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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Software Issues and Discussion => Topic started by: MigaMan on July 26, 2006, 10:18:25 PM
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Hey I just recently bought a PAL A600 with 2.05 (37.300) ROM installed. I haven't installed anything on it yet (waiting for Workbench disks to arrive) but I received my Pwr. Supply today and I proceeded to turn on the comp. The Amiga screen comes up with the picture of the disk drive, but there is no color, it just looks like variations of grey and white. I'm using composite video out and using a Commodore 1802D monitor. Is it supposed to display color on the bootup screen?
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Yes, there is color on the startup screen (background is purple). Have you tested the monitor with anything else to see if it's color is working correctly? Also, are you sure the monitor can handle PAL?
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Yea the PAL might be the problem. I know the monitor works with my C64, but my C64 is NTSC. I didn't think the color would be missing because of that.
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Very possible... when my old playstation was playing NTSC disks (its a PAL console) on my older TV they came out black and white ...
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Same thing happens with my PAL A600. Even though Commodore monitors support NTSC and PAL display modes, I think their internal composite interface is hardwired to either NTSC or PAL. It should be fine if you hook it up via the RGB port.
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Matt_H wrote:
Same thing happens with my PAL A600. Even though Commodore monitors support NTSC and PAL display modes, I think their internal composite interface is hardwired to either NTSC or PAL. It should be fine if you hook it up via the RGB port.
That makes sense. The monitor can handle the frequency otherwise the screen would be rolling or not displayed, but doesn't know about the different color encoding. And, since small box Amigas don't change color encoding when you switch from PAL to NTSC (just frequency).
(The bad part for the MigaMan is IIRC, the 1802 doesn't have RGB...)
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Composite sucks anyway. The A600's output is PAL/NTSC specific and would have to be replaced to change standard.
The 1802 lacks RGB but does have Chroma/Luma - how about getting a cheap supervideo genlock from eBay and using that to convert RGB to SVid? Mine was 5 EUR...
Or get a 1084 or similar?
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Yea I was hoping to get by with using the 1802 for the time being till I bought a better monitor, but it looks like I will need to look at other alternatives. The screen was rolling also but I was able to correct it with the V-HOLD pot. If I were to use a genlock, the 1802 would be able to show the color?
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I would check your comp out on a TV in order to confirm what's going on.
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I did, it still has no color and the screen rolls. Its a NTSC TV though.
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I don't know if it's like on the A2000/A3000, can't remember wich one, probably the A2000, but it had only black and white output from the composite. I think the A3000 din't have that output at all...
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Yes, with an NTSC, S-Video genlock you'd get the best picture possible out of the 1802.
Depending on the connectors of the genlock and 1802 you'll probably need a Mini DIN to 2xRCA cable/adapter.
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In addition to the genlock, there were also chroma/luma boxes available. I have one from Prevue here. (Or, of course you can build one...)
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@Zac67
Yes, with an NTSC, S-Video genlock you'd get the best picture possible out of the 1802.
Depending on the connectors of the genlock and 1802 you'll probably need a Mini DIN to 2xRCA cable/adapter.
yes but his A600 is a PAL version powered with a 60 HZ PSU.
Honestly i've never tryed such mixes. Beeing the genlock to generate the eclock, no clue if this will works.
Have you already tryed such configuration Zac67?
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I don't think the frequency of the input voltage into the PSU matters at all because it is all DC voltages coming out of the PSU and into the Amiga.
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Anyway, actually i can't tell you if it will works or not. Never tryed such experiments.
The only thing is.... try....it doesn't hurt! :-)
edited
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A600 differences PAL/NTSC models: quartz clock (doesn't matter usually) and modulator (different type, needs to be replaced); the Agnus is switchable (jumper or early boot menu). The PSU's input frequency doesn't matter at all (only on big box Amigas).
The genlock converts the RGB output to composite and/or s-video - the produced color encoding standard depends on the genlock alone, the Amiga's video standard does not really matter. You could even get a PAL resolution picture w/ NTSC colors (if your TV syncs down to 50 Hz).
Exactly the opposite combination is used with an 'NTSC playback' capable PAL VCR hooked to a PAL TV set; it's called 'PAL60' and works with 90% of all modern TV sets (modern: <10 years old).
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ok Zac67!... this is the a-b-c which i have learnt about 20 years ago beeing part of my daily job.
Now my very, very simple question is....
you, Zac67 personally, have you ever tryed succesfully an Amiga PAL tied with a NTSC genlock?
Its all i like to know :-)