The AliExpress HDMI to RF Converter

After the recent Pye 169 video, a couple of people requested quick review of the AliExpress HDMI to RF Converter. Here it is.
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UPDATE 15 SEPTEMBER 2023 - DEEP DIVE VIDEO COMING TOMORROW !

[@omdraws7325]

Impeccable video, thanks dude. Just got one through for my 1969 trinitron kv1320ub and was searching for some expert to give me a better idea on this hdmi to rf modulator. 🙌🏼✌️

[@Dan4x2282]

Did it work ?

[@t0nito]

This modulator works with some frequency harmonics, if you set to 61.25 you can also receive it on VHF channel 4 PAL. The reason it's on 61.25 and 67.25 MHz is because it corresponds to channel 3 and channel 4 UHF NTSC-M which is the frequency most NTSC RF equipment modulate on. Channel 31 UHF is on 551.25 which is exactly 61.25 x 9

[@FrancisLitanofficialJAPINOY]

Indonesian / New Zealand VHF channel 3 PAL-B/G.

[@FrancisLitanofficialJAPINOY]

If set to channel 3, US Cable TV 58 too

[@vonempalmeolmos]

Great video! Much much appreciated. Great guidance on how to set it up and its capabilities. I followed your advice and got one of these to feed a little 5 inch b&w TV. Still haven't been able to fully test it since I don't have the coax to 3.5mm adapter that this particular portable TV needs, but it's worked pretty well so far!

[@DavidWhitley]

just purchased one today off Amazon, arrives tomorrow, if i get the image you have on my crt i will be happy, i have a 14inch colour and a 5 inch b and w to try it on, great review thankyou

[@AndyDoz]

There's also a deep dive video where I describe adding a composite output that may be of interest

[@DavidWhitley]

@@AndyDoz just tried it out i connected my xbox one s and it works fine, played a game there does not seem to be lag, for what it cost im impressed.

[@DrTRonik]

Thanks for the useful info... 👍

[@The_Studioworkshop]

Very good video Andy. More than acceptable pictures I’d think. I imagine the HDMI box has the composite converting gubbins from the other type of boxes inside - just with an RF modulator. A lower resolution such as 800x600 might improve things, 640x480 even more so. (Not sure if those resolutions auto come up on Linux but on a Mac you need to hold down shift or some such when clicking the drop down menu). I’ll have to get one!!!

[@FrancisLitanofficialJAPINOY]

Also use HDMI TO VGA and VGA TO VIDEO (NTSC-J, NTSC, PAL-M, PAL-Nc, PAL)

[@glenz1975]

Thanks for the informative video Andy, I think I might have to invest in a couple of these in the future 👍

[@Bleats_Sinodai]

Seeing the quality you got, I think for my purposes, I'll go with an "anycast" device into an HDMI2AV to display stuff on my CRT TVs. The couple seconds of delay won't be an issue for what I want to do (display chat messages and notifications for my streams).

[@AndyDoz]

There's a mod to do to vastly improve the quality.

[@RetroPlus]

This is a nice device, this should be ideal for my purpose which is using my analogue TV as a PC monitor

[@BarrySmoother]

Awesome, I got a 70s colour TV In my manshed/bar Going to have this TV play classic music videos from the various decades maybe some Tom and Jerry too haha Buying this right now!

[@meurighailstone1999]

Great little box for the price!. Thanks for posting the video. Cheers

[@AnthonyChopra]

sadly mine makes a random buzzing and it sometimes cutsout. ur lucky u got it cheaper and mine was 35Pound i think some issue is a signal sound issue and 5v for it prob is still not enugh for it. im sending mine back to amazon tomorrow. maybe some of those cheap modulators are good for others but mine is a no go all i want is a real made RF Modulator non of the cheap clone trash.

[@FrancisLitanofficialJAPINOY]

Using GMA AFFORDABOX ISDB-T (6 MHz bandwidth) box with HDMI TO RF on British PAL only LCD TV’s RF input.

