video scanner

[jacobsladder]

Hi all:
does anyone know of any other scanners besides the icom r3 that will scan a video signal? could a demoudular be hooked up to any other scanner to pick up video? would be cool if the new icom r20 or aor 8200 mark3 would?
thanks for any 411

 

[N_Jay]

Hi all:
does anyone know of any other scanners besides the icom r3 that will scan a video signal? could a demoudular be hooked up to any other scanner to pick up video? would be cool if the new icom r20 or aor 8200 mark3 would?
thanks for any 411

A video reciever is VERY wide band, and most communications receivers are not suitable for demodulating a video signal.

 

[Tweekerbob]

You could use a VCR set in CABLE mode to demodulate most TV transmissions. For the most part, the channels are stacked on top of each other (in CABLE mode only) so it does cover quite a big chunk of the RF spectrum. Not quite as big a chunk as the R3 would cover, but would work in most applications. Try and find a VCR with a tuner that goes well over 100 channels. Also, after about channel 35, it is very important to use high quality ultra low (or very low) loss coax and QUALITY connectors.

Try a google search for "using a vcr tuner for amateur tv" to find out a little bit more.

Other than this and some relatively expensive professional grade equipment, I am not aware of any other consumer level product that would fit the bill besides the R3.

Ryan

 

[seltzer]

TweekerBob, just curious as to why you chose ch. 35 and above for the quality cable? RG/59 and RG/6 shielded cable (CommScope, Belden, etc..) are very good cable up into the high 600mHz range. I am in no way doubting you, just curious as to why you said ch. 35 as opposed to say channel 70 (about 500mHz). This is where most cheap splitters stop at, like from RadShack and WalMart. Good splitters like Regal and Viewsonics go up into the 1000's. I'm not 100% sure what he is trying to do, that's why I asked.

 

[Tweekerbob]

I am not quite sure what he is trying to do either. Saying Ch 35 or 37 (if you want to make it easy at 300MHz) is being a bit conservative.

I don't know how long a run he is going to need #1, but most importantly, if are trying to receive channels in excess of 70, then you will definintely need better coax. It would add flexibility to his setup by being able to receive a Ch 120 signal if he so desired at one point in time. If he found he was only in the 40-500 Mhz range all the time, then RG-6 would be ok provided it was not a ridiculously (i can't spell) long run.

Moreover, as hinted at above, we don't know what he is trying to receive and we don't know what type of antenna system he is using. Finally, it is most important to establish the quality of the cable and the sub type as well. Both of the companies you mentioned are reputable cable makers, but he could be using Radio Shack cable (burn it), or some really cheap poorly made coax. I use the cheap stuff all the time around the house, it's stronger than rope :wink:


Ryan

 

[Tweekerbob]

Dupe post...deleted.


Ryan

 

[kg4icg]

Aor AR5000 with the AOR TV5000 can receive tv video and audio thru the 10.7 mhz if out which is where you hook up the TV5000 to. Thing is channel 120 is a cable channel so it isn't going to be over the airwaves.

R Collins

 

[Tweekerbob]

Thing is channel 120 is a cable channel so it isn't going to be over the airwaves.

This is true if you are talking about CATV signals. They are more or less confined to the coax itself. But a CATV tuner is an RF tuner. I don't have the list in front of me but Ch 120 coincides with somewhere in the 900-1000 MHz range, I beleve.

This idea was simply offered as a $20 solution to the original poster's question. The R3 that he mentioned, however, is more adept at tuning in between the CATV channels (if such signal exist in his area) and also tuning to frequencies outside the range of a TV/CATV tuner.

Ryan