Ntsc games on pal 2600

[gooner73]

Hi

sure this has come up before, but just looking for clarification!

 

will ntsc 2600 games play on pal 2600?

The A8 ntsc games run fine on pal xl/xe machines , so just wondering if this is the case with the 2600?

 

 

[high voltage]

Sure do, you just gotta adjust your 'vertical hold' on the TV.

[gooner73]

Thanks!

[alex_79]

They'll run fine as long as your TV support 60 Hz (Most PAL TV do that).

Anyway, colors will be wrong because of the different palette between PAL and NTSC 2600s. There's no way to fix that, so if you want to play NTSC games with correct colors you'll need a NTSC Atari 2600.

[maiki]

Or hack the games to change the colors for PAL-60 mode.. but they won't be exactly the same as PAL Ataris miss some of those (like proper yellow)

Edited December 7, 2011 by maiki

[maiki]

if you want to play NTSC games with correct colors you'll need a NTSC Atari 2600.

 

I think most european TVs do not accept NTSC signals correctly. I have no personal experience but I think either the colors or the sound will be missing. Only if you can find a TV that has a NTSC tuner built in or butcher the system for A/V mod.

[+SpiceWare]

Atari NTSC vs PAL vs SECAM

[alex_79]

I think most european TVs do not accept NTSC signals correctly. I have no personal experience but I think either the colors or the sound will be missing. Only if you can find a TV that has a NTSC tuner built in or butcher the system for A/V mod.

You're right, I forgot to mention that the TV must accept the NTSC signal too. Unless you have a multistandard model, a PAL TV won't tune the NTSC signal correctly from RF. Anyway a lot of PAL TVs can decode composite or s-video NTSC through A/V inputs. In that case you just need to mod the console for A/V output.

Edited December 7, 2011 by alex_79

[Mayhem]

Having tried many, some NTSC games are stable, and some roll the picture. All have the wrong colour information though.

[31336haxx0r]

Most more modern TVs accept NTSC and PAL. But not all. However, they all should be fine with "PAL-60".

[maiki]

Most more modern TVs accept NTSC and PAL. But not all. However, they all should be fine with "PAL-60".

 

Please, do not mislead people by statements like this. Most European modern TVs do not accept NTSC RF signal that is coming out of Atari 2600 correctly! You need a multistandard model that has a NTSC tuner! Or you need to modify the console to output composite video.

[highrise]

I think there is a bit of confusion here between:

 

1) Using NTSC Carts on a PAL machine on a PAL TV.

 

and

 

2) Using an NTSC Machine on a PAL TV

 

From what I understand (1) will work as long as you can use PAL 60, but you'll get some incorrect colours and (2) won't work unless you can receive an NTSC signal.

[maiki]

I think there is a bit of confusion here between:

 

1) Using NTSC Carts on a PAL machine on a PAL TV.

 

and

 

2) Using an NTSC Machine on a PAL TV

 

From what I understand (1) will work as long as you can use PAL 60, but you'll get some incorrect colours and (2) won't work unless you can receive an NTSC signal.

 

 

Yes, I agree with that 100%.

[Amstari]

I play NTSC carts on a PAL console. The colours are wrong but the games can still be played.

 

My TV can do PAL or NTSC so I cant comment about TV issues. Im in Australia which is a PAL region and I have been able to tune in both PAL and NTSC consoles to my TV.

[highrise]

most UK TVs are not set up to receive NTSC signals. You'd have to use a PAL converter, which would probably make a pretty icky modulated display even ickier.

[31336haxx0r]

Most more modern TVs accept NTSC and PAL. But not all. However, they all should be fine with "PAL-60".

 

Please, do not mislead people by statements like this. Most European modern TVs do not accept NTSC RF signal that is coming out of Atari 2600 correctly! You need a multistandard model that has a NTSC tuner! Or you need to modify the console to output composite video.

 

You are right, I'm sorry! I was thinking about composite signals rather than RF. Composite usually works, though.

[Funkyspectrum]

if my 2600 is modded to composite and is playing on a new lcd tv will i still encounter the colour changes in games on my pal system if playing ntsc games ? i am really interested to know and also to know if there are ways to get around the colour differences if they will still exist. for example is there a passthrough cart or suchlike to regionalise the games ? thanks in advance for any help !

[Funkyspectrum]

and gooner which version of gauntlet is that in your picture or is it just a mockup ?

[AW127]

if my 2600 is modded to composite and is playing on a new lcd tv will i still encounter the colour changes in games on my pal system if playing ntsc games ? i am really interested to know and also to know if there are ways to get around the colour differences if they will still exist. for example is there a passthrough cart or suchlike to regionalise the games ? thanks in advance for any help !

The color-palettes of NTSC and PAL consoles are different, therefore PAL-games on NTSC-consoles shows wrong colors and the same happens with NTSC-games on PAL-consoles. Best thing you can do is, buy a Harmony-cartridge and look here in the forum for PAL60-versions (rom-images) of the games. These PAL60-versions have the speed from the NTSC-versions, the bigger NTSC-screen (no borders up/down) and the colors adapted for PAL-consoles.

Edited April 27, 2016 by AW127

[Funkyspectrum]

i have been trying to buy a harmony cart mate but no-one seems keen to get back to me about it ! I've emailed and sent a pm on here, have heard nothing back :-( I would ideally like one, of course, maybe someone here is selling one ?

[Funkyspectrum]

The color-palettes of NTSC and PAL consoles are different, therefore PAL-games on NTSC-consoles shows wrong colors and the same happens with NTSC-games on PAL-consoles. Best thing you can do is, buy a Harmony-cartridge and look here in the forum for PAL60-versions (rom-images) of the games. These PAL60-versions have the speed from the NTSC-versions, the bigger NTSC-screen (no borders up/down) and the colors adapted for PAL-consoles.

thanks for that information mate it is very helpful i just wish i could get a harmony cart now but if my messages and mails don't get answered i am unsure about sending any money to the paypal just yet ! hopefully they will get back to me soon it's only been a week or so but still i would have hoped to have heard something by now !

[BigO]

I thought you could order it online: http://harmony.atariage.com/Site/Harmony.html

Maybe there's no direct order method available for the country you're in?

[Jason_Atari]

From my experience NTSC games play fine on a PAL system, the only thing is the colors are different, and the games are slightly faster. I've never had any vertical hold scrolling or glitches in the games themselves.

As for an NTSC system on a PAL tv (or a PAL tv that can automatically adjust to NTSC Hz) the picture tunes in, but its not very good.

[atariactionman]

I have a NTSC sears telegames and an Atari 2600 Pal system. Both are composite modded. I also have a Harmony cartridge which has two seperate folders with NTSC and PAL games. Both systems work fantastic with the harmony cart. Although the menu on the NTSC console is red instead of green on the PAL. As they are both modded, I don't have any trouble tuning. I would highly recommend getting a modded console, you wont look back. The PAL machine will play the NTSC games but with wrong colours and sometimes wrong speed. The NTSC machine plays PAL binaries but with weird colour lines displayed. This way I get the best of both worlds. I think the NTSC games display better and tend to play better also. Nice colours and perfectly timed. PAL colours always seem a little washed out even after adjusting the pots. Anyway thats my tuppence.

[Pac-Guy 26]

(necrobump, but not as bad as my previous ones thankfully)

 

I'm actually wondering about the opposite. Klax wasn't made for the Atari 2600 here in America, and I'm thinking about collecting every final game (like BotW on the Wii U, Wario's Woods on the NES, etc.) for each console we have.