Unreal PAL/NTSC

[system11]

Is the NTSC labelled version of Unreal actually any different to the PAL one? I'm trying to find a good condition copy and some have NTSC on the side, some PAL. If there's no actual difference in disk contents then I can buy either.

[Galahad/FLT]

Originally Posted by system11

Is the NTSC labelled version of Unreal actually any different to the PAL one? I'm trying to find a good condition copy and some have NTSC on the side, some PAL. If there's no actual difference in disk contents then I can buy either.

Yes. The NTSC original won't work on a PAL machine, and the PAL original won't work on an NTSC machine, so you if you're intent on buying the original game, it must be the right one for your system.

Some games have a couple of NTSC or PAL country checks in them, but from my hazy memory, Unreal has LOTS of them which Ringo Star of Classic had to remove to get it to work on PAL machines.

[system11]

Ok thanks, ebay seller claiming otherwise and I've learned to trust them as far as I could throw them..

[A10001986]

What is PAL-machine, what is an NTSC-machine with regard to those checks?

A machine which by default boots with a PAL (or NTSC) screen mode? If so, at least all 8372-equipped machines can be either...

Or do these checks include measuring the system clock (7.14 vs 7.09)?

[demoniac]

Originally Posted by A10001986

If so, at least all 8372-equipped machines can be either...

There's no data on 8372, but I assuming you mean 8372A and the subsequent Angus chips. The original OCS Angus chips are hard wired to a frequency. The ECS chips' video mode is based on Pin 41 on whether it is floating (pulled high) or grounded. There are several aspects to the video mode. There's the frequencies of 60Hz vs 50Hz and resolution differences. The system clock speed is different as it is used as a multiplier to generate the video refresh rate.

If a program is looking for the 256th line and the video is only displaying 200, the video sync will never happen and the program will not continue.

[A10001986]

Erm, I know all that and by 8372 I meant all versions (A, B, and AB). Also, pin 41 only defines the default at boot time. Even all versions of 8375 can do both, though their default is predefined and not hardware-changeable (but through the boot menu, though)

My question was not "what is a PAL machine", but "what is a PAL machine with regard to those checks" that Galahad/FLT mentioned. If those games just count scanlines that check is moot, obviously.

[system11]

Well I bought a PAL and NTSC version - I can confirm the NTSC one "works" in that it will boot and run, but it runs too slowly and doesn't use the full screen.

So any seller telling you it doesn't matter is mistaken or deceptive.