Look Who it Was Random video

Composite Is Composite Is Composite

336 views · Published 30 September 2014 · 8:30 · Indexed 21 September 2026

Channel: jaykay18 · 2014 · Howto & Style

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Originally recorded September 4, 2014.

I've been wanting to do this for a long time.  Some background information:  When I was a childrenses, in my elementary school they had Apple IIs.  In the computer room, there were also a couple of big CRT TVs mounted near the ceiling, and 1 or 2 machines were split out to those big TVs, that way the entire class could watch.  I always thought that was interesting.

Later when I learned they simply used a composite connection, it made sense, but I wanted to do it backwards; pump a TV signal into an Apple monitor.  In my high school, they also had a big TV, and it had an antenna on it (we still had analog in those days).  The TV also had a composite out, so a quick rewire of it while the teacher stepped out and I was able to see it work.  Problem was the picture really wasn't too great, I don't remember what the deal was, either the reception was poor or I just couldn't dial in the color, brightness, contrast, and tint correctly, so it worked, but not great.

Now, at Sharkie's place, I got my chance.  Best connection I have is the camera, which would output composite, so we wired that into a couple of monitors there.  Sharkie recorded the results, since you can't really record a TV you're pumping the signal into, as you get "video feedback".

And yes, they made composite monochrome green screens, so you could watch black and green TV.  I've never seen (although they likely exist) amber composite screens, that would also be interesting to see.  (FWIW, both Apple and IBM made composite green screens, Apple had several for the II series, the one in the video is for the IIc.  IBM made one for use with the IBM PC Convertible laptop; why it was composite instead of CGA is beyond me.)

After all, a composite signal is a composite signal is a composite signal.

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