Why was CD32 only PAL?

[MickGyver]

Originally Posted by fryguy

Now they're selling them again. (Note for PAL users though, i believe those are NTSC consoles).

http://www.tradera.com/item/301704/2...-ny-amiga-cd32

Retrospelsbutiken that are selling those seem to be quite dodgy. My brother bought on of those nos CD32. He asked if it was a Pal machine and they told him it is from a Swedish distributor and that there are only one version of the CD32, that there does not exist an ntsc version. They shipped it to him with the American power supply by mistake...

[idrougge]

As can be expected of "retro" webshops.

[fryguy]

Originally Posted by witchmaster

Retrospelsbutiken that are selling those seem to be quite dodgy. My brother bought on of those nos CD32. He asked if it was a Pal machine and they told him it is from a Swedish distributor and that there are only one version of the CD32, that there does not exist an ntsc version. They shipped it to him with the American power supply by mistake...

Indeed, i asked them 2 years ago if it was NTSC machines they sold and couldn't really get a straight answer.

This was spelbutiken though but i believe they are the same company as retrospelbutiken.
Their answer was:

"

Nej, det finns ingen specifik NTSC version. Alla CD32 går dock att boota med NTSC utsignal precis som det står i den wiki artikeln ni länkar till. Konsolen släpptes aldrig officiellt i USA utan de som såldes där var helt enkelt samma konsol som såldes i Europa."

In english

"No, there is no specific NTSC version. On All CD32s you can boot with NTSC output exactly as it appears in the wiki article you link to. The console was never released officially in the US, but the ones sold there was just the same console that was sold in Europe."

[alexh]

The main reason the CD32 wasnt sold in USA even though they had manufactured lots was the XOR patent wasn't it?

[Wayne123]

Originally Posted by fryguy

Now they're selling them again. (Note for PAL users though, i believe those are NTSC consoles).

http://www.tradera.com/item/301704/2...-ny-amiga-cd32

That is a pretty good price too, they go for a lot more in the U.S..

[xArtx]

That story sounds right to me, validated by Dave’s mention in the Deathbed Vigil video also mentioned in an old thread here.

Originally Posted by alexh

The main reason the CD32 wasnt sold in USA even though they had manufactured lots was the XOR patent wasn't it?

[volvo_0ne]

More likely it was because the CD32 was garbage and only the Europeans would tolerate them.

Unexpandable, mundane, expensive (for what they are) and UGLY!.

I had one for about a week, then offloaded it to some kids for 50% of what I paid for it.

However.... The spare controllers came in useful for my A1200

[HardStep]

Is it possible to mod (convert) a NTSC CD32 into a Pal one?

[MickGyver]

Originally Posted by HardStep

Is it possible to mod (convert) a NTSC CD32 into a Pal one?

Kind of. You can force the CD32 to Boot in PAL mode with this mod:
http://eab.abime.net/showpost.php?p=550260&postcount=43

The color system will still be NTSC though, so your TV needs to support this mixed signal if I understand correctly. I'm not sure if there are any other problems with this mod, does anybody know?

[Amigajay]

Originally Posted by volvo_0ne

More likely it was because the CD32 was garbage and only the Europeans would tolerate them.

Unexpandable, mundane, expensive (for what they are) and UGLY!.

I had one for about a week, then offloaded it to some kids for 50% of what I paid for it.

However.... The spare controllers came in useful for my A1200

Erm never heard of the SX1/SX32 etc?
Expensive? Not massively, the MD and Mega CD combo was £410 at the time of the £300 CD32 release, plus the fact A1200 owners were happy to pay £200 for a less incompatible cd drive.
And the idiocy of your comment of owning one for a week and selling it for 50% tells me all I need to know

[Amiga1992]

Originally Posted by witchmaster

The color system will still be NTSC though, so your TV needs to support this mixed signal if I understand correctly. I'm not sure if there are any other problems with this mod, does anybody know?

If you use RGB there will be no problems.
The problem will be on Composite and SVideo.
SVideo will give a black and white signal on 50Hz.
Composite will work if your TV supports PAL-M. Otherwise it will also be black and white.

[idrougge]

But only French CD32s have RGB.

[alexh]

Originally Posted by idrougge

But only French CD32s have RGB.

An internal test point you can solder wires for an RGB cable is present on all CD32. RGB is also on the expansion connector.

[idrougge]

Yes, but then we're in modding territory.

[Amiga1992]

Originally Posted by idrougge

Yes, but then we're in modding territory.

Unless you buy one of the moderately available expansion port adapters out there.

So yeah, without some adapter or modification, an NTSC CD32 will not output color on S-Video or Composite when running at 50Hz.