ZX Spectrum composite mod

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ZX Spectrum composite mod

Postby mrad01 on Sat Dec 07, 2013 10:38 pm

The ZX Spectrum is turning into a real fav of mine - and with this nice little composite output mod - even more so.

Many of you will have already done this, but for those still using RF - no more! It is insanely simple. The Speccy passes composite to the RF modulator, which feeds it to the TV. You can bypass the RF modulator by feeding the composite directly to the connector. Now plug your ZX Spectrum into your LCD TV. Nice!

http://www.jammarcade.net/zx-spectrum-composite-video-mod/
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Re: ZX Spectrum composite mod

Postby kevman3d on Sun Dec 08, 2013 10:03 am

Yup, that's exactly what I did too... I was surprised just how amazingly simple and oh-so-easy... If only I'd know that one as a kid, I could have conned my parents into buying a monitor. One of the other kids at school had a Commodore screen... Very crisp, nice bright colours... Very jealous at the time. :lol:

Mark Fixes Stuff also has a video on the same process... For those with more of a hands-on "show me" learning style...
http://youtu.be/0dbNowKZ00g
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Re: ZX Spectrum composite mod

Postby tezza on Sun Dec 08, 2013 10:51 am

Yes, my Speccy has the same mod. Works well and gives a great picture.
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Re: ZX Spectrum composite mod

Postby am1933 on Wed Mar 26, 2014 8:06 am

I have also performed the mod and I by no means think of myself as an electronics whiz, I also replaced the X2 capacitors in both my BBC micros power supplies, another relatively simple fix that allows worry free computing.
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Re: ZX Spectrum composite mod

Postby RonTurner on Wed Mar 26, 2014 12:38 pm

My spectrum has that mod, saves scanning for a signal

My spectrum also has a full travel keyboard, re-wired to the spectrum

I just need a rom upgrade to get rid of the keyword entry and give it full screen editing and it will be a good computer!
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Re: ZX Spectrum composite mod

Postby am1933 on Thu Mar 27, 2014 9:01 am

RonTurner wrote:My spectrum has that mod, saves scanning for a signal

My spectrum also has a full travel keyboard, re-wired to the spectrum

I just need a rom upgrade to get rid of the keyword entry and give it full screen editing and it will be a good computer!


Sounds like you are trying to build a Spectrum+2 minus the cassette player :wink:
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Re: ZX Spectrum composite mod

Postby RonTurner on Thu Mar 27, 2014 12:02 pm

The keyword entry is like trying to walk with wooden legs, its just not as good.

I used to have a spectrum back in the day but recently it took me 2 minutes to enter: LOAD""

As a rule I don't touch sponge keyboards, the keyboard on my spectrum is a real keyboard with a metal on metal contact sound! My other spectrum has a saga keyboard, those other spectrums like the spectrum+ still have membranes so not a real keyboard, just a sponge keyboard with plastic on top, and watchout the keys don't fall off! Also my main keyboard is connected with actual wires so no need to pop a match box in to try and patch the dodgy ribbon cable setup. Someone had gone to great lengths to rewire a proper keyboard to my spectrum.

They are also the most listed on trademe, I would like to get a couple of spares but can't get near one due to the same two traders take every last one no matter how high the price goes? They must have a 100+ spectrums???? the result is astronomically high pricing disproportionate to avalibility.
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Re: ZX Spectrum composite mod

Postby kevman3d on Sat Apr 05, 2014 11:27 am

RonTurner wrote:I used to have a spectrum back in the day but recently it took me 2 minutes to enter: LOAD""


lol! I typed in a ZX81 1k game a week or two ago with an emulator... Even with a real keyboard, it took me around 45 minutes to type 20 lines of code as I fumbled my way through the keyword, Function and Graphics mode clutter. But I managed to do it - then sat and played it for 20 minutes cause it was strangely entertaining for what it was.

Definitely a flashback moment to 1982 all over again - I think I took more then that to type in the same program the first time when I was 12.
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