Signal source for CRT TV sets with a hidden feature, RF 21-68, PAL , RGB, RF output.

[@BarbaraPape-y4g]

A cheap way to generate a colour bar generator if you don't have one. I closed my repair business last autumn, the rates etc were more than i was making. I kept all my test gear, but i don't expect to use it much. I hope you can keep on going Michael, we are a rare breed that still have the skills to repair to component level, today it is just new boards and backlghts if the customer accepts our quote, which more and more are rejecting.

[@robinsutcliffe_video_art]

People want vintage synthesizers and effects repairing, but it is not like the TV market used to be

[@BarbaraPape-y4g]

@@robinsutcliffe_video_art I now spend my spare time on gear from the 70/80's some of it just requires a good service and new bulbs, anything more and you are taking a risk fitting old recovered parts. The TV trade as we knew ended a few decades ago, it paid our bills and gave us lots of fun.

[@michaelheraghty17]

Happy new year to you Michael. I'm in the tv repair trade in Ireland and its not easy these days. Going down to component level is one of my specialities but unfortunately is not cost effective. Im in the trade since the early 90s so ive seen the big swing in customer habits. Its nice to sit down and watch someone that has such vast experience like yourself repurpose old equipment. Keep up the good work Michael.

[@Infiniti25]

If you can do component level repair, maybe try computer repair for more expensive equipment or games console repair. Where people have data to recover people are usually willing to pay.

[@michaelheraghty17]

​@@Infiniti25it's looking likely that I will have to have a good think about the future of TV repair. Your idea is definitely well worth thinking about. Cheers.

[@Infiniti25]

@@michaelheraghty17 you might be able to charge more for things like ECU or other module repairs on cars, trucks and tractors 🤷‍♂️

[@michaelwaite6725]

I remember waiting each month for the television magazine to read what LLJ had wrote plus all the useful contributions yours included Michael . The adverts for Sendz were a good read in themselves plus all the ex rental tv and spares suppliers . The early days of satellite were very profitable just like early days of video recorders and colour tv . Sadly there is little money to be made in tv trade now

[@michaeldranfield7140]

Correct, it's all gone now, people just prefer to throw away and buy a new one.

[@graemedavidson499]

Gosh, Sendz brings back memories. My first purchase from them was some Mullard U321 UHF tuners for 4 quid apiece!

[@andrewbeynon739]

Like you I used to eagerly wait for the TV mag and went straight to the Les Lawry Johns article. I’ve been retired 5 years now but in the early 2000s I decided to stop repairing TVs in favour of audio equipment. I was fortunate in getting contracts repairing upmarket hifi, PA, nightclub and band equipment which enabled me to make a living until retirement.

[@williamfinch2777]

I'm always amazed at the picture quality of RGB on a CRT TV

[@michaeldranfield7140]

I still use a couple of 14 inch CRT sets myself at home.

[@richardh100]

more great memories Michael thank you I used the order the television magazine from IPC Limited got them all every month from 1975

[@MartinFarrell1972]

When I cancelled my sky digital subscription many years ago (before HD) I took the hard disk out the box and put it in an old pc. Worked fine. Haven't had this older pc on for years.

[@truthreigns7]

Thank you Mr. Michael

[@graemedavidson499]

I enjoyed the satellite receiver repair years too. Saw a lot of Amstrad SRD100, SRD400 and Pace PRD800 units, the Pace ones really liked to blow up the PSU after loss of power and failing caps cooling down. Still have quite a few repair kits for them!

[@Richiecandylover]

I had a silver Pace unit and a Grundig box, both ended up being really buggy, often losing signal and needing restarting and misbehaving (likely PSU issues) - good units until then. My favourite was the original Sky+ boxes

[@martinpickering8463]

SatCure or Phoenix kits, I hope. ;-)

[@graemedavidson499]

@ Wow, it’s a small world! I think they were SatCure kits! I recall buying my Capacitor Wizard based on your review. Still works to this day!

[@matthewgriffin4761]

As always, thank you Michael. Happy New Year to you and yours. Looking forward to more videos.

[@okclm]

Brilliant!

[@Lyndalewinder]

Brilliant video Michael - really useful!

[@noelconway-o2y]

brilliant michael

[@tubeDude48]

You mentioned something about changing the value of that small CAP, but you didn't cover it. But the rest was great info. I had mention the company that sold those CAPs, but YT DELETED my comment! They are really getting picky!

[@michaeldranfield7140]

Not changing the value but swapping ir for a very low ESR type 100uf 10 volt, its the quiet supply decoupling cap for the ZIF chip and use to cause endless signal problems , sometimes from cold

[@andymouse]

Awesome ! makes me think what else can we ' Pull Out ' of the Sky box that maybe useful !....cheers.

