are some PAL x-box games NTSC???

nickb23 · 17-05-2003, 6:38 PM

Hi Guys

I have a Tosh 32ZD26P tv. When I play NTSC DVDs, and go to the menu I notice that with a NTSC signal the menu is stretched vertically compared to with a PAL signal. I think that this is a good (and only) way of checking if a NTSC or PAL signal is going into my TV.

I have also noticed this on some X-Box games. With my little menu check my PAL copy of Enter the Matrix seems to be NTSC. There is also a very bad case of Jaggies.

Could this be possible? If so, is this something games companies do so that they do not need to do seperate NTSC / PAL copies?

Nick B

gizlaroc · 17-05-2003, 7:10 PM

If you have told your xbox (in the video settings of the dashboard) that your display can handle 60hz then the games that support it will display in 60Hz and give you the result you are seeing.

kwangomango · 19-05-2003, 1:21 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by gizlaroc
If you have told your xbox (in the video settings of the dashboard) that your display can handle 60hz then the games that support it will display in 60Hz and give you the result you are seeing.

Doesn't that imply that PAL 60Hz games run at NTSC resolution? I would have thought that the reason the menu looked stretched vertically was cos it displays over a certain number of lines. With NTSC there are less lines so it looks stretched compared to PAL. I thought the 60Hz option was PAL resoulution at 60Hz refresh rate (PAL60) - therefore it shouldn't look stretched.

gizlaroc · 19-05-2003, 3:24 AM

No when you switch to 60hz you are also outputting 480 lines rather 576, thus when you switch say a snes or mega drive you loose the borders. the extra 96 lines of information of the 50hz signal are no longer there, and thus dont have to be filled with black.

kwangomango · 19-05-2003, 2:36 PM

Cheers for that. I didn't realise that PAL60 was NTSC in all but the colour carrier - i thought it was PAL resolution at 60Hz. I understand the Megadrive border issue, but didn't the switch swap the output to pure NTSC - was PAL60 even around then?

gizlaroc · 19-05-2003, 2:56 PM

Pal 60 or ntsc 4.43 is the same thing.

ntsc-j as used by some parts of japan is 60hz 480 lines with the pal colour frequency.

the megadrive I am sure would not know what to do when it was switched, and you had to use RGB, well all the ones I converted anyway.

I have never really thought about any of this until you mentioned it to be honest

edit: thinking about it I reckon Pal60 was a new term used by tv companies to get over confusion.They advertised their sets would do ntsc 4.43, and joe bloggs brings home a new console/vcr/dvd from the states, and wonders why it doesnt work. When I used to sell import stuff we used to get so many people ringing us saying that their tv does ntsc but it is black and white. but it didnt do ntsc-m ?? the american ntsc, it did ntsc 4.43 (pal 60).
So by putting Pal 60 it saved confussion. Just a theory