Are PAL versions preferable for emulation?
#1
I'm not sure it's the right forum, sorry if it isn't.

So, let's suppose we have PAL and NTSC versions of the same game. Will PAL version play more fluid on PCSX2 if the system isn't capable to provide 100% speed? I mean if the emulator could render only 30 fps on a given setup it would be 50% of the full speed with NTSC version, but 60% with PAL version. Am I right, or I miss something here and both versions will play the same?
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#2
Depends on the game. The programmers may be putting more fancy stuff in the game in PAL versions. At least the increased resolution doesn't bother PCSX2 as much as the real PS2.
But if you are looking for a direct comparison between PAL und NTSC versions of games, I fear you won't get many answers. Most people do not own both versions.
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#3
NTSC versions = 60 fps max
PAL versions = 50 fps max

So I prefer PAL version instead of NTSC.
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#4
VeaaC, I only interested about speed, not about bonus content or features in PAL versions.
I understand that PAL versions play more fluid on systems that can't provide 100% speed, because PCSX2 renders more FPS percentagewise of full speed.
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#5
I think the performance difference between PAL & NTSC version is not obvious.
Often games are ported from NTSC version to PAL, so I guess they are less optimized for PAL.
Maybe using 50fps limit instead of 60 fps will give a slight boost, but nothing exciting.
So just use the version that fits your need.
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#6
(01-24-2009, 01:41 PM)greyest Wrote: VeaaC, I only interested about speed, not about bonus content or features in PAL versions.

That was exactly thwat I was talking about.
Extra fancy looking stuff + bad conversion == slower

Some Games increase the size of some textures, add some more decals or particles. Sometimes the gamelogic still runs at 60 Hz.
My guess is that most PAL conversions run somewhat slower than their NTSC counterpart. E.g. you might get 45 fps PAL and 50 fps NTSC.

In the end you might get some speedboost, but the extra 5% speed won't justify the cost of importing PAL games - especially when you already own the NTSC version.
Reading the OFFICAL GUIDE can answer 90% of your newbie questions
SEARCHING the forums can answer 90% of your advanced questions.
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#7
Normally, PAL versions are ugly hacks to make possible PAL's 50fps. Sometimes, they slow down the whole game in order to do so, or screw up frame-exact tricks in the original game to keep length fine (think on what happens to a scroll that's n pixel per vertical trace while on NTSC, aka perfectly even, after being adapted to PAL and made to last the same amount of time). They're generally worse. I avoid them like the plague.

Then there's my TFT (HP LP2475w, rocks). Most computer TFTs out there run at a recommended freq of 60Hz and often don't support 50Hz, which causes perceivable unevenness in the distribution of frames, if PAL 50Hz things are played at 60Hz.

My advice: Avoid PAL like the plague. If you're in Europe, just use whatever tricks necessary to get the NTSC version of the games. Good luck.
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#8
(01-25-2009, 02:40 AM)matsuri Wrote: Normally, PAL versions are ugly hacks to make possible PAL's 50fps. Sometimes, they slow down the whole game in order to do so, or screw up frame-exact tricks in the original game to keep length fine (think on what happens to a scroll that's n pixel per vertical trace while on NTSC, aka perfectly even, after being adapted to PAL and made to last the same amount of time). They're generally worse. I avoid them like the plague.

Then there's my TFT (HP LP2475w, rocks). Most computer TFTs out there run at a recommended freq of 60Hz and often don't support 50Hz, which causes perceivable unevenness in the distribution of frames, if PAL 50Hz things are played at 60Hz.

My advice: Avoid PAL like the plague. If you're in Europe, just use whatever tricks necessary to get the NTSC version of the games. Good luck.
OMG, first PAL hater i see )
I didn't encounter any problems u listed above with PAL versions (except ugly russian pirated translations on game DVDs or images i can find in my beautiful country). Also I've got 17" CRT 100Hz :-P and emu runs them faster, i assure u.
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#9
(01-25-2009, 02:40 AM)matsuri Wrote: Normally, PAL versions are ugly hacks to make possible PAL's 50fps. Sometimes, they slow down the whole game in order to do so, or screw up frame-exact tricks in the original game to keep length fine (think on what happens to a scroll that's n pixel per vertical trace while on NTSC, aka perfectly even, after being adapted to PAL and made to last the same amount of time). They're generally worse. I avoid them like the plague.
Only problem I seen was with videos in FFXII PAL, and it's probably GSDX problem. (It occasionally writes at wrong position.)

Quote:Then there's my TFT (HP LP2475w, rocks). Most computer TFTs out there run at a recommended freq of 60Hz and often don't support 50Hz, which causes perceivable unevenness in the distribution of frames, if PAL 50Hz things are played at 60Hz.

Well monitors often support 75 Hz. 3:2 cycle rate is perfectly acceptable. As long as you don't do ugly things with synchronization you should be fine. (Thought I run PAL games at 60 Hz monitor, and there are no problems.)

50 to 60 Hz = 1000/50 = 20 ms vs 1000/60 = 16.66 ms. The only problem could be tearing, however vsync or triplebuffering solve tearing flawlessly.
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#10
Quote:50 to 60 Hz = 1000/50 = 20 ms vs 1000/60 = 16.66 ms. The only problem could be tearing, however vsync or triplebuffering solve tearing flawlessly.
What this means in practice is that one in five frames is repeated in order to fill the 60 frames with 50. Those frames are in the screen for an extra 16.66ms (for a total 33.32ms), which feels way too long. It is perceivable, and extremely annoying to me at least.

This is in addition to the problems inherent to the games being NTSC->PAL conversions (when they are, which is most of the time. There's few PAL original games), which I've stated earlier.

So, I stand by my words earlier: Avoid PAL versions like the plague.
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