Pal Amiga CD32 on ntsc tv?

[The Perfect K]

I recently purchased a pal cd 32 and im having a hell if a time converting the pal signal to something my ntsc crt TV can see. I bought some super cheapo Chinese oal to ntsc converter for like $40 to see what it'd do and it never even turned on. I de ided to step up and bought a $110 ore I converter but it'll only display the cd32 splash screen, after that the image freezes while the game continues to run. As I understand it, its a problem with the converter not accepting a non-interlaced signal and only the slpash screen is interlaced. Im not above buying a more expensive option, but seeing as the next step in converters is in the $200-$300 range, I want to be sure what I'm buying will work. Andy one have any experience with a pal cd32? The people over at the English amiga boards haven't been very helpful.

[mr-monday]

Have you put the CD32 in 60hz mode?

From wikipedia

Like all later Amiga computers, the CD32 has a hidden boot menu that can be accessed by plugging an Amiga mouse into port 2 and holding both buttons down while turning the system on. Most of the options in this menu are not useful on a CD32, but from this menu you can choose to boot in either NTSC or PAL mode. This is important, as there are some games that will refuse to work if the system is in the wrong mode, since most games don't advertise what video mode they were developed for. It should also be pointed out that despite the naming, the menu really only allows a choice of 60 Hz or 50 Hz video output; a PAL system booted in NTSC mode will still output a video signal using PAL color encoding, which will usually result in a black-and-white picture when connected to an NTSC television.

[GodofHardcore]

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&key...l_1f31m933t9_e

your choice

[ServiceGames]

Did you even read his post? He obviously knows how to use the internet..

[The Perfect K]

http://www.amazon.com/suh I'm not as...l_1f31m933t9_e

your choice

Uh, I'm not asking were I can buy converters, I said in the op that I've already bought two. In fact, the first result on that page is the one I mentioned in my post. I'm asking which one to buy.

Edit: also I've ordered a, mouse to try putting it into NTSC mode, but as I u derstand it, its really pal60 mode and it'll still result in a black a d white image. The people at lemon Amiga say its an interlacing problem, that the cd32 games run in non interlaced mode a d the converter can't handle a non interlaced picture. Anyone know of a pal ti NTSC converter which can handle a non interlaced picture?

[GodofHardcore]

well EXCUSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSEEEEEEEEEEE ME Princess

[Jamtex]

Goh : Do you practice being a dick or does it come naturally?

K : If you are happy to solder then it is not too hard to convert a PAL CD32 into one that outputs a native NTSC signal (it's a lot harder to do it the other way around...), it will require you to solder in 4 components (which includes 2 clock crystals), to remove a few components and to cut a track, and add a switch to the unit (to force 60 or 50Hz mode) although most of the components are surface mount. The unit uses the infamous Sony CXA1145 encoder chip so all you need to do is to tell it you are using a NTSC signal and to feed it the right clock signal. Be aware that your TV must support a NTSC - 50Hz signal if you want to play PAL games correctly, most should do.

Let me know and I'll tell you what to do.

[GodofHardcore]

I have taken classes in being a dick

[hrahn]

Hm, wouldn't using a Scart-connector with a RGB signal solve all of these problems? The CD32 outputs native RGB signals, as long as the TV is capable of 50hz everything should turn out fine. I would be really puzzled if that was not the case, since almost every TV I've seen over here in Germany since the 90s can also output an NTSC-60 signal, only PAL-60 seems to be a problem for most.
The Sony Wega units seem to be able to handle anything you throw at them though, it's the main reason why mine's still around - apart from using my old lightguns.

[The Perfect K]

My TV can't accept a 50 hz signal, unfortunately. Additionally, while the CD32 does have spots on the board for RGB out, adding it still requires soldering. And while I'm certainly not a stranger to soldering and modding my stuff, I really don't enjoy doing it and I always try to look for alternatives.

There has to be a converter out there which will take a non-interlaced pal image and converter it to an NTSC image. I just want to make sure whatever converter I buy will be able to do that. Unfortunately, that's one of those specs that they never seem to list.

