How to best display video from your classic vintage computer or video game system.

If you collect classic vintage computing or video gaming equipment, then you may have, at times, encountered difficulty in obtaining a sufficient video display for your system(s).

Depending upon the unit, it may have either PAL or NTSC video output, which may be available as RF ONLY (i.e. it connects to the antenna terminals of a television set), COMPOSITE DIRECT VIDEO ONLY (i.e. it connects to the video input of a modern television, vcr or composite video monitor.), or BOTH RF AND DIRECT COMPOSITE video outputs.

If you collect many different units, then you probably, like me, have an assortment of both PAL and NTSC units, yet probably have only a PAL or NTSC capable television, but not both. PAL and NTSC display specifications are NOT interchangeable, and therefore, we have a dilemma. There exists converters that convert back and forth between the formats, yet these are prohibitively expensive. I have developed an easier (perhaps better) solution that works wonderfully.

The best solution that I have found for this dilemma, is rather simple, perhaps even elegant ;-) Simply search eBay and look for a couple of CHEAP Television Tuner Cards (both a PAL and an NTSC version - you want one of each.) The ones I found on eBay from retek cost me less than $20 U.S.D. shipping and all! Make sure the cards are made for your computer (either PC or MAC) and that they can both co-exist in your computer system simultaneously. Any cheap card(s) should suffice, as long as they have both RF and Direct Composite video inputs.

Now, simply install the two cards (PAL and NTSC) into your computer, along with their associated television applications software. Now fetch one of your vintage PC's or Video Game systems. If it is PAL, then connect it to the PAL card, if it is NTSC, connect it to the NTSC card. Make sure that if it is RF that you connect it to the RF Antenna Input, otherwise if it is Direct Composite, connect it to that input. Then, launch the appropriate Television Application for the tuner card that you are connected to. Turn on your vintage PC and VOILA! It should be displaying properly on your PC or MAC's video monitor. If you do not see a display, make sure you have selected the proper input via the television software, as well as the proper television channel.

If you should need any further information, please feel free to contact me. Any questions will be used to improve this guide. I hope that you find this useful. Please view my other guides and if you find any of them useful, please cast me a vote. -Robert YOURDVDDOTNET on eBay

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Note: The above has been tested with Computers from Tandy Radio Shack, Amstrad / Sinclair, Commodore, Texas Instruments, and Atari. It should be adaptable to any number of classic or vintage computer and gaming systems.

Revised: Please note that the actual TV tuners that you use do not have to be cards that plug into the inside of your PC or MAC. Tuners that connect via USB, Firewire IEEE-1394 or other means will work just as well.