u/EducationalCover2100

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for help troubleshooting a Sony Color Watchman FDL-380 that I recently bought on eBay. The seller described it as "working", but I don't know its actual history or whether anything has been repaired or drifted out of calibration over the years.

I'm trying to display video wirelessly using a TV-TX200 analog TV transmitter.

My setup:

• Sony Color Watchman FDL-380 (US model)

• TV-TX200 analog RF transmitter

• MacBook Pro connected via a high quality USB-C to HDMI cable

• HDMI selected on the transmitter

• Telescopic antenna fully extended

• 9V third-party power supply (AliExpress, interchangeable tips, using both F and G plugs, both fit naturally and power the Watchman correctly)

Things I've already tried:

• VHF and UHF modes

• Multiple RF frequencies

• NTSC (N) and PAL (P)

• SIF values from 4.5 MHz to 6.5 MHz

• Output power from 0.5W up to higher levels

• Different Mac resolutions and refresh rates (50 Hz and 60 Hz)

• Mirror mode and extended display

• Power cycling both devices many times

What happens:

• The Watchman definitely reacts when the transmitter is turned on.

• Static changes immediately when I power the transmitter on/off.

• When I move windows or play a YouTube video on the MacBook, the pattern on the Watchman changes in real time.

• Several times I briefly saw distorted parts of my desktop or blurry colorful frames from the YouTube video, so some kind of video information is definitely getting through.

• However, it never locks into a stable picture.

One thing that really confuses me:

The green tuning indicator never stays on a single TV channel. It keeps moving ("hunting") by itself, even after I only press the Channel + or Channel - button once.

I also can't figure out what the CH CALL button is actually supposed to do.

I spent hours reading the official Sony service manual together with ChatGPT and experimenting with every setting I could think of, but I still can't understand why the tuner never locks.

My electronics knowledge is fairly basic. I'm comfortable with software and troubleshooting, but I don't have experience repairing RF circuits, replacing capacitors, doing alignments, or soldering.

Does this behavior sound more like:

• incorrect RF modulation/settings,

• an alignment problem inside the Watchman,

• an issue with the TV-TX200 transmitter,

• or a common characteristic of the FDL-380 that I'm missing?

I'll attach photos showing:

• the transmitter settings,

• the Watchman,

• and examples of the distorted image I'm getting.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for help troubleshooting a Sony Color Watchman FDL-380 that I recently bought on eBay. The seller described it as "working", but I don't know its actual history or whether anything has been repaired or drifted out of calibration over the years.

I'm trying to display video wirelessly using a TV-TX200 analog TV transmitter.

My setup:

• Sony Color Watchman FDL-380 (US model)

• TV-TX200 analog RF transmitter

• MacBook Pro connected via a high quality USB-C to HDMI cable

• HDMI selected on the transmitter

• Telescopic antenna fully extended

• 9V third-party power supply (AliExpress, interchangeable tips, using both F and G plugs, both fit naturally and power the Watchman correctly)

Things I've already tried:

• VHF and UHF modes

• Multiple RF frequencies

• NTSC (N) and PAL (P)

• SIF values from 4.5 MHz to 6.5 MHz

• Output power from 0.5W up to higher levels

• Different Mac resolutions and refresh rates (50 Hz and 60 Hz)

• Mirror mode and extended display

• Power cycling both devices many times

What happens:

• The Watchman definitely reacts when the transmitter is turned on.

• Static changes immediately when I power the transmitter on/off.

• When I move windows or play a YouTube video on the MacBook, the pattern on the Watchman changes in real time.

• Several times I briefly saw distorted parts of my desktop or blurry colorful frames from the YouTube video, so some kind of video information is definitely getting through.

• However, it never locks into a stable picture.

One thing that really confuses me:

The green tuning indicator never stays on a single TV channel. It keeps moving ("hunting") by itself, even after I only press the Channel + or Channel - button once.

I also can't figure out what the CH CALL button is actually supposed to do.

I spent hours reading the official Sony service manual together with ChatGPT and experimenting with every setting I could think of, but I still can't understand why the tuner never locks.

My electronics knowledge is fairly basic. I'm comfortable with software and troubleshooting, but I don't have experience repairing RF circuits, replacing capacitors, doing alignments, or soldering.

Does this behavior sound more like:

• incorrect RF modulation/settings,

• an alignment problem inside the Watchman,

• an issue with the TV-TX200 transmitter,

• or a common characteristic of the FDL-380 that I'm missing?

