PAL/NTSC hardware GTIA & ANTIC

[frax]

Hi!

 

I have a few hardware questions about PAL/NTSC and GTIA & ANTIC.

Basicly I have a wild project in mind, I would like to PALify my NTSC 5200 since the 5200 was never released as PAL. Im sure there might be some problems with the software but for now im focusing on the hardware.

 

1: I assume there are several versions of the GTIA which supports different videomodes, right?

 

2: Does each GTIA version (do they have names?) come in a PAL and a NTSC version?

 

3: Are there different ANTICs for PAL and NTSC?

 

4: Which GTIA is in the 5200 and which A8 computers uses the same GTIA?

 

tia

/frax

[Shawn Jefferson]

In the 8-bit computer, you only need to replace your NTSC Antic with a PAL version and most PAL software will work. You, of course, need a monitor capable of displaying at 50Hz.

[frax]

In the 8-bit computer, you only need to replace your NTSC Antic with a PAL version and most PAL software will work.  You, of course, need a monitor capable of displaying at 50Hz.

 

Mmm, thanks for the info, i'll try that. Im in Europe so 50Hz is no problems.

 

/frax

[Vigo]

In the 8-bit computer, you only need to replace your NTSC Antic with a PAL version and most PAL software will work.  You, of course, need a monitor capable of displaying at 50Hz.

 

I understand that changing ANTIC will also change the screen refresh to 312 lines/50Hz. But what about the video output? AFAIK GTIA is reponsible for video generation, NTSC GTIA outputs NTSC S-Video signals, PAL GTIA outputs PAL S-Video. So i guess if you want a colour picture in Europe, you would have to exchange BOTH chips.

[voy]

Look at this http://thor.prohosting.com/~atari8/palntsc.htm link . I think that it will be working with Atari 5200, too...

[Shawn Jefferson]

I understand that changing ANTIC will also change the screen refresh to 312 lines/50Hz. But what about the video output? AFAIK GTIA is reponsible for video generation, NTSC GTIA outputs NTSC S-Video signals, PAL GTIA outputs PAL S-Video. So i guess if you want a colour picture in Europe, you would have to exchange BOTH chips.

 

Probably. I live in North America, and I had no problem just replacing the ANTIC chip in one of my 800XLs to run PAL software. I don't really know what will happen if you only replace ANTIC in your 5200.

 

Would you even be able to swap out the GTIA with a PAL one without changing other circuitry as well?

[Vigo]

I understand that changing ANTIC will also change the screen refresh to 312 lines/50Hz. But what about the video output? AFAIK GTIA is reponsible for video generation, NTSC GTIA outputs NTSC S-Video signals, PAL GTIA outputs PAL S-Video. So i guess if you want a colour picture in Europe, you would have to exchange BOTH chips.

 

Probably. I live in North America, and I had no problem just replacing the ANTIC chip in one of my 800XLs to run PAL software. I don't really know what will happen if you only replace ANTIC in your 5200.

 

Would you even be able to swap out the GTIA with a PAL one without changing other circuitry as well?

 

I guess it will turn your 5200 into a, let´s call it NTSC50 machine (312 lines, 50Hz with NTSC colour signal), like your Atari 800XL. But from a european standpoint, it would be useless, because the colour is still NTSC.

 

Since the PAL GTIA needs two crystals (4,43 and 14,318Mhz) instead of one, it will certainly have a different pinout and not exchangeable without some major modifications to your mainboard.

 

But on the other hand, you could put an NTSC Antic into a PAL machine to get a PAL 60Hz color picture.

[+Mitch]

If I recall, the 2port 5200s had the spaces on the board for the extra PAL crystal.

 

Mitch