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Just Got Spectrum +2 grey model off ebay a few problems

barniegbarnieg
edited June 2011 in Hardware
Finally decided to get a real Spectrum after catching up on a load of games on emulators I missed in my earlier years due to having a C64 and Atari 8-bit.

Having plugged it in to test I alternatively got a very ropey rf output which occasionally changed to a screen of large horizontal black & white lines seemed to be very iffy when moved causing the computer to reset.

After trying to get a decent picture and stable setup the system refused to output a signal at all. After about half an hour of just leaving the +2 i was able to tune in again. The Spectrum seemed to be a bit stabler after this but rf was so bad its pretty much unusable. Any ideas on where to start on looking for where the problem might be?

It probably didn?t help the the system was sent in the original box but with no outer packaging i,e bubble wrap just brown paper. Is RF even worth worrying about and would i be better just going SCART with modern TVs?

thanks
Barnie
Post edited by barnieg on

Comments

  • Alessandro GrussuAlessandro Grussu
    edited June 2011
    barnieg wrote: »
    It probably didn’t help the the system was sent in the original box but with no outer packaging i,e bubble wrap just brown paper. Is RF even worth worrying about and would i be better just going SCART with modern TVs?
    thanks
    Barnie
    Don't worry about the packaging, I was sent a +3 without box from the UK, just wrapped in bubble plastic film, and it works great.

    From my personal experience I can assure you that using a RGB-SCART cable will benefit you greatly in terms of image and sound clarity, but if you plan to connect your +2 to a LCD TV it would be better to get some feedback as some combinations could not give you even a passable result. See this thread for further information:

    http://www.worldofspectrum.org/forums/showthread.php?t=34206

    CRT TVs won't get you any problems instead, as long as they have a SCART input with RGB capability.
    Spectrumpedia, the most comprehensive book ever written about the Spectrum - Zankle Soft - Corrections for games incompatible with the +2A/+3 - TAP files for DivIDE/DivMMC - SetoLOAD fast tape loading scheme
  • fogfog
    edited June 2011
    barnieg wrote: »
    would i be better just going SCART with modern TVs?

    yep or composite if it was an older machine.. as RF modulators drift from machine to machine regardless of it's speccy or atari etc..

    I have a few of the same machines and none sit on the same channel "36" newer tv's are less forgiving when it comes to tuners, or so it seems to me.
  • BiNMaNBiNMaN
    edited June 2011
    fog wrote: »
    yep or composite if it was an older machine.. as RF modulators drift from machine to machine regardless of it's speccy or atari etc..

    I have a few of the same machines and none sit on the same channel "36" newer tv's are less forgiving when it comes to tuners, or so it seems to me.

    may be worth adjusting the rf, untill the analogue switch off has happened channel 5 will still interfere with the signal
  • barniegbarnieg
    edited June 2011
    I've decided to go straight with SCART so have ordered a cable of ebay hopefully that will sort it!

    thanks
    Barnie
    BiNMaN wrote: »
    may be worth adjusting the rf, untill the analogue switch off has happened channel 5 will still interfere with the signal
  • Alessandro GrussuAlessandro Grussu
    edited June 2011
    A wise choice :) I bought one from Retro Computer Shack and it works great with my Samsung 32" LCD/LED TV. If you were used to RF output, prepare to be amazed :D
    Spectrumpedia, the most comprehensive book ever written about the Spectrum - Zankle Soft - Corrections for games incompatible with the +2A/+3 - TAP files for DivIDE/DivMMC - SetoLOAD fast tape loading scheme
  • BiNMaNBiNMaN
    edited June 2011
    barnieg wrote: »
    I've decided to go straight with SCART so have ordered a cable of ebay hopefully that will sort it!

    thanks
    Barnie

    mind you I was assuming you live in the UK!!
  • SpiranthoSpirantho
    edited June 2011
    I've looked at about 4 +2s in the last few weeks and most of them have had dodgy RF.
    The solution is very simple, usually - just resolder the ground and wires to the modulator - the grounding comes loose. Also make sure the resistor to the terminal is soldered on well - it's often worth just re-flowing the solder joining the phono socket to the resistor.

    You may also want to reverse TR4 - it's probably back to front!

    Doing all this you can get really good RF out of a +2, but most +2s I've seen recently have been dodgy without that.
  • rich_chandlerrich_chandler
    edited June 2011
    BiNMaN wrote: »
    mind you I was assuming you live in the UK!!
    Well he does according to the location in his profile...
    I wanna tell you a story 'bout a woman I know...
  • MaccMacc
    edited June 2011
    WHICH he only just updated! Jed, post a pic of that minter in this thread matey! Thats what people have to aspire to! (and i hope youve made use of it somehow, shelf, book case etc!!!!)
  • rich_chandlerrich_chandler
    edited June 2011
    Macc wrote: »
    Jed, post a pic of that minter in this thread matey! Thats what people have to aspire to! (and i hope youve made use of it somehow, shelf, book case etc!!!!)
    Are you posting in the right thread?
    I wanna tell you a story 'bout a woman I know...
  • BiNMaNBiNMaN
    edited June 2011
    karingal wrote: »
    Are you posting in the right thread?

    you should see the +2 he got me, there isn't a bit of dust in the keyboard

    it's in such mint condition I daren't use it!
  • MaccMacc
    edited June 2011
    Man I was so p***ed when I posted that! Sentiments the same sober however! :-)
  • BiNMaNBiNMaN
    edited June 2011
    mind you I remember when channel 5 had to send 'engineers' to every home to retune your video equipment because they would be transmitting between channel 35-37 on your tv which was what all video and rf modulators used.

    be glad when the analogue switch off happens around here in september
  • rich_chandlerrich_chandler
    edited June 2011
    Macc wrote: »
    man i was so p***ed when i posted that! Sentiments the same sober however! :-)
    lol!!
    I wanna tell you a story 'bout a woman I know...
  • BiNMaNBiNMaN
    edited June 2011
    Macc wrote: »
    Jed, post a pic of that minter in this thread matey! Thats what people have to aspire to! (and i hope youve made use of it somehow, shelf, book case etc!!!!)

    there's the thread I started!!!

    http://www.worldofspectrum.org/forums/showthread.php?p=517509&highlight=spiffing#post517509
  • MaccMacc
    edited June 2011
    Man that is nice isnt it? If I'd have known then what I know now........ I'd have still done the swap! I know its got a good home!
  • barniegbarnieg
    edited June 2011
    The good news is that I got the SCART cable today and get an acceptable picture on the TV. There is a problem with the sound output thru the SCART cable, I get a constant background noise/interference - the Spectrum does produce its own sound and I got a response using the PLAY command. Lowering the volume on the TV seems to get rid of the background noise but then the Spectrum is too quiet to hear unless close to the TV.

    Barnie
  • MuzerMuzer
    edited June 2011
    barnieg wrote: »
    The good news is that I got the SCART cable today and get an acceptable picture on the TV. There is a problem with the sound output thru the SCART cable, I get a constant background noise/interference - the Spectrum does produce its own sound and I got a response using the PLAY command. Lowering the volume on the TV seems to get rid of the background noise but then the Spectrum is too quiet to hear unless close to the TV.

    Barnie
    That is a common design flaw with +2s, and not one that is easily fixable. The problem is that output from the tape player is router to the speaker, even when the tape player is not running (I verified this by running it without a tape player attached at all - it was silent). I would say the easiest way would to be figure out the exact cable you need to fiddle with (it'll be one of the ones from the tape player - probably a few will work, power or sound output from tape player), then solder in a switch so you can switch it on when you need to use the tape, and off when you don't.


    Me, I just live with it.
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