On 8/31/23 14:06, David Arnold via cctalk wrote: > >> On 31 Aug 2023, at 07:07, William Sudbrink via cctalk >> <cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: >> >> Now that I'm thinking about it, there were also instructions for hacking the >> composite signal straight into the TV, bypassing the tuner... but Mom and >> Dad probably wouldn't go for that (mine didn't). > > I paid a local electronics store to add an RCA composite input to our old > black & white TV, bypassing the tuner. It think it cost $50 at the time > (early 80s) > > The first monitor I owned, which was connected to a TV Typewriter, which was connected to my Altair 8800, was an old Zenith "hot chassis" portable tube TV. Tapped into the video just downstream from the video IF. The set didn't have a polarized AC plug (I don't trust those things anyway), so you had to be a bit careful when applying power (the TVT and Altair used 3-prong grounded AC plugs). It worked well enough to provide a clear 64x16 character display.
I believe that Sony used some of their portable transistorized TV sets as monitors, equipping them with SO239 UHF connectors. I recall having one of those as well. --Chuck
