PAL video in the states

[Tony Duell]

On Fri, Jan 13, 2017 at 10:47 AM, Corey Cohen <AppleCorey at optonline.net> wrote:
> So I have a friend who is originally from the U.K.   He has his old BBC micro from when
> he was a kid and wants to be able to use it here in the states.  His parents threw out his old TV in the U.K.

There was actually an NTSC version of the BBC micro. I think you had
to fit a different colourburst crystal,
change a link to disable the phase switching of one of the colour
signals (which is what PAL means, of
course) and a different operating system ROM to reprogram the 6845 for
US rates. The last is probably the
hardest. But anyway...



>
> Is there a way to use a BBC Micro PAL version with a modern US LCD TV?  Do some brands of modern
> TVs support both NTSC and PAL? Let's assume he may need to grab video before the modulator.

I don't know about US TVs, but a lot of UK TVs support NTSC video.

You have 3 video outputs on the Beeb :

UHF RF. This is the old UK analogue TV standard on what was channel
36. PAL encoded

Composite (on a BNC socket). This is UK scan rates, and monochrome by
default. Fitting a
link on the PCB will get PAL colour there.

RGB (on a 6 pin DIN socket). TTL levels, 3 colour signals (so 8
possible colours total) + sync.
If you can find a way to use that, do so. It gives by far the best picture.

-tony