[Jamtex]

Just to humour me, if you plug the Composite output (or even the S-Video) of the CD32 to your TV, although you will get a black and white picture is the picture steady and visible? If so then your TV will support a 50Hz signal. If not, try another TV, CRTs will display the picture better then LCDs will.

The mod will cost you under $10 and would be cheaper then you trying to find a convertor that works (especially if you are trying to frame buffer a PAL image to a NTSC one....).

Hrahn : The CD32 does not output RGB natively, unless you have a French system which does have RGB output or a SX32 unit, else you have to tap the signals. American TVs do not have SCART or RGB input, if you want RGB then you need a professional TV monitor or an old Amiga monitor...

[The Perfect K]

Just to humour me, if you plug the Composite output (or even the S-Video) of the CD32 to your TV, although you will get a black and white picture is the picture steady and visible? If so then your TV will support a 50Hz signal. If not, try another TV, CRTs will display the picture better then LCDs will.

The mod will cost you under $10 and would be cheaper then you trying to find a convertor that works (especially if you are trying to frame buffer a PAL image to a NTSC one....).

Hrahn : The CD32 does not output RGB natively, unless you have a French system which does have RGB output or a SX32 unit, else you have to tap the signals. American TVs do not have SCART or RGB input, if you want RGB then you need a professional TV monitor or an old Amiga monitor...

It's steady, as in the picture doesn't move, and clear and visible. But a good portion of it is cut off, and it sort of off-set, like the picture is moved down about 30%.

[hrahn]

my bad, it's a long time since I had a cd32 here and was going by the multi-video-out of my old A1200.

btw, there are lots of interesting tidbits about this machine on http://www.cd32-allianz.de/ - mostly in German, but the pictures speak for themselves, especially in the cd32 tuning section, interesting prototype stuff there.

[Nano Babe]

Goh : Do you practice being a dick or does it come naturally?

I love it :lol:

[Paperweight]

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&key...l_1f31m933t9_e

your choice

i am having similar problems and am looking for a converter to solve them (so that it solves the issue for all my PAL systems, not just the CD32). Off that list I've bought the orei converter, does not work, but at least it frees up a component input on my tv!

I want to buy an atlona cdm-660 as it seems to be the best solution... just don't want to get stuck with another useless converter either :banghead:

[Jamtex]

It's steady, as in the picture doesn't move, and clear and visible. But a good portion of it is cut off, and it sort of off-set, like the picture is moved down about 30%.

That sounds about what you would exect from trying to display 625 lines on a 525 line display. Does the splash screen look the same with and without the convertor (sans it will be in black and white?). The fact your picture is stable means that the TV can display a 50Hz picture.

Do remember that a lot of convertors will only convert the colour information and sync signals to be compatable, they will generally output a 50Hz 625 line picture, the only way you might get a full picture is to buy a frame buffer convertor (which will not be cheap) or something to convert from composite to VGA or something (if you have a decent VGA monitor). Frankly for the money you would spend on a framebuffer convertor you would be better off trying to track down a multisystem TV.

Converting it will make the machine output a native NTSC signal and make it output 525 lines at 60Hz, although some PAL games will not work like this (although a large number still will...).

[Paperweight]

hmm... well I decided to take my own advice and shelled out the $150 for a Atlona CDM-660. I love it :love2:

The output quality is a little fuzzy on any setting (ntsc/pal), even using s-video in and out, but it gets the job done right for probably the cheapest cost possible.

[Jamtex]

The cheapest cost would have been buying a few components for under $10 and making the machine output pure NTSC... :P

[Cauterize]

The CD32 does not output RGB natively, unless you have a French system which does have RGB output or a SX32 unit.

Wow, despite being a huge CD32 collector, I didn't know this. I'll keep my eyes peeled :)

Thanks!

[The Perfect K]

HUGE thanks paperweight, I knew I could find somebody who is in the same boat as me. So the Atlona cdm-660 works perfectly with the CD32? I'm so glad you also bought the same orei converter as I did, so you know the problem I'm experiencing.

If I've understood you correctly, I'll buy the atlona cdm-660 today.