[@AndyDoz]

If it's ISDB-T... How is it pal? Dual mode?

[@FrancisLitanofficialJAPINOY]

@@AndyDoz some of ISDB-T set top boxes have PAL and NTSC switch 6 and 8 Mhz bandwidth. 8 MHz ISDB-T bandwidth also used in PAL countries like Botswana, Maldives and Sri Lanka.

[@FrancisLitanofficialJAPINOY]

@@AndyDoz ISDB-T here in the Philippines are mostly 60Hz in 6 MHz bandwidth. ABS-CBN TV PLUS and GMA AFFORDABOX only have NTSC outputs, some STBs like Baron ISDB-T box have PAL and NTSC..

[@FrancisLitanofficialJAPINOY]

@@AndyDoz HDMI input from HDMI TO RF supoorts 50 Hz and 60Hz. Like also used US (NTSC ONLY AV) PS3 connected with HDMI TO RF, RF works with PAL-I on British CRT TV but on UHF 31 or UHF 21…

[@jimmyschmidt14]

I bought a HDMI to component adapter but my computer won't recognize it. I guess because it has no chip inside. Just ordered this one you have but in the USA version. This adapter should be seen by the comp and actually be usable. Just wanna use my old CRT. Thanks.

[@AndyDoz]

Wow... I guess that one missed any kind of QA out of the factory!

[@jimmyschmidt14]

I noticed this converter is also good at giving movies and games an old CRT feel due to the video degradation. No CRT needed. You might need a pre 2009 TV with an analog tuner like mine to get the best effect. The digital tuner "upgrades" the signal which actually just makes the image worse.

[@AndyDoz]

@@jimmyschmidt14 RF is the poorest cousin of video inputs!

[@eichemachensachen]

Really nice. I wanted to put hdmi on my old sony tritinon TV and I I really really struggled... I hope this adapter helps.

[@FrancisLitanofficialJAPINOY]

For NTSC US SONY TRINITRON, you can set to Cable TV on, Cable TV 58 and Cable TV 79 (-2 Mhz) (EU UHF 31, or US UHF 27 + 2 MHz). Channel 3 VHF. For Multisystem NTSC PAL SONY TRINITRON from Asia or Middle East, scan VHF and UHF frequencies. Also on PAL/SECAM tuner only for European Sony Trinitrons and PAL-B only Aussie/NZ Sony Trinitrons. For use with Japanese import Sony Trinitron, set your TV to Cable TV mode and might be programmed to Channel C57, or if Cable TV mode off, UHF 26.

[@Synthematix]

Also i think the grain of the picture is mostly caused by the LCD screens internal processing, apparently these converters work extremely well on CRT televisions, as CRT sets are analog

[@AndyDoz]

I don't think so. The standard video via an RF modulator has no graining. It also varies with HDMI resolution

[@Synthematix]

@@AndyDoz Ok ive taken mine apart and the brightness control is actually a gain control, it needs to be set 85 to 100%

[@mother-is-pink]

PAL BG : 50Hz(625 Lines)/5.5MHz PAL DK : 50Hz(625 Lines)/6.5MHz PAL I: 50Hz(625 Lines)/6.0MHz NTSC M: 60Hz(525 Lines)/4.5MHz

[@avtransfersUK]

Bought one based on the review and had to return mine as it had hum bars rolling pictures and a very low rf output. Perhaps it was a dud So much potential for a good product.

[@AndyDoz]

Bound to be the shoddy power supply. That's the trouble with these products. The quality varies so much.

[@davidjones4452]

great video

[@AndyDoz]

Thanks!

[@josielewis4007]

Hi. Many thanks for the video, very informative. I'm thinking of buying one of these but wondered if you had tried any other modulators? I was wondering if there's a better one out there? Also, what kind of PSU would you recommend? I also hate the cheap wallwart ones. Many thanks

[@AndyDoz]

I'm a lover of the playstation modulator (see the pi patgen and pi cow projects , both here and on andydoz.blogspot.com) but that's not straight forward, and purely analogue.

