What It Does
Bad TV recreates the look of faulty analog television equipment. The plugin generates vertical sync offsets that make footage jump like an old TV losing signal, horizontal sync distortion that creates scanline displacement, and authentic VCR tape artifacts. It works procedurally, meaning you don’t need to manually create displacement maps or frame-by-frame adjustments.
The plugin is useful for retro title sequences, horror film effects, found footage aesthetics, or any project requiring degraded video quality. You can simulate everything from minor reception issues to severe tape damage.
Key Features
Bad TV includes vertical sync offset controls that produce the characteristic jump effect when old TVs lose their picture lock. The scanline generator creates lines of adjustable thickness, matching the look of DV tape or analog video formats. Horizontal sync controls let you offset or distort individual scanlines horizontally.
The plugin includes manual time control, allowing you to keyframe when distortion occurs rather than applying it uniformly. All effects generate automatically without requiring external maps or pre-rendered elements. Version 2.1 included major performance improvements for both After Effects and Premiere Pro, and version 2.7.1 added native Apple Silicon support.
Compatibility extends back to After Effects CS5 and works in Premiere Pro as well. This makes it usable in editorial timelines without round-tripping to After Effects.
Who It’s For
Motion designers working on 1980s or 1990s period pieces will find Bad TV essential for matching era-appropriate video quality. VFX artists can use it to integrate modern footage into found footage horror films or documentary-style narratives. Editors working directly in Premiere Pro benefit from being able to apply these effects without leaving their timeline.
The plugin suits projects requiring quick iteration on glitch effects. Instead of rendering multiple test versions with different distortion maps, you adjust parameters in real time. This workflow fits tight deadlines where you need to show variations to clients or directors.
Pricing
Bad TV costs $39.99 for a perpetual license (currently discounted to $27.99). A single user license covers installation on up to two computers for one user, though not for simultaneous use. Additional licenses and render-only licenses are available for multi-seat studios.
Rowbyte offers a TV Distortion Bundle for $99 that includes Bad TV plus four additional plugins: Data Glitch 2, TVPixel, Dot Pixels, and Separate RGB. Purchased individually, these five plugins total $210, making the bundle a $110 savings if you need multiple glitch and distortion tools.
A free trial is available for testing before purchase. All licenses include free updates, with no subscription required.