Atari XE Pal using NTSC carts. Possible?

[mamejay]

Hi everyone,

 

Just wanted some advise on a Atari XE console i got recently. I live in Australia and grabbed an PAL XE console only. This does not have the keyboard.

I have been trying to find crat games but they are near impossible to get my hands on. I have checked eBay US and there are a lot to choose from.

Just wondering if it is possible to play NTSC carts on the PAL console? If not is there any mods that can be performed to allow this?

 

Anothing thing. Is there any mod's to attach a regular PC keyboard to the console as I am having heaps of trouble finding one. I am wanting to play around with some SIO to PC type cables and software to load up disk based games.

 

Anyway hope someone can shed some light on this for me.

Thanks

[Shawn Jefferson]

Yes, NTSC games will work on PAL machines. You won't get artifacting (colors in graphics of course.

 

The other way around is where we run into problems (PAL on NTSC).

[mamejay]

Thanks so much for that. Now I need to start looking for some cheap games. I really want to get myself a keyboard and some sort of SIO2SD device and play some of the disk based games. Found a few cheapish in the US but shipping is a killer. I will be in LA in November. Anyone recommend any local stores that may have some gear?

[Marius]

Make 100% sure that you buy Atari xl/xe games and not 2600 games(!!!!)

 

I am pretty sure there are hardly any Atari carts that are specially made for NTSC or exclusively made for PAL.

 

With 2600 games this difference does exist!

 

And although I never tested it I think you still can boot disk games without keyboard, but games which need a keyboard can not be played ofcourse. I think that switching on the xegs with SELECT pressed will boot from disk... But I never tested this.

[pixelmischief]

As far as you being in L.A. soon, will you be there with friends or family? Have it shipped to them. Or, if you will be staying in a hotel, tell them you are having a package shipped to you there for pickup on your arrival.

[mamejay]

Thanks for the advice guys. I will contact the hotel and see if they would except packages on my behalf. Also just on the US postal system. How long does it take for a package to arrive if send from the same state?

 

As for the 2600 carts I have a few NTSC and PAL consoles and understand the different colour palettes used and different TIA chips etc.

 

I now have a few XE carts on there way so will be able to see the beauty that is the Atari XE gaming system.