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TV conversions
By RobC, Section Rants & Opinion Posted on Sun Dec 25th, 2005 at 04:27:50 PM MST
Our current Poll

I have to say that our current poll really gives me a laugh. I can't tell how many tv and computer monitors I have disected for parts for my wind power projects.
RobC

TV conversions | 11 comments (11 topical, 0 editorial)

Re: TV conversions (3.00 / 0) (#1)
by Fiddlehead44 on Sun Dec 25th, 2005 at 02:36:44 PM MST
(User Info)

Rob,
I have several old TV's kicking around and a few old moniters.
I like to take things apart and slavage usable parts, but am not
sure what I should be scrounging off these old units. I have also
thought that I would like to build an occiliscope (xcuse my spelling)
I also have a turfed microwave.
Fiddlehead44

Re: TV conversions (3.00 / 0) (#2)
by willib (willibur at comcast dot net) on Sun Dec 25th, 2005 at 02:54:39 PM MST
(User Info) http://www.njwind.com/webcam.html#

some monitors have some very low resistance resistors that are good for testing purposes.
If you've seen the inside of a bicycle coaster brake it could be used for your idea about using spiral hinged blades .
Carpe Ventum (seize the wind)
[ Parent ]

Re: TV conversions (3.00 / 0) (#3)
by RobC on Sun Dec 25th, 2005 at 05:08:26 PM MST
(User Info)

What I do is strip out the deguassing coil around the picture tube it has some good copperwire in it. Then I take out circut boards and set them on the shelf for further use. The circut boards have lots of diodes caps resistors transformers etc. This can be quite handy at times when you don't have time to shop for parts. The rest is trash. RobC

[ Parent ]

Re: TV conversions (3.00 / 0) (#6)
by finnsawyer on Mon Dec 26th, 2005 at 08:52:05 AM MST
(User Info)

Why should we excuse your spelling? A: This site has a spell checker. B: They still make dictionaries. Expend a little effort. The Internet is a great boon, but in my view, if people don't show some pride in what they are typing, in twenty years nobody will be able to understand anybody else. Of course, I'll probably be dead by then, so it won't affect me. I would very much like to see everybody (at least the English speakers) tighten up their use of the language.

Note to Admin: It might help to include a dictionary with the spell checker. In most cases the words are close. It would really be interesting to see what the result would be if any posting or comment with misspelled words was refused. Of course, many errors of syntax would still get through. Hey, this is a rant, isn't it.
GeoM
[ Parent ]

Re: TV conversions (3.00 / 0) (#4)
by terry5732 on Mon Dec 26th, 2005 at 12:11:41 AM MST
(User Info)

There's tons of good components. Some really heavy MOSFETs. And heatsinks. Usually all that is bad is the flyback transformer. But it still has a good ferrite core. You will likely even find 555 timers and LM317s. Often the components have an unfamiliar number on them - just search a cross-reference table to find what they are. After you have stripped the coils and ferrite off the back of the CRT just place it in a heavy paper bag, like a dog food bag, and give it a tap.

Re: TV conversions (3.00 / 0) (#5)
by richhagen (richhagen (a t) Juno.com) on Mon Dec 26th, 2005 at 02:15:46 AM MST
(User Info)

I have a pile of circuit boards from monitors and tv's and such in a junk box. Every once in a while I'll take an electrolytic cap or a resistor or other part off of one for something or other. At the rate that they throw them away around here, if it wern't for the internal losses, and their failure rates, I could build a 400V capacitor bank I could power my house off of. Rich
'A Joule saved is a Joule made'

Re: TV conversions (3.00 / 0) (#7)
by RP (russp located-at fidnet (dot) com) on Mon Dec 26th, 2005 at 05:01:51 PM MST
(User Info)

I've made several oscilloscopes from old black and white tvs. Its quite simple to do for audio work. The same thing would be ideal for windgen waveform monitoring. When I get round to building my first axial alternator I plan to use one of those 12v 5"tvs as a portable scope.

russp

Re: TV conversions (3.00 / 0) (#8)
by Rowan Clearwater (Brightnewdawn05@aol.com) on Mon Jan 9th, 2006 at 03:16:02 AM MST
(User Info)

Russp---
If anyone can be bothered to spend the time describing how to convert an old tv to an oscilloscope with piccies please do so, as i'm sure this will come up again and again ( I want one ;-) ) I'm now on the lookout for travel tv's....
Thanks.
Nothing worth doing was ever easy!

Re: TV conversions (3.00 / 0) (#9)
by dinges on Mon Jan 9th, 2006 at 04:11:10 AM MST
(User Info)

I have staid out of this discussion so far, but can't resist anymore.

Converting a TV to an 'oscilloscope' is NOT trivial! Esp. with line-connected tv's.

What you end up with, after lots of trial & error, is something that will display a picture. This is by no means comparable to a fully functional, real oscilloscope: limited bandwidth (probably not even full audio range), bad linearity?, timebase problems, etc.etc.

Back in my student days, when money was tight, I tried building an oscilloscope from scratch. It worked, more or less... I lost interest when I was able to buy my first (2ndhand) scope for less than I had to pay in the dumpstore for just the CRT (10$, I think it was).

A few weeks later I had a second oscilloscope, als 2nd hand, for a comparable price, that just needed a bit of TLC to become fully operational. The only thing I not regret about having built my own 'oscilloscope' is that I learnt a lot about how the things work. As far a useable piece of equipment goes, I think I've made that already clear.

