NES, can US run on PAL TV?

[megoninja]

Hey guys,

 

I was wondering if it is possible to run a US NTSC NES on an Aussie PAL TV. I need to as there are heaps of games you either cant get on PAL or they are just way rare/expensive.

I cant see why it wouldnt work, maybe you would have to adjust the V-hold when you plug it in but I want to make sure before I bother importing a NES from the US and wasting my money.

any help would be appreciated.

thanks

[kool kitty89]

Most PAL TVs work fine for both 50 and 60 Hz (not so for NTSC unfortunately), however the composite video color carrier is different so you'll get B/W only unless the TV supports both PAL and NTSC color (some PAL TVs do), no RGB so that's not an option either, except the Playchoice arcade machines. Not sure about RF though, but that might not work at all.

[megoninja]

yeah I was going to say that RF might not work at all, its hard enough trying to tune PAL RF as it is I would just be trying to use RCA.

Lets assume for one second that it worked expect like you said, it turned black and white, is there a way around that? Some sort of an adapter perhaps?

[Pyromaniac605]

Can on mine my TV can switch between:

PAL

NTSC

NTSC 4.43 (i think its 4.43)

SECAM

 

Lucky me!

 

-Darren-

Edited March 29, 2010 by Pyromaniac605

[Ace_1]

Most PAL TVs work fine for both 50 and 60 Hz (not so for NTSC unfortunately)

 

NOTE: 60hz IS NTSC video. PAL runs at 50Hz, NTSC at 60Hz. If a PAL TV is compatible with 60Hz, it will most certainly work with an NTSC video signal. The reverse is true: I have an American NTSC TV bought in 2007 which works perfectly fine with a PAL 50Hz video signal, color and all, however, I do have a fairly old(about 10 years old) NTSC TV that will accept a PAL video signal, but in black and white. So if you have a recent TV, you should be able to get that NES working on your TV. If not, you'd have to buy a converter to convert the NTSC video into PAL.

[mattyg]

Most decent branded TV's sold in Australia since about 1996 are NTSC compatible - It has nothing to do with the country or console here but is all about the TV. I use a mixture of NTSC and Pal consoles on my TV's - decent ones have an auto detect for the signal. It's no problem. You will have no problem powerwise either if you use an Australian Nintendo cable or buy a generic one with the same output voltage/amps. Make sure you check amps as it is just as important as voltage and whatever you do DO NOT PLUG the US adapter into an Australian socket without a stepdown transformer.

 

 

[kool kitty89]

Most PAL TVs work fine for both 50 and 60 Hz (not so for NTSC unfortunately)

 

NOTE: 60hz IS NTSC video. PAL runs at 50Hz, NTSC at 60Hz. If a PAL TV is compatible with 60Hz, it will most certainly work with an NTSC video signal. The reverse is true: I have an American NTSC TV bought in 2007 which works perfectly fine with a PAL 50Hz video signal, color and all, however, I do have a fairly old(about 10 years old) NTSC TV that will accept a PAL video signal, but in black and white. So if you have a recent TV, you should be able to get that NES working on your TV. If not, you'd have to buy a converter to convert the NTSC video into PAL.

 

Nope, NTSC is in respect to a specific video signal, NOT just the vertical and horizontal Sync... RGB fo rinstance CANNOT be PAL OR NTSC, though it can be of the same resolution, also note that there are variations of PAL using 60 Hz (with the corresponding 525/60i display rather than 625/60i lines), there's also a variant of PAL using a color carrier very close to NTSC, but not identical, then there's SECAM too... And that's not getting into differences in modulated analog RF broadcast signals.

 

Just because a TV has variable sync doesn't make it variable color capable. (with RGB or component video it doesn't matter though)

 

I'm not sure, but I think older TVs with manual V-hold and H-hold controls might allow enough adjustment to switch between 50/60 Hz H-sync. (however, since most of those tvs are RF only, that only helps for consoles with 50/60 hz switches and supporting the proper RF signals)

[megoninja]

My TV is about 22 years old, it does have the RCA ports at the back because it is a really state of the art TV (for 1988 that is). It does have the h and v-hold but I will have to try it out with the color issue. I can run a PS2 on it but that is in black and white when I do so I might try that out and play with the h-hold.

 

Is there a converter adapter though if I have no where else to turn?

[mattyg]

There are some NTSC to PAL converters available from some Australian retailers such as Jaycar but they tend to be expensive and unreliable - you are looking at around $150 for a decent one online. At that price you are far better off visiting a second hand store like The Salvation Army and buying a compatible TV.

Edited March 30, 2010 by mattyg