[@Synthematix]

This could be the perfect bit of kit for my Nikkai baby 10

[@AndyDoz]

What a great set ... except for that horrible linear regulator!

[@Synthematix]

@@AndyDoz Yes, they are great tv's and yea those regulators were bloody awful, looking to find a replacement if i can.

[@AndyDoz]

@@Synthematix it's only rated to 2.5A. There's bound to be a modern buck converter that would work, and not even break a sweat.

[@Synthematix]

@@AndyDoz Oh ok cool, could you steer me in the right direction?

[@AndyDoz]

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/314027833106?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=ysyJzzXTRMO&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=C012VYp2Q-e&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY - worth a try. Remember to adjust the output. I'd fit it inside the original heatsink to provide a bit of screening

[@FrancisLitanofficialJAPINOY]

Tell me your brand of that TV? If accepts system M? If not, then only B/G, I and D/K (not accept system L). RF in accepts NTSC 4.43 (Middle Eastern VHS tape colour) .

[@AndyDoz]

It's a "logik", which was an own brand of DSG in the UK. I it works with NTS, but I have no source of NTSC 4.43 /SECAM or MESECAM to test

[@FrancisLitanofficialJAPINOY]

@@AndyDoz sound carrier? M, B/G, I, D/K, and L ??

[@FrancisLitanofficialJAPINOY]

NTSC 4.43 uses same colour as PAL but in 525 lines mate..

[@demonprincess5634]

i need a rf to hdmi or rca for my atari 7800. but everywhere i look it only hdmi to rf.

[@AndyDoz]

They don't exist... Use an old VCR to get from rf to composite, then a separate composit to hdmi.

[@damiensimon6405]

Hello ! Thank you for your video it allowed me to understand several things, but for me none of the channels work clearly the only ones displaying something with meaning are scrambled. Otherwise others have very clear images but which are "twisted" please help me :/

[@AndyDoz]

Join the discord group and post up some pictures, let's see if we can fix it! Discord link is at andydoz.blogspot.com/ on the lower left.

[@damiensimon6405]

@@AndyDoz i will do that, thanks !

[@BudManLXXIX]

I have a computer monitor/TV maybe, that I think is completely digital. Meaning it doesn't have any channel options. But my HDMI port is damaged and to keep from having to completely trash the monitor, I would like to still use it because it has a coax connector on the monitor as well but I'm having a hard time deciding which kind of adapter I should buy. I'm not trying to convert an HDMI digital signal to an analog coax signal but a HDMI from my PC to a digital monitor with a a available coax port. It's a standard HD 1080 DPI 16x9 ratio monitor. And from what I gather this should be possible and still maintain my 1080 DPI resolution as well as my 16x9 ratio. I'm completely ignorant when it comes to this kind of stuff and all the Google searches I try keep leading me back to either digital to analog converters or some sort of converter that is for home security camera systems. Do you have any suggestions on what kind of adapter I should buy to go from an HDMI cord from my computer and convert it to a coax cable that hooks up to my digital TV that has a coax port available?

[@AndyDoz]

Your coax port is probably for RF. It may be sdi but I doubt it. You can get digital modulators, but they are expensive.

[@lilkuz2005]

awesome little device, can you tell me if it works with devices like the google tv or roku? does it get around HDCP ? im looking for a modulator that i can connect my chromecast with google tv to my old trinitron.

[@AndyDoz]

As it's technically just a HDMI receiver hdcp doesn't seem to bother it. Works from my hd satellite box just fine. Not tried it with a Chromecast.

[@matrix26uk]

Just thought of something else. Do you think this would work with a long coaxial cable (10 m or more)

[@AndyDoz]

If you use good quality co-ax.

