NTSC vs PAL on Game Gear?

[lumclaw]

As I understand it, the TV tuner can only pass along the video that it's given. Such a simple little device cannot, AFAIK, convert 576i/50Hz to 480i/60Hz. Also that would make the PAL version of the TV tuner a completely different device from the NTSC version, not a simple alteration. So, the Game Gear screen must be capable of handling both.

The way to test this would be to try both a PAL and NTSC composite device on the same TV tuner, and/or both a PAL and NTSC TV tuner with the same input device.

More likely the screen accepts 50hz and 60hz. But not NTSC or PAL color encoding, no reason to without a composite input to receive them.

[Phantar]

Why did people put up with Pal? How did this become a thing? 25 frames a Second and then you get slower games with slower sound? How did this happen?

It was developed because when color TV was introduced in the 1960s, the NTSC-standard had problems with transmitting colors in the correct hue, which often had to be adjusted manually. France ways pretty much the only European country not adopting PAL because PAL was developed by a German guy, and in the 1960s, a Frenchman would have rather died than inviting german technology into his home

[Gogogadget]

Man am I glad to be NTSC. Very interesting thread btw. It is interesting how the game gear took a pal signal via the TV tuner aswell

PAL does have a few benefits, such as more lines, but yeah it's pretty antiquated now.

[segasonicfan]

Yep, all Game Gears (and Game Boys) are 60Hz and 60Hz only.

SMS games don't run too fast on a Master Gear. They run at the correct speed (60Hz). They run too slow on a PAL Master System.

afraid thats not true. The Game Gear support PAL if you modify a setting (theres a jumper). Its pin 119 that controls it IIRC.

-Segasonicfan

[lumclaw]

afraid thats not true. The Game Gear support PAL if you modify a setting (theres a jumper). Its pin 119 that controls it IIRC.

-Segasonicfan

Doesn't that mean the TV tuner has no access to said jumper?

[KnightWarrior]

There's no NTSC or PAL for GG Games at all

It's a handheld, Not a TV Standerd

[Black_Tiger]

There's no NTSC or PAL for GG Games at all

It's a handheld, Not a TV Standerd

The Game Gear's hardware is running games at 60fps, the same as NTSC SMS and not 50fps like PAL. The screen itself may have limitations, but the speed of the games and the sound is that of NTSC.

[lumclaw]

The Game Gear's hardware is running games at 60fps, the same as NTSC SMS and not 50fps like PAL. The screen itself may have limitations, but the speed of the games and the sound is that of NTSC.

This takes me back to my earlier post.

I speculated the possibility Sega may have installed a 50hz compatible LCD in the Game Gear.
Despite retail models never using the 50hz system mode, we can't rule it out.

[j_factor]

This takes me back to my earlier post.

I speculated the possibility Sega may have installed a 50hz compatible LCD in the Game Gear.
Despite retail models never using the 50hz system mode, we can't rule it out.

Well, PAL TV tuners were a thing, and by all appearances they were the same basic device as the NTSC version. If the screen was not 50hz compatible, the PAL TV tuners would have had to incorporate a converter, requiring a different design and greater expense. I think. I could be wrong.

[TmEE]

Tuner controls the LCD directly, the whole game side is essentially switched off when tuner is used. 50/60 stuff is entirely up to the tuner to handle.