NTSC Atari 800 > Use in Europe possible?

[santoscork]

Hello

 

Is it possible to use an Atari 800 from North America in Europe? I do realize the power supply brick wouldn't be a straight plug and play. As such can a European power supply be used or would that still not cut it?

[Beeblebrox]

@santoscork  Sure. I have an NTSC 800 which runs no probs on my original Atari UK 9v psu. Of course as it is NTSC obviously PAL games with either not look right or simply not run at all on it and your display will need to be able to handle NTSC.

 

I converted my NTSC 800 to PAL after purchasing it being told it was a PAL machine by the seller and finding out on receipt they'd made a mistake. I upgraded it to Incognito at the same time as converting it to PAL. Works very well.

 

There are ways to part convert it to PAL but fully converting it to PAL is relatively easy if you have an plugin PAL CPU (Personality board) which has the PAL colourburst crystal onboard -  to replace the NTSC board. You ideally need a European OS rom board (or can convert the NTSC OS board afaik). You need PAL GTIA and ANTIC chips in place on the CPU board to replace the NTSC versions and also need a PAL crystal which you swap out on the main PCB. (I salvaged one from a broken Atari 2600 PCB). Sounds complicated but it isn't.

 

The other way to avoid worrying about replacing OS board is installing Incognito at the same time as the NTSC to PAL conversion as I've done - but that is another topic. (See my signature for a link to installing Incognito).

 

 

Edited December 2, 2022 by Beeblebrox

[santoscork]

Excellent! I appreciate the reply and all the additional information. Thank you very very much!

[Beeblebrox]

@santoscorkYou are welcome. Before you go ahead with anything make sure the UK power supply you plan to get is a good substitute for the original Atari 800 UK power supply. Lots of info on AA about power supplies if you look to double check the specs. (Sometimes I just use Google perfixed with Atariage and Atari 800 UK power supply, or something similar. (More powerful than AA's own search engine I find).

 

What do you plan to do first?  Also, is the NTSC machine you are getting a known working one with all the plug in boards and the OS rom and RAM boards?

Edited December 2, 2022 by Beeblebrox

[mimo]

I've got several NTSC Ataris in the UK.

It can be a bit hit or miss with TVs, I've got one Sony Trinitron crt that works great with NTSC and another slightly older one that doesn't.

Modern panel TVs are can either be brilliant or terrible.

Cost has no relationship, I've a really cheap Chinese 19" led that gives a great picture on NTSC or pal, composite or s-video.

And an expensive lg set that won't even recognize a signal 

[MARIO130XE]

Power adapter isnt't the problem. 

Problem one: you need an ntsc-screen. Not really a problem.  Lot's of CRT TVs can use pal /ntsc/ secam devices.

Problem two: you have to be there.... between all the PAL users and can't run all the hundrets of demos, games and homebrew stuff on your machine.

 

/jk  

[santoscork]

8 hours ago, Beeblebrox said:

@santoscork

What do you plan to do first?  Also, is the NTSC machine you are getting a known working one with all the plug in boards and the OS rom and RAM boards?

Truth is, I use to own one decades ago. I had a lot of Atari gear back in the 80s and early 90s. I would collect it way back then. It's literally all gone. I would just love to have an 800 again. There is one on eBay now that only does a black screen. It's in the US. I will try but I am sure the price will just be too high and I will lose out. In any event, I will try to put in a bid. I do have a few Sony CRTs that can do NTSC and PAL, maybe even SECAM so display wise I should be ok. We'll see.

I am grateful for the knowledgeable reply, for now I am keeping my fingers crossed  It would be nice to be a part of the Atari family again.

[santoscork]

6 hours ago, MARIO130XE said:

Problem two: you have to be there.... between all the PAL users and can't run all the hundrets of demos, games and homebrew stuff on your machine.

 

/jk  

Could you expand on your second problem point? If I read between the lines as it were, it seems as though the 800 is unsuitable for a few of the diversions you make mention of. I stopped using a real Atari around the XL age. I never owned an XE but as I recall, the 130XE was impressive technically, as it had 2 banks of 64K. The 800 was, in my view, perhaps naively … well it was a sweet machine, for sentimental reasons really and the design is great, a close second to the 1200xl. Do go on though because as I observe the Atari 8bits from some distance I had thought that there were some new clever hardware devices that could effectively take the 800 to an XE level. I admit to not being up-to-date on the latest and greatest hardware devices available for the 8bits. Without a real Atari under my belt it sort of leaves me at a disadvantage on that front.

Edited December 3, 2022 by santoscork

[santoscork]

Now reading  https://forums.atariage.com/topic/176545-topic-for-newbies-or-veterans-returning-to-atari/

[Beeblebrox]

@santoscork  tbh given you haven't yet bought it and are getting back into Atari I would make life easier and go for an Atari 800XL.

 

By the sounds of it going for a non working NTSC 800 in the first place with all the work you would have to do seems a little avoidable. 

 

The 800XL comes with 64k and get a PAL one. Use it with a composite cable in the first instance and get yourself something cheap like an Sdrive max which mimics a disk drive and you can pop lots of games on it's sdcard. 

 

Somewhere down the line if you want you could secure an 800 or upgrade your 800XL.

 

I was under the impression you had already got a working ntsc 800 you see.