I'll attach photos showing:

• the transmitter settings,

• the Watchman,

• and examples of the distorted image I'm getting.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for help troubleshooting a Sony Color Watchman FDL-380 that I recently bought on eBay. The seller described it as "working", but I don't know its actual history or whether anything has been repaired or drifted out of calibration over the years.

I'm trying to display video wirelessly using a TV-TX200 analog TV transmitter.

My setup:

• Sony Color Watchman FDL-380 (US model)

• TV-TX200 analog RF transmitter

• MacBook Pro connected via a high quality USB-C to HDMI cable

• HDMI selected on the transmitter

• Telescopic antenna fully extended

• 9V third-party power supply (AliExpress, interchangeable tips, using both F and G plugs, both fit naturally and power the Watchman correctly)

Things I've already tried:

• VHF and UHF modes

• Multiple RF frequencies

• NTSC (N) and PAL (P)

• SIF values from 4.5 MHz to 6.5 MHz

• Output power from 0.5W up to higher levels

• Different Mac resolutions and refresh rates (50 Hz and 60 Hz)

• Mirror mode and extended display

• Power cycling both devices many times

What happens:

• The Watchman definitely reacts when the transmitter is turned on.

• Static changes immediately when I power the transmitter on/off.

• When I move windows or play a YouTube video on the MacBook, the pattern on the Watchman changes in real time.

• Several times I briefly saw distorted parts of my desktop or blurry colorful frames from the YouTube video, so some kind of video information is definitely getting through.

• However, it never locks into a stable picture.

One thing that really confuses me:

The green tuning indicator never stays on a single TV channel. It keeps moving ("hunting") by itself, even after I only press the Channel + or Channel - button once.

I also can't figure out what the CH CALL button is actually supposed to do.

I spent hours reading the official Sony service manual together with ChatGPT and experimenting with every setting I could think of, but I still can't understand why the tuner never locks.

My electronics knowledge is fairly basic. I'm comfortable with software and troubleshooting, but I don't have experience repairing RF circuits, replacing capacitors, doing alignments, or soldering.

Does this behavior sound more like:

• incorrect RF modulation/settings,

• an alignment problem inside the Watchman,

• an issue with the TV-TX200 transmitter,

• or a common characteristic of the FDL-380 that I'm missing?

I'll attach photos showing:

• the transmitter settings,

• the Watchman,

• and examples of the distorted image I'm getting.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for help troubleshooting a Sony Color Watchman FDL-380 that I recently bought on eBay. The seller described it as "working", but I don't know its actual history or whether anything has been repaired or drifted out of calibration over the years.

I'm trying to display video wirelessly using a TV-TX200 analog TV transmitter.

My setup:

• Sony Color Watchman FDL-380 (US model)

• TV-TX200 analog RF transmitter

• MacBook Pro connected via a high quality USB-C to HDMI cable

• HDMI selected on the transmitter

• Telescopic antenna fully extended

• 9V third-party power supply (AliExpress, interchangeable tips, using both F and G plugs, both fit naturally and power the Watchman correctly)

Things I've already tried:

• VHF and UHF modes

• Multiple RF frequencies

• NTSC (N) and PAL (P)

• SIF values from 4.5 MHz to 6.5 MHz

• Output power from 0.5W up to higher levels

• Different Mac resolutions and refresh rates (50 Hz and 60 Hz)

• Mirror mode and extended display

• Power cycling both devices many times

What happens:

• The Watchman definitely reacts when the transmitter is turned on.

• Static changes immediately when I power the transmitter on/off.

• When I move windows or play a YouTube video on the MacBook, the pattern on the Watchman changes in real time.

• Several times I briefly saw distorted parts of my desktop or blurry colorful frames from the YouTube video, so some kind of video information is definitely getting through.

• However, it never locks into a stable picture.

One thing that really confuses me:

The green tuning indicator never stays on a single TV channel. It keeps moving ("hunting") by itself, even after I only press the Channel + or Channel - button once.

I also can't figure out what the CH CALL button is actually supposed to do.

I spent hours reading the official Sony service manual together with ChatGPT and experimenting with every setting I could think of, but I still can't understand why the tuner never locks.

My electronics knowledge is fairly basic. I'm comfortable with software and troubleshooting, but I don't have experience repairing RF circuits, replacing capacitors, doing alignments, or soldering.

Does this behavior sound more like:

• incorrect RF modulation/settings,

• an alignment problem inside the Watchman,

• an issue with the TV-TX200 transmitter,

• or a common characteristic of the FDL-380 that I'm missing?

