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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: Dropcheck on July 25, 2007, 02:19:47 PM
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Hi there,
Yep it's me again. I am considering purchasing an Amiga 1200. My problem is that I live in the US and from what I can tell most 1200 were sold in Europe.
I realize that the power supply will have to be US compatible, but other than that is there any other problems with running say a UK 1200 in the US? :-?
Thanks,
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Only if you use an old TV with your Amiga. Any new TV or Monitor should be capable of some sort of Pal compatibility mode.
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Is there a switch or mod internally that can be permannently set for NTSC?
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We stock NTSC A1200 units for US/Japan markets:
http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=668
http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=305
Select NTSC from config options.
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If you have an old tube TV it probably isn't multi system, but who wants a tube TV or monitor cluttering up your house anyway?
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Does anyone know or can point me to a 1200 Pal to NTSC mod? Is there simply a switch on the motherboard? I can use a NTSC A500 power supply I know. :roll:
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Use NTSC Monitor driver. Job done.
Edit: although, apparently, the UHF output thingies aren't the same - but if you are using a real 15KHz RGB monitor then that is irrelevant.
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Cant you just switch between NTSC and PAL with the boot menu? I mean itd be annoying to have to do it every time, but if it works...
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Pressing the space bar when the Early Startup screen is showing will toggle between PAL and NTSC, but the machine will still boot up with whichever monitor driver you have Saved in Screenmode Prefs.
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NTSC motherboards have different timings to the PAL motherboards- there is no switch/jumper on the A1200 motherboard- the A4000 has though.
To convert a PAL A1200 to NTSC you would have to remove a few resistors and make a few connections, then change the RF modulator, then change the crystal oscillator from 28.37516Mhz to 28.6363Mhz Crystal Oscillator (14-pin DIL package)
See link:
http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=597
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Just get a TV made within the last 6 years. The only difference between a flat panel NTSC TV and a flat panel PAL TV is the tuner, composite video of any type will work equally well on either TV.
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So what I am hearing is that aside from changing the power supply and booting to NTSC the A1200 PAL and the A1200 NTSC are functionally the same. DC Power in is DC Power in.
I am assuming the PAL RF output won't work on a NTSC tv. Will a US A520 work on the A1200 PAL RGB output and output composite video? I may have missed something but does the A1200 have a composite video out already? :-?
Thanks
Hi,
Just got in the Amiga 1200 Service Addendium and it is not looking good. Can anyone tell me if the PAL power input connector is the same five pin square as the US model?
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>>does the A1200 have a composite video out already?
Yes, it does, and it is colour.
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Amigakit guys... What do those stock amiga (Not BTO) 1200 NTSC come with hardware wise already installed for $300 bucks? Curious... Thanks.
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The new A1200s come with original factory manuals, cords, mouse as they were packed in the Selectron factory. The A1200 is packed in original pink plastic.
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Actullay what I was looking for was hard drive and memory specs more specifically...
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Oh, Selectron France or Asia ?
But why don't you buy a second hand european TV with the A1200 or a Sony Broadcast monitor ? and why do you want to loose all the video quality with an RF or Composite connection ?
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trip6 wrote:
Actullay what I was looking for was hard drive and memory specs more specifically...
You add a hard drive and memory as extra's during the ordering phase through Amigakit.com from what I can see on the webpage.
Basic A1200 came with just 2mb Chip RAM and no hard drive from what I can remember ... might be wrong but it's my age you know lol
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So what I am hearing is that aside from changing the power supply and booting to NTSC the A1200 PAL and the A1200 NTSC are functionally the same.
I thought this for a long time, but NO, they are not.
Amigakit is correct about the differences between a PAL A1200 and an NTSC one.
As I understand it now.... While you can switch to NTSC or PAL in the boot menu, it doesn't change the color encoding, only the display timings. So when you put your native NTSC Amiga into PAL, you don't get true PAL. You get PAL-N (PAL resolutions and timings with NTSC color). And the inverse is also true. When you soft-switch your native PAL Amiga to NTSC, you get PAL-M (NTSC resolution and timings with PAL color).
The support of any PAL modes may be considered spotty at best on US TVs -- and which ones of these modes will work on your TV is anyone's guess. :-( If you're shopping for a new TV, it's probably best to simply try it and see, as the documentation won't say, and any salespeople you corner will most likely treat you as if you suddenly grew an additional head as you try to explain the question.
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Please explain why my 21" Sony Trinitron video monitor (no UHF decoder) displayed Never Twice the Same Colour hue changes when using NTSC screenmodes, and correct PAL colour when using PAL screenmodes, from the composite output of my A1200.
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Please explain why my 21" Sony Trinitron video monitor (no UHF decoder) displayed Never Twice the Same Colour hue changes when using NTSC screenmodes, and correct PAL colour when using PAL screenmodes, from the composite output of my A1200.
Well, that is a very good question. Without knowing for sure the details of what signal is being outputted and what the monitor is doing with it, I couldn't really tell you. Heck, maybe even something in one of the motherboard revs or RF/Composite boxes is different between various A1200s.
This is a topic that confuses me, and honestly, I don't know the answers. My empirical data consists of one TV that can supposedly accept PAL or NTSC by changing a couple settings in a hidden unlock menu. When set to PAL, I get erratic lose color losses out of my NTSC A1200's PAL mode. It worked fine with my friend's native PAL CD32, though.
Take THAT ball of confusion for what it's worth. The PAL-N/PAL-M explanation was the only thing I've heard that made sense, but it may well be in error. I don't have the equipment or experience to really say for sure.
ETA: Actually, a lot of the color encoding hassles may be limited to the A1200 RF port only, but I'm not sure.
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Colour encoding problems are inherent in the original NTSC standard. The whole point of PAL is that it eliminates those swings of colour (so no hue control but a saturation control instead) but it does require more complex and so more expensive circuitry. The US did not choose NTSC for quality, but for cheapness. Any colour is better than monochrome, yes?
Edit: anyway, back to the OP once again, if you use an RGB monitor (or use RGB input into a suitable TV) then you should not experience any such problems.
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ZeBeeDee wrote:
trip6 wrote:
Actullay what I was looking for was hard drive and memory specs more specifically...
You add a hard drive and memory as extra's during the ordering phase through Amigakit.com from what I can see on the webpage.
Basic A1200 came with just 2mb Chip RAM and no hard drive from what I can remember ... might be wrong but it's my age you know lol
It would be nice if Amigakit would actually answer this question since they are on this forum from what I have seen and they actually sell the computer on their site....
Amigakit???
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meega wrote:
Colour encoding problems are inherent in the original NTSC standard. The whole point of PAL is that it eliminates those swings of colour (so no hue control but a saturation control instead) but it does require more complex and so more expensive circuitry. The US did not choose NTSC for quality, but for cheapness. Any colour is better than monochrome, yes?
Edit: anyway, back to the OP once again, if you use an RGB monitor (or use RGB input into a suitable TV) then you should not experience any such problems.
after wwII the us developed a tv system based on b/w signals and had several million tvs in use when color came along. rather than obsolete all those tvs they piggybacked the chroma signal ontop the luma so that both color and b/w tvs could receive the same signals and produce the same (colorless obviously for b/w) programming. sloppy but effective and commercially viable.
from what i understand european countries developed their tv systems later so could choose the somewhat better system (better color and resolution lower screen refresh speed)
sorry i love old tech stuff - tubes and stuff i still have an old tube b/w tv, and no i t ddoesnt work with a pal 1200
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Do AmigaKit A1200 NOS computers come with a box/manuals?
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Yes they are supplied with manuals and we can supply with original box.