Re: Plus vs. Europlus...

[dempson@actrix.gen.nz (David Empson)]

Linards Ticmanis <ticmanis@coli.uni-sb.de> wrote:

> Next round of stupid "do my research for me" questions...
> 
> How can I tell a Plus (NTSC) from an Europlus (PAL) without actually
> attaching it to the color monitor I don't own?

I haven't seen one since about 1983, but if I remember right, the
Europlus actually says "Apple ][ Europlus" on the label.  This may only
apply to the late model ones.

There are bound to be internal differences which identify it.  I don't
have a reference handy which describes it, but assuming it has PAL video
output (which it should) then the master crystal frequency will be 14.25
MHz instead of 14.31818 MHz.  The video circuitry layout is probably
somewhat different as well.

> As I'm talking of a clone here (a straightforward one though)

Ah.  The label won't help then.  :-)

> I mean is there something identifiable that should be there in a II
> Europlus, like a daughterboard or a certain chip in a certain
> location?

There isn't any daughterboard - the motherboard video circuitry was
replaced to generate PAL video at 50 Hz instead of NTSC at 60 Hz.
(Apple also made a card which produced PAL output on an NTSC Apple ][+.)

> The crystal I have is the usual 14.X Mhz it seems, not 17.X, this
> would argue against an Europlus I assume? Of course this assumption is
> based on C64 knowledge and thus might be wrong.

See above.  My detailed hardware knowledge, computers at hand and
references only go back to the IIe, so I'm mostly making educated
guesses in the case of the ][ Europlus (I have an Apple reference manual
here which covers the NTSC version, however).

> If it turns out to be a standard Plus, do Apple color monitors sold in
> Europe support NTSC as well?

I'm pretty sure that the European IIe (and probably the ][+) generate
PAL colour output.  I haven't tried hooking one up to my TV for a while.
(The IIgs is NTSC-only, and the IIc I have here is a US model, so it is
also NTSC.  They are the only ones I've connected to a TV in recent
memory.)

> If it _is_ an Europlus, is that System fully PAL (50Hz, 312.5 scan
> lines) or is only the color encoding in PAL?

It won't be 100% compatible with PAL - two frames instead of interlaced
fields, for example, but it probably has the right number of lines and
the right horiztonal timing.

> I.e. could I attach a TV set that's sort of picky about frequencies
> being right via a simple SCART cable I'd build?

I'd expect so.