Displaying old computers on new TVs

[zx80nut]

Hi.

There are many people who have problems tuning in modern TVs to the old computers.

What I have, and I recommend that you keep an eye out for on eBay (they do turn up now and again) is a Philips TV Tuner, model 7300. It was produced around the time of the Amiga, and was intended to display normal TV pictures on the Philips monitor.

This is a real analogue tuner, that takes in a normal TV signal and outputs composite video and also an audio signal onto two phono connectors, so you can plug it into the "AV" sockets on your TV, bypassing the troublesome digital tuning.

It comes in a cream coloured case (nicely retro!), and has 12 preset tuning channels, using old fashioned thumbwheel tuning (nothing digital).

I use it for most of the old computers and is great as you can fine-tune without the TV deciding that it's not going to lock on.

Anyway, hope it is of use

Regards.


Grant

[sirmorris]

Cool tip!

[angus]

Good idea, there may be a few other outboard tuners that were on the market in the 80's and 90's too.

Another option might be an older VCR with tuning by thumbwheels and composite output.

With my ZX81, even on a 10 year old CRT with digital tuning I have difficulty but I've routed it through the tuner on a DVD recorder and it holds for around an hour before I need to fine tune.

[angus]

I wonder if there would be a niche market among various types of retro computer/gaming fans for a one channel analogue tuner with composite or possibly VGA or HDMI output? I am thinking of something that can take an RF signal, has a proper analogue knob or thumbwheel tuner and can output to modern display devices?

That way no mods to the original machines would be necessary.

[sirmorris]

I like the idea.

[bobs]

I'd certainly go for that - I've a few machines which would benefit from one.

When I get some free time (i.e. not writing ZX81 3D engines) I intend to try to wire-up my ZX81 to a Sinclair flat-screen TV - just for that ultimate retro look.

[angus]

Will the simple composite mod for the Zeddy (NPN transistor and 100 Ohm resistor) work with an Issue 1 board and early ULA?

I've now got two such machines and they display awfully on my LCD television, even if looped through a DVD recorder or VCR. In fact the most stable display is direct into the TV's analogue tuner but it's still pretty unusable.

[sirmorris]

All my zeddies have this mod, both porched and porch-free. I get pretty good displays but there are certain output devices which fail - a colour portable and the main lcd tv. The cruddier devices such as my pctv card, old cctv monitor and eztv adapter all work nicely.

So, in summary - it _might_ work for you!

[angus]

All my zeddies have this mod, both porched and porch-free. I get pretty good displays but there are certain output devices which fail - a colour portable and the main lcd tv. The cruddier devices such as my pctv card, old cctv monitor and eztv adapter all work nicely.

So, in summary - it _might_ work for you!

I'll try it this week and report as to the success.

I now have two Zeddies, one is very early (ULA dated 8112) the other I haven't opened yet but I believe it is an early model too - known to have been bought in 1981 and modded already with a 4K graphics ROM.

I have an analogue tuner in my LCD TV and also tuners in a DVD recorder and a video recorder.

Oddly enough the Zeddies work with a portable pocket LCD TV, perfect display but 4 inches isn't really enough for programming!

[Philsan]

Rich,
do you plan do produce a video mod?

BTW, how do you know board's issue?