AVAILABILITY

The Chroma 80 interface, ZXC4 ROM cartridge and RS232 cable are available to purchase directly from me at the following prices:

• Chroma 80 interface (cased) = Available
• ZXC4 ROM Cartridge (4MB, cased) = Available
• RS232 cable (2m, black) = Available

Please email me for full payment details, postage costs for multiple items and to check current availability.

NOTES

• SCART is mainly available in Europe; outside of Europe the use of a video format converter will almost certainly be required (note that such a converter must change the signal format, not just change connector shape).
• Chroma 80 only outputs a picture in SCART RGB format (0.7V analogue signals), which is the highest quality available via SCART (better than composite video, S-video and component video).
• A SCART cable is not included and so you must provide your own. Most commercially available RGB SCART cables will be suitable, allowing you to select your preferred length.
• Chroma 80 has been tested with 50Hz and 60Hz models of the ZX80. It does not work with clones of the ZX80 or with the ZX81.
• There were 0.6A and 0.7A rated versions of the Sinclair ZX80 power supply, but it is strongly recommended to use a higher rated one such as the 1.2A ZX81 power supply. The 0.6A ZX80 power supply is insufficient to power the ZX80 and Chroma 80, and the 0.7A is borderline and will definitely exceed its rating if a ROM cartridge is also plugged in or other interfaces are connected. Overloading the power supply could cause it to overheat and so pose a fire risk.
• Flat screen TVs made by Panasonic do not appear to implement the SCART specification correctly and can result in the Chroma picture being shifted to the left or at worst being unstable and continually jumping horizontally. There may be other TV models that also do not display the picture from the Chroma interface correctly, but most makes appear to work ok.
• The ZXpand SD card interface created by Charlie Robson is compatible with the Chroma 80, but note that a replacement ROM is required inside the ZX80.
• Original 1980s flicker-free games may not display a perfectly stable picture due to inaccurate timings in the games. A TV tends to be far less tolerant of frame timing variations in a SCART signal than it is in an RF signal.
• Chroma 80 is compatible with the SLOW mode board produced by CompShop Ltd but might not work properly with modern SLOW mode board designs.
• A RS232 cable is not included. If your PC does not have a built-in serial port then a USB-RS232 adapter can be used. A standard 9-way non-crossover serial cable is suitable for use with the RS232 socket, and can be used to connect to a serial printer or a PC (although note that custom software must be created to control the RS232 port).
• Modern TVs tend to struggle to display the RF output from a ZX80. However, it is usually possible to obtain enough of a picture to prove that the ZX80 is operational. You should only connect the Chroma interface to a ZX80 that you are confident is in working order else damage may occur to the Chroma interface.
• Not all SCART sockets support RGB, although most do. A TV with multiple SCART sockets might only support RGB on one of the sockets, so always try all sockets if you cannot obtain a picture.