Looking for a PSU

Discussions about Sinclair ZX80 and ZX81 Hardware
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Lardo Boffin
Posts: 2160
Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2016 2:42 am

Looking for a PSU

Post by Lardo Boffin »

Hello all

I am looking for a PSU for the ZX81 (well, Atari 2600 but they use the same) that is not switching as these types cause screen artefacts such as in the image below:

2376A800-607C-45FE-A0AB-51FAFEE86209.jpeg

The lighter splodges on the screen are a band of slightly sparkly pixels that move up the screen with a switch mode PSU plugged in. It is actually quite distracting on a TV but doesn't look too bad in the photo.

The same PSU happily drives Spectrums, zeddies and my Megadrive so I think it is ok. And I have tried several others with the same result - I assume the PSU generates noise which the Atari is not expecting.

If I use my ZX81 PSU the screen has no band of sparklies going up it.

Can anyone recommend a modern 9V PSU that is not switching, i.e. has a transformer in it? Do people still even make them? :shock:

Many thanks!
ZX80
ZX81 iss 1 (bugged ROM, kludge fix, normal, rebuilt)
TS 1000 iss 3, ZXPand AY and +, ZX8-CCB, ZX-KDLX & ChromaSCART
Tatung 81 + Wespi
TS 1500 & 2000
Spectrum 16k (iss 1 s/n 862)
Spectrum 48ks plus a DIVMMC future and SPECTRA
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