How to see if your display works correctly with PAL signals

[Atariboy]

I may be in the UK in a few months and I was thinking I'd pick up a PS2, and a few UK exclusive rally racing titles and a few other games I've wanted that never saw release over here.

 

The television (Actually a Westinghouse 24" LCD computer monitor with a full range of inputs from composite to component and HDMI) works when I load up PAL titles in my Cuttle Cart II. Should I be pretty safe in thinking if it works there, then it will more than likely work with a PAL PS2?

Edited September 13, 2008 by Atariboy

[cwilkson]

Probably not safe. PAL/NTSC games will run on the wrong system, no problem. The real difference lies in the signal that the console is spitting out. One difference between PAL and NTSC 2600s is in the black and white (Luma) signal timing. PAL is slower. An NTSC TV might be able to sync to that. But the main difference is in the color (Chroma) signals. They are completely different. An NTSC TV might be able to handle that, but more likely you'll just get a colorless picture (maybe rolling vertically if the TV can't sync to 50 Hz).

 

Do you have the manual for your TV? It should tell you somewhere what video formats it will support.

 

-Chris

[davyK]

A PAL PS2 should be OK as long as the PAL games you pick have a 60Hz option. Many PAL PS2 games let you select between 50 and 60Hz on boot up. If you select 60Hz, the PS2 actually outputs an NTSC signal. The only problem you might get is that the display showing the 50 or 60Hz selection may screw up (since it will be a 50Hz picture) - but after selecting 60Hz you would be fine.

Edited September 15, 2008 by davyK