[@darrennewbery]

Hey Andy, great video, thanks for the info! I seem to have quite a bit of distortion and rolling horizontal images on my unit using it on a Phillips discoverer tv but when I test it on an LG lcd the image looks fine… any ideas? Could it be the power supply causing issues just on the old crt?! Any help would be much appreciated! Thanks

[@AndyDoz]

Ensure the output standard is set appropriately for your set. An NTSC output feeling a PAL set will give those symptoms. Could be the supply, but I suspect it would cause more drastic issues.

[@darrennewbery]

@@AndyDoz Thanks for the reply! I've run through all the output settings to see if anything helps but same result. It looks almost like a low quality signal like when you used to try and tune in old CRT's back in the day, close to being tuned in but just off - I wonder if this TV needs a better quality / stronger RF signal to clean it up?!

[@AndyDoz]

OK. Care to post up a video of it? A (motion) picture tells a thousand words!

[@darrennewbery]

@@AndyDoz Good plan, not sure why I didn’t think that before!

[@MarioMania05]

61.25 & 67.25 MHz is Channel 3 & 4 NTSC, Where are you getting Channel 32 & 38 on PAL-I? Do you have it set as Cable TV or Air?

[@AndyDoz]

No. As I suggested, I did wonder if it was a harmonic, but it isn't, it's intentionally UHF.

[@FrancisLitanofficialJAPINOY]

Channel 31 and 38 on PAL-B/G, I, D/K.

[@FrancisLitanofficialJAPINOY]

That TV only have 99 preset channels. PAL-I only for UK, PAL-B/G,I,D/K, SECAM-L, B/G, D/K for Euro TVs, multisystem TV for Middle East and Asia with NTSC-M, PAL-B/G,I,D/K, SECAM-D/K, B/G, NTSC 4.43, AUTO.

[@FrancisLitanofficialJAPINOY]

Channel 27 (Japan 26) for NTSC TVs.

[@matrix26uk]

Hi, Does anyone know if this will work in conjunction with a Sky Q box? Thanks in advance

[@AndyDoz]

Can't see why not.

[@matrix26uk]

Fairly confident Sky will have built something in to the box to block it so people need to get a 2nd box from them

[@mortimore4030]

I bought this, and I get the coloured lines, but it doesn’t work. I tried my free view box, my Nintendo classic, and my mister FPGA. I’ve tried it in a Sony, a B&O, and two Fergusons. All show the coloured lines and menu screen, but that’s it. It just doesn’t work.

[@AndyDoz]

Send it back. It's faulty.

[@mortimore4030]

@@AndyDoz I got another one. It worked fine. 🙂

[@ivanm5649]

Hi I have the same modulator but whenever I plug in an antenna into the coax out put on the modulator nothing shows up anymore on my tv so you know the reason for this and how I can fix?

[@AndyDoz]

I take it you have checked the tuning on the TV?

[@tot-samiyyyy]

Senks 😊

[@Fernando-sr5sq]

Have you figured out what that USB entry is on the device? The manual doesn't mention it at all. Wonder if it'd be possible to charge it through USB, but I'm afraid to attempt it myself.

[@AndyDoz]

I suspect it may have been for some sort of flash media player. It's not supported.

[@FrancisLitanofficialJAPINOY]

@@AndyDoz you can use with chromecast USB wire to operate

[@FrancisLitanofficialJAPINOY]

5V output USB only. Also works with Chromecast too..

[@stuartdoherty9796]

I Just got one of these the same as in your video so I can hook up My Laptop to my Vintage Crt which only has coaxel Rf however it display the image on 2 channels and quality looks just awful remote control doesn't even work no proper instructions on how to use it does it even take a battery? worst part is I have no sound at all just grainy background noise is there any solution to this as I feel I wasted my money?

[@AndyDoz]

There's a coin cell in the remote. Have you set the sound spacing correctly (6MHz, system I in the UK)

[@stuartdoherty9796]

@@AndyDoz No because the remote doesn't work or bring up anything I've tried all the buttons I think I got a faulty remote but I can just run the sound through my computer and speakers!

[@AndyDoz]

@@stuartdoherty9796 sadly looks like a duff one then.

