PAL Gamecube and the Gameboy Player in NTSC ?

[Ziggy]

edit: New question here: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=52503&p=1141618#p1141618

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Original Post:

So the NTSC (U/J) Gamecube does not output RGB. The PAL Gamecube does output RGB, but it's PAL.

I've heard a number of people say on the Internet that you can use a PAL Gamecube in NTSC land to get RGB output for the Gameboy Player, but I'm confused about how to accomplish this. I can't seem to find the answer I'm looking for in Google searches.

Best I can tell, the PAL Gamecube will output PAL50, but it can apparently output PAL60 as well. Are those the only video output options (resolutions aside) that the PAL GCN can do? Can it be forced to output NTSC somehow? When I Googled, I didn't find any NTSC mods for it. So for the people that import a PAL GCN to get RGB output for the Gameboy Player, are they just using it on a display that can handle PAL?

Answer: Unlike composite video, RGB is neither PAL or NTSC. If you're using RGB output, the only thing that will matter is if it's 50 or 60Hz. And since a stock PAL Gamecube can output 60Hz, you're good to go (at least for RGB).

[Ziggy]

So I posted this on another forum and got the answer I was looking for. Unlike composite video, RGB is neither PAL or NTSC. If you're using RGB output, the only thing that will matter is if it's 50 or 60Hz. And since a stock PAL Gamecube can output 60Hz, you're good to go (at least for RGB).

[samsonlonghair]

Interesting topic!

So I posted this on another forum and got the answer I was looking for. Unlike composite video, RGB is neither PAL or NTSC. If you're using RGB output, the only thing that will matter is if it's 50 or 60Hz. And since a stock PAL Gamecube can output 60Hz, you're good to go (at least for RGB).

What about power? Can you use a North American power supply on a PAL GameCube?

[emwearz]

Interesting topic!

So I posted this on another forum and got the answer I was looking for. Unlike composite video, RGB is neither PAL or NTSC. If you're using RGB output, the only thing that will matter is if it's 50 or 60Hz. And since a stock PAL Gamecube can output 60Hz, you're good to go (at least for RGB).

What about power? Can you use a North American power supply on a PAL GameCube?

The hardawre will run on the same specs, the power adapter is what converts the mains power to that specs.

I use a USA Genesis and N64 and Japanese Super Famicom with Australian power adapters. Pretty much any console with an external power supply will do this (always double check but never heard of one where the system itself uses different power specs.) For internal power supply you need a stepd-own (or step-up) converter, like I do with my JPN systems on Australia's 240v mains.

[Ziggy]

Yep, the Gamecube has the same power requirements in every region. So you can use any region power adapter on any region Gamecube. In this case, I'll be using an NTSC-U power adapter with the PAL console. Conversely, you could use a PAL power adapter with an NTSC console (if you were in PAL land).

[theclaw]

So the NTSC (U/J) Gamecube does not output RGB. The PAL Gamecube does output RGB, but it's PAL.

I've heard a number of people say on the Internet that you can use a PAL Gamecube in NTSC land to get RGB output for the Gameboy Player, but I'm confused about how to accomplish this. I can't seem to find the answer I'm looking for in Google searches.

Best I can tell, the PAL Gamecube will output PAL50, but it can apparently output PAL60 as well. Are those the only video output options (resolutions aside) that the PAL GCN can do? Can it be forced to output NTSC somehow? When I Googled, I didn't find any NTSC mods for it. So for the people that import a PAL GCN to get RGB output for the Gameboy Player, are they just using it on a display that can handle PAL?

I've never seen hard proof of a composite video NTSC/PAL (either direction) color encoding mod for the Gamecube.
My efforts to ask for technical documentation have had mixed results, fans believe it has little practical use.

[Ziggy]

fans believe it has little practical use.

Well after learning that RGB is RGB, and not NTSC or PAL, I myself believe it's of little use. To an NTSC user, the PAL GCN is only good for RGB. If you want (for some odd reason) to use composite, then just use an NTSC-U or NTSC-J GCN. Otherwise, why even get a PAL GCN? Unless there's some odd and unique situation that you want RGB and NTSC composite. And since the PAL GCN can do 50 and 60Hz without modification, I don't know why someone in PAL land would care to mod for NTSC. Isn't NTSC supposed to be inferior to PAL (Not The Same Color)?

[theclaw]

Well I haven't seen an in depth comparison of gaming in NTSC composite vs PAL composite.

NTSC GCN has the minor issue of has displaying incorrect colors when outputting composite at 50hz.
But things like a component cable fix it. And IIRC no known game is incompatible with 60hz through hacking.

[samsonlonghair]

This is a really interesting thread. Tell me about the RGB output in terms of cable options. Is it a SCART cable? Does it plug into the digital port or the analog port? Is VGA an option?

I've never heard of PAL60 before this thread. Everything I've ever read about PAL has told me that it's 50Hz. How do you make a PAL gamecube operate at 60Hz? Can you make other PAL consoles run at 60Hz?

[theclaw]

This is a really interesting thread. Tell me about the RGB output in terms of cable options. Is it a SCART cable? Does it plug into the digital port or the analog port? Is VGA an option?

I've never heard of PAL60 before this thread. Everything I've ever read about PAL has told me that it's 50Hz. How do you make a PAL gamecube operate at 60Hz? Can you make other PAL consoles run at 60Hz?

The SCART cable plugs into the analog port. 480p over RGB is not supported.
Although the component cable's chip in fact encodes analog RGB as well, Nintendo didn't release a VGA cable that way either.

A few slightly different 60hz versions of PAL were created later on. Normally PAL60, or sometimes PAL-M as used in Brazil.
PAL gamecube composite video uses PAL60 in 60hz mode.

How to make PAL consoles run 60hz varies. Some systems (SNES, Genesis, Saturn...) can have a 50hz/60hz toggle switch installed.
Other systems (PS2, GCN, Xbox...) you'd use a software hack.