ever have a game break its color?

[Kulp]

I just received a Robin Hood / Sir Lancelot cart from ebay. it is currently the only atari game I have that won't play in color...

WHY?!

 

I was just wondering, is this something that happens sometimes, or is this a common issue with that game or double ender carts in general, or what?

obviously I want to figure this out because it's a rare game and it wasn't cheap.

 

I cleaned the cart on both ends and still only plays in black & white.

 

The cart says Made in U.S.A., so I know it's not a PAL cart (right??) (and I can't check if this is normal because the 2600 database here doesn't have a cart scan for this game)

Because I read something about NTSC games not appearing in color on PAL systems, so I thought maybe it works the other way around too...

but that was just a thought because like I said, I don't think the cart is PAL.

 

I tried switching the system (4 switch) on and off a lot fast, and still no changes. same with the b/w /color switch.

 

I'm glad the game works, but I really would like to enjoy it in color.

 

any suggestions?

keep in mind my system only has this issue with this game

[Thomas Jentzsch]

Are you playing on a PAL or NTSC TV?

[Kulp]

Are you playing on a PAL or NTSC TV?

 

NTSC. Sony Bravia, works perfectly for the other 190 or so atari games I have.

[Kulp]

whenever I start the game up, it flashes some random color for a second, then switches to the game in b&w

[Nukey Shay]

You aren't missing much.

 

NTSC version (USA)

 

NTSC version (Canada)

 

PAL version

 

 

BTW it looks like neither game utilizes the Color/BW switch.

[Kulp]

You aren't missing much.

 

NTSC version (USA)

 

NTSC version (Canada)

 

PAL version

 

 

BTW it looks like neither game utilizes the Color/BW switch.

 

if those scans are correct, it looks like I have the PAL label. :/

weird, you'd think PAL games won't say "made in USA" on the back on the cartridge.

 

well... so then I guess I have a PAL cart.... my first 2600 PAL cart..

is that why it appears B&W, because I'm not using a PAL system??

[Video]

Without any research...

 

Could be a color switch issue, or a pal/ntsc/secam game on a wrong system or tv.

 

Not color related, but color switch related. I had 007 for years before I found out that the b/w switch on my console was broken (the game instantly froze, but in my case, some games like pac-man were b/w too so it was a giveaway)

[high voltage]

if those scans are correct, it looks like I have the PAL label. :/

weird, you'd think PAL games won't say "made in USA" on the back on the cartridge.

 

well... so then I guess I have a PAL cart.... my first 2600 PAL cart..

is that why it appears B&W, because I'm not using a PAL system??

 

PAL carts say 'Made in USA' because the game/cart shells are made in USA, and (mostly) converted to PAL also in USA too. And because Xonox (KTel) was an American company.

Edited April 21, 2013 by high voltage

[Nukey Shay]

@Video

As mentioned, that function does not exist in these games. The Color/B&W switch effect (if any) is entirely software-driven. This is how the switch can be repurposed for other uses (as in Space Shuttle) without affecting onscreen colors. The 7800 itself uses it as a pause toggle for it's own library.

[shadow460]

I had a Space Invaders that would roll colors through the screen on some known good consoles, but not others.

[Thomas Jentzsch]

NTSC. Sony Bravia, works perfectly for the other 190 or so atari games I have.

No idea then. Both games do not support a B/W mode and NTSC TVs do not fall back to B/W (like PAL TVs do if the scan lines are odd).

 

Do you have chance to try on a different console and/or TV?

 

BTW: Both games are B/W, right?

[Kulp]

No idea then. Both games do not support a B/W mode and NTSC TVs do not fall back to B/W (like PAL TVs do if the scan lines are odd).

 

Do you have chance to try on a different console and/or TV?

 

BTW: Both games are B/W, right?

 

yeah, both games/sides are in B&W.

I just tried it on another console (another 4-switch woody) and same issue!

 

and what's even more odd is the guy from ebay said it worked in color on 2 different systems he tried it on before he sold it!

 

what the heck is the issue here?

[Thomas Jentzsch]

I can only guess(!) that something in the generated video signal makes your TV go mad.

[+FujiSkunk]

I can only guess(!) that something in the generated video signal makes your TV go mad.

 

If it is indeed a PAL cartridge, then yes, your TV is not getting a standard NTSC signal. Different North American TV's will do different things when trying to chew on a PAL signal, and a loss of color is possible typical symptom.

Edited April 22, 2013 by FujiSkunk

[+RevEng]

The likely answer is your TV is switching into a PAL compatible mode when it sees so many scanlines. But your NTSC 2600 has a non-PAL colorburst frequency, so your TV isn't finding the color information.

[Video]

If you can try it on a different TV, it could just be a compatibility issue.\

 

I would say maybe an issue with the color chip in your atari's, but if that was the case, I'd assume all your games would work B/W....and it would be a bit weird for two consoles to have the same problem.

Edited April 23, 2013 by Video

[+SmittyB]

I had a copy of Berzerk that did this (PAL version on a PAL 2600), in the end it sorted itself out but I think it was a problem with the tuning of my TV being slightly off so that whatever signal Berzerk output wasn't being shown properly while everything else worked. At least that's what I hypothesise happened.

My suggestion then would be to manually adjust the tuning of your TV to see if you can get colour at a slightly different frequency.

[+Omegamatrix]

The likely answer is your TV is switching into a PAL compatible mode when it sees so many scanlines. But your NTSC 2600 has a non-PAL colorburst frequency, so your TV isn't finding the color information.

 

Best answer, right there.

[Kulp]

I was going through my TV settings (I have a Sony Bravia model KDL-46EX521) and it appears the TV can only be in either NTSC or Canada mode for region. I tried switching to canada, and the picture of the game just went away, had to go through initial setup again to go back to normal.

 

so I'm not too sure there is a "PAL compatible mode"... unless it's like... working in the background, which is possible...I guess..

 

I still have no idea on this... but in a couple days when I get my 7800 in the mail, I'm going to try it on that to see if I get any different results.

 

One of these days I'll try it on a different TV, but for now I can't.

 

 

I tried fine tuning the analog to see if anything changed, and no color differences, sadly.

tried changing my Atari 2600 channel switch from 3 to 2, and still no changes.

 

bah.

[Kulp]

yep, still B&W on a 7800.