Oddity Archive: Episode 255.5 - Ben’s Junk: Forbidden KLAK (via Archer Multiple Video Distr. System)

[@jasonhaman4670]

Oh, and I think you're entitled to 'call in sick' to the Archive. We'll be here when you've recovered, which I hope you will be soon.

[@koneill123]

I had one of these "back in the day". As far as I remember, the use case was that you would plug the output of your VCR in Aux1, Cable Box output to Aux2, etc. They were then shifted to the UHF band so that the TVs that were connected to system could watch them remotely. There was a companion product that allow you to use the infrared VCR remote over the coax from the remote TV as well.

[@michaelperry7163]

What a futile act in the name of curiosity. Loved this video, Ben. Feel better soon!

[@thaddeusmcgrath]

We just used splitters and yes we got the fuzz the more tvs or length cable used on screen. That is all we had and we liked it Sonny boy!

[@mightyfilm]

I get the feeling if you're dealing with a product called "Archer" you're no doubt going to wind up in the... Danger Zone.

[@AgentWanderer]

Smart reference.🤣

[@jasonhaman4670]

"Once upon a time, you could go to a Radio Shack" - complete, accurate sentence if you ended it there... I really miss the good old Radio Shack of the 80s to the mid 90s. I remember VWestlife's video on this... A particularly good one, and even better for inspiring this. Off on a tangent, every time I think about UHF, I get very nostalgic for channel 62 in Lexington, KY in the late 80s, airing Perry Mason at 10PM and The Twilight Zone at 11PM. It was a small non-network-affiliated station that didn't even make it onto local cable... I watched it using a bowtie antenna, and somehow the snowy picture and ghosting made it even more special, felt a little like I was watching those shows back in the 60s. Except for the low-budget mail-order and 900 ads that you parody so well. Packed away somewhere I think I still have one VHS tape of Twilight Zones recorded off channel 62, snowy picture, ghosting, ads and all. Alas, channel 62 went bust I think by the end of the 80s, and I had no source to feed my Twilight Zone addiction for a couple years.

[@mileshigh1321]

Seeing that big 3/4 inch tape player VTR and tuner from Sony, brings back memories of working the Sunday night shift at my local Cable station, back in the late 70's early 80's !

[@vwestlife]

I don't quite understand the point of connecting one VCR to a transmitter and then using the second VCR to receive it before feeding it into the Archer box, versus simply using the second VCR as the video source -- unless you wanted to mimic how an actual UHF translator station works, or were purposely trying to make the setup more convoluted. And FYI, I was wrong when I said the Archer box only works with inputs on channel 3. It works with channel 4 inputs as well, but the corresponding output channel will be shifted up by one -- for example, then KLAK would be on channel 83 instead of 82. And don't forget the fine-tuning thumbwheels on the bottom of it.

[@OddityArchive]

For whatever reason, I wasn’t getting any usable signal otherwise. And, yes, I fine-tuned channel 82 using the thumbwheel-I forget if I mentioned it or not.

[@Blunko_McSqwuntley]

My bedroom tv is a 13" rca from 1985 and it's uhf knob goes past the forbiden channels. But my living room tv is a 20"hitachi from 1986 and its tuner doesn't go that high.

[@RetroMax85]

COPYLEFTS…funniest thing I’ve seen all week. Mic drop!

[@chipbush0111]

I fleabayed one of these but I accidently bought the next version, 15-1290 that only works with the 69-channel sets. I had hoped to do something similar to what you've accomplished with my 1985 GE 13" color set. Great to see you were able to get it to work!

[@GabrielleCenter2000]

Happy Oddity Thursday! Hope you get well soon!

[@doctorwhofan6340]

That's really cool man and hey I hope you feel better soon man.

[@sideburn]

I’m using a couple distribution amplifiers connected to an rf modulator connected to a roku to broadcast old tv shows on channel 11 to all my mini crt tv’s (Sony watchman etc). The range is about 100 feet.

[@michaelcarpenter2498]

I always wanted one of those. The forbidden channels were utilized though not really through the air. Feel better soon.

[@bradmad8346]

I think this gizmo is just a distribution amplifier that exceeds the range for uhf at the time. The little block converters that were sold to allow old TVs to receive VHF channels up converted to UHF were probably more of a potential problem than this unit. I think today the FCC wouldn't waste time on these being used, I think my cable modem broadcasts more power on the up-link returned to the internet node it connects to. Jeez I said I think a lot.

[@OddityArchive]

Unless it's something that regularly, openly tramples on a moneymaker, the FCC doesn't seem to care much at all anymore.

[@lensmann4002]

A setup Rube Goldberg would be proud of. You sure go through a lot to enlighten us with old tech, Ben, but we appreciate your hard work.

[@ntsecrets]

14:03 is that an Austin Healey Bugeye Sprite? I have the later version of that car, no bugeyes just an MG Midget.

