1956 General Electric Television

[MaytagWasher18]

Hello,

A friend of mine recently offered me an old 1956 General Electric Television Set. It belonged to his neighbour who is moving away. Since he knows I am interested in collecting vintage appliances he asked me if I would be interested in keeping it. I have some questions relating to the relevance of such an old TV in the modern age. I know there could potentially be a possibility that it may or may not be capable of being converted to run on Digital since it is an analog television however I am aware that there are conversion options out there.

If anyone with more expertise would be able to enlighten me further on the subject I would greatly appreciate it.

-MaytagWasher18

 

[rp2813]

That's a nice looking set.  It's easily adapted to digital via set-top box.  I have one hooked up to my 1950 Admiral TV, and for a while had a '90s Magnavox hooked up to one as well.  Both receive(d) over-the-air signals via their digital tuning boxes.  You can find them on craigslist for cheap, and I believe all have remote controls.

 

Don't quote me on this, but with cable or satellite, you may not even need a STB.  For a short time after I got cable, the Admiral was hooked up to that system and I don't think it required the STB.   IIRC,  just tuning to channel 3 on its original tuner was enough.

 

[Unimatic1140]

If you're just going to use a dvd player to watch shows on a vintage tv you'll need to buy an RF-Modulator. You connect the DVD player's RCA cables (red/white/yellow) to the RF-Modulator inputs and the output of RF-Modulator is the old fashioned two wire antenna screws connectors or a co-axial cable connect which can easily be converted to the two screw connector format which you connect to the antenna inputs on the back of the TV.

If you're looking to watch broadcast TV, you'll need a digital signal converted and the RF-Modulator.

 

[sfh074]

Actually ....

all you need is this. If the dvd or vhs or OTA digital tv to analog
converter has a coax output ..... just install this matching transformer to the 2 antenna lugs on the back of the tv and set the tv on channel 3. Use a standard coax cable between the two and thats it. There normally is a switch on the back of the OTA converter, vhs, etc. that you can select chan 3 or 4 for the output because the rf modulator is built into the device already. The link has the matching transformer for the huge sum of 69 cents! And yes, the OTA converter can now be had for next to nothing all over ebay and all of them have remotes.

The ota converter talked about like this one.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Magnavox-T...Analog-Converter-Box-With-Remote/202672845380

Btw, I am talking older dvd players. Some had the dual coax output. You could select dtv output or chan 3 output. But newer dvd players or newer satellite set top boxes, you would need the rf modulator adapter but would still use the matching transformer pictured below.

If you get the tv, get a matching transformer and the OTA converter if you can receive local tv signals. Most any tv antenna will work if you live near a big city. Then find a channel that has reruns of Gilligan's Island or Dark Shadows and make some popcorn.[this post was last edited: 5/12/2019-10:31]

https://www.summitsource.com/Eagle-Matching-Transformer-Indoor-75-Ohm-to-300-Ohm-Balun-Antenna-TV-Video-Coaxial-Cable-Twin-Lead-for-Off-Air-Signal-Component-Connection-Adapter-Converter-Bulk-P8232.aspx?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIgOiF9ZyW4gIVDtvACh1Dog-tEAQYESABEgL

 

[rp2813]

That is exactly the type of twin lead-to-coax adapter I use on the back of my Admiral to connect it to the STB. 

 

I use the inverse type of adapter with female coax fitting and two screws for the twin lead to connect the old school UHF bowtie to the STB digital tuner.  Modern sets of rabbit ears use a coax cable, which eliminates the need for the inverse adapter.