What Causes ‘Ghost’ Signals on Old TVs?

Imagine you’re watching your favorite show, and suddenly, a flickering copy of the same image appears beside it, like a shadow or a ghost! This happens because old TVs receive signals through the air, and sometimes, those signals take different paths to get there. When two versions of the signal arrive at slightly different times, they mix together on the screen, creating a ghostly double image.

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Examples

  1. Your TV shows a ghostly copy of your favorite show when you're watching it in a city with many buildings.
  2. A flickering shadow appears on the screen during thunderstorms because the signal bounces off rain clouds.
  3. You see a double image when the TV is near a window that reflects the signal.

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