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Sony Watchman FD-20 Composite Video Hack

VIF IC Pads
VIF IC Pads

Hacking the Sony FD-20 to accept a composite input is easy – the tuner receives the RF transmission, produces an IF, this is then fed into IC201, a Mitsubishi M51364P Video IF Processor. The VIF IC then separates out the composite video signal, which is output on Pin 13 (in photo above, left side, 3rd pin from the top). The audio is separated out & sent via Pin 11 to the Audio IF processor.

In the above photo, the VIF IC has been removed from the board with hot air, as it was interfering with the signal if left in place. The RF tuner was also desoldered & removed. Unfortunately I managed to mangle a pad, which is the ground pin for the VIF IC. This isn’t much of an issue though, as an identical signal ground is available, just to the left of the IC.

Audio Input
Audio Input

The audio can be tapped into in a similar way, the circled pad in the centre of the photo marked SIF is the place, this is the output of the Audio IF processor to the audio amplifier. The Audio IF processor didn’t interfere with the injected signal, so it was left in place.

1 thought on “Sony Watchman FD-20 Composite Video Hack

  1. Hi,
    i took out the RF box und the chip, but I only can get a signal for a split second when i bridge pin 11 and 13. How did you do it?

    greetings

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