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Perhaps I should start by saying that the tasks to be undertaken on this page are not for those of you without electrical and soldering skills, but for the competent, the following circuit will give a quality picture and mono sound through a television set from a ZX Spectrum +3 or a +2A. The lead was designed by Alan Cox and has been built and tested by a number of different people (including myself) on a number of different makes of TV (with almost complete success).
Should you build one of these leads kindly report the results so we may judge the success rate.
From feedback received it would appear that this lead will not work with most of the TV/Video Combo units -- not surprising as most are of cheap manufacture with the minimum of components.

Info added April 2007:- Do note that this lead was designed some 5 years ago and many modern TV's do not have the required connections on their Scart sockets to enable this lead to work!

• PARTS AND TOOLS REQUIRED.
• Scart Plug (also known as an Euro Connector or Peritel Plug).
• 8 pin male DIN in-line plug.
• Five 68 ohm resistors (quarter or half watt)
• 6 feet of six core cable.
• 6 feet of single screened cable (for the sound connections).
• 15 watt Soldering Iron.
• Solder.
• Electrical tape (or cable ties).
• MultiMeter.
• Side cutters, Long nosed pliers and a small screw driver (all of which can be found in any DIY tool box).

Just in case it is not obvious, use the six core cable to connect the DIN plug video/RGB connections to the Scart plug and the single screened cable is for the sound connections to the Scart Plug - centre of cable between pins 2 and 6 on the Scart plug and pin 3 on the Din plug, the screening goes between pins 4, 5, 9, 13, 17 and 18 on the Scart plug and pin 2 on the Din plug. Once the Scart lead has been made up following the above diagram, tape the two leads together (or use cable ties). With both the TV and +3 switched off plug in your lead, then switch on the two machines and test.

• Connect SCART pins 4, 5, 9, 13, 17 and 18 together and then to RGB pin 2.
• Connect SCART pins 7, 11 and 15 to RGB pins 8, 6 and 7 respectively via 68R resistors.
• Connect SCART pins 2 and 6 together and then to RGB pin 3.
• Connect SCART pin 8 to RGB pin 5.
• Connect SCART pin 16 to RGB pin 1 via a 68R resistor.
• Connect SCART pin 20 to RGB pin 4 via a 68R resistor.
• An eight core cable was used for the production of this lead and gave satisfactory results.

It is well worth the effort of making up a Scart lead for your +3 or +2A machines, as the quality of picture (the sound remains mono) far exceeds that obtained from a Black/White, Green, Amber or Colour Monitor. Games are given a new meaning when played using a 32 inch wide screen Television.

NB Due to the nature of Television design there is a possibility that the lead will not work on every make and model of TV sold throughout the world, try the external Scart socket offering to handle CVBS, RGB and Y/C first.

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