Spectrum In USA?

[rdhcook]

I would like to use a Spectrum here in the USA but wasn't sure of the technical issues? Also I clearly have no idea about TV signals..

1, I'm guessing a suitably sized regulated DC power supply would be needed. But would the different mains power frequency over here (50 vs 60hz) be an issue for the Spectrum?

2, For TV signal I only have modern TV's/monitors. It is a hit and hope for composite or RGB output from the Spectrum to work? When displaying via composite/RGB does the difference between PAL/NTSC still come into play?

3, Would the ZX-HD HDMI interface work in the USA with the different signals etc?

Thanks

Rich

[1024MAK]

1, I'm guessing a suitably sized regulated DC power supply would be needed. But would the different mains power frequency over here (50 vs 60hz) be an issue for the Spectrum?

The ZX Spectrum runs from DC, so it does not care about the mains voltage or frequency. Just buy a PSU (AC adaptor, Wall Wart etc...) that produces a 9V DC output with an output current of at least 1.2A (but higher than 1.4A is better). There are good reasons to buy a regulated type over an unregulated type. With a regulated type, there will be less heat generated from inside the ZX Spectrum. But an unregulated type (as long as it has smoothing, read ‘designed to power electronics’) will work fine.

The two most important things are:

• Buy from a respectable shop / supplier. Don’t get the cheap rubbish from overseas. That’s for your safety as much as the safety of the ZX Spectrum.
• Make sure that the polarity of the 5.5mm/2.1mm barrel power connector is correct. It must be positive on the outer contact and negative on the inner contact. The incorrect polarity will cause damage even if powered for a few seconds.

2, For TV signal I only have modern TV's/monitors. It is a hit and hope for composite or RGB output from the Spectrum to work? When displaying via composite/RGB does the difference between PAL/NTSC still come into play?

All current TV technology is still firmly rooted in the standards that were set when CRT technology was king. So yes a U.K. ZX Spectrum 16K, 48K and ZX Spectrum+ produces a 625 line, 15625 Hz horizontal frequency, 50Hz vertical frequency video signal using PAL colour encoding. That’s the composite video signal used internally and the UHF modulator output. To get an external composite video signal, it will require a modification.

For a 128K model, the RGB output is still a 625 line, 15625 Hz horizontal frequency, 50Hz vertical frequency video signal, the only difference is that the three colour channels and the synchronisation signals are carried on four wires (plus a common ground) rather than being combined.

A lot of LCD TVs are actually multi-standard (even if not marked or it’s not in the user instructions), but not all. And in a big market like the U.S.A. there are likely to be many that are not capable of making sense of the output from a ZX Spectrum
And that assumes that your TV has a composite input connector.

Your best bet is to buy an Interface or expansion that outputs a HDMI Signal. Or wait for a reply from another member in America to reply telling us what set up they use. Or search this forum and the World of Spectrum forums for details of what others use.

The other option would be to get a 128K model, buy a suitable SCART cable, then by a SCART to HDMI converter box. But a modification is needed to get them all to play nicely, as otherwise the SCART to HDMI converter box will not switch to the correct input mode.

3, Would the ZX-HD HDMI interface work in the USA with the different signals etc?

I would hope so, but not having such a device, I don’t know...

Mark

[rdhcook]

Thanks for the detailed reply, it helped a lot.

[rdhcook]

I just purchased a grey +2 from ebay and have been playing with it here in the UK while I am visiting family.

It has a few upgrades according to the seller
- composite mod
- recapped
- sound mod to play from external tape player
- Voltage regulator is now a buck converter
- Transistors TR4,5,7 fixed

It is working great so far with a divMMC, the tape player also works and so does the audio input mod loading from my cell phone. I wanted to test it before bring it over to the USA. Now lets hope one of my TV's understands Spectrum Composite else I'll get a ZXHD.

[Ast A. Moore]

It’d be far easier to hook up the Spectrum via RGB to a US-made TV (hijacking its OSD system) than to find one that supports PAL-I on its composite input, I think.

[fimbulvetr]

I've had no trouble finding multi-mode LCD screens in Canada that work with my Spectrums (grey +2 and 48k versions). Seems like the are more likely to support PAL than not, in my experience. I bought a few 4:3 LCD TVs with a composite input from Value Village, and they all worked fine. If you want to be more certain, look for one with a nice wide variety of inputs on the back -- if you see one with VGA, Composite, and RGB it seems pretty well guaranteed to support PAL. Buying at a thrift shop meant that if they didn't work I would only have been out $5 or $10.

If you really want to go fancy, look for a multi-mode CRT like a Sony Trinitron studio monitor (like the PVM-1271Q). I have one of those, and it is nice. More expensive than an LCD though.

[fimbulvetr]

I just checked, and my PAL-compatible LCD screens are a Sony MFM-HT95 and a Sharp Aquos LC-13S1U-S.

[beanz]

Every LCD TV I've thrown my composite modded speccies at has worked fine. Just go to Goodwill/Value Village and pick up a couple of small ones for about $10-$15 each. I've got quite a collection of them now.

[Contact Sam Cruise]

3, Would the ZX-HD HDMI interface work in the USA with the different signals etc?

Yes, I'm using a ZX-HD HDMI interface in the US with a 48k Spectrum and a 128k Toastrack - the HDMI works perfectly with a modern flatscreen TV. The picture is very sharp and clear.

[akeley]

If you really want to go fancy, look for a multi-mode CRT like a Sony Trinitron studio monitor (like the PVM-1271Q). I have one of those, and it is nice. More expensive than an LCD though.

Do you know if there is any other CRT solution, other than PVM? For example some sort of RGB to PC VGA monitor adapter?

[fimbulvetr]

Can’t help you with a recommendation there. I’ve owned the PVM since the 80’s, so I never bothered to look into a converter. There seems to be a number of them out there, but they are not cheap.