[@stuartdoherty9796]

@@AndyDoz Yeah I think so but I'm going to keep it as I can still use with computer and laptop speakers for audio

[@gabrielvieira6529]

@@stuartdoherty9796 Have you tried to downgrade the image of the computer screen output to 480p?

[@meurighailstone1999]

A Cautionary tale: I ordered one of these boxes, but the seller cancelled the order. Unfortunately I didn't get my refund so am persuing it with paypal. The perils of dealing with aliexpress I guess :-/ Some you win, some you lose. There are a few of these boxes on ebay now, so might give one of them a go.

[@Tinex.62]

Do you know maybe why the Converter light always on red is and when i connect my pc to it, my main monitor goes to sleep.

[@AndyDoz]

Is there any output?

[@Tinex.62]

@@AndyDoz on the TV there is a rainbow colors just as on your TV but the pc goes to sleep

[@tsoupakis]

how is the delay, if you don’t mind me asking? thank you for the video :)

[@AndyDoz]

Looks OK to me, I doubt it would be any good for gamers though.

[@tsoupakis]

@@AndyDoz i was yhinking to use it to connect a pandora box or an emulator pc, but i suppose you think it will not work smooth..

[@tsoupakis]

@@AndyDoz also thank you for the reply

[@PaulMc-qn7iv]

Hi great video bud, i take it is not dvb t. Out ?

[@AndyDoz]

You guess right

[@bulldogbrower6732]

What resolution is sent through the RF cable ? Does it retain HD quality over the RF cable ?

[@AndyDoz]

No, it feeds an analogue TV , so it's only as good as your TV. 625 lines for most of us in Europe, and 525 lines for those of you across the pond

[@bulldogbrower6732]

@@AndyDoz Thank you Governor, many thanks from the blokes across the pond.

[@FrancisLitanofficialJAPINOY]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/pavXYp6opNGZbZY

[@FrancisLitanofficialJAPINOY]

@@bulldogbrower6732 kzbin.info/www/bejne/pavXYp6opNGZbZY

[@RYVk_]

I don't speak English so I'll use google translate to ask, is it brighter than the yellow wire? I say this because the coaxial (rf) is single-stranded and thick. Also, it should be noted that on cable TV, sharpness in movies is better than that on flat-screen TVs from the early 2000s. please confirm me to buy hdmi to rf or hdmi to rca/av converter

[@AndyDoz]

AV should be better. I use many sets that have no AV input.

[@FrancisLitanofficialJAPINOY]

HDMI TO RCA are the worst. But you can buy HDMI TO VGA and VGA TO VIDEO/S-Video 3.5mm audio jack to RCA wire from HDMI TO VGA to RCA audio on TV (NTSC, PAL, PAL-M, PAL-Nc inputs).

[@FrancisLitanofficialJAPINOY]

@@AndyDoz If PAL only TVs sold in Europe have NTSC support on video inputs, buy RF TO AV. PAL Menu, PAL NTSC RF auto picture.

[@mother-is-pink]

PAL I = United Kingdom, Ireland, South Africa, MACAU, and Hong Kong

[@play03]

I have a question , Can I use this to device to connect the cable in the converter and use the hdmi to the TV ?

[@AndyDoz]

It only works as HDMI in, RF out. You need something the other way round ...

[@play03]

@@AndyDoz oh ok thanks for the help.

[@FrancisLitanofficialJAPINOY]

You can stretch HD 16:9 to make it 4:3 as you get rid of black bars from the side of the screen.

[@mother-is-pink]

61.25 MHz = American TV Channel 3 67.25 MHz = American TV Channel 4

[@FrancisLitanofficialJAPINOY]

62.25 MHz = European TV channel 4 / Italian TV channel B, 60.25 MHz = French overseas (also on former French African colonies) TV channel 3 61.75 = Irish TV channel C

[@butterbutthead8755]

Got the same adapter hooked up with a Sony 1972 tv. No color. Any suggestions?

