playing Famicom games on a PAL NES

Started by ryebob, October 27, 2011, 07:01:25 am

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ryebob

Hi, I currently have a PAL nes which has been modded to allow it to play NTSC games,  however I've not bought any NTSC due to the speed issues  associated with playback on a PAL system.

My question is if I were to buy a 60 to 72 pin adapter (from the US) and play Famicom games on it, is the gameplay going to be slow or are these issues only when playing US NES games on PAL?

Many thanks

L___E___T

Unfortunately gameplay will always be a tad slower because you're taking a 60hz game back down to 50hz, just as you are with the US NES games.

It's why I'd like to buy a US NES at some point and get rid of my UK and HK NES systems.
My for Sale / Trade thread
http://www.famicomworld.com/forum/index.php?topic=9423.msg133828#msg133828
大事なのは、オチに至るまでの積み重ねなのです。

ryebob

Ok, thanks, I thought that would be the case.

What about  pirate carts are they generally optimised for NTSC or PAL? , I understand they're usually made and sold in China and Hong Kong, which are PAL areas.

L___E___T

it's the hardware that's 50hz - so all games will run at that speed.  I don't mind it for some games, like Sonic on Master System because that's what I grew up with and what I remember - but Gimmick! for example in 50hz just doesn't sound right and I can't bear it.

Pirates or repros etc. should play fine on a 60hz system.  I never had any issues at all on my Japanese famicom with US or PAL games through a converter - official or pirate.
My for Sale / Trade thread
http://www.famicomworld.com/forum/index.php?topic=9423.msg133828#msg133828
大事なのは、オチに至るまでの積み重ねなのです。

jpx72

Some pirate multigames have PAL optimized menu system, but that's all. There may be some pirate PAL only games, but those will be rare.

BTW I also remember PAL speed Sonic, but the Megadrive one, I was so amazed about the NTSC speed when I first saw it!  :o

Da Bear

Jpx: I Ntsc modded my Mega Drive today. So much more fun to use now :-)

Ryebob: Why don't you buy a Famicom? They are cheaper than pal nes. Both games and console.

L___E___T

If your based in the UK for example, a Famicom is not cheaper than a PAL NES...  
You've also then gotta get a TV that works with 60hz (not so hard) and a stepdown converter (also not hard),
but most folks are unfamiliar with it and are just looking to get set up quickly.
My for Sale / Trade thread
http://www.famicomworld.com/forum/index.php?topic=9423.msg133828#msg133828
大事なのは、オチに至るまでの積み重ねなのです。

jpx72

Quote from: L___E___T on October 27, 2011, 01:19:59 pm
If your based in the UK for example, a Famicom is not cheaper than a PAL NES...  

Agree, untill I ended up here (on FW), I thought I will never have a real Famicom in my hands... and after aquiring one, I had to play it in BW a couple of months since I got no NTSC compatible TV.

Da Bear: Great! I also did it some time ago, wasn't so easy...

P

October 28, 2011, 05:16:15 am #8 Last Edit: October 28, 2011, 05:23:40 am by P
Quote from: Da Bear on October 27, 2011, 01:07:57 pm
Why don't you buy a Famicom? They are cheaper than pal nes. Both games and console.


Da Bear you are Swedish right (I'm Swedish)? What do you mean by cheaper than pal nes?

Getting a TV that supports NTSC and 60Hz is easy but getting an old CRT TV with that is harder. Getting a stepdown that converts 220v into 100v is impossible in Sweden though (I haven't seen one at least). Then the whole problem with AV-modding if you don't want an AV-Famicom or Twin Famicom.

All that said I recommend getting a Famicom. I don't see any advantages with a (NTSC) Nes. Seemingly all games and peripherals works on a Famicom with adapters.

Edit: Then you can play NTSC games (both Famicom and Nes with an adapter) on your Famicom and play your PAL games on your PAL Nes. If you play them on an NTSC system they might run too fast.

satoshi_matrix

Theoretically speaking, if you're handy it should be possible to modify a USB cable to power an NES, since the 7805 controls it about there and USB uses a 5v input anyway.

Da Bear

Quote from: P on October 28, 2011, 05:16:15 am
Quote from: Da Bear on October 27, 2011, 01:07:57 pm
Why don't you buy a Famicom? They are cheaper than pal nes. Both games and console.


Da Bear you are Swedish right (I'm Swedish)? What do you mean by cheaper than pal nes?

Getting a TV that supports NTSC and 60Hz is easy but getting an old CRT TV with that is harder. Getting a stepdown that converts 220v into 100v is impossible in Sweden though (I haven't seen one at least). Then the whole problem with AV-modding if you don't want an AV-Famicom or Twin Famicom.

All that said I recommend getting a Famicom. I don't see any advantages with a (NTSC) Nes. Seemingly all games and peripherals works on a Famicom with adapters.

Edit: Then you can play NTSC games (both Famicom and Nes with an adapter) on your Famicom and play your PAL games on your PAL Nes. If you play them on an NTSC system they might run too fast.


If you know where to buy them and are a bit handy with a soldering iron it gets cheaper to buy a Famicom. You don't need a stepdown converter - just buy a cheap 9/10v AC/DC adapter and make the center-tip negative.

People give away older CRT-TVs that can handle NTSC and 60Hz, it's really not that hard to acquire one.

But if you can't do some work on your own, then yes the console itself will be a little more expensive. But in the long run it'll get cheaper. Have you seen the prices on PAL-B nes games? Crazy!

P

QuoteIf you know where to buy them...

Hmm then I guess I don't know where to buy them.

Quotejust buy a cheap 9/10v AC/DC adapter and make the center-tip negative.

Yeah I'm using a regular AC/DC adapter with modified polarity right now.

QuotePeople give away older CRT-TVs that can handle NTSC

They do but they seldom knows if it supports NTSC and the ones I got my hands on didn't. I'm looking for one that is not too big as well so I can store it somewhere in my small home.

QuoteHave you seen the prices on PAL-B nes games? Crazy!

Yeah NES games are expensive nowdays, and Famicom games seem to increase in availability.

aarkay14

I do not get it !!

There shoudl be no problems while playing Famicom (which is a PAL system) on European/Indian PAL NES . Because both are PAL systems!!!

Please let me know otherwise..

- Rama

XiTaU

well while ur necroing a thread ill add this.

famicom isnt pal all usa and japanese systems for every generation of hardware are ntsc.

aarkay14

DAMN !!!!

And I thought the opposite... I specifically bought a PAL NES thinking it was superior to NTSC NES, I wanted to do a dual cartridge slot mod, but Now I think there will be a lot of glitches If I wanted to run Famicom games on PAL NES.. damn damn damn !!!  :'(

Is there any way out?

- RK