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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: orb85750 on August 29, 2014, 02:14:55 AM

Title: PAL CD32 is B&W on NTSC composite monitor?
Post by: orb85750 on August 29, 2014, 02:14:55 AM
Please educate me here:  Why is my PAL CD32 producing a B&W picture on the composite connection of my 1084 monitor (NTSC)?  It doesn't matter whether I boot the CD32 in PAL mode or NTSC mode.  (This 1084 monitor has been tested successfully for color, so it's not the monitor.)

P.S. Any alternate methods for getting a color picture?
Title: Re: PAL CD32 is B&W on NTSC composite monitor?
Post by: magnetic on August 29, 2014, 02:35:43 AM
its because of the frequencies its strange for a 1084 as they are supposed to do both PAL and NTSC...
Title: Re: PAL CD32 is B&W on NTSC composite monitor?
Post by: Matt_H on August 29, 2014, 02:57:01 AM
1084s can only do one of NTSC or PAL over composite, depending on the original territory of the monitor. They can do either/both over RGB.
Title: Re: PAL CD32 is B&W on NTSC composite monitor?
Post by: magnetic on August 29, 2014, 03:06:28 AM
matt  are you sure about this? commodore 1702 does PAL and NTSC on composite. Also my sony 20' rgb video monitor does both PAL and NTSC on both RGB and Comp. I dont have an 1084 anymore to test..
Title: Re: PAL CD32 is B&W on NTSC composite monitor?
Post by: Matt_H on August 29, 2014, 03:14:19 AM
I have a native NTSC 1084S and a native PAL A600. Over composite, the A600 display is black and white, but over RGB it's full color. Could be a nuance of this particular era of 1084Ses - mine's one of the later ones, a 1084S-D2, I think.

I can't remember what happens if I connect a native NTSC Amiga over composite and set the screenmode to PAL...

I used to have an older NTSC 1084 with an NTSC CD32 connected over composite. I think I was able to set that one to PAL in software and it still worked, but I can't really remember.
Title: Re: PAL CD32 is B&W on NTSC composite monitor?
Post by: orb85750 on August 29, 2014, 04:02:12 AM
Quote from: Matt_H;771949
I have a native NTSC 1084S and a native PAL A600. Over composite, the A600 display is black and white, but over RGB it's full color. Could be a nuance of this particular era of 1084Ses - mine's one of the later ones, a 1084S-D2, I think.



Yes, I'm also using the 1084S-D2.  I should have some other Commodore monitor(s) in storage.  I'll have to try those to see if I can get color. Thanks for the info!
Title: Re: PAL CD32 is B&W on NTSC composite monitor?
Post by: magnetic on August 29, 2014, 08:27:43 AM
orb why arent you using the rgb port? waaayyy better than crap composite.
Title: Re: PAL CD32 is B&W on NTSC composite monitor?
Post by: Khyron on August 29, 2014, 06:16:32 PM
The Chroma Demodulator ICs in the 1701/1702/1802/1080/2080/1084 are all 1 fixed frequency.. either a PAL or NTSC..
Most of the commodore monitors are tolerant enough to sync at both 50/60Hz signaling, but they only understand one color frequency.

If you need composite you can pick up Kippers RGB - Composite adapter and that should do the trick giving you 50 or 60Hz with 3.57954Mhz color .. or if you're the soldering sort..

Looking at the schematics.. You'd need to

Change X1 to 28.6363Mhz
Move R245->R246 (Remove PAL Color osc, NTSC comes right from Chipset)
Remove R205 (Sets CXA1145 to NTSC)
and It'll boot in 50Hz with an NTSC color signal..

R203 (Installed/Removed) will select between 50/60Hz at powerup..
Title: Re: PAL CD32 is B&W on NTSC composite monitor?
Post by: orb85750 on August 29, 2014, 09:50:04 PM
Quote from: magnetic;771979
orb why arent you using the rgb port? waaayyy better than crap composite.


From a CD32 -- with some kind of mod?
Title: Re: PAL CD32 is B&W on NTSC composite monitor?
Post by: magnetic on August 30, 2014, 01:58:20 AM
lol ah yeah i didnt read enough for cd32. All the other advice about kipper's mod too is no good for you. :(
Title: Re: PAL CD32 is B&W on NTSC composite monitor?
Post by: Matt_H on August 30, 2014, 03:44:23 PM
Would changing the CD32's output from composite to S-Video (Y/C) help? Or does the 1084's Y/C input use the same color circuitry as composite?
Title: Re: PAL CD32 is B&W on NTSC composite monitor?
Post by: orb85750 on September 06, 2014, 09:11:44 PM
According to the Commodore monitors page, there's not a single 120V Commodore monitor ever made to support a PAL composite signal.

http://gona.mactar.hu/Commodore/monitor/Commodore_monitors_by_model_number.html

If anyone in the US/Canada has experience getting color from a PAL CD32, please let me know!
Title: Re: PAL CD32 is B&W on NTSC composite monitor?
Post by: psxphill on September 07, 2014, 12:18:41 PM
Quote from: orb85750;772476
If anyone in the US/Canada has experience getting color from a PAL CD32, please let me know!

A SX-1 or SX-32 is possibly your best bet.
 
 Unless you get a French CD32 http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=35369 (where RGB input on TV's was a legal requirement)
Title: Re: PAL CD32 is B&W on NTSC composite monitor?
Post by: Khyron on September 08, 2014, 08:26:43 PM
Quote from: orb85750;772476
According to the Commodore monitors page, there's not a single 120V Commodore monitor ever made to support a PAL composite signal.

http://gona.mactar.hu/Commodore/monitor/Commodore_monitors_by_model_number.html

If anyone in the US/Canada has experience getting color from a PAL CD32, please let me know!

If you can solder..
I've modified quite a few A600's and A1200's by changing the crystal and moving the resistors, it's the only 100% way.

You can also build an RGB port for the CD32 the RGB & HV are all easily accessible signals once you open the unit.



There's also PAL <-> NTSC converters, never tried them.. maybe someone can chime on how well they work..
see Dealextreme  SKU 152225 (you can find them cheaper on ebay)
Title: Re: PAL CD32 is B&W on NTSC composite monitor?
Post by: magnetic on September 09, 2014, 01:53:19 AM
Quote from: orb85750;772476
According to the Commodore monitors page, there's not a single 120V Commodore monitor ever made to support a PAL composite signal.

http://gona.mactar.hu/Commodore/monitor/Commodore_monitors_by_model_number.html

If anyone in the US/Canada has experience getting color from a PAL CD32, please let me know!


Well u can quote whatever interwebz quote u want but i can tell thats not factual re read my post above for proof.
Title: Re: PAL CD32 is B&W on NTSC composite monitor?
Post by: Khyron on September 09, 2014, 08:13:38 PM
Quote from: magnetic;772626
Well u can quote whatever interwebz quote u want but i can tell thats not factual re read my post above for proof.

The schematics for all the commodore monitors show that they only support one color standard..  Example from the 1702 schematic..
P.9- Only 1 3.58Mhz trap..
P.11 Chroma Dem circuit- Y301 = 3.58954Mhz
No sign of any PAL chroma trap or demodulation circuit..

When you switch a PAL Amiga 600/1200 to 60Hz, you're not swithing it to NTSC, you're just creating NTSC frequencies/scan lines with a PAL chroma signal, so a PAL 1702 will be able to decode the same PAL color.