Sony 9 90 UB VHF pictures in NZ

[PWH]

Well I got this out of its packing after its travels from the UK to find not only is it still working but there are 405 line? pictures on VHF which seem to be negative and no sound. There is also sound only on some channels.

I am just wondering if there are any switches or other easy mods to change the standard so I can see the pictures in positive.

UHF also has pictures which are OK but faint sound so I suppose NZ has the same filter as Europe? Just wondered if there was a reversible mod here too.

[arjoll]

Originally Posted by PWH

Well I got this out of its packing after its travels from the UK to find not only is it still working but there are 405 line? pictures on VHF which seem to be negative and no sound. There is also sound only on some channels.

Where you are there will still be system B VHF, probably from Skytower or maybe Waitarahua (can you see the Waitakeres?). It uses negative modulation, if your Sony is system A it will be expecting positive modulation, so if it can lock on to anything it will probably be negative (not that I'm an expert).

As for sound, the carrier is the wrong modulation and on the wrong side of the vision so it's not surprising you have nothing

Originally Posted by PWH

UHF also has pictures which are OK but faint sound so I suppose NZ has the same filter as Europe? Just wondered if there was a reversible mod here too.

Your TV will be expecting audio to be 6.5 MHz from the video, but on system G it will be 5.5 MHz. Billy_T is probably the guy to talk to about changing this

[Nicklyons2]

I wouldn't 'mess' about with the set. The easiest way to watch your local system B services on this set would be to get hold of a VHF>UHF upconvertor and then you could just try and 'tweak' the TVs 6.0MHz (not 6.5 Mhz - that's the SECAM/OIRT countries)intercarrier down to the 5.5MHz you need for system B. Butchering this set would be a shame + they aren't that easy to work on.

[michamoo]

For how much longer is it likely that pictures will continue to be available at VHF in that part of New Zealand ? I would think these signals days are numbered now...

Isn't there something about pressing both VHF and UHF buttons at once with these sets?

[Andy Green]

Yes, that's how I used to get RTE system I on VHF on my Sony 990-UB. Txs off air now

[PWH]

Hi Thanks for the replies.
I have line of sight to the Sky Tower (Auckland)

I don't intend to mess with the set because I don't know anything about them. I thought they may have been made as worldwide sets with a few sliders or links to change. However I'll press both UHF/VHF together and see what happens.

Yes analogue TV's days are numbered here too.

[Andy Doz]

The Aukland tx site is just to the south, in the Waitakeri estate. The is one of the few facts I know about NZ. And that's because I stayed in a hotel underneath it once, whilst fixing some sat com gear out there!

[PWH]

Originally Posted by merlinmaxwell

Isn't there something about pressing both VHF and UHF buttons at once with these sets?

Tried that, the UHF picture splits in 2 vertically. On VHF nothing happens.

[arjoll]

Originally Posted by Andy Doz

The Aukland tx site is just to the south, in the Waitakeri estate. The is one of the few facts I know about NZ. And that's because I stayed in a hotel underneath it once, whilst fixing some sat com gear out there!

Virtually all FM has now moved on to Skytower. Waiatarua is still the official site for most TV, but Skytower is using channels 1 and 5. Waiatarua is using 2, 4, 7 and 9, but I don't know the Auckland terrain well enough to know if Waiheke Island is line of sight.

[Mr Hoover]

Originally Posted by PWH

Tried that, the UHF picture splits in 2 vertically. On VHF nothing happens.

Hi

If you want to use the TV to watch your local Vhf channels (for the time they
have left) the most simple solution is to use an old VCR as a tuner,I'm assuming the modulator of the vcr comes out at uhf.You just select/tune in the vhf channels on the vcr and they pass through the unt,coming out at Uhf on the modulator.

The 990 UB intercarrier sound circuits are tuned to system I,6MHz but I know from experience(living in Portugal which had system B/G) they easily retune down to 5.5MHz on Uhf and access is fairly easy.

You'll need to make up an external aerial socket to feed the vcr in via a small jack or buy the "official" EAC 9B Sony antenna connector which is sometimes around on UK ebay.

Messing around with the system switching on that set to try and get 625 Vhf
is quite involved from what I remember and access is very poor.

The alternative is to buy an aurora 405 line converter for it.

The multistandard "cousin" of this set is the one you want to view your vhf
channels,the Sony TV990UM it does system B/G at Vhf and Uhf and the French 819 system at Vhf and 625 L at Uhf..It does appear on some European auction sites from time to time but is very rare in the UK.

Regards,

Hugh

[Andy Doz]

Both buttons out is 625 VHF.

[Mr Hoover]

Originally Posted by Andy Doz

Both buttons out is 625 VHF.

If you do that the timebase goes to 625 but otherwise with 405 line system A characteristics-doesn't help receiving local New Zealand System B analogue Vhf signals.

[PWH]

The multistandard "cousin" of this set is the one you want to view your vhf
channels,the Sony TV990UM it does system B/G at Vhf and Uhf and the French 819 system at Vhf and 625 L at Uhf..It does appear on some European auction sites from time to time but is very rare in the UK.

Regards,

Hugh

I was hoping the insides were the same but just linked differently, The UM would be the set to have.

Both buttons out give a better but still negative picture and a trace of sound. I get all the channels mentioned above. I am not really interested in the TV programs they are usually dire, with tons of exciting retail opportunities.

P.S please see my wanted thread, I need a couple of bits of trim for the set to complete it.

What is the . channel between 5&6? Is that where you are supposed to set it before going to UHF?

[Mr Hoover]

Originally Posted by PWH

Both buttons out give a better but still negative picture and a trace of sound. I get all the channels mentioned above. I am not really interested in the TV programs they are usually dire, with tons of exciting retail opportunities.

What is the . channel between 5&6? Is that where you are supposed to set it before going to UHF?

Yes,with both buttons out that's exactly what you should be seeing with the 990UB.French TV System L on Uhf looked like that on UK Uhf TV's.

The position between 5 & 6 is nothing...

Just push the Uhf button in and tune the little rotary knob on the side
for Uhf operation.The Vhf tuner position is of no consequence when
switched to Uhf on this model.

Regards,

Hugh

[arjoll]

Originally Posted by Mr Hoover

I'm assuming the modulator of the vcr comes out at uhf.

Don't go too old - NZ VCRs were almost all VHF (switchable channel 2/3) until the early 90's. Most TVs didn't have UHF tuners until the mid 80's, possibly later.

[Mr Hoover]

IF you're looking for a nice historical Sony that will work in NZ the TV9-306UM is one to look out for.Does System B/G and French Systems E and L.
The case is made from a brittle type of plastic compared with the 990 model.

http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/sony_tr...306_um9um.html

The set tunes down to E2 48.25 MHz video carrier...The fine tuner and the adjustment of
th elocal oscillator slug in the tuner(access to it when the tuner knobs removed) should persuade it to go down to your Ch1 with 45.25 MHz carrier.

The UK version was the 9-306UB.

Hugh

[Andy Doz]

Originally Posted by Mr Hoover

If you do that the timebase goes to 625 but otherwise with 405 line system A characteristics-doesn't help receiving local New Zealand System B analogue Vhf signals.

Oh yeah ...