2600 heavy six-switch - AV mod NTSC/PAL query

[WakeyTiger]

Hi y'all, and Happy New Year!

 

I recently picked up a heavy 6-switcher on eBay, which had an AV mod fitted (by "Atarimania9", a UK seller from London). I am finding that all the carts which came with the console, are fine - but any new ones I buy (and I've purchased carts from about 8 different UK sellers) are ALL playing in black and white only??

 

So, could the problem be that I have an NTSC console (and supplied carts), but playing UK (PAL) carts is the issue?

 

Cheers all, and best wishes,.

Matt.

 

 

[Mef]

Simply check which batch of the carts has the "P" written on the labels, designating PAL versions.

It's usually on the top of the cart, for example: WARLORDS™ ^P, but may also be a part of the catalogue number in some cases, like: CX26xxP or there might be a small square sticker or a stamped-on P somewhere.

 

If the carts that came with the console are PAL, then you've bought NTSC carts later on. If none of the ones that came with the console had the "P for PAL" marks, then it's the other way around. Check the sticker on the console too, some people go as far as saying that there wasn't such thing as PAL Heavy Sixer, I'm no expert, but I think that even if these exist, they would be very-very rare (judging by how VCS came to Europe a bit later, so most likely these wouldn't be from the very first production runs).

 

The black&white picture issue is down to TV, really. Most newer ones are multisystem and have no trouble displaying the "wrong" system, only the colour palette would be weird. For example, I got an NTSC ROM of "Name this Game"/"Octopus" and run it on a PAL console. My LED TV is ok with that and gives me funky colours, a clear sign of switched palette, but my Commodore 1084S monitor is PAL-only and displays B&W picture (there is colour for a brief moment after console power up, but then it loses the sync of the colour carrier frequency or something and almost instantly switches to monochrome).

 

Anyway, if you still haven't it figured out by yourself, post some pictures of the cart labels and the VCS model name/serial number sticker.

Edited January 4, 2015 by Mef