I'll attach photos showing:

• the transmitter settings,

• the Watchman,

• and examples of the distorted image I'm getting.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for help troubleshooting a Sony Color Watchman FDL-380 that I recently bought on eBay. The seller described it as "working", but I don't know its actual history or whether anything has been repaired or drifted out of calibration over the years.

I'm trying to display video wirelessly using a TV-TX200 analog TV transmitter.

My setup:

• Sony Color Watchman FDL-380 (US model)

• TV-TX200 analog RF transmitter

• MacBook Pro connected via a high quality USB-C to HDMI cable

• HDMI selected on the transmitter

• Telescopic antenna fully extended

• 9V third-party power supply (AliExpress, interchangeable tips, using both F and G plugs, both fit naturally and power the Watchman correctly)

Things I've already tried:

• VHF and UHF modes

• Multiple RF frequencies

• NTSC (N) and PAL (P)

• SIF values from 4.5 MHz to 6.5 MHz

• Output power from 0.5W up to higher levels

• Different Mac resolutions and refresh rates (50 Hz and 60 Hz)

• Mirror mode and extended display

• Power cycling both devices many times

What happens:

• The Watchman definitely reacts when the transmitter is turned on.

• Static changes immediately when I power the transmitter on/off.

• When I move windows or play a YouTube video on the MacBook, the pattern on the Watchman changes in real time.

• Several times I briefly saw distorted parts of my desktop or blurry colorful frames from the YouTube video, so some kind of video information is definitely getting through.

• However, it never locks into a stable picture.

One thing that really confuses me:

The green tuning indicator never stays on a single TV channel. It keeps moving ("hunting") by itself, even after I only press the Channel + or Channel - button once.

I also can't figure out what the CH CALL button is actually supposed to do.

I spent hours reading the official Sony service manual together with ChatGPT and experimenting with every setting I could think of, but I still can't understand why the tuner never locks.

My electronics knowledge is fairly basic. I'm comfortable with software and troubleshooting, but I don't have experience repairing RF circuits, replacing capacitors, doing alignments, or soldering.

Does this behavior sound more like:

• incorrect RF modulation/settings,

• an alignment problem inside the Watchman,

• an issue with the TV-TX200 transmitter,

• or a common characteristic of the FDL-380 that I'm missing?

I'll attach photos showing:

• the transmitter settings,

• the Watchman,

• and examples of the distorted image I'm getting.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for help troubleshooting a Sony Color Watchman FDL-380 that I recently bought on eBay. The seller described it as "working", but I don't know its actual history or whether anything has been repaired or drifted out of calibration over the years.

I'm trying to display video wirelessly using a TV-TX200 analog TV transmitter.

My setup:

• Sony Color Watchman FDL-380 (US model)

• TV-TX200 analog RF transmitter

• MacBook Pro connected via a high quality USB-C to HDMI cable

• HDMI selected on the transmitter

• Telescopic antenna fully extended

• 9V third-party power supply (AliExpress, interchangeable tips, using both F and G plugs, both fit naturally and power the Watchman correctly)

Things I've already tried:

• VHF and UHF modes

• Multiple RF frequencies

• NTSC (N) and PAL (P)

• SIF values from 4.5 MHz to 6.5 MHz

• Output power from 0.5W up to higher levels

• Different Mac resolutions and refresh rates (50 Hz and 60 Hz)

• Mirror mode and extended display

• Power cycling both devices many times

What happens:

• The Watchman definitely reacts when the transmitter is turned on.

• Static changes immediately when I power the transmitter on/off.

• When I move windows or play a YouTube video on the MacBook, the pattern on the Watchman changes in real time.

• Several times I briefly saw distorted parts of my desktop or blurry colorful frames from the YouTube video, so some kind of video information is definitely getting through.

• However, it never locks into a stable picture.

One thing that really confuses me:

The green tuning indicator never stays on a single TV channel. It keeps moving ("hunting") by itself, even after I only press the Channel + or Channel - button once.

I also can't figure out what the CH CALL button is actually supposed to do.

I spent hours reading the official Sony service manual together with ChatGPT and experimenting with every setting I could think of, but I still can't understand why the tuner never locks.

My electronics knowledge is fairly basic. I'm comfortable with software and troubleshooting, but I don't have experience repairing RF circuits, replacing capacitors, doing alignments, or soldering.

Does this behavior sound more like:

• incorrect RF modulation/settings,

• an alignment problem inside the Watchman,

• an issue with the TV-TX200 transmitter,

• or a common characteristic of the FDL-380 that I'm missing?

I'll attach photos showing:

• the transmitter settings,

• the Watchman,

• and examples of the distorted image I'm getting.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.