Converting a NTSC 1200 to PAL

[Zac67]

willow wrote:
... connecting pin 41 of the Alice custom chip to ground causes the A1200 to default to NTSC, while pulling this pin high (disconnecting it from the motherboard and connecting it to +5V through a 4.7k resistor) will make the default power-up state PAL.

No need for pullup though - Agnus/Alice has an internal pullup.

[rkauer]

Ok.

Thanks a  lot, fellows.

I have a RGB A1942 monitor. I live in Brazil: PAL (NTSC automatic) TVs, 220V/60Hz mains.

But missing 200 lines in the bottom of screen is just the not-that-bad issue and trash the sound. Some games simply blurs the screen of my monitor.

I don't want to pull out the Alice pin, but follow it 'till the resistor and put a switch (and a regular resistor) instead of it. Simple like that.

Don't need to change the modulator, I have other PAL and NTSC machines here. But the 1200 is my main machine.

[jbuonacc]

again, sorry for the ignorant question, i've just always heard NTSC vs. PAL and never knew exactly what the deal was. thanks so much for explaining it clearly, great to know!

[leirbag28]

@rkauer

DO NOT modify your NTSC 1200! leav it alone and sell it!  these machines are wanted Bad in the USA including myself. Let me know if you want to sell it. We do Video here in USA and want our machines to connect to projectors and large TV's which are NTSC, so that partly why we want them to be NTSC.


@jbuonacc
If your in Brazil.thn definitely get a PAL 1200.  if you have an NTSC one.sell it to us Americans!  we need them....most of us hate PAL machines. At leasst those of us who use Amigas for Video....................thats the main diference I think between UK Amigan and US Amigans............they want it for games........we want it for Video and Video compatibility. such as Genlocks, SCALA, Video Toaster.

All one needs to make PAL games work on NTSC machines perfectly....is WHDLOAD.  I dont know how many times I have to say that..................WHDLoad is ABOSULETELY Necessary.its a must.......why the heck does anyone still want to load games SLOOOOOOOW from a floppy when you can install virtually any game PAL or NTSC onto Harddrive and mae thm ork perfect?

[leirbag28]

@rkauer

DO NOT modify your NTSC 1200! leav it alone and sell it!  these machines are wanted Bad in the USA including myself. Let me know if you want to sell it. We do Video here in USA and want our machines to connect to projectors and large TV's which are NTSC, so that partly why we want them to be NTSC.


@jbuonacc
If your in Brazil.thn definitely get a PAL 1200.  if you have an NTSC one.sell it to us Americans!  we need them....most of us hate PAL machines. At leasst those of us who use Amigas for Video....................thats the main diference I think between UK Amigan and US Amigans............they want it for games........we want it for Video and Video compatibility. such as Genlocks, SCALA, Video Toaster.

All one needs to make PAL games work on NTSC machines perfectly....is WHDLOAD.  I dont know how many times I have to say that..................WHDLoad is ABOSULETELY Necessary...its a must.......why the heck does anyone still want to load games SLOOOOOOOW from a floppy when you can install virtually any game PAL or NTSC onto Harddrive and make them work perfect?

[adolescent]

James wrote:

And yes, it is wrong to think out tv/monitors would not handle PAL. 99% of tv and tv-like monitors can handle the 10hz change without any problems whatsoever.

I must be having a lot of that 1% then.  None of my TVs fully support PAL modes.  The 10Hz isn't the complete story, as the NTSC and PAL color encoding is different.  When you switch by changing Alice (or Agnus, etc.) and don't change the motherboard crystals you end up with NTSC-50Hz (or PAL-60Hz if it's a PAL model).  For example, on my 1% TV I get a signal, but no color if I use a PAL Amiga.

[James]

@leirbag28
How about you let people decide what they do with the machines they've bought for themselves?

At leasst those of us who use Amigas for Video....................thats the main diference I think between UK Amigan and US Amigans............they want it for games........we want it for Video and Video compatibility. such as Genlocks, SCALA, Video Toaster.

You're full of {bleep}. Nice stereotypical redneck behaviour there. "We yanks rock, you euros are just kids" I wish there was an ocean between my country and yours.

Just for you, I'm going to photograph every step of me modding my amigas for PAL.

[Zac67]

adolescent wrote:
When you switch by changing Alice (or Agnus, etc.) and don't change the motherboard crystals you end up with NTSC-50Hz (or PAL-60Hz if it's a PAL model).  For example, on my 1% TV I get a signal, but no color if I use a PAL Amiga.

The crystal swap is needed to reach the exact clock you need for genlocking, connecting an A2024 etc. To get proper (enough) composite - whatever that's worth :-P - you need to exchange the modulator and (NTSC -> PAL) add the missing components for the PAL color clock.

[adolescent]

@Zac

Thank you for the correction.  You're of course right.  I've never been willing to bother, it's just easier to find a PAL Amiga.

[adolescent]

James wrote:

You're full of {bleep}. Nice stereotypical redneck behaviour there. "We yanks rock, you euros are just kids" I wish there was an ocean between my country and yours.

Just for you, I'm going to photograph every step of me modding my amigas for PAL.

:crazy:  Lay off the meds there James (or maybe increase the dosage).  Everyone is entitled to his/her opinion.  Or, did you miss the "I think" part of his message.

[da9000]

adolescent wrote:
I must be having a lot of that 1% then.  None of my TVs fully support PAL modes.  The 10Hz isn't the complete story, as the NTSC and PAL color encoding is different.  When you switch by changing Alice (or Agnus, etc.) and don't change the motherboard crystals you end up with NTSC-50Hz (or PAL-60Hz if it's a PAL model).  For example, on my 1% TV I get a signal, but no color if I use a PAL Amiga.

Because you're right, it's not just a 10Hz thing, but the actual encoding of the chroma and luma info is different in PAL vs NTSC.

Edit: Zac explained it better.

To all:

There are two "types" of NTSC->PAL (or the reverse) which you can (or better: LIKE TO) do:

1) Convert an NTSC Amiga to PAL so you use the _RGB port_. This is the easiest, since you do the Alice hack and voila the RGB port will spit out a 50Hz vertical refresh screen (PAL). I believe the sound will be off with this unless you change the crystals. Could someone verify?

2) Convert an NTSC Amiga to PAL so you can use the _RF/composite port_. This is harder since there's lots more work involved since you'll have to do the Alice hack and replace the modulator (read Zac's comments for details). It's also the more correct approach because you'll be able to use genlocks etc.

Most people will probably want to do the 1st.