Connect an Atari 130XE (NTSC) in France?

[LostUniverse]

Hi all,

 

I've recently ordered a 130XE from the US. I live in France but this kind of machine became recently hard to find.

 

So it was easier and cheaper to buy it in the US. I'll soon receive it, but I have some question regarding the connection:

 

- What kind of power cable do I need to plug it? Does something like that will do the job?

http://www.amazon.fr/HQ-P-SUP-32-HQ-Convertisseur-tension-vers/dp/B000MRY5CU

Also I'll need to plug to computer, but also the floppy drive, which comes from the same seller.

 

- What's the best way to plug the 130XE on the TV screen? Can I use a Scart cable or a AV composite cable? Or is there a better way?

 

Thanks. Can't wait to receive and play with it!

[lord_mike]

You are likely to be in trouble w/ the TV. France uses a completely unique television system called SECAM which was used by France, French speaking countries in Africa, and the old Soviet Union . That has been superseded by modern digital formats, but I would guess that if you plug in a signal into a composite input, it would be expecting SECAM signals. A modern digital TV might be "smart" and be able to decode a variety of signals, though. You'd have to check the manual.

 

The power converter should work OK (I think), but make sure you have enough watts. The computer itself probably uses up 15-20, but a disk drive can use up the whole 45 watts of that converter on its own. Just as a warning, when I worked at Radio Shack many, many years ago, we were told to advise people who would use these foreign converters that they shouldn't be used for "sensitive electronics." I'm sure that was to protect the company more than anything, but just letting you know that there might be some risk. Make sure the converter you get is OK with electronics.

 

EDIT: Ah, you may be in luck with the TV thing. According to Wikipedia: "Most TVs currently sold in SECAM countries support both SECAM and PAL, and more recently composite video NTSC as well (though not usually broadcast NTSC, that is, they cannot accept a broadcast signal from an antenna)." You'll need a newer TV for this, and you'll need one of those monitor cables that has a composite plug in the end like they sell on ebay.

Edited August 6, 2015 by lord_mike

[pirx]

Take it easy, basically any TV you could find with analog input will display NTSC just fine. BTW - eastern bloc countries were using SECAM indeed, but it was not compatible with original French SECAM :/.

[phoenixdownita]

The thing that would suck the most is that you would not be able to play/enjoy many PAL only games/demo, and they got the good stuff there towards the end.

[pirx]

I really had thought it is a big problem, but then I bought XEGS from Best Electronics and missed nothing. Possibly because the latest gamez tend to know about NTSC.

Anyways, when LostUniverse got involved, import from UK/DE will be the most appropriate ^_^