Weird issue playing PAL PS1 games?

[noiseredux]

OK, so my PS2 is able to play import PS1 games. Japan games are no problem at all. But the two European games I've tried have both given me the same problem: The top of the screen is a black bar, similar to a letterboxed movie. But the bottom of the screen is cut-off. Anyone know how I can correct this or what the deal is? I assume it has to do with NTSC vs PAL, but I'm really no videophile.

[emwearz]

While I don't have an answer for you, my suggestion would be try using the homebrew app GS Modeselector to try and force 60hz or something to see if it changes anything.

Only thing I can think of is your TV can't accept the PAL signal correctly.

(The letterboxing on the top half is perfectly normal for a PAL game).

[alienjesus]

While I don't have an answer for you, my suggestion would be try using the homebrew app GS Modeselector to try and force 60hz or something to see if it changes anything.

Only thing I can think of is your TV can't accept the PAL signal correctly.

(The letterboxing on the top half is perfectly normal for a PAL game).

I always thought that was something to do with the extra lines on PAL TVs, not something built into the game?

[emwearz]

While I don't have an answer for you, my suggestion would be try using the homebrew app GS Modeselector to try and force 60hz or something to see if it changes anything.

Only thing I can think of is your TV can't accept the PAL signal correctly.

(The letterboxing on the top half is perfectly normal for a PAL game).

I always thought that was something to do with the extra lines on PAL TVs, not something built into the game?

Depending on the console. Most console games will run at whatever freq the console is set at (eg, Sonic will run at 50hz on a MD, and the same cart will run at 60hz on a genny).

However the PS1/PS2 it is hard coded onto the disc, so PAL games will run at 50hz @ 576i / 288p, while NTSC games will run at 60hz @ 480i / 240p.

The big issue comes from lazy developers.

Because there are 10 frames less per second, there needs to be some form of frameskipping introduced so that the game played at full speed still, however most devs didn't and thus the games ran 17% slower then NTSC versions.

With the resolution, again, too lazy, so it ended up being cropped to the 240p resolution (so there are 48 pixels on the screen not being used) so PAL users also got a squished image.

Because on the PS1 this is hard coded into the software / hardware to play PAL games in this manner, even on an NTSC console you will get borders (and squashed graphics that come with it) / slow game play.

Some devs like Rareware (Who are based in a PAL region) Pal optimized there games so it is fullscreen and relatively fullspeed, however companies that did back in the day are far and few between.

[jinn]

Which game is it?
You can make an ISO and Patch it to fix the off-set.
It won't be perfectly centered, but you will not have that black bar.

http://yousifspsp.wordpress.com/2006/12 ... ion-tools/

If you are using an Official Matrix Infinity Chip, you can force PAL2NTSC with offset adjustment.



PS2 Screen fix
Options:
a. Off – Uses system default.
b. NTSC – Used to force NTSC signal format on all games/software
c. PAL60 – Used to force NTSC signal format with color correction on PAL televisions that can handle NTSC signals.
d. VGA – Use if you have a Blaze VGA adapter or on official one that came with the Linux Kit.
e. Color – Uses your PS2's default region signal with color correction.
f. PAL – Forces stanard PAL TV signal on all games/software

Y Screen Fix
Options:
a. Off – uses software defaut for region.
b. Auto – Automaticly adjust the Y axis on Imported games.
c. –20 through +20 – Manually adjusts Y axis on Imported games.

[noiseredux]

@jinn: First I tried it with Puzzle Fighter II ISO before realizing that the Japanese one wouldn't give me the same headache -- so then I imported the Japanese game. I'm really not looking to play backups but real imports in all cases.

My PS2 is not chipped. I play my PS1 imports via the FreeMcBoot swap trick actually.