Using PAL consoles in the USA

mm_surf

So I'm moving to the USA. Consoles & games coming with me, so I'd like to pick your collective brains:

All the following are PAL consoles, so what problems am I likely to have with display/power supply? For the early stuff, hopefully changing the power brick should be enough, but I'm clueless as to how awkward getting the displays to work is going to be!
Will I be able to get away with new/alternative cables for any of the following?

List of consoles:
SNES
Dreamcast
PS1 (audiophile version)
PS2 (launch edition)
PS3 (slim edition) - dual voltage and HDMI should mean this is ok
Saturn
WII
Gamecube
N64

The handhelds shouldn't be an issue. New power bricks should sort these, yeah?
NDS
3DS
GB Advance
Gamegear

Tempted to try and pick up one of those stupid large rear projection type TV's for the game room

I'd rather not rely on voltage transformers to run the retro stuff.

Thanks folks!

M.

Retr0gamer

You'll have an awful lot of trouble finding PAL compatible TVs in the states or ones that support RGB. Might be best to look for broadcast monitors in that case.

Honestly though why the hell are you playing anything in PAL. Sort those consoles out and get them modded for NTSC.

The PS2 60Hz mode is NTSC so you'll be ok with games that support it.

You can get a transformer to convert american current to the PAL one however it might be worth modding the consoles to take US power which can be done on a few, a few will require changing the power supply with one from the US.

I think you might be better off just getting US consoles over there and modding them to play PAL games. You get the benefits of 60Hz and also don't have to lug consoles to your new home.

o1s1n

Yep, as Retr0 said, the best thing you can do is get a broadcast monitor.

Once you land, try to source a Sony BVM or even a Sony PVM. You can get an adapter online that lets you plug standard scart cables into it.

It'll be true RGB scart and looks gorgeous. Plus the icing on the cake is that you can get really high end Sony broadcast monitors in the US for peanuts.

Macker2001

I just found out the 3 DS changed their system in that the regular DS could play both US & Irish games but 3 DS only plays the region you bought it in.

mm_surf

Fair enough. I thought it might be a bigger PITA than I was hoping!

Retro - Fullmoving expenses are being paid for by work, so all the big boxes are coming with me :pac:
PAL 'cos I'm an old fart and useless with a soldering iron.

BVM sounds the way to go then.

Oisin - What's PVM stand for?

Plan is to get US consoles anyway, far cheaper. But was hoping in the meantime something could be done with the ones I have.

Ta folks!

M.

o1s1n

BVM - Broadcast Video Monitor
PVM - Production Video Monitor

The BVM stuff is the top tier broadcast grade. So far I've only been able to source PVMs myself, but the image quality is still fantastic on them too. BVMs are great as they feature additional control boards which allow you to easily tweak all of the image settings (the kind of tweaks that are usually found in factory setting menus/in the back of the monitor)

Great article about the best video signal for classic gaming with a piece on the BVM-20F1U

http://www.tested.com/tech/gaming/456719-best-crt-retro-games/

mm_surf

Thanks guys, much appreciated.

Something like this should hit the spot?

M.

o1s1n

You could probably get one a good deal cheaper than that once you land in the US and have a look around but yeah, that looks gorgeous. Looks like it's a late release model too. That combined with the lower hours would mean it'll last for a long time to come.