JPEG/PNG 2 ZX Spectrum

💾 .TAP — Recommended for emulators

Standard virtual tape with a SCREEN$ header block + data block. Universal compatibility — this is the easiest way to test the result.

• Fuse, ZEsarUX, Speccy, RVM: drag & drop the .tap into the window
• JSSpeccy / Qaop/JS (browser): load the .tap via their open-file menu
• On the Speccy, type LOAD "" SCREEN$ — the tape autoloads the image into VRAM
• DivMMC / DivIDE / ZX-Uno / ZX Spectrum Next: copy the .tap to SD card, browse with esxDOS / NextOS

📂 .SCR — Raw VRAM dump (specialised tools)

6912 bytes (6144 pixels + 768 attributes), exactly the Speccy's VRAM from $4000 to $5AFF. No magic bytes, no header — pure raw dump. Useful for asset pipelines, paint tools, and demos that load with LOAD ""SCREEN$ CODE 16384.

⚠ Heads-up: most emulators don't accept a standalone .SCR via drag & drop — that path is reserved for snapshots, tapes, and disks. To test the image quickly, prefer the .TAP above. Use the .SCR with the tools below.

• ZEsarUX: File › Load Binary File › Load Screen ($4000)
• MultiPaint, ZX Paintbrush, BMP2SCR: open as native SCR
• Asset workflows: include the raw 6912 bytes directly in your game/demo binary

📻 .WAV — Real Spectrum via cassette/jack 🎧

The .tap rendered as mono 44.1kHz audio, ready to play into the Speccy's EAR port. No extra hardware required beyond a 3.5mm male-to-male jack cable (or a DIN adapter for Speccy +2/+3).

• Plug your audio output (phone, PC, MP3 player) into the Spectrum's EAR port
• On the Speccy, type LOAD "" SCREEN$ and press ENTER
• Play the .wav at max volume (the Speccy is forgiving — better too loud than too quiet)
• You'll hear the pilot tone (high pitch) then the famous data screech — the image appears after ~10 seconds
• Tip: if it won't load, lower the volume slightly, or try a different player (overly bass-heavy outputs can be problematic)