Hey! Haven't posted here much or in eons but I figure this might be the best place to get some help. So I'm thinking of having a Euro PS2 Christmas. Got a few European exclusives I really wanna play, namely a first-person motion controlled fighting game called Dark Wind and some kind of futuristic power sail racing game called Cyclone Circus not to mention the English translations of the Simple Series. It looks like I can get a banged up old Euro PS2 off EBay on the cheap but there's some stuff I need to know: #1) Would you recommend this? Or is getting a system to mod actually a better idea? #2) What all do I need to use it? A power converter and a PAL to NTSC converter, right? Does it need separate memory cards or anything else goofy for some reason? #3) If I used a Component Cable, would that eliminate the need for a PAL to NTSC converter? #4) Do you know if the Elgato Gamecapture HD has any issues with recording Euro PS2 footage and if so, what can I do to make it work? Also if you have any further advice to tell someone planning on importing a Euro PS2 to America, lemme know! My adventures in Googling the subject have yielded mixed results so I'm effectively clueless. Thanks a ton!
If you get a PAL PS2, you will need a PAL TV or some sort of video converter. A Component cable connection alone will not work. I have converted PS1 and PS2 games to play on their respective NTSC systems. You do lose a few lines at top and bottom, but the PAL discs can be converted to a custom height depending what can be moved off the screen. A compromise of cutting off a few video lines of imagery to retain scores and lives tally boxes of a game. The cutoff is minimal and you gain the 60hz speed. For the NTSC PS1 a Mod Chip is needed, the NTSC PS2 has a much better route. Use a Fat PS2 with internal hard drive along with HD ADvance/HDLoader and a Flip Top. The PS2 converted CDRs and DVDRs install and then run off the hard drive without need of a Mod Chip. Playstation PAL NTSC Conversion Guide http://www.racketboy.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=388723#p388723 PAL version Alien Hominid has extra levels! The converted PAL game with correct video line adjustment. PS1 Little Big Adventure - Only released in Japan and Europe
Most modern TVs support both PAL and NTSC, BTW. European sets run on 220V. You use 110V, so you will need a step-up transformer (beware, get one with sufficient rating) or to replace the PSU with an American PSU board. Alternatively, if you already have another PS2, you could rip your imported game and install them onto the HDD unit (get one installed!) and run them with OPL. PAL games will output a PAL TV signal, so your TV must support PAL, but they will definitely run on an NTSC set.
Of note some PAL games also have a 60hz NTSC option. Once adjusted, the settings are saved to the memory card. I used this method as well for installed PS2 games to the NTSC console hard drive, again no mod chip needed.
My buddys sony trinitron sd crt can play in color in pal over component perfect while mine will do in color but the screen scrolls like crazy.
The 70000 family slim needs no power converter. It has an external 100v to 240v brick. To reiterate what's been said above, while component bypasses common color issues (due to not using NTSC or PAL encoding), the refresh rate still matters.
Awesome responses! Thanks! So okay, I don't have a PS2 Harddrive so I'm clueless about using one for game loading although I DO see some surprisingly cheap on EBay packed with FFXI. However, I'd rather avoid ripping/converting/burning discs but the ability to do so is noted for a later date as I'm sure that'll come in handy eventually (I'll deal with playing burned games if/when the Tales of Destiny translation is finished). SO! Step Up/Down Converters for 220v to 110v! What does a "sufficient rating" look like? Are these okay? http://www.amazon.com/50W-WATT-STEP...&qid=1449569607&sr=1-14&keywords=110v+to+220v http://www.amazon.com/Goldsource-ST...&qid=1449569607&sr=1-17&keywords=110v+to+220v If you have any Amazon links you'd suggest over those, throw 'em my way. Yes yes I'm looking at cheap ones that might be crap. If possible I'd like t avoid spending $60 on a power converter unless it's really necessary. Moving on! So, component cables will still have refresh rate issues? Interestingly I don't see any Component PAL to NTSC converters other than some $150-$200 converter suite things so I guess I'll grab an AV converter just in case Component doesn't work with my TV and/or Elgato Game Capture HD. Weirdly THIS looks like it might be the cheapest/best option for that: http://www.amazon.com/Composite-Con...8&qid=1449570259&sr=1-16&keywords=PAL+to+NTSC Convert PAL Composite to HDMI? *shrug* Oookay, if you say so! Whatever doesn't break the bank. So lemme know if these look like good ideas/purchases or crap and thanks for the responses!
This applies to all slimline consoles. No, it doesn't. Component connection is just the media. The video signal will be still either PAL or NTSC and the screen must still support it. Also, some modern-day sets do not support non-interlaced NTSC/PAL, so the OP should beware of this if he's also interested in PlayStation games. Most PlayStation 2 games don't use this because it's not an official video mode. If you go this route, you need a network adaptor, but the disk can be a generic ATA disk. It doesn't need to be the SONY-branded one, although having one will mean that you can also use it with SONY software (without further modifications) that support the HDD unit. You want to step UP, not down. You want to power your 220V console with the US 110V mains (110V->220V). To know what's sufficient, you need to look at the sticker at the back of the console because it differs between models. My SCPH-10000 is a 50W console, while my SCPH-39006 is only 39W. Some older sets go up to 90W and my PSX (the DVR unit) is a 80W console. It's not good to get a transformer that is very close to your console's wattage because it might overheat, so give it some margin (i.e. if your console is indeed the 90W model, don't get a transformer rated for only 100W). Why not just read your TV's manual? If it already supports PAL out of the box, then you don't have to spend a cent. Beware that anything with "HDMI" isn't strictly necessary because it doesn't magically add detail to the screen; the PS2 will still output an analog NTSC/PAL signal and it just gets upscaled. Having HDMI support will only benefit you if your TV lacks a decent upscaler (and your converter is better at it) or has no free component video ports. Specifically, you are looking for support for the PAL signal. If the TV's specifications do not mention PAL, then it's likely incapable of supporting PAL. His TV would have to support SCART. He's from the US, so I doubt that it would work out.
Elgato should support analog video standards worldwide as other modern capture cards. For PS2 games NTSC resolution is 720x480, for PAL - 768x576 or similar. If i'm not wrong component cable in progressive mode will display always at 720x480 even on PAL games. (not all ps2 games support 480p, but it can be forced with GSM homebrew).
or you could just ignore what everybody else is saying and just try to look for a debug PS2 which is region free
Component is not pal or ntsc, just like rgb. I think you are using pal and 50hz interchangeably which isn't correct.
I thought that component was just a media with the 3 video colour channels separated for better signal quality. Apparently not. I stand corrected then, thanks. The last time I checked, they are universal too.
WB GEL, i would go with the 200W version of an step up converter. The 50W version will also work, but when they get hot, they begin to smell and... better something bigger
I don't mean to hijack the thread, but there's so many people already here who seem knowledgeable, so I'm just going to ask a quick question: If I've got a PAL 240v PS2 with a dying disc drive (tray ejects slowly), can I just replace the motor with one from a Japanese 110/120v PS2?
Its eject mechanism might just need some greasing. The mechanism varies across different PS2 models, so a swap may require parts from a similar revision.
Swap Magic works, but does not center the converted from PAL to NTSC. See my earlier Reply for the solution.
