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Conference rusure::nintendo

Title:Nintendo Game Systems
Notice:Please enter Super NES notes in Yuppy::Super_NES.
Moderator:RUSURE::EDP
Created:Tue Oct 20 1987
Last Modified:Mon Feb 03 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:847
Total number of notes:11602

618.0. "U.S NINTENDO - UK CONVERSION" by SUBURB::REXA () Wed Mar 27 1991 07:33

    
    I HAVE EIGHT U.S. NINTENDO GAMES WHICH WILL NOT WORK IN MY 
    CONSOLE. I HAVE BEEN ADVISED THIS IS BECAUSE OF THE DIFFERENCE
    BETWEEN TELEVISION SETS. IN THE U.S.THEY HAVE NTSC AND IN THE 
    UK WE HAVE PAL, DIFFERENT SCAN RATES , HORIZONTAL LINES, ETC.
    
    IS THERE ANYONE OUT THERE WHO WOULD BE ABLE TO ADVISE HOW I
    MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET THESE TO WORK WITHOUT BUYING ANOTHER T.V.!!
    
    ANY ASSISTANCE WOULD BE APPRECIATED.....
    
T.RTitleUserPersonal
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618.1BTOVT::BAGDY_MStill in a dense fog I seeWed Mar 27 1991 09:559
        Doesn't the  UK  run  on  50Hz AC ?  Not sure, but this could
        also have an effect on the module in the cartridge, since the
        US runs 60Hz.  I know  it  all  gets broken down to DC inside
        the NES, but there still may be a conflict.
        
        Anyone know any more about this ?
        
        Matt
618.2US NINTENDO - UK CONVERSIONSUBURB::REXAWed Mar 27 1991 10:169
    
    HAS ANYONE EVER OPENED ONE OF THESE CARTRIDGES UP ACCIDENTLY.....
    LIKE STEPPING ON ONE OR SOMETHING?? IF SO WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO
    ADVISE HOW I WOULD BE ABLE TO MODIFY WHAT GOES ON IN THERE TO CHANGE
    A VOLTAGE.....OR ANYTHING......SO THAT I CAN USE THIS U.S. CARTRIDGES.
    
    FRUSTRATED OF READING,
    
    ALF.
618.3nothing to do with the gamesHOO78C::KNOLisn't every bug a bit wrongThu Mar 28 1991 07:4610
    what are the symptoms if you use the US cartridge's ?
    Do you see them switch on and off? then you have to modify your
    computer (look at note 74) The tv system is not in the cassettes but
    in the computer's RF section.
    I've been using US games with no problem at all (besides from modifying
    the NES computer) and we use the PAL system 625 lines 50 hz.
    
    jan
    
    
618.4Have you tried....YUPPY::ELLERYIWhither my Mickey Mouse Slippers ?Fri Apr 12 1991 06:4113
	Have you tried PC Engine Supplies/Console Concepts ? They will alter 
	UK console to take the US cartridges, as has been said the problem is
	not the type of modulation used, but the pin arrangments in the 
	cartridge. Having the work donw will of course invalidate any NIntendo 
	guarentee, but Console Supplies will usually support you. The type
	of modulation can be eliminated by using an RGB monitor, and the 
	cartridge will still not work. I can't vouch for the conversion, but 
	I'm sure several people in the conference would be interested in your
	experience if you try it.

	Ian Ellery
	London Ultrix Team

618.5More on UK to US conversion...MOVIES::ILESMike Iles - VAX/VMS developmentMon Apr 15 1991 11:0729
I too have a converted UK NES which accepts US games. Before applying the mod
explained earlier in this notesfile, and, being an engineer, armed with an
oscilloscope and a US cartridge which had been converted by Nintendo UK, I did
some investigation into the mechanics of it all.

Basically, the mechanism which prevents US cartridges running on UK machines
and vice versa has nothing to do with 50Hz, 625 lines or anything of that nature.

Esentially Nintendo have fitted a hardware interlock to their game cartridges
which is unique to the geography in which they sell them. The console issues
a coded signal which is unique to the geography in which its is sold and which
is passed to the cartridge which is loaded. This signal is processed by an
integrated circuit in the cartridge (the IC is unique and licensed to Nintendo)
which then returns a signal back to the games console which is used to decide
whether to let the game run or not. The outging signal from the console and the
cartridge which recieves it need to be compatible for the game in that cartridge
to be allowed to run by that console.

The switch modification described earlier somehow defeats this check by
temporarily disabling the outgoing signal.  But, as has been pointed out, the
timing is critical as regards when the switch should be pressed to enable the
game to run.

I think the crux of the matter is licensing. The correct special chip is
required in each games cartridge to send the correct signal back to the games
console. Only Nintendo supply such chips and thus (in theory) have control over
who supplies cartridges for what console in what market.

-Mike-