PAL PS2 releases...

Dunno if this is the right forum for this question (I assume it is), but I'm too lazy to do a search and I'm just going to post this anyway. Do PAL PS2 releases have an option for 50/60Hz at startup (like most Dreamcast games do)? I was curious only because I was planning on modding my PS2 and getting the PAL release of Shadow of the Colossus if it has new spiffy extras like the PAL version of ICO did.

If the PAL releases don't have this option, what would one have to do in order to play them on an NTSC television? Many thanks in advance.

At the beginning, all PAL PS2 games were 50 hz only. Only recently some games include the selector. Anyway, I think that even if you can make the game output 60 hz you still will have PAL video, so you would need a PAL/NTSC convertor.

Amano Jacu said:

At the beginning, all PAL PS2 games were 50 hz only. Only recently some games include the selector. Anyway, I think that even if you can make the game output 60 hz you still will have PAL video, so you would need a PAL/NTSC convertor.

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I don't quite think that's the case. PAL video (as you call it) is running on a frequency of 50hz, which is too "slow" for NTSC television sets. It becomes NTSC video when the refresh rate is bumped up to 60hz; there's no difference between the actual video signal being output other than the refresh rate. If that were true, I wouldn't be able to pop in any of my PAL Dreamcast games, choose 60hz at the boot screen, and play them just fine on my NTSC TV; I'd need a convertor like you mentioned, but you really don't.

Is there anyone else (possibly a US member) who has purchased PAL PS2 games and has some input on this matter? I appreciate the help, Amano, but I'm not sure that all the information is correct.

Aside from a hardware PAL / NTSC converter, you have a few options.

If you're using a boot disc / mod chip to start your games, the disc / chip might have an option to force the video mode.

If you don't mind ripping / reburning the game, you could try one of the generic PS2 video mode patchers (or one for the specific game, if it exists).

I've had varying degrees of luck with these methods. Your mileage may vary.

sQuareh4t3r said:

I don't quite think that's the case. PAL video (as you call it) is running on a frequency of 50hz, which is too "slow" for NTSC television sets. It becomes NTSC video when the refresh rate is bumped up to 60hz; there's no difference between the actual video signal being output other than the refresh rate. If that were true, I wouldn't be able to pop in any of my PAL Dreamcast games, choose 60hz at the boot screen, and play them just fine on my NTSC TV; I'd need a convertor like you mentioned, but you really don't.

Is there anyone else (possibly a US member) who has purchased PAL PS2 games and has some input on this matter? I appreciate the help, Amano, but I'm not sure that all the information is correct.

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I don't think this is true, PAL and NTSC are different video systems, and the difference is not only the frequency, for example PAL has more lines.
The PAL xbox has a 50/60 hz selector on the dashboard, and with a homebrew utility you can change it to NTSC, and I can actually tell the difference between NTSC and PAL 60.
The DC affair you mention might have something to do with the console itself, for example I've had NTSC DC games boot in 50 hz in my PAL DC. The PS2 is a different beast, as the video format of each game is determined only by the game, it doesn't matter the console region.

So well, I'm not sure and I might be wrong. Better wait for somebody who has actually tried it in a NTSC-only TV. My TV is 50/60 PAL/NTSC compatible anyway.

Finally, looks at the specs of PAL&NTSC:

http://www.alkenmrs.com/video/standards.html

PS: NTSC= Never Twice Same Color

Murray said:

Aside from a hardware PAL / NTSC converter, you have a few options.

If you're using a boot disc / mod chip to start your games, the disc / chip might have an option to force the video mode.

If you don't mind ripping / reburning the game, you could try one of the generic PS2 video mode patchers (or one for the specific game, if it exists).

I've had varying degrees of luck with these methods. Your mileage may vary.

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This man is correct.

I have one or two PAL PS2 games and about a dozen PAL PS1 games. I'm using a regular NTSC TV that doesn't support any type of PAL signal, and I either reburn the disk with a PPF patch applied to convert the video or use a boot disk that has a default video selector.

Like Amano mentioned, a PAL signal has a different resolution than NTSC. I always lose a bit of picture on the top and bottom of my TV whenever I use either of the above methods, but most games nowadays have video centering and size options which can be fiddled with.

Most PAL PS2 games have a 50hz/60hz option.

For example Tekken 4 upwards, VF4, Burnout 3 etc all have 60hz modes.

Unlike the Dreamcast which produced PAL 60(NTSC resolution but PAL color system) the PS2 produces only NTSC 60hz, and that's on a PAL machine with a PAL game that has this option.

Most PS2 mods will allow NTSC games to run at NTSC 60hz too.

I've run PAL games on the 60hz mode and they look fine on an NTSC TV as they are displayed in NTSC.

Hope that clears it up for you.

Kyo. K said:

Most PAL PS2 games have a 50hz/60hz option.

For example Tekken 4 upwards, VF4, Burnout 3 etc all have 60hz modes.

Unlike the Dreamcast which produced PAL 60(NTSC resolution but PAL color system) the PS2 produces only NTSC 60hz, and that's on a PAL machine with a PAL game that has this option.

Most PS2 mods will allow NTSC games to run at NTSC 60hz too.

I've run PAL games on the 60hz mode and they look fine on an NTSC TV as they are displayed in NTSC.

Hope that clears it up for you.

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That clears quite a few things up.

Thanks for the input from everyone!