How can I convert PAL to NTSC on the MZ-700?
Posted: Sat Sep 21, 2019 3:21 pm
Hi guys,
I am working on the MZ-700 again that I got from eBay a few months ago. I recently discovered that the video output signal is PAL and the Commodore 1702 monitor I am working with is NTSC. I hope to convert the MZ-700 to be NTSC. There is a jumper that someone on a C64 Commodore forum pointed out to me on the motherboard of the MZ that says PAL. Since it was a closed jumper, I thought maybe I should clip it to make it open and connect my monitor. That didn't work! It only made matters worse. Before clipping JP1, I could at least, see the text on the screen. Flipping the RF modulator's BW/Color switch made an even clearer B/W screen. In color mode, it was a slightly fuzzy black screen with white text where the background should normally be blue. I'm pretty sure the MZ-700 is fine because it works (at least, before I clipped the jumper) on my flat panel smart TV. The smart TV is apparently smart enough to determine whether a video source is NTSC or PAL and roll with whichever, but the Commodore 1702 is strictly NTSC.
What more is involved to make the MZ-700 output NTSC? Maybe I should see if there is some kind of NTSC/PAL switch inside the monitor and stick with PAL.
I am working on the MZ-700 again that I got from eBay a few months ago. I recently discovered that the video output signal is PAL and the Commodore 1702 monitor I am working with is NTSC. I hope to convert the MZ-700 to be NTSC. There is a jumper that someone on a C64 Commodore forum pointed out to me on the motherboard of the MZ that says PAL. Since it was a closed jumper, I thought maybe I should clip it to make it open and connect my monitor. That didn't work! It only made matters worse. Before clipping JP1, I could at least, see the text on the screen. Flipping the RF modulator's BW/Color switch made an even clearer B/W screen. In color mode, it was a slightly fuzzy black screen with white text where the background should normally be blue. I'm pretty sure the MZ-700 is fine because it works (at least, before I clipped the jumper) on my flat panel smart TV. The smart TV is apparently smart enough to determine whether a video source is NTSC or PAL and roll with whichever, but the Commodore 1702 is strictly NTSC.
What more is involved to make the MZ-700 output NTSC? Maybe I should see if there is some kind of NTSC/PAL switch inside the monitor and stick with PAL.