Sega 32X Question

[spin the demon]

Can the 32X play PAL imports? I hope so I dont want buy another one to play some FIFA Soccer '96.

[MrPopo]

Imports of PAL 32x games, you mean? Unfortunately, no dice. The 32x is region locked. Most of the original Genesis games, though, aren't region locked. I don't know about PAL carts, but I did have to mod my 32x cart slot to accept NTSC-J carts (go go Zero Wing), thanks to the slightly different cart shape.

[lordofduct]

From my personal experience, but don't hold me to it.

the 32x itself does not perform the region check through its own hardware but instead depends upon the genesis underneath it for the region checking process. So if you have a region switch on your genesis, you are good to go. What happens when you change regions is the 32x will display a different logo.

Both your 32x and Genesis have to be running in the same video mode. So connecting a PAL 32x to a US genny will require a 50/60hz switch installed on the 32x to bump its refresh rate up to that of the genesis, or vice versa, to bump the genesis to that of the 32x.

As for the actual game playing. Most PAL games are coded and optimized to the PAL refresh rate of 50hz... this means that when you plug an optimized PAL game into a US console it will play faster then it is supposed to. Another downside is the resolution is different as well, so you might get a squashed image or parts of the image will not be on screen.

Now of course if you bump your consoles down to 50hz and have a display capable of 50hz everything will work just fine (and of course you will need to run the genny in PAL region mode).



...

remember I refer to TWO different types of region locking here. One is the region switch only needed on the Genny/MD, the other is the refresh rate switch (known as a 50/60hz switch). The prior being necessary for region lockout. The latter being only a technical necessity to comply with the regions television standards.

[dsheinem]

The one PAL 32X game I have is FIFA 96 and it plays with no problem at all on my un-modded NTSC 32X hooked up to a standard NTSC CDX.

[spin the demon]

Thank you guys, This Page rocks hard! I have one coming I ordered from the UK I picked up FIFA for 30.00 Plus Shipping I hope I didnt get took on this but I feel this was a good price and was the only one I could find under 100.00 (around 60.00 all in all) I will give it a Try, but at least if it doesnt work I will have some Great tips on how to play imports.
THANK YOU THANK YOU