My advice: it's easier and cheaper to buy a 2nd hand oscilloscope, even a defect one, and try to fix that, when it's broken, than trying to convert a piece of equipment to do something that it was never intended to do. In fact, I've seen several designs in the early '90s, and decided it would be MUCH better to build a real oscilloscope from scratch, than bothering with tv's.

2nd hand oscilloscope are sold for ridiculously low prices. Yes, old tv's are usually free. In fact, when I bought my first scope, I had to haul it back home by train (being a student) together with a mate (this scope needed two people to lift :) ). The conductor was teasing me a bit about 'having to pay extra fare for that big piece of luggage' (as students, we got to travel for free anyway), and then mentioned he still had something like that at home, and if I was interested. Depended on the price of course, but after he mentioned price, I got interested. 2 weeks later, I was owner of 2 'real' scopes, plus my half-baked own design/built one.

Nowadays I use a TDS210 (LCD, very portable, 60MHz dual trace, useable up to 150MHz, very nice, LPT printer output, Fast Fourier Transform ('spectrum analysis') and I will never want to go back to using my homebuilt 'thingy'. BTW, I'm a notorious homebuilder; I don't spend money on buying equipment when I can somehow prevent it.

If you do a google search on converting a tv to oscilloscope, you should get plenty of hits.

Personally, I've once considered building the reverse: a circuit for showing tv pictures on an oscilloscope screen (like the early tv experimenters did in the '40s). Then again, why bother? There are so many much more useful projects, and I only have limited time. The gadget factor is ok though.

Peter,
The Netherlands.

[ Parent ]

Re: TV conversions (3.00 / 0) (#10)
by Jeff (ruralmcguyver at yahoo dot com) on Mon Sep 29th, 2008 at 04:39:35 PM MST
(User Info)

There are SO many recyclable parts out there from various "junk" people just throw away it puts me into "RANT" mode! I've started telling friend to drop their "junk" off here (I have the room for it). Whether it's electrical, mechanical. old clothes washers/dryers, alternators or starters for cars, the list goes on and on! My point is: A lot of these thing can be made to produce at least low-to-moderate amounts of electricity! Sometimes even way above moderate (400+ watts @ 12vDC). There are so many people in my are that are elderly, or disabled, and unable to get any kind of reasonable help from the various "Social Services". One of my common selling points to this is: The scrap value you may get from this junk may sound pretty good right now, but what if these same items could be generating power for you for "almost free"...a lot less than what your currently paying the Electric Company robbers, and doing it for a minimum of 1-2 years for the cheapest solution. OR 10-20 years for some of the better generator solutions? Would that be worth the $100-$300 (at most) you get for assistance from these so-called "Social Services"? I also like to comment that although I'm not in this for the money, I will be using predominately elderly or disabled people to help make these things! I do have one friend with an electrical engineering degree, and qualified for home electric. MYself, I am a Federally registered Tool & Die Maker, have a mechanical Engineering Degree, and worked the last 7+ years before I became disabled as an engineer for a prominate Aerospace company.
Trying to get out of "rant mode", I just hope to spread the message that most "junk" we throw away, thinking we're getting fantastic scrap prices, could be put to better use helping others that are finding it harder and harder to cope with rising electric cost!
Please don't take this as "blowing my own horn", but I have only been able to do 20-30 minutes of "work" at one time, and very seldom twice in one day. Even then, the amount of pain medication needed to accomplish a twice-a-day work shift like this would put most people in "unbelief mode". I'd be glad to go into details for those that really want them, but the point is: with even a few semi-able bodied persons devoted to making this type of thing happen, with all the free scrap, or what people think is scrap, a HUGE difference & benefit can be realized in just my small community (Hoke County, North Carolina).
I'm certain what "helpers" are already interested, can make and install even the smallest (2-5amp @ 12v) systems for either free, or just a $20-$40 contribution to cover some costs. Most of these "helpers" are active church-going people disgusted with the amount & quality of help the county provides. They may not even WANT that amount of contribution! With these type of good-hearted souls, and some of the better "junk" available, we may be able to kiss good-bye to the insufficient, and money hungry burden of the powers-that-be.
You can take this as a RANT, or a plea to start an almost free business, I can accept that. But please don't deny the possibility of at least some "free" or cheaper than the Electric Companies charges to those that need it the most!
If you feel you can dump your possibly useable junk somewhere where it might benefit those in need, I welcome email at the adress I hope is available under my user name.
ruralmcguyver@yahoo.com and please add Otherpower or fieldlines to the subject line so it doesn't get sent to thw spam FOLDER.

Thanks all, and I apologize again for an almost-rant!
Rural McG

Re: TV conversions (3.00 / 0) (#11)
by Stonebrain on Tue Sep 30th, 2008 at 12:58:58 PM MST
(User Info)

Hey Jeff,
you're replying to a 2005 thread here.
I found it following the link wooferhound gave,but probably few people will read your comment.

Would be worth for a posting 'rants'.

I'm luckeyer than you,I can work a few ours a day.
But sometimes 20min is enough to realise an idea you've been thinking about the rest of the time

cheers,
Jaap

[ Parent ]

TV conversions | 11 comments (11 topical, 0 editorial)

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