What to do with a PAL TurboGrafx?

[winona2k]

So I found a factory new PAL Turbografx and bought it. So far so good. But the more I read about it it would seem as there are no games available for it. At least not without an adapter that would cost me as much as the unit did, if I even find one.

So what to do? Id love to be able to play some japanese CD games. Do I need an adapter for that too? Could I combine the PAL unit with an NTSC CD-player? What about system cards?

[ConsoleFreek]

You could sell it to me.

[tom]

So I found a factory new PAL Turbografx and bought it. So far so good. But the more I read about it it would seem as there are no games available for it. At least not without an adapter that would cost me as much as the unit did, if I even find one.

So what to do? Id love to be able to play some japanese CD games. Do I need an adapter for that too? Could I combine the PAL unit with an NTSC CD-player? What about system cards?

Japan uses NTSC too, so I don't think Japanese games will work.
A PAL TG is rare best to keep it, as PC Engines were never released in Europe, some rumours state that a few units were made for Spain or Italy.

[Ed Oscuro]

Here is what NFG has to say (there are some points in the article where I found this that seem out of date, but this information is certain to be accurate, aside from the "unclear if there was ever more than the pack-in released," which I think is wrong):


Secret 15:
There was a PAL version of the TurboGrafx released. It looked the same as the US version, but it was grey instead of black, and received basically no support. The few games that were released (And it's actually unclear if there was ever more than the pack-in released) are the same as the US games - Card, code and packaging. Since the Hudson chipset didn't support PAL video the PAL-TG16 had another video encoder to convert RGB to PAL, and the system outputs AV instead of RF. It uses a connector very different from the AV port found on the CoreGrafx series.
If the code is the same, then it can use US cards. No reverse bit order or whatever the region lock from US to JPN is.

It seems to me the only thing that could be messed up is the video - he says there's an encoder to convert RGB to PAL, but doesn't mention any CPU clock speed kludge, which is great. It might be a different screen size and dropped frames, but the same speed.

That's a guess on my part, unfortunately. Somebody who knows about this system in more depth (that won't take much) will have to chime in!

I'd love to have a PAL TG-16, but of course I wouldn't do anything with it. I certainly wouldn't pay what the asking price is likely to be, heh.

[Nebagram]

My PAL TG will play any US TG-16 game without a problem- but you can't hook up a TG-CD unit to it.

[Ed Oscuro]

Are there any video glitches / dropped frames / black bars / speedup / etc.?

[winona2k]

Well, im not 100% sure its PAL, I havent given it much though, it looks like this (greyish):

http://pici.se/pictures/rpVQKWqSj.jpg

And it does say that that it should be connected to a PAL TV system in the manual. Its for sale since I dont really collect TG, just bought it since it was cool looking and cheap.

I could trade games or other systems or sell if someone wants to pay the more than likely expensive swedish shipping costs.

[Soviet Conscript]

were there also any tg-16 games "unofficially" released in Europe with diffrent cover art or manuals?

[Cauterize]

My PAL TG will play any US TG-16 game without a problem- but you can't hook up a TG-CD unit to it.

Its as Nebagram says! I too have a PAL TG16 and it plays any US game fine!
However youll grow frustrated with it sooner or later due to the fact that it plays in a 50hz output... Slow bordered up gameplay!

To my knowledge only the pack in game of Blazing Lazers was released in europe, however id love to be corrected n find out that there is more.
Im sure D-Lite would know (if he is still active!?)

Although its a nice collectors item, i caved in and upgraded to a Modded PC Engine DUO-R, the must have for anyone wanting to experience the system.

On a side note, id recommend getting the flash card NeoFlash released! Its fantastic

[winona2k]

My copy doesnt have the pack in game AFAIK.

[Nodtveidt]

Some games are slowed down and some aren't, it depends on how they were coded. It appears that games that use the vsync for timing will be slowed down, and games that use the internal timer instead will run fine.

[rbudrick]

Can the CD drive be modded? What happens when you try to use it?

-Rob

[LazingBlazers]

That picture is definitely one of a PAL TurboGrafx. They used to sell them cheap as dirt (as in around $50 if memory serves me correctly) on a major net retailer a few years ago; I'm pretty positive it was Lik-Sang. I bought a few new US games from Lik-Sang a while ago now & I'd swear they were also selling those PAL units billing them as playing US games just as you guys have confirmed. Goofy shit, laughs.

Update: I just checked Lik-Sang's website & they've been out of business since 2006. Laughs, I've been out of the loop for a while now. I'd still bet you a dollar that it was them selling those units maybe 3 or 4 years ago. Maybe they're rare now and worth some coin?

[Mobius]

BTW, another key way to tell if a system is PAL is if the console itself is just labeled as "TurboGrafx" instead of "TurboGrafx-16." I believe the controllers still have the "16" reference, though.

[colicub]

Having just looked at my TG, it's also a PAL system. However, I don't have a cable to hook it up to my TV with, as the one it came with doesn't fit. Also, it seems like the person who owned it before TRIED to make it fit, so the port on the side is a bit messy. Looks like it should still take a cable though, but I'm just wondering if anyone knows where I'd be able to get one?