# Could you use a PAL formatted Playstaion on a digital tv in the US?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-use-a-pal-formatted-playstaion-on-a-digital-tv-in-the-us/153936>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 9, 2003, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-use-a-pal-formatted-playstaion-on-a-digital-tv-in-the-us/153936 "2003-02-09T19:45:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 10\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![1000monkeys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/7cd45c/32.png) [@1000monkeys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/1000monkeys)\
**Post date:** [February 9, 2003, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-use-a-pal-formatted-playstaion-on-a-digital-tv-in-the-us/153936/1 "2003-02-09T19:45:40Z")

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Could I purchase a PAL PS2 to hook up to a digital television to run alongside my NTSC PS2 so I could play European manufactured games? Specifically ISS Pro Evolution.

Not that I actually have a digital television, but if this is a legitimate possibility I will start saving.

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**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\
**Post date:** [February 9, 2003, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-use-a-pal-formatted-playstaion-on-a-digital-tv-in-the-us/153936/2 "2003-02-09T19:47:34Z")

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You will probably still need to get a PAL-NTSC converter. They are readily available.

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**Author:** ![1000monkeys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/7cd45c/32.png) [@1000monkeys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/1000monkeys)\
**Post date:** [February 9, 2003, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-use-a-pal-formatted-playstaion-on-a-digital-tv-in-the-us/153936/3 "2003-02-09T19:54:04Z")

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MR. Blue Sky,

Thanks. for video I know, but do you have any Idea if they are compatible with vudeo games? and if so is even the digital television necessary, or could I just continue using my CRT?

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**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\
**Post date:** [February 9, 2003, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-use-a-pal-formatted-playstaion-on-a-digital-tv-in-the-us/153936/4 "2003-02-09T20:03:25Z")

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They ought to work for any video source. The fact that the TV is digital is meaningless, really. It will only be using the analog NTSC signal from the converter. Any TV would work as well.

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**Author:** ![1000monkeys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/7cd45c/32.png) [@1000monkeys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/1000monkeys)\
**Post date:** [February 9, 2003, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-use-a-pal-formatted-playstaion-on-a-digital-tv-in-the-us/153936/5 "2003-02-09T20:07:03Z")

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Thanks.

And sorry for my poor spelling/typing/grammar, I accidentally hit post instead of preview then crashed my browser, froze my computer, got a nosebleed, and set fire to my cat.

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**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\
**Post date:** [February 9, 2003, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-use-a-pal-formatted-playstaion-on-a-digital-tv-in-the-us/153936/6 "2003-02-09T20:07:14Z")

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[Informative site](http://www.psreporter.com/ps2pal.html)

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**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\
**Post date:** [February 9, 2003, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-use-a-pal-formatted-playstaion-on-a-digital-tv-in-the-us/153936/7 "2003-02-09T20:08:06Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by pfbob \*  
> \*\*Thanks.
> 
> And sorry for my poor spelling/typing/grammar, I accidentally hit post instead of preview then crashed my browser, froze my computer, got a nosebleed, and set fire to my cat. \*\*

Wow. Is your browser OK?

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**Author:** ![1000monkeys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/7cd45c/32.png) [@1000monkeys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/1000monkeys)\
**Post date:** [February 9, 2003, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-use-a-pal-formatted-playstaion-on-a-digital-tv-in-the-us/153936/8 "2003-02-09T20:24:22Z")

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Thankyou again, great link.

So, what I am understanding from this site is I would need only a PAL to NTSC converter and a voltage converter (in addition to the obvious console and game) and I’m good to go?

The region codes shouldnt matter as I would have a second dedicated PS2 that would think it was in Europe anyway?

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**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\
**Post date:** [February 9, 2003, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-use-a-pal-formatted-playstaion-on-a-digital-tv-in-the-us/153936/9 "2003-02-09T20:27:07Z")

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Correct, bob.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![1000monkeys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/7cd45c/32.png) [@1000monkeys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/1000monkeys)\
**Post date:** [February 9, 2003, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-use-a-pal-formatted-playstaion-on-a-digital-tv-in-the-us/153936/10 "2003-02-09T20:27:59Z")

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Thanks again.

And the browser appears to be fine.

(there never was a cat)