View Full Version : Zenith Wavemagnet TV box?


old_tv_nut
12-07-2012, 08:58 AM
Waht exactly is it? never saw one like it before -
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330840820058&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:1123

josephdaniel
12-07-2012, 11:17 AM
Antenna switch or a signal amp?

dieseljeep
12-07-2012, 11:38 AM
Antenna switch or a signal amp?

It was used to use the power line as an antenna.
I only saw one. It worked fair on one channel. :sigh:

Einar72
12-07-2012, 01:02 PM
Great for viewing blender waveforms on your TV.

ChrisW6ATV
12-08-2012, 05:44 PM
It was used to use the power line as an antenna.

Oh, no! Even ZENITH got into that "whole-house TV antenna" scam business? Shame, shame! :nono:

old_tv_nut
12-08-2012, 06:05 PM
Well, it did turn your whole house into an antenna; but the question always was, why would anyone think a house makes a good antenna?

W3XWT
12-08-2012, 08:24 PM
What can one say about Zenith???

"Where Z-TAC lives forever"?

or

"Where the parts go in before the name goes on"?

ggregg
12-08-2012, 08:48 PM
Initially, many people thought that an antenna on a roof was an eyesore. This was one way around it. Like someone said, a great way to get in house interference on the set.

josephdaniel
12-08-2012, 09:11 PM
The preformance on one of those today would be even worse probaby deut to all of the new CFL bulbs everywhere.

wa2ise
12-08-2012, 09:19 PM
I remember, back in the '60s, ads in TV Guide for plug in TV antenna adapters. A power plug with a sideways cylinder (looked like made of plastic) mounted to the plug, and twin lead going into that cylinder. I would guess a pair of high voltage capacitors connected to the power line and twinlead conductors. Making the house wire act like more twinlead, eventually getting TV signals from the overhead power company service wires, at least in theory... :scratch2: No noise immunity or ghost suppression you'd have with a real rooftop antenna.

josephdaniel
12-08-2012, 09:50 PM
I wouldent think that the "antenna would extend beyond the HV transformer outside the house but if two houses are connected to the same transformer or in an apartment then that would be some interesting results.