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USA Newbie, lost with ZX Spectrum

phreakindeephreakindee
edited November 2009 in Hardware
Just got a 48k ZX Spectrum from the UK and I'm in the US. Well, I'm having problems I wasn't expecting.

The only lead to the TV mine has is an UHF aerial cable, which I've never even seen before. I have a 50hz TV, but it only has the standard RF coaxial cable connector. So does my VCR from 1985, which I normally use for old things. How in the world do I hook up the Spectrum to a TV? Is there some way to use the TV output to go to standard RF? I know of the composite mod, but I didn't want to do that just yet.
Post edited by phreakindee on

Comments

  • WinstonWinston
    edited November 2009
    Where does the PAL tv come from?

    US televisions have a different style of RF connector than UK ones. US ones use TNC connectors (like a BNC, but threaded not bayoneted). UK ones use something almost the same as an RCA connector, but it's not compatible (the centre pin of the RCA connector is rather larger than the UK UHF lead).

    What you need to do, therefore, is make up a cable. Put a TNC on one end, and an RCA connector on the other (an RCA connector *will* connect to the Spectrum end just fine).

    Note your TV will have to be capable of tuning to UHF channel 36.
  • phreakindeephreakindee
    edited November 2009
    Well, I've actually got a cable that does just that (RCA on one end, TNC on the other) and I've tried that but I get nothing. It's an American NTSC TV with 50hz support, a Magnavox, so it does not have the UK connector. I assume it won't even tune UHF, but I really have no clue how to even check and fact-seeking online elsewhere doesn't seem to be helping. I have another TV which specifically says it tunes to UHF, but I can only change channels regularly and can't change from VHF to UHF or anything - plus it's not PAL-compatible...
    Winston wrote: »
    Where does the PAL tv come from?

    US televisions have a different style of RF connector than UK ones. US ones use TNC connectors (like a BNC, but threaded not bayoneted). UK ones use something almost the same as an RCA connector, but it's not compatible (the centre pin of the RCA connector is rather larger than the UK UHF lead).

    What you need to do, therefore, is make up a cable. Put a TNC on one end, and an RCA connector on the other (an RCA connector *will* connect to the Spectrum end just fine).

    Note your TV will have to be capable of tuning to UHF channel 36.
  • Nuno2009Nuno2009
    edited November 2009
    hi

    without a TV capable of PAL you can't do anything
    check also the VCR, maybe its a high-end one with both systems

    I still remember the frustration a few years ago when my aunt brought a few
    VHS tapes with tv shows from the states and all I could see wore horizontal lines in the screen :P
  • phreakindeephreakindee
    edited November 2009
    So, you're saying that even though my TV has 50hz input, I still can't use it?

    Nuno2009 wrote: »
    hi

    without a TV capable of PAL you can't do anything
    check also the VCR, maybe its a high-end one with both systems

    I still remember the frustration a few years ago when my aunt brought a few
    VHS tapes with tv shows from the states and all I could see wore horizontal lines in the screen :P
  • ZnorXmanZnorXman
    edited November 2009
    Nuno2009 wrote: »
    I still remember the frustration a few years ago when my aunt brought a few
    VHS tapes with tv shows from the states and all I could see wore horizontal lines in the screen :P

    It seems to be easier to get a dual-system TV in Europe than in the States ... don't ask me why. I think it's stupid, I have plenty of VHS tapes from Europe I can't watch here but my relatives in Europe can watch stuff I send them!
  • HerculesHercules
    edited November 2009
    If you can't get the TV tuned with an RF cable, then why not modify your Spectrum to composite? That way you get a vast superior picture, and you can hook it up using the phono cable composite video in socket on your television.

    Hack is below. I've carried it out on both my 48 and 48+ with great success:-

    http://womblesretrorepairshack.blogspot.com/2008/11/zx-spectrum-composite-video-mod.html

    ...If after doing that hack the telly doesn't have a phono composite video in socket, stick a phono to scart converter on the end of the phono lead, then switch the telly to AV on the remote...

    Again, your telly must be capable of displaying a PAL signal if your Spectrum was bought from the UK. Now that we have multiregion DVD players, if your telly is a newish model then it should support both PAL and NTSC.
  • phreakindeephreakindee
    edited November 2009
    I have been looking at the mod quite intently now that it seems the UK's RF connection isn't in any way going to work on the TVs I have. My set is 50hz compatible and I have a PAL->NTSC converter box so hopefully with the comp-mod it will be fine!
    Hercules wrote: »
    If you can't get the TV tuned with an RF cable, then why not modify your Spectrum to composite? That way you get a vast superior picture, and you can hook it up using the phono cable composite video in socket on your television.