[@darkempire37]

love this stuff ! KLAK reminds me of when I was a kid of 10 years old with my first tape recorder in the early 80s . A friend of mine and I would record onto it ,pretending to be a faux radio station ..radio 99 ,radio 999 , radio ninety nine nine nine .....nine nine, nine nine nine we would say . Wasn't until years later I became aware of Revolution 9 by the Beatles .

[@delusionnnnn]

"It is the 90's and there is time for KLAK." Still love that game.

[@racecar_spelled_backwards868]

12:55 I have only one thing to say here: "Rrrrrroooooooooxxxxxxxxyyyyyyyyyyy!" Fun fact: IRL, Arch Hall Jr. became a pilot for FedEx and is now retired.

[@princeofcupspoc9073]

Watch out for snakes.

[@luisreyes1963]

So that's what happened to him after he appeared in Eegah.

[@ChillyTheDog21]

I was with my Mom going into Lively, Sudbury, Ontario and Went to a Local Circle K and Just saw a Spout with some Crystal Pepsi which I know that It wasn't available anymore but Now it's not Obsolete anymore

[@Scotfre]

I think that's how EEAAGH looked the first time I watched it....

[@jamesmoss3424]

You could get into trouble to have one back in the day.

[@ntsecrets]

It wasn't uncommon for cable companies to sometimes use a similar kind of device at their head end - I know that back in the day public access channels would be sent to the head end on "T" channels which were channels below channel 2, and then they just re-tuned them up to whatever channel they needed to go out on, on the system. It was simpler than demodulating and remodulating it.

[@unmanaged]

channels 70-83 served primarily as a "translator band" for low-power repeater transmitters filling gaps in coverage for existing stations.

[@OddityArchive]

...after the early 70's, yes.

[@mypdxrealtor]

is there other systems that do the same? I see this, but is it a similar thing? - RadioShack 1-in-4 Out Component Video Distribution Amplifier Model 15-311 or is this the ONLY system that will do what you did?

[@feltongailey8987]

I used to tune my boombox into cordless phone conversations. I was but a wee lad of 10ish. Man...I sure do miss The Rat Shack. I still have some of their stereo equipment and a few Archer pieces.

[@KarlWitsman]

I worked at Radio Shack back in those days. Most people who bought them were trying to get cable TV to a second set (like in the bedroom) without paying for a second box. Yeah, back in those days the cable company charged you for every set connected. So folks would Frankenstein any setup they could to avoid being robbed by the cable folks. If the FCC came down on it, it was probably more from pressure of the cable companies wanting all the money.

[@trainluvr]

What a guy's got to do to watch I Love Lucy.

[@luisreyes1963]

It's on the Decades channel. Don't you receive it?

[@michaelturner4457]

It's only a distribution amplifier, and NOT an actual transmitter. And such things should be completely legal, as it's NOT broadcasting on the air. They were widely available and used here in the UK.

[@OddityArchive]

No one ever said it was a transmitter. My setup should’ve made that clear-all I did was move the frequency of the separate microbroadcast on the receiving tuner.

[@thekidfromiowa]

So the FCC won't let me be Or let me be me, so let me see

[@NerdyMeathead]

Wow what a rats nest of wire. How long did this setup take to do?

[@OddityArchive]

Took me a few hours to stumble upon something that worked.

[@johnkristian]

I love your content. But what is up with you and bad video quality and REALLY bad lightning??? If you fix this, it would make your videos way more enjoyable to watch. And I would love you for it.

[@KE5ZZO]

Aux 1 2 3. You select what channel you want that input placed on when combined with the antenna/ cable input. For what u want to broadcast. Klak. video to aux 1 2 or 3. Output to cable amp. Cable amp to tv antenna -- then you are broadcasting. And will get a visit from fcc. Add cable tv to cable tv input. And cable tv will visit you because their signal in leaking on to. Fire/ police radios

[@OddityArchive]

I can barely make out your comment. For what it’s worth, as mentioned in the video, the power levels were low to the point where the signals (by my own tests) don’t make it out of the room I was working in, let alone off my property. Of course, if I had reason to believe that there were any fire/police/etc. stuff going on anywhere near my property, the test would immediately be suspended until I felt it was safe. My own tests didn’t exceed five minutes at a shot. You can like or dislike it all day.

[@KE5ZZO]

@@OddityArchive cable tv company team went to my moms house in 90’s cause her box leaking valve signal onto fire / police. She was just cable tv in. 2 vcr on aux to 3 tvs. Cable company sniffer went right to box. It not shielded. Good enough to prevent leakage. It was not leaking out the co-ax to the 3 tvs

[@KE5ZZO]

Her box was the black metal version. Not the silver one u demostrated

[@OddityArchive]

The black version is the subsequent model. Funnily enough, the black one is the one that remains 100% legal today. Sounds like your Mom's old rig might've been ok with some ferrite chokes added.

[@noneofyourbusiness4616]

@@OddityArchive sounds like one of those "yo mama" jokes. "Yo mama leaking so much she needs ferrite chokes."