[@markdunstan8277]

Great video There are a lot of Amstrad DRX250 on eBay will that do the same job They are very cheap Also Television magazine. Shame it went down hill Happy new year Michael

[@michaeldranfield7140]

I cant remember off the top of my head but it will only work if it uses the same video chip

[@HappyFridayGuy]

Brilliant thank you

[@michaeldranfield7140]

Many thanks .

[@markpirateuk]

I wonder if I can modify an old Panasonic sky box I have lying around? Television magazine started as Practical Television in 1950, very good from the start, I am using the circuit diagram to restore my Vidor TV from 1950😁

[@michaeldranfield7140]

dont think so , Panasonic used there own dedicated chip set.

[@MSE-Six]

Happy new year Michael. Quick question, I’m looking to buy a peak test meter but unsure what the best option would be? LCR40 or ESR70? Seems like the LCR would offer more value for money.

[@michaeldranfield7140]

you really need both of these .

[@whitesapphire5865]

I have a small selection of Sky boxes in the cabin, and at least one of them is the 300. It suffered from an encounter with a dog, or a young kid, or something tangled up with the SCART leads. The result was a very poor connection between box and TV. At the time it wasn't worth repairing, but I may, at some point, do this mod so that I can use the colour bars via the RF output. The question now is, what do you do with your old TV pattern generators?! 🤡🤦😁😇😉

[@martinpickering8463]

Generate TV patterns!

[@michaeldranfield7140]

best to keep hold of them , it wont be long now before these have disappeared altogether like BSB

[@andygozzo72]

damn, i had a drx400 some while back from a car boot sale and i scrapped it as it didnt seem much use, if i'd known about this i'd have kept it, i have a philips pattern generator but it occasionally has 'issues' ..

[@sondrayork6317]

We lost bbc world radio on hf years ago, and I actually do miss it because it was real news and you could get information just by listening to it. CBS news is ok but a lot of it is filtered. BBC world radio was my source of news and it still would be if it was still on hf.

[@richardh100]

I should still have some where a 16 channel armstrad fidelity box and a separate decoder box😊and a Ferguson D2 Mac box for the Marco Polo satellite😊

[@michaeldranfield7140]

Got these in the loft and BSB stuff .

[@rossthompson1635]

Could one of these receivers be modified to take in a composite video signal on the SCART and modulate it on to the RF output? Just thinking that would extend its usefulness when SD satellite transmissions do eventually stop.

[@robinsutcliffe_video_art]

need to get a hold of one of these, I watched your earlier video on the DRX300 as colour bar generator - a great hack! Is this chip used in set top boxes like this across Europe? I'm not in the UK. I guess it's in other devices too as it's a digital video encoder chip. Bt864A/Bt865A YCrCb to NTSC/PAL Digital Video Encoder

[@michaeldranfield7140]

Sorry I dont know , in the UK as far as I can remember , but its a long time ago , it was only used in the two Amstrads, you could check the data sheet for the other chips you mention to see if they have this facility built in .

[@robinsutcliffe_video_art]

@@michaeldranfield7140 thanks Michael! I looked at the datasheet for the chip itself, and it is a feature of the chip (not only the amstrad box) I'm sure I will turn up a box with either this or a similar chip inside which also has a colour bar function. Thanks for all your great tips and wealth of experience! (also enjoy listening to your accent, I'm from Rochdale originally)

[@Stop..carry-on]

Losing the bbc is no loss 😂

[@hymermobiler]

Wont be long before the internet takes over all broadcasting I reckon

[@monteceitomoocher]

Definitely the way it's going.

[@michaeldranfield7140]

There is talk of sky on broadband only within the next 10 years or less.

[@voltare2amstereo]

Foxtel (Australias version of sky) already supplies stb's that are ip only and ip/satellite dual mode (can run either IP based or dvb-s

[@paulhancock562]

​@@michaeldranfield7140Even terrestrial is looking dodgy in the long term. There's currently some argy-bargy over the HD multiplex, BBC are refusing to renew the contract beyond 2025. Could mean the end of HD channels next year.

[@shaunmorrissey7313]

I'm a 62 year old Luddite and I rarely watch brodcast TV these days.

[@peterhancox6962]

i used to own a SKY tn box

[@paulhancock562]

They're turning off the DVB-S transponders at a fair rate of knots now, soon there will be nothing left for these poor old boxes to receive!

[@michaeldranfield7140]

a bit like medium wave and longwave then !

[@paulhancock562]

@@michaeldranfield7140 Indeed, it's all getting a bit thin. An AM 'pantry transmitter' might be an interesting Xmas project for the channel, new life for old radios!

[@davidhuddleston7735]

I would have thought getting rid of the BBC would be a bonus!

[@lewiskelly14]

A little repetitive

[@michaeldranfield7140]

Unlike others on KZbin my videos are un edited.

[@martinpickering8463]

Michael thinks on his feet - not with his feet - unlike some!