Okay, this is really bugging me. Neither my NEC nor Fujitsu plasmas - which I exclusively use - have internal tuners. Modulators dont work through cable boxes. So, what am I missing? Sure, I could use a VCR tuner, but who in their right mind sees that as a viable alternative?

Anybody else figured out a good solution to this issue? FWIW - I am modulating cameras, digital cable box, DVD player in the rack, and music server.

Thanks in advance.

E. J.

An $80 Sony VCR that has discrete on/off and input codes is not a bad option at all.

I am sure there are tuners, but cost wise a VCR should be the best bet

I dont see why a VCR iwouldnt be considered a viable alternative... ANy universal remote with a Sony or its VCR can get you where you need to be seemlessly....

Otherwise, use a Demodulator....

I guess the reason I dont see the VCR as a viable alternative is because we all know we have enough black boxes to hide for our clients.

But I guess there is no other way. Oh well. 1980's VCR it is.

Thanks all.

EDIT: BTW - any particular Sony VCR I should look at with the discretes? I usually don't buy Sony. Thanks again.

You could at least be a gentleman and get a 1990's VCR.


Signed,

The guy who designed VCR's so you can't get your fingers to twist on the coax connection.

I'm not sure what the model # on the Sony is. If you go to Best Buy or Target there will only be one Sony and it has all the discretes.

As a bonus, your clients can also watch their "home movies" on the plasma!

Good luck!

Why do you need a tuner if you have a digital cable box?

OOOH! I see said the blind man! Modulating. I missed that small detail.

Thanks again all.

E. J.

Why modulate?

Non-modulated signal through a A/V receiver not an option?

Or possibly a direct line to the display/s?

All JVC Vcrs have discrete codes.

I am modulating anyway for the TVs in the house that dont use a cable box - so they can see the camera feeds without me having to run additional wiring.

On a related note, I just found the Audio Control balanced converters that allow you to send HD and SD composite, S, and HD component over CAT5. This little piece will make my life MUCH easier.

E. J.

The JVC HRJ692U has discretes and has worked well for me.

Duh, yeah, EXCATLY!

The original question is
"I am modulating a bunch of signals and I need to present them to displays that do not have the means to unmodulate them. How do I do that?"

The exact answer to that question is to get a video distribution amp for each signal that you modulate and run a hunk of RG59 to each of those displays with unmodulated video. That way, you will take video to video inputs and will not have to demodulate it.

If you do not want to spend $1000s of your time doing this, a VCR IS the answer. Don't forget that you can program the VCRs to only tune to the modulated channels.

Also don't forget that if you have digital cable signals in the house, that digital will be on frequencies commonly used for camera modulation, so you might have to have a separate RG-6 distribution system for the modulated channels. That is okay, though, because then you can feed that signal right into the VCRs.

VCRs looking a bit more attractive now?