how do you guys play PAL ps2 games on a USA console? (Picture wise)

[ddp72984]

Yes, I know I need a mod to play the games themselves)

What I am concerned about is actually the picture. There are a lot of good games that came out in Europe but not here like:

Resident Evil Survivor 2
Virtua Cop Elite
Gregory Horror Show
Alone in the Dark 4
Metal Slug 3

and the upcoming Sonic Gems

Usually when I play a PAL game on my NTSC tv(s), 3 different effects occur.

1. TV, Game, and System freeze and turn to black
2. Game runs, but it skips repeatdly down the screen.
3. Game runs, but it has border plus is black and white.

now, I know that one can patch a DVDR of the game to make it NTSC compatible, but usually that leaves a big black border on the screen. (which would suck with VC-E, since its a lightgun game) and besides, I would really like to own the actual legit copies. (and yes, I know there japanese versions, but I'd prefer english text)

I've heard of a cable in which would turn the PAL signal into a NTSC one. Is this true? Or perhaps, is there a bootdisk (as with PSone) that will force the NTSC signal nomatter what?

Any advice is appreciated. thanks

[sayin999]

Well you need a swap magic with a slid card or a flip top and set the swap disc to ntsc mode, thats how i did it with wipe out 3 and gran turismo 4, its in color and all, only problem is game will appear off center from top due to it being displayed in ntsc and not its native pal.

[The VGM]

You must not have an xbox....

[Evangelion-01]

you can do what sayin said, and if the game has option to move the screen or resize it, you are done ;)

[hl718]

You must not have an xbox....

Considering that he was asking about PS2 games, I don't think having an Xbox plays into the equation at all. ;)

-hl718

[The VGM]

It does, if you are talking about Metal Slug 3.

[sayin999]

well metal slug 3 was release in japan and i think europe as well since svc was released in europe in japan.

[AntiPasta]

Yeah, get the PAL SvC Chaos while you're at it, and if you're into shmups, there's several being released in PAL land and not in the US, like Strikers 1945 I+II, Gunbird I+II, Sengoku Ace + Blaede (I think), XII Stag and a few others.

Get a DMS4 chip, they can force the display output to NTSC, PAL or PAL60.

[the_steadster]

You could have trouble with lightgun games on a 60Hz NTSC signal If you're playing a 50Hz PAL game

[Johnny]

Matrix Infinity and DMS 4 modchips fix both the color and center the screen.

And if you use Video Component cables i think it would play without problem (someone told me this, can't confirm).

[sayin999]

im guessing it might be true since component sends out a signal that hd optimizes, since svideo and composite are completely analouge.

[hl718]

im guessing it might be true since component sends out a signal that hd optimizes, since svideo and composite are completely analouge.

FYI: Component is analog.

[sayin999]

I stand corrected.

[wombat]

I have an USA PS2 and its recently modded with the Mars-III (or was it IIII) however I use it to play my PAL pressdiscs and they all work perfect. No problems whatsoever....

note: I use component for connecting it to my display.

[Zilog Jones]

FYI: Component is analog.

Yeah but the colours are separate, so NTSC or PAL colour encoding does not apply (unlike with RF/comp./s-video), therefore if your TV can handle a 50Hz picture you should get a proper colour picture. If the picture is scrolling up/down the screen then you'll need to adjust the v-hold - though unfortunately most modern TV sets don't have this, so you may be out of luck if the picture's not stable.