# Apple Tv and old CRT television



## jmlachance (Nov 6, 2005)

I've done a bit of research on this but I'd like to get some input:

We have a 10+ years old tv that will be making it way to the basement when we buy a new tv sometimes soon. 

Can I use Apple tv (1) with this old set? It only has rca jacks. From the researching a bit, it looks like we might,or would need, an HDMI to RCA adapter..?

We don't spend that much time in the basement except in the winter where the exercise machine is,so I don't want to get a new tv just for the few hours a week it would be in use while exercising,that is until the old one finally packs up.
For the new TV that will go upstairs, once it's bought, I guess an Apple TV 3 is worth buying as well..?
Oh yeah:even though we still use an old crt television, we do have cable. My wife likes to watch her Coronation street and such...


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## John Clay (Jun 25, 2006)

If memory serves, you can't downgrade HDMI to RCA because of the anti-piracy protections built into the protocol.


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## makuribu (Oct 26, 2005)

It really isn't worth it to pay for the adapters that might downgrade a 1080p signal to 480i.

If the downstairs video is going to be mostly used with an ATV, buy the cheapest 1080p HDTV TV, or any 1080p monitor with HDMI input.

Then take the CRT TV to the e-dump. I have a 28" CRT TV in my attic. It will never be used again. It weighs so much that I will only drag it down to the car to throw it away when I feel up to the effort.


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## Andrew Pratt (Feb 16, 2007)

Agreed. It will cost you more to down convert than to buy a cheap flat panel. You could use a computer monitor if you like if it has built in speakers


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## ldphoto (Jul 9, 2009)

I had connected a 1st gen aTV to a Samsung 24" CRT from 2003. The TV needs to have component video jacks (sometimes specifically labelled DVD or YcBcR). These jacks are often red, green and blue, they are the 480i version of component video. Before you can use the aTV on that TV however, toi Will nées tout connect it to a HDTV set, and force it to 480i resolution.

In all quite a pain, and the 1st gen aTV can't do most things that aTV are used for now (Airplay, Netflix, NHL, etc)


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## jmlachance (Nov 6, 2005)

Hmm, ok seems pretty obvious from the replies that it's not really worth it then. 
Thanks all.


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## pm-r (May 17, 2009)

Hmmm... from Googling this this evening it seems that it's quite possible to do even with 20 year old TV sets, and with very little expense, but an Apple TV was seldom mentioned or even needed.

It seems that some proper cables, a cheap converter and maybe some other device as an option is all that was required, and certainly good enough for some occasional basement viewing.


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## HowEver (Jan 11, 2005)

Do NOT take the CRT television to the dump!

Take it to a proper recycling depot.

This is what's wrong, in general....



makuribu said:


> It really isn't worth it to pay for the adapters that might downgrade a 1080p signal to 480i.
> 
> If the downstairs video is going to be mostly used with an ATV, buy the cheapest 1080p HDTV TV, or any 1080p monitor with HDMI input.
> 
> Then take the CRT TV to the e-dump. I have a 28" CRT TV in my attic. It will never be used again. It weighs so much that I will only drag it down to the car to throw it away when I feel up to the effort.


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## polywog (Aug 9, 2007)

jmlachance said:


> I've done a bit of research on this but I'd like to get some input:
> 
> We have a 10+ years old tv that will be making it way to the basement when we buy a new tv sometimes soon.
> 
> ...


ATV 1 has component video out. Is that what you're referring to when you say your TV only has RCA jacks? If so you're all set.


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## IllusionX (Mar 10, 2009)

yeah.. seems to be all set with an ATV1.

my friend has the ATV2 with an old CRT. He does have an HDMI to RCA converter and works without issue. ugly, but it works.


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## fjnmusic (Oct 29, 2006)

You will not get an Hi Def signal on a CRT set no matter what you do. Also, check whether those "RCA jacks" are component or composite. There's a big difference.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## ldphoto (Jul 9, 2009)

fjnmusic said:


> You will not get an Hi Def signal on a CRT set no matter what you do. Also, check whether those "RCA jacks" are component or composite. There's a big difference.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


There were a number of CRTs in the early 2000s that supported 1080i and 720p HD. Those have component input. Some even had DVI input.


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## screature (May 14, 2007)

fjnmusic said:


> *You will not get an Hi Def signal on a CRT set no matter what you do*. *Also, check whether those "RCA jacks" are component or composite. There's a big difference.*
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Actually not true depending on the CRT. 

We have a Toshiba HDTV and it is a CRT. Now in this case I know it isn't a HDTV but there are HD CRTs out there.

It should be pretty obvious if it is component or composite, because component requires three jack (R,G,B) whereas composite is just one jack.



ldphoto said:


> There were a number of CRTs in the early 2000s that supported 1080i and 720p HD. Those have component input. Some even had DVI input.


Indeed. Ours has component and HDMI inputs.


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## makuribu (Oct 26, 2005)

HowEver said:


> Do NOT take the CRT television to the dump!
> Take it to a proper recycling depot.


Which is what I meant by "e-dump". Electronic waste recycling drop off depot seemed like a lot of extra keystrokes.


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## HowEver (Jan 11, 2005)

makuribu said:


> Which is what I meant by "e-dump". Electronic waste recycling drop off depot seemed like a lot of extra keystrokes.


Sorry, missed the "e" and saw the dump. It's a classic modern problem.


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