PicoVideo

The PicoVideo is the result of many years of experiments to improve the video output of the Timex/Sinclair 2068.

Designer Jeff Burrell explored a number of solutions before arriving at this board. While working on the TS-Pico SD storage board project, he decided to investigate the potential of the Raspberry Pi Pico to generate video. The result is this highly capable and affordable solution for the TS 2068 video.

Jeff didn’t stop there: the PicoVideo also offer ULAplus™ modes. ULAplus is an enhanced ULA for the Sinclair ZX Spectrum family of computers.

The PicoVideo provides VGA output for all the Timex/Sinclair 2068’s display modes and the ULAplus modes.

You can connect your TS 2068 to any monitor with a VGA input… or, if your monitor does not have VGA input, VGA to HDMI converters are inexpensive and plentiful.

Want to hear your TS 2068’s audio through your monitor or external speakers? The built-in 3.5mm audio jack will send all of the TS 2068 audio signals to your preferred device. Many VGA to HDMI converters include a 3.5mm audio input, allowing you to send high quality video and audio to your monitor.

The PicoVideo is a plug-and-play solution: there are no special steps required to make it work.

The PicoVideo monitors writes to the TS 2068 display file and its settings. It copies writes to the display file to its own internal memory and reformats them to work with the VGA library.

The PicoVideo tracks the current display mode and display file use. In high resolution modes, the PicoVideo monitors both display files and generates the appropriate display signals.

Because it monitors the display file memory, certain visual effects, like the color bars when loading from tape, are not reproduced. You may find that some video demos that use advanced interrupt techniques do not reproduce well on the PicoVideo.

The PicoVideo accurately reproduces the 15 colors (plus black) of the TS 2068, as well as the BRIGHT, FLASH, and INVERSE commands.

You’ll need an expansion bus to use the TS-Pico with your Timex/Sinclair 2068. If you don’t have one already, please add one of the options below to your cart.