    Hack is below. I've carried it out on both my 48 and 48+ with great success:-

    http://womblesretrorepairshack.blogspot.com/2008/11/zx-spectrum-composite-video-mod.html

    ...If after doing that hack the telly doesn't have a phono composite video in socket, stick a phono to scart converter on the end of the phono lead, then switch the telly to AV on the remote...

    Again, your telly must be capable of displaying a PAL signal if your Spectrum was bought from the UK. Now that we have multiregion DVD players, if your telly is a newish model then it should support both PAL and NTSC.
  • rustyredlinerustyredline
    edited November 2009
    If you have +2A/2B or +3 zx then there is a lead on ebay rgb socket to scart and the picture is awesome would be ?13.99 to U.S. as extra shipping charges would apply, mine arrived on tuesday, heres a link
    http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320440641006&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT
    P.S. One thing i have noticed is that yellow has a green tinge now (with this cable) but that does not bother me at all the picture is crystal and better than any emulator on a pc
  • TupinTupin
    edited November 2009
    I don't think I've ever seen a TV with a SCART port in America, but I'm looking at a standard Spectrum RF cable, and I think I have seen one that is compatible:

    http://cgi.ebay.com/ZX-Spectrum-ZX81-RF-Lead-RF-Cable-2m-Brand-New_W0QQitemZ310179346142QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_VintageComputing_RL?hash=item48382136de

    I have a cable that has RCA jack on both ends, and I put one end into the machine and the other end into the TV cable jack using an adapter. My cable doesn't have that cowling around one end, though. I can't seem to find a TV that does both 50 and 60Hz, though, they just say 60Hz. They are fairly modern TVs, though.

    What channel to I turn to for Spectrum RF?
  • phreakindeephreakindee
    edited November 2009
    This is pretty much my problem, have an RCA cable with an RF adapter on the end. I have a 50hz TV, but don't know what channel to turn it to. I've tuned it to channel 36, but that shows nothing.

    Tupin wrote: »
    I don't think I've ever seen a TV with a SCART port in America, but I'm looking at a standard Spectrum RF cable, and I think I have seen one that is compatible:

    http://cgi.ebay.com/ZX-Spectrum-ZX81-RF-Lead-RF-Cable-2m-Brand-New_W0QQitemZ310179346142QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_VintageComputing_RL?hash=item48382136de

    I have a cable that has RCA jack on both ends, and I put one end into the machine and the other end into the TV cable jack using an adapter. My cable doesn't have that cowling around one end, though. I can't seem to find a TV that does both 50 and 60Hz, though, they just say 60Hz. They are fairly modern TVs, though.

    What channel to I turn to for Spectrum RF?
  • TupinTupin
    edited November 2009
    Try channel 1 or 2, that's what I always thought was the PAL equivalent of channel 3 and 4. I might be wrong, though.
  • phreakindeephreakindee
    edited November 2009
    The manual says to tune to BBC Two, which is UHF channel 36. I have no idea if regular channel 36 here should work or not.

    Is there anyone in the US who has gotten a 48k to work using RF? Or knows some other way, other than the composite mod?

    Tupin wrote: »
    Try channel 1 or 2, that's what I always thought was the PAL equivalent of channel 3 and 4. I might be wrong, though.
  • ZnorXmanZnorXman
    edited November 2009
    phreakindee wrote: »
    The manual says to tune to BBC Two, which is UHF channel 36. I have no idea if regular channel 36 here should work or not.

    Is there anyone in the US who has gotten a 48k to work using RF? Or knows some other way, other than the composite mod?

    Regular channel 36 will not work ... if your US TV is "old" enough to support ch2/3 then that's your closest bet on getting it to work ...

    Or go the composite mod route.

    I think Beanzie might have more info though.
  • beanzbeanz
    edited November 2009
    I got a multisystem TV off ebay for $50 a couple years ago, I've also done the Composite mod on a few of my speccies and they work 100% with my LCD TV...the composite mod is easy as pie so That's your best bet.
  • phreakindeephreakindee
    edited November 2009
    I have 2 questions for you:

    What brand/model of multisystem TV did you get? I have been looking into this but cannot seem to find any good info.

    For the composite mod, what kind of wiring do you use to solder the new video output? On the site listed earlier, it only says "use a thin wire"... I have some wrapping wire but I don't think that's what it means?

