Sinclair ZX80 / ZX81 / Z88 Forums

What a monitor/TV can I use for my ZX81? My very old TV does not work anymore.

The best thing to use with a ZX81 IS an old black-and-white portable(or big one) TV - that's what they were 'designed' to be used with - some ZX81's give a dark picture when used with colour TV's(back porch incorrect) - modern LCD things could be a bit hit or miss unfortunately unless you 'modify' the ZX81 for composite video output(personally I wouldn't do this unless as a last resort)

I have a circuit idea for a simple add-on RF to composite converter unit so that no alterations would be needed to the insides of a ZX81 or any other home computer with RF TV output - will post details when (and if!) I get time to test it(if it works!).

gozzo wrote:I have a circuit idea for a simple add-on RF to composite converter unit so that no alterations would be needed to the insides of a ZX81 or any other home computer with RF TV output - will post details when (and if!) I get time to test it(if it works!).

You will still have the missing back porch, so modern tv's are likely to still struggle.

My plasma TV has no problem with missing back porch.
By the way this is dependend on ZX81 version.
The older ULA's don't have back porch (Issue One e.g.), the newer one's have it (ISS3 e.g.).

There is of course, now an easy solution to the missing back-porch problem with the early ULAs, which means the ZX81 should then work with any television set.

See viewtopic.php?t=639

A VCR can often convert from analog TV antenna signal to composite video, S-video, or SCART.