Sinclair ZX80 / ZX81 / Z88 Forums

This is yet another new hardware product for ZX81 users (and many have been waiting for it!).
The ZXVid is a board which replaces the insides of the UM1233 UHF modulator on the ZX81 and provides excellent composite video output for modern televisions, and also incorporates the back-door latch required for early ULAs which produce a very dark screen on modern colour televisions.

This provides a nice neat solution, and if you require, you can even make up a SCART lead to plug into the unit.
We have decided to make it available as three options depending on what soldering you wish to do:

OPTION A:
We supply the ZXVid unit built, together with composite video lead, and the wires you require. You will need to remove the innards from your ZX81's TV modulator, drop the ZXVid unit into the modulator, remove and solder the replacement video and power lines.
Cost will be £30 plus postage.

OPTION B:
We supply the ZXVid unit built into a TV modulator box, together with composite video lead, and the wires you require. You will need to de-solder your existing modulator (which is held by two pins), and solder the replacement unit in place. You will still need to also remove and solder the replacement video and power lines.
Cost will be £37.50 plus postage (with a £5 rebate on the return of your existing UHF modulator - presuming it is usable!)

OPTION C:
You send your ZX81 to us and we fit the ZXVid unit to your ZX81, and return it to you within 7 days, with tracked postage.
Cost will be £45 for this service plus postage.

Hi Rich,
looks great!
I'd prefer option 'P' for PCB-only
Will there be a schematic available?

We would not want to offer an option 'P' as that leads to all sorts of issues - if the unit doesn't work, then who's fault is it?

RWAP wrote:We would not want to offer an option 'P' as that leads to all sorts of issues - if the unit doesn't work, then who's fault is it?

But surely you already have those issues with anything but the send the ZX81 to you to fit ? i.e. if I screw up the fitting who's fault is it if it doesn't work.

I guess something like this would also work with the spectrum, and any other machine with the same mdulator e.g. the Beeb/Electron, though they also have video out anyways.

What I would have liked to see was a board that soldered into the 4 modulator holes but without the metal case but with a phone in the same place. I dislike replacing the contents
of the modulator as it could lead to confusion if the user believes it to be modulated output.

Cheers.

Phill.

Prime wrote:

RWAP wrote:We would not want to offer an option 'P' as that leads to all sorts of issues - if the unit doesn't work, then who's fault is it?

But surely you already have those issues with anything but the send the ZX81 to you to fit ? i.e. if I screw up the fitting who's fault is it if it doesn't work.

True, but the amount of soldering required is less - whereas option P would need SMT soldering which is a lot more intricate and you are likely to damage the components as you try soldering them with an ordinary soldering iron!

Prime wrote: I guess something like this would also work with the spectrum, and any other machine with the same mdulator e.g. the Beeb/Electron, though they also have video out anyways.

The solution for the Spectrum etc is normally simpler - just disconnect two wires and solder a new wire in place to provide composite video out.

This is more intricate mainly due to the issue of the back porch missing on so many ZX81 ULAs!

Prime wrote: What I would have liked to see was a board that soldered into the 4 modulator holes but without the metal case but with a phone in the same place. I dislike replacing the contents
of the modulator as it could lead to confusion if the user believes it to be modulated output.
Cheers.
Phill.

I guess we could leave the lid off which might be better - re-using the modulator is a good way of providing a stable connector to plug in the composite video lead - otherwise we would need a custom built housing increasing the price again!

excellent work... Looks familiar

Andy

We have now added listings for each of the three options to sellmyretro.com - http://www.sellmyretro.com/search/natur ... word=zxvid

The "Option A" versions already appear to have gone - I knew I shouldnt have gone to bed

fatbob_gb wrote:The "Option A" versions already appear to have gone - I knew I shouldnt have gone to bed

I have moved a couple of Option C to Option A

Very, very cool.

Would it also work in a Spectrum?