Trying to recreate analog broadcasting.

[Electronic M]

There are weak agile modulators capable of 4 channels simultaneously....That is the most I've heard of one box being capable of. Most areas don't have many VHF channels, but the UHF channels are usually congested from 13 up to 55 (you need a DTV box, like Zenith models, that shows the REAL carrier channel of the station to check your area). TVs prior to '64 only had UHF if that optional feature was ordered so if you buy earlier sets UHF will not be convenient.

Honestly how many channels do you regularly watch? I can maybe come up with 4-5 max. I prefer to have multiple modulators so my sets can run 2-4 shows at once, but my feed to them is a set of VCRs/DVRs/DVD-Rs that tune my cable feed.....That way I can use their remotes for tuning.

If you have a local cable provider that still offers analog cable (such as TWC's Milwaukee branch) that may be a solution (though the days of that are numbered). Cable channels 2-13 correspond directly with VHF channels, and SOME upper cable channels are in the UHF band......Most of the cable stations on such channels here are ones I have no interest in so I use modern stuff to convert what I do watch to a better channel.