On: March 5, 1981: Timex Sinclair ZX81 Launched (2018)

[scoot]

Modern TVs don't have a composite input. :)

[Jaruzel → scoot]

To explain further: The internal composite signal of the ZX81 (before it hits the RF modulator) has a poor "back porch"[1] signal, which prevents a lot of digital TVs from showing a steady image of the ZX81s screen. The composite mod for the ZX81 rectifies this, so the composite output can be feed into either a modern TV that still has a composite input, or an inexpensive composite-to-HDMI converter.

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[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horizontal_blanking_interval

[LeoPanthera → scoot]

I don't think that's actually true. Even my shiny new Sony 4K HDR TV, bought literally this year, has a single composite input.

It's certainly being phased out, but it's not gone yet.

[beagle3 → LeoPanthera]

My new Phillips 4K OLED does not, which I only discovered when I wanted to connect my https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C64_Direct-to-TV to it.

[rbanffy → scoot]

It's a shame they didn't have SCART output.