[@AndyDoz]

What's the model of the TV? Have you got the correct colour standard selected? Does the TV work OK off another source?

[@butterbutthead8755]

@@AndyDoz Its a sony triniton KV1300E and yes, everything but the hd to rf adapter works. But I tried a different adapter too so its not because of that.

[@AndyDoz]

@@butterbutthead8755 is it "proper" pal or colour decoded in a non-pal manner, as was the Kv-1320ub? I know my 1320 is rather fussy.

[@butterbutthead8755]

@@AndyDoz can you explain a bit further? I dont really understand

[@AndyDoz]

@@butterbutthead8755 the KV1320ub used a colour decoder that was able to decode the colour (albeit at half the resolution of proper pal), and did so in a manner that didn't infringe Telefunken's patent, thus avoiding paying a royalty fee to Telefunken. This necessitated the set to have a huge control to correct any phase error, which was not required on a proper pal set.

[@neodolenski3224]

Hi, i have this device and it worked okay. I didn’t use it for about a month and it has signal but it doesn’t have hdmi signal. Can you help me please?

[@AndyDoz]

Try another power supply... I wouldn't trust the one that came with mine!

[@neodolenski3224]

@@AndyDoz But it works and has picture, it just wont connect to hdmi

[@AndyDoz]

@@neodolenski3224 try feeding it a lower resolution. I wouldn't discount the power supply

[@neodolenski3224]

@@AndyDoz Idk it wont even show up on my computer

[@bengutierrez6696]

Does this device also send sound to the TV?

[@AndyDoz]

Yes. And with switchable carriers to cater for different (PAL) systems

[@fernandobrito6862]

Picture can be adjusted 16:9 and 4:3 ?

[@AndyDoz]

yes, watch the video where I adjust the zoom & geometry.

[@FrancisLitanofficialJAPINOY]

HSIZE: 100 and VSIZE: 40. and BTW, for HDMI TO AV OPTION, buy HDMI TO VGA and VGA TO VIDEO CONVERTER (NTSC-M/J, PAL-M, PAL, PAL-Nc) it stretches and adjust VGA aspect ratio to your SDTVs. HDMI2AV doesn’t have buttons, but HDMI TO RF has remote control; HDMI2AV are worst and don’t have that feature (only use HDMI2VGA for 16:9 HD CRT TVs, 16:9 HDTVs without HDMI.

[@channelI748]

Can you power it through the USB port?

[@AndyDoz]

I think I need to make another video about all these questions!

[@FrancisLitanofficialJAPINOY]

Yes. With HDMI TO COMPONENT from DVD Players, or any HDMI STICK DEVICES LIKE CHROMECAST.

[@emilioquirozxdrevers9187]

And what is the USB port for?

[@AndyDoz]

Doesn't do anything!

[@FrancisLitanofficialJAPINOY]

@@AndyDoz it can be use to plug your Chromecast, or AV 2 HDMI or COMPONENT TO HDMI adapter

[@FrancisLitanofficialJAPINOY]

@@AndyDoz 5V output for USB.

[@pbscatcher]

If you live in the united states, you will need a Pal male to NTSC Female rf converter, and a NTSC Coaxial cord.

[@AndyDoz]

No. Unit supports both PAL and NTSC natively. Coax is included.

[@pbscatcher]

@@AndyDoz ah, thank you! Was unsure if it did as the listing didn’t make it clear

[@FrancisLitanofficialJAPINOY]

NTSC FEMALE RF input are mostly used on South American NTSC-M, PAL-M, PAL-N , Japanese NTSC TV, South Korean NTSC TV, Taiwanese/Philippines TV, etc. PAL Female input are mostly found on NTSC, PAL, SECAM analog multisystem TVs, PAL only TVs and PAL SECAM only tuner TVs.

[@FrancisLitanofficialJAPINOY]

@@pbscatcher PAL to F CONNECTOR ADAPTER (Pan American TVs, Japan TV, South Korean TV, Philippines TV and Taiwanese TV sets.)