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From: root@zswamp.uucp (Geoffrey Welsh)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.cbm
Subject: Re: C64 Europe model - Will this work in U.S??? HELP!!!!!
Message-ID: <274.286D58D2@zswamp.uucp>
Date: 29 Jun 91 18:26:06 GMT
Article-I.D.: zswamp.274.286D58D2
Organization: Izot's Swamp BBS (FidoNet), Kitchener, Ontario
Lines: 56

In a letter to All, Asger H|gsted (bims@diku.dk ) wrote:

 >root@zswamp.uucp (Geoffrey Welsh) writes:

>In a letter to All, Asger H|gsted (bims@diku.dk ) wrote:

> >I'm living in
> >Europe, using Pal, I was wondering if it is possible to use 
> >a European C64
> >in the states? I know that you need a special plug to 
> >convert the 110 volts
> >to 220, but other than that, will the computer work properly 
> >and normally?

>   No, you'll also need to send a PAL display (television or monitor).

 >Yes, I realize it's not compatible - but is there a jumper 
 >(and what is a
 >jumper, BTW?) in the C64 that allows you to change the 
 >display type, so that
 >NTSC monitors/TV's can be used?

   No, I'm afraid not.  The jumper affects the clock divisor (by the look of 
the schematic), but it doesn't change the fundamental operations of the 
components (some of which may even be PAL-specific).  By the time you replaced 
enough components to make a PAL 64 work on an NTSC monitor, it would have been 
cheaper to buy a new North American C64!

 >Also, I was told that it may not be enough to change the 
 >voltage - that the
 >frequency would still be the same, and that that would make 
 >the computer
 >unable to function.

 >Is this true?

   No, that's not true.  The internal clock frequency is set by the crystal 
in the computer, and that will remain unchanged.  The one thing that will be 
affected is the time-of-day clock in the CIA (not used by the C64 operating 
system, but it is used by lots of software); however, bit 7 of each CIA's 
control register A will permit you to set it to count 50 or 60 cycles, and 
that should solve the problem in most cases.

   Matthew Desmond - the fellow who write DesTerm and a friend of mine - has 
a British C64, 1571, and a PAL TV all connected to a voltage converter.  They 
work fine (well, the TV occasionally glitches... but I'm not sure if that's a 
line frequency problem or just that it's in need of repair!)

   Geoff
 

--  
Geoffrey Welsh - Operator, Izot's Swamp BBS (FidoNet 1:221/171)
root@zswamp.uucp or ..uunet!watmath!xenitec!zswamp!root
602-66 Mooregate Crescent, Kitchener, ON, N2M 5E6 Canada (519)741-9553
"He who claims to know everything can't possibly know much" -me