Buying my first Amiga product ever - a CD32. Help?

Cooljerk · 24 July 2011, 11:37

I'm brand new to the world of Amiga, and after dicking around with WinUAE for a few years now, my desire to buy a real, tangible Amiga to play with has grown strong enough that I'm about to pull the trigger on a CD32.

The thing is, I want to have access to the entire game library, not just limited to the NTSC software. I live in the US, so obviously the subject of PAL->NTSC conversion is bound to come up, hence the point of this topic. I've been reading a bunch of posts, and the general trend I've found is that people recommend NOT getting a PAL CD32 unless you absolutely must. Let's just put it aside, I'm probably not gonna get an NTSC console. I can't find them, for one reason, while I can find the PAL CD32s easily.

That said, I want to make sure I do everything correctly to make sure I can play the PAL CD32 on my NTSC tv. To clarify, I have an LCD HDTV, which accepts a VGA input. It's 60hz, and NTSC. I've seen a ton of direct references to this product in particular:

http://www.sourcingmap.com/digital-c...aign=usfroogle

It claims to be able to convert from a PAL s-video input to an NTSC VGA output. However, I've also read that you should be weary of converters, as sometimes they only convert the color information, not the frequency of the output, so I might have correct NTSC color, but it'll still output at 50 hz. Is that going to be a problem with the above converter? If I start a CD32 without putting it in NTSC mode (which is just a 60hz switch without converting the color format, right?) and use that adapter, will it still work on an NTSC LCD monitor?

In other words, will a stock PAL CD32 in NOT ntsc mode output to an NTSC LCD 60hz monitor without problems using that converter? If the answer is yes, then I'll pull the trigger on a CD32 right now.

Sorry for being so verbose, I want to make sure I communicate my concern carefully. I hate wasting money, ha.

fitzsteve · 24 July 2011, 11:42

Are you sure your TV dosent support PAL already?

All my PAL LCD TV'S support NTSC :-)

Steve.

Cooljerk · 24 July 2011, 12:29

After gogling the specs of my (shitty) tv, it does not... I think. It is a vivitek 40" lcd, and it lists ntsc and atsc as the tv modes. Under the vga specs, though, it accepts an input of 50-100 khz vertical, and 30-80 hz horizontal. Sooo... I dunno. Either way, does that converter work as I described above?

rare_j · 24 July 2011, 12:31

If your TV has a hdmi port, plug in a pc with hdmi and see if you ca set the display to 50hz in windows. If it can, forget about the cd32 and use winuae with a small pc. This will be much more flexible and less restrictrive.

Cooljerk · 24 July 2011, 12:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by rare_j

If your TV has a hdmi port, plug in a pc with hdmi and see if you ca set the display to 50hz in windows. If it can, forget about the cd32 and use winuae with a small pc. This will be much more flexible and less restrictrive.

This is currently my setup, although I use vga. I want a real amiga. My pc won't list any 50hz modes when connected.

rare_j · 24 July 2011, 23:38

Apologies, in that case, perhaps you have some other equipment you can test the tv with, through the svideo socket, like a dvd player or camcorder that can be set to pal output? Its entirely possible yout tv will just display it.

Cooljerk · 25 July 2011, 04:23

Unfortunately I do not, and sorry for being non-verbose in my last few replies, they were sent from my phone.

In any case, I just ordered a PAL CD32 so looks like I'm committed to this. Anyone have experience with one of those TFT->VGA converters?

24 July 2011, 11:37	#1
Cooljerk Registered User Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Houston, USA Posts: 95	Buying my first Amiga product ever - a CD32. Help? I'm brand new to the world of Amiga, and after dicking around with WinUAE for a few years now, my desire to buy a real, tangible Amiga to play with has grown strong enough that I'm about to pull the trigger on a CD32. The thing is, I want to have access to the entire game library, not just limited to the NTSC software. I live in the US, so obviously the subject of PAL->NTSC conversion is bound to come up, hence the point of this topic. I've been reading a bunch of posts, and the general trend I've found is that people recommend NOT getting a PAL CD32 unless you absolutely must. Let's just put it aside, I'm probably not gonna get an NTSC console. I can't find them, for one reason, while I can find the PAL CD32s easily. That said, I want to make sure I do everything correctly to make sure I can play the PAL CD32 on my NTSC tv. To clarify, I have an LCD HDTV, which accepts a VGA input. It's 60hz, and NTSC. I've seen a ton of direct references to this product in particular: http://www.sourcingmap.com/digital-c...aign=usfroogle It claims to be able to convert from a PAL s-video input to an NTSC VGA output. However, I've also read that you should be weary of converters, as sometimes they only convert the color information, not the frequency of the output, so I might have correct NTSC color, but it'll still output at 50 hz. Is that going to be a problem with the above converter? If I start a CD32 without putting it in NTSC mode (which is just a 60hz switch without converting the color format, right?) and use that adapter, will it still work on an NTSC LCD monitor? In other words, will a stock PAL CD32 in NOT ntsc mode output to an NTSC LCD 60hz monitor without problems using that converter? If the answer is yes, then I'll pull the trigger on a CD32 right now. Sorry for being so verbose, I want to make sure I communicate my concern carefully. I hate wasting money, ha.

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24 July 2011, 11:42	#2
fitzsteve Professional slacker! Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Kent, UK Age: 44 Posts: 6,683	Are you sure your TV dosent support PAL already? All my PAL LCD TV'S support NTSC :-) Steve.

24 July 2011, 12:29	#3
Cooljerk Registered User Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Houston, USA Posts: 95	After gogling the specs of my (shitty) tv, it does not... I think. It is a vivitek 40" lcd, and it lists ntsc and atsc as the tv modes. Under the vga specs, though, it accepts an input of 50-100 khz vertical, and 30-80 hz horizontal. Sooo... I dunno. Either way, does that converter work as I described above?

24 July 2011, 12:31	#4
rare_j Zone Friend Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: London Posts: 1,176	If your TV has a hdmi port, plug in a pc with hdmi and see if you ca set the display to 50hz in windows. If it can, forget about the cd32 and use winuae with a small pc. This will be much more flexible and less restrictrive.

24 July 2011, 23:38	#6
rare_j Zone Friend Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: London Posts: 1,176	Apologies, in that case, perhaps you have some other equipment you can test the tv with, through the svideo socket, like a dvd player or camcorder that can be set to pal output? Its entirely possible yout tv will just display it.

25 July 2011, 04:23	#7
Cooljerk Registered User Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Houston, USA Posts: 95	Unfortunately I do not, and sorry for being non-verbose in my last few replies, they were sent from my phone. In any case, I just ordered a PAL CD32 so looks like I'm committed to this. Anyone have experience with one of those TFT->VGA converters?

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