First let me just clarify that I am in the USA, so I am using a NTSC standard over here.

I have "unofficially inherited" the old family Amiga 500. While I do have a 1084S-P monitor handy, I would prefer to hook the Amiga up to my TV (since it is larger, and so I can have all my gaming platforms available on one screen). I heard that I would need a A520 adaptor to do this, so I purchased one on eBay.

I plugged the A520 into the Amiga's RGB port, and I plugged a yellow RCA video jack into the 520's "Video Out" port. The image shows up on my TV, but I can only get it in monochrome (the same effect as if I had just plugged the video jack into the "Mono" port on the back of the Amiga). What do I need to do in order to get the image in color?

I did some research on this and it seems like refresh rates might have something to do with it. If that is the case, how would I adjust these settings on an Amiga 500? And for all I know, there might be some lingering PAL/NTSC issues... I remember a lot of my old games had the bottom of the screen cut off, so I don't know if that has anything to do with it.

Any help on this issue would be much appreciated! I just got my first new Amiga game in 12 years (a very thoughful Christmas gift from my brother), so I am eager to get the Amiga all fired-up and accessible!

@Busta

Dumb question, but have u plugged the TV into the correct connector ?

There are two outputs, TV-out + video-out if i remember and there is a little switch which lets u change between modes on it somewhere.

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@Busta

I believe that one of your units is PAL. Either the A500 or A520, thus the mono picture.

@Busta

To find out if your Amiga 500 is PAL (you could have used it with a 1084S-P all these years and never noticed) you could open up your Amiga and look at the chips.

It's the revision of Agnus which tells you if it is PAL or NTSC (for most models).

Take a look at this thread.

http://amigaworld.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=17928&forum=25&9

What would be better though would be a software program that would tell you if you have a PAL or NTSC Amiga (So you dont have to open the case).



SysInfo will help you here. If you can get it off Aminet and onto your A500!

IDEA 1:
In workbench, check your Monitors directory in DEVS, make sure that you have NTSC and perhaps move PAL if it is in there. (Move to/from Monitors DIR in Storage?).

Then go to Preferences folder Screen Resolution and make sure you have a PAL resolution.

(These instructions are for Workbench 2+)

This will help you work out if you have an NTSC or PAL Amiga and / or 520. They wont fix games that boot from floppy disk.

IDEA 2:
Force games that use WHDload into NTSC using the NTSC tooltype

Last edited by alexh on 01-Mar-2006 at 05:42 PM.
Last edited by alexh on 01-Mar-2006 at 05:41 PM.

Thanks guys, I will look into this. First I will try that workbench thing, if that doesn't help I'll cross my fingers and try opening the Amiga.

So it's possible that I got a PAL A520, eh? That would be a bummer, I kind of just assumed the adaptor itself wouldn't be bound to either standard. If worst comes to worst, is there anywhere to order a A520 that is DEFINITELY the NTSC version?

@Busta

If you check where your ebayer is selling from that might indicate aan NTSC version.
United States, Japan and maybe Brazil (though I believe they're dual standard over there).

I've got several units myself and I might have an NTSC one in there, I'll check.

@Cameraman

I bought it from a UK seller. This doesn't look good... I guess it's worth asking him anyway.

At least it was a cheap price... maybe I can re-sell it.

@Busta

Quote:

Busta wrote: Thanks guys, I will look into this. First I will try that workbench thing, if that doesn't help I'll cross my fingers and try opening the Amiga. So it's possible that I got a PAL A520, eh? That would be a bummer, I kind of just assumed the adaptor itself wouldn't be bound to either standard. If worst comes to worst, is there anywhere to order a A520 that is DEFINITELY the NTSC version?

If you have a newer tv, then it is entirely possible that it also supports pal. This can often be changed in the menu of the television set. The tv might also autodetect and change automaticly, but either way you probably need to also change the a500 to pal mode instead.

This is atleast the case with most pal tvs in europe, it is rare to see a modern tv that does not also support ntsc mode.

@Busta

If you bought it from a UK seller then it IS PAL.

But all is not lost See Step 7
Quote:

Check the jumper pad, located on the solder side, going to pin 20 of IC1 (MC1377P). The jumper pad will be open for A520's that are intended for PAL monitors and joined for those intended for NTSC monitors. Make sure the jumper pad is joined. If pin 20 of U1 has no tracks going to it then connect it to ground.

Last edited by alexh on 01-Mar-2006 at 08:34 PM.
Last edited by alexh on 01-Mar-2006 at 08:33 PM.
Last edited by alexh on 01-Mar-2006 at 08:33 PM.

@Busta

Manual in .pdf format is here:
http://amiga.resource.cx/manual/A520.pdf
(147k in 53 pages) in english/german/french
descripition of PAL and NTSC versions

#6

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Quote:

alexh wrote: IDEA 1: In workbench, check your Monitors directory in DEVS, make sure that you have NTSC and perhaps move PAL if it is in there. (Move to/from Monitors DIR in Storage?). Then go to Preferences folder Screen Resolution and make sure you have a PAL resolution. (These instructions are for Workbench 2+) This will help you work out if you have an NTSC or PAL Amiga and / or 520. They wont fix games that boot from floppy disk. IDEA 2: Force games that use WHDload into NTSC using the NTSC tooltype

@alexh

How can I get to "DEVS"? I am running Workbench 1.2

Also, I cannot find anything for Screen Resolution in Preferences. When I double-click "Preferences," I get the following options:

- Reset All
- Last Saved
- Change Serial
- Text: 60/80
- CLI: On/Off
- RGB sliders
- Key Repeat Delay
- Key Repeat Speed
- Workbench Interlace: On/Off
- Pictures of a mouse with some numbers and a slider (double-click speed perhaps?)
- Change Printer
- Edit Pointer
- Save
- Use
- Cancel

@Busta

Quote:

How can I get to "DEVS"? I am running Workbench 1.2

Duh! That's why I said that idea is for WB2.0+ only! I thought we had decided that you have a PAL A520 anyhow?

Another forum member said that he thinks PAL units would have the RF Out switch labeled "L" and "H," whereas an NTSC unit would have the switch labeled "3" and "4". Does that sound right?

My switch is in fact labelled "L" and "H," so according to this theory, that would confirm beyond a shadow of a doubt that my unit is PAL!

@alexhQuote:

alexh wrote: @Busta Quote: How can I get to "DEVS"? I am running Workbench 1.2 Duh! That's why I said that idea is for WB2.0+ only! I thought we had decided that you have a PAL A520 anyhow?

lol, I missed that key detail

@Busta

Quote:

Busta wrote: Another forum member said that he thinks PAL units would have the RF Out switch labeled "L" and "H," whereas an NTSC unit would have the switch labeled "3" and "4". Does that sound right? My switch is in fact labelled "L" and "H," so according to this theory, that would confirm beyond a shadow of a doubt that my unit is PAL!

if you can do the mod alexh suggested in post 10 you might get it to work in ntsc.

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sorry for the late bump but I just wanted to thank forumer "damiraga." He sent me his NTSC A520 in exchange for my PAL unit. So now the Amiga is up and running on my main TV - in full color! Thanks to everyone here for their suggestions and advice, without your help I wouldn't have even realized I had the wrong unit!

@Tomas

Not a cat in hells chance.

U.S electronics companies cut out ALL excess electronics to make it as cheap as they can. Which is all fine and dandy if you want to use it as advertised. But CRAP if you want to do something not as advertised !!

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