    Thanks...
    beanz wrote: »
    I got a multisystem TV off ebay for $50 a couple years ago, I've also done the Composite mod on a few of my speccies and they work 100% with my LCD TV...the composite mod is easy as pie so That's your best bet.
  • fogfog
    edited November 2009
    have you an old VCR you could use as a halfway step IF it's got a tuner on it? just a thought.. ariel out from speccy to vcr.. and vcr to tv..

    obv. the composite / scart is the way for you to go..do NTSC tv's normally compensate for a PAL signal?

    but what about the power? I mean in the UK , we used step-down convertors to run US things etc..
  • phreakindeephreakindee
    edited November 2009
    The problem is that VCRs, TVs etc here do not seem to be able to tune to the channel used by the Speccy. I have a step up transformer so that's fine. And my NTSC TV happens to also accept 50hz signals, just not PAL so the color is black and white, and for that I have a converter.
    I have used a PAL-signal Dreamcast with composite just fine, so really its the RF issue, which is why I hope to do the mod. I just need to find out what kind of wire to use in the last steps of the composite video mod and I should be set!
  • beanzbeanz
    edited November 2009
    phreakindee wrote: »
    I have 2 questions for you:

    What brand/model of multisystem TV did you get? I have been looking into this but cannot seem to find any good info.

    For the composite mod, what kind of wiring do you use to solder the new video output? On the site listed earlier, it only says "use a thin wire"... I have some wrapping wire but I don't think that's what it means?

    Thanks...

    I'll have to let you know on the TV as it is at home and not used much now I have the Composite mod in place...It's a fairly old 14inch. If you have 'modern' LCD TV (most support 50hz) the composite is going to be the cheapest and best route to go. I have a Visio 37" Jobby and it looks mighty fine on it...haven't used my Multisystem TV since.

    As for the wire I used...umm any old wire I think, that's what I used...probably 18awg If I had to guess...don't think it is critical though..the mod is REALLY easy to do.
  • WinstonWinston
    edited November 2009
    I would (fifth or sixth) the composite mod. Even if you do get the RF input working, they tend to drift and on a TV made in the last 15 years or so you drive yourself mad having to retune it using the buttons on the remote.

    There are a few Speccys with modulators that manage to remain on frequency while the machine warms up, but even so, the picture quality of composite is much better without sacrificing any of the things that make real hardware with a real TV qualitatively much nicer than any emulator.
  • Alcoholics AnonymousAlcoholics Anonymous
    edited November 2009
    "use a thin wire" probably means a wire with low inductance. A wire can introduce a new complex impedance and, at a spot sensitive to such things, can result in degraded picture quality. The wire is not critical -- any thin one as short as reasonable will work. A single strand from multistrand copper might be good to try.
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  • TupinTupin
    edited November 2009
    Phreakindee, what converter do you have so you can get color from PAL signals?

    My TVs all say on the back 60Hz, but it doesn't say that it's not 50Hz/PAL compatible. The one I was planning using the Spectrum on is from around 1995, and but I also checked some manufactured more recently, such as an LCD manufactured in 2007. I'll have to get that converter you talked about, Phreakindee.
  • phreakindeephreakindee
    edited November 2009
    It's a really cheap one that you can get on Amazon or eBay for about $30, no real brand name. All it does is give you color, you still need a 50hz TV or an old TV with vertical hold adjustment (I have have an old Sony Trinitron that does this, it has a knob on the side). My 50hz TV is a Magnavox LCD HDTV a year or two old, and as most of them are nowadays it is 50hz/60hz compatible, and it says so on the back.

    Tupin wrote: »
    Phreakindee, what converter do you have so you can get color from PAL signals?

    My TVs all say on the back 60Hz, but it doesn't say that it's not 50Hz/PAL compatible. The one I was planning using the Spectrum on is from around 1995, and but I also checked some manufactured more recently, such as an LCD manufactured in 2007. I'll have to get that converter you talked about, Phreakindee.
  • TupinTupin
    edited November 2009
    As I thought, no TVs I have 50Hz. I do, however, have several computer monitors that operate at both, and I have seen VGA-Composite cables. I also see no reason that they wouldn't be PAL either, as it has a worldwide voltage range of 100-240 volts.

    Now, just to get a Spectrum over here. I think I might be able to have someone bring one over, which would save me a ton in shipping.

    Oh, and phreakindee, can we expect a Youtube review of the ZX Spectrum when you get it up and running? I think it would be very insightful. :)
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