Bad TV is a Rowbyte native plugin for After Effects and Premiere Pro that creates realistic bad‑TV distortion using input parameters, delivering vertical sync jumps and DV‑tape scan lines without requiring displacement maps.
Developed by Rowbyte.
About Bad TV
Bad TV is a native plugin for Adobe After Effects and Premiere Pro, developed by Rowbyte to simulate authentic bad‑TV visual artifacts. The tool generates distortion automatically from user‑defined parameters, eliminating the need for external displacement maps. Features include a vertical sync offset that mimics the jumpy refresh of legacy televisions, variable‑thickness scan lines for a DV‑tape appearance, manual time control, and horizontal sync control for fine‑tuning. Performance updates were added in version 2.1 for both host applications. Compatibility covers After Effects from CS6 through the 2025 release and Premiere Pro from CS6 through 2020, with noted support for CS5 and later. The current version, 2.7.5 (released 21 April 2025), resolves earlier version‑mismatch errors. A demo video is provided by the developer.
Features
- Automatically creates distortion based on the input parameters, with no displacement maps required
- Vertical Sync offset that produces the jumpy effect seen in old TVs
- Scan lines of varied thickness for a DV Tape effect
- Manual Time Control
- Horizontal Sync Control
- Version 2.1 introduced a performance update for both Premiere Pro and After Effects
Best for
Creating realistic bad‑TV visual effects inside After Effects and Premiere Pro, such as vertical sync jumps and DV‑tape style scan lines.
Frequently asked questions
Does Bad TV work with After Effects 2025?
Yes. Bad TV supports After Effects versions from CS6 through the 2025 release, including 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020 and the various CC releases back to CC 2014. The 2.7.5 update also fixed version‑mismatch errors.
Which Premiere Pro versions does Bad TV support?
Bad TV runs in Premiere Pro from CS6 through the 2020 release, covering CC 2014 through CC 2019 and CC 2015.3. Apple Silicon support was added in version 2.7.1, and a performance update arrived in version 2.1.
Is Bad TV free to download?
The catalog lists Bad TV as free, but the developer may offer different licensing options. Check the developer’s page for the current download terms and any license details.
What does the Vertical Sync offset in Bad TV do?
The Vertical Sync offset creates the jumpy, rolling effect typical of old television sets. Combined with variable‑thickness scan lines, it produces a DV‑tape aesthetic, all generated automatically without external displacement maps.
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Explore Bad TV
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