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From: skrentny@lion.cs.wisc.edu (Jim Skrentny)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: taking an AMIGA to CHINA - HELP!!!
Summary: NTSC vs. PAL,  120/60Hz vs. 220/50Hz
Message-ID: <11035@spool.cs.wisc.edu>
Date: 13 Aug 90 19:56:28 GMT
Sender: news@spool.cs.wisc.edu
Organization: University of Wisconsin, Madison -- Computer Sciences Department
Lines: 58


A professor at the UW will be traveling to China in a month and he will be
taking his recently purchased A2500/30 with the fatter Agnus chip.
Before he leaves he would like definitive answers to the following questions:

	1. Chinese power is 220V/50Hz and the power supply is rated 120V/60Hz: 

An Isolated voltage converter has been purchased that will provide 120 volts
at 750 Watts (enough for the machine and monitor).  Yet the line frequency 
will be 50Hz.  
	WILL THE SWITCHING POWER SUPPLY WORK AT 50 HZ?
I have also been thinking of just replacing the power supply with a european
supply that is designed for 220V/50Hz.
	WHERE CAN SUCH A SUPPLY BE PURCHASED AND HOW MUCH WILL IT COST?
I am aware that the tick signal is derived from the line frequency and this
will cause the clock to run fast.  In fact I have changed the jumper such that
the tick is derived from the verticle sync.  
	IS THE FASTER CLOCK GOING TO PRESENT PROBLEMS?

	2. Chinese monitors are PAL vs amiga's NTSC and what about RGB?

First I would appreciate a brief explanation of the amiga's video.  I have
gathered that the composite output of the amiga is NTSC compatible sync, the
signal is monochrome, and it can be switched to PAL (with the fatter agnus
chip).  I also presume that the RGB output also is fed off of the NTSC sync
(60 hz - vert, 15.75Khz horz).  
	WILL CHANGING BETWEEN NTSC/PAL AFFECT THE RGB SYNC?

There are several A2500/monitor configurations being explored:
     *	amiga RGB output (presummably NTSC sync) into commodore monitor that
	accompanied the A2500/30.
	HOW WILL THIS MONITOR POWERED BY A 50Hz LINE BE AFFECTED WHEN 
		SUPPLIED WITH NTSC SYNC RGB?
     *	amiga RGB output (switched to PAL sync) into commodore monitor
	CAN THE COMMODORE MONITOR HANDLE PAL SYNC SIGNALS?
     *	amiga composite output (switched to PAL sync) into chinese monitor
	HOW DOES ONE SWITCH THE AMIGA BETWEEN PAL AND NTSC?
I have been told that there are programs called PALBOOT and NTSCBOOT which will
switch between the two video standards.
	WHERE AND HOW DO I GET THEM.

Finally HOW WILL RUNNING THE AMIGA SWITCHED TO PAL AFFECT ANY OF THE SOFTWARE
- NEGATIVELY? POSITIVELY?

I have been told that these topics were previously discussed but I have missed 
them since only 2 days ago I have added this group.  Please respond via email
if this has been covered.

THANKS FOR YOUR PROMPT REPLY.
--
------------
Jim Skrentny
University of Wisconsin
Computer Systems Lab
office 608-262-6606 (afternoons), home 608-251-5683

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