebasson]

Totally doing this, I have just the right tv for it

[@the_peefster]

How do you power the chromecast, downscaler and rf modulator though?

[@LightningWingProductions]

What streaming device did you put in the tv and how did you hook it up? Also how do things normally played in a wider ratio work on a 4:3 ratio? Does it squish the image to fit the screen in full? chop off the sides? Or give black bars on the top and bottom?