How Does an HDMI RF Modulator Actually Work?

An HDMI RF Modulator transforms digital signals into RF (Radio Frequency) signals through a process involving modulation and encoding. Here’s a step-by-step explanation of how this transformation occurs: In short, an HDMI RF Modulator transforms digital signals into RF signals by converting the digital data into analog form, encoding it onto an RF carrier wave, […]

The Two Best HDMI ATSC Modulators (Updated Sept 2026)

An HDMI ATSC modulator is a specific kind of HDMI RF modulator—it creates an ATSC digital television channel, usually ATSC 1.0 using 8-VSB in the United States. While an HDMI RF modulator is the umbrella term for equipment that takes an HDMI source and turns it into an RF television channel carried over coax, that

Is RF the Same as RCA?

RF and RCA are not the same thing, even though both often involve old TVs, round connectors, and cables that look like they came out of the same junk drawer. The confusion is understandable. If you’re trying to connect a VCR, DVD player, game console, cable box, or old camcorder to a television, you may

What’s dBmV and How Much is Enough?

dBmV is one of the more common acronyms you’ll come across when comparing RF modulators, amplifiers, splitters, or coax equipment. Ever wondered what it means? Simply put, dBmV is a way of expressing RF signal strength on a coax cable. The dB stands for decibels, and mV refers to millivolts. A reading of 0 dBmV

What Are the Disadvantages of Using an HDMI RF Modulator?

An HDMI RF modulator can be a brilliantly practical piece of equipment. It can put a Roku on an old coax-only TV, turn a security-camera feed into a channel anyone in the building can tune, or send several centrally located HDMI sources through the coax already running to hotel rooms, classrooms, apartments, or bar TVs.

Analog vs Digital HDMI RF Modulator Comparison (Updated August 2026)

If you’re trying to get video from a modern HDMI device onto a TV that only has a coaxial input—or you want to send one HDMI source to several TVs using the coax wiring already in your house or building—you’ll need an HDMI-to-RF modulator. Maybe you’re connecting a Roku or cable box to an old

What’s the Easiest Way to Convert HDMI to RF?

As a fan of gargantuan cabinet-style tube TVs, I’ve had to deal with more than my fair share of adaptors and modulators and converters (oh my!). That’s where I most often encounter the need to send picture and sound from an HDMI device like a 2000s+ gaming console to a television that only accepts an

How do you Connect a TV to a DVD player without A/V jacks?

If you have an older DVD player and a newer TV, connecting the two can be surprisingly awkward. Many DVD players were designed to use the familiar red, white, and yellow A/V cables, while modern televisions increasingly leave those connections out in favor of HDMI. Fortunately, you usually don’t need to replace either device. The

Four Thor HDMI RF Modulators Compared

Here’s a compact, spec-level comparison of Thor HDMI RF Modulators you can use to decide which model will work best for your particular situtation. I pulled the details from Thor’s product pages and datasheets so you get actual, comparable specs. Key items (inputs, outputs, codecs, resolution, latency, RF standards, management, rackability, use case) are shown.

Thor Petit HDMI RF Modulator Review

The Thor Petit RF Modulator is a solid entry-level HDMI→RF digital modulator, though. but when we stack it against the more expensive/more capable models from Thor Broadcast, we’ll show you where the compromises have been made. Knowing what those compromises are, you’ll be able to choose the right RF modulator for your particulkar purpose. Here’s a

Scroll to Top