NBA 2K9 for PS3 Worked in Standard TV

First and foremost, I’m in the Philippines. Obviously, our standard TV uses and able to play NTSC formats only for videos and video games.

Before I purchased my Sony Playstation3, I was worried that I might not be able to play NBA 2K9 in my standard TV at home. Inquiring with the local retailers at the stores only brought disappointments, as they were expressing with certainty that NBA 2K9 will only work for HDTV.

For one thing, I don’t want to entertain the idea of buying a new TV for the PS3. I was looking desperately on the web about any experience playing the game on a standard TV, but to no avail.

Yes, there are various discussions in Yahoo! Answers and various forums that one doesn’t need an HDTV in order to play PS3. But what about NBA 2K9?

Apparently, most copies of the game (NBA 2K9) sold in the stores are in Region 2 format, i.e., PAL. That’s why these ignorant sales clerks are able to conclude that NBA 2K9 works only in HDTV. (Shouldn’t these people be more knowledgeable about what they’re selling in the first place?)

I tried my luck at V-Mall in Greenhills, and fortunately, one store (Game One Gadget Store) was selling a copy of the game in Region 1 format (NTSC). And they were selling the PS3 as well at the lowest price in the area. So I instantly bought the package and happily playing NBA 2K9 in a PS3 in a standard (480i) TV.

Anyone playing the game in PS3 as well, I would like to play with you online. Just add me, my gamer tag is “Ambuscade”. I wonder if there are offline tournaments of the game….:D

33 Comments

Kris December 11, 2008 Reply

I would like to ask the person who wrote “NBA 2K9 for PS3 Worked in Standard TV” i would like to ask on what is the version of his PS3? same as the writer I am confused by the clerks!!!!! they told me that most games are needed to be played in HDTV and mostly cant be played on standard. other thing is what would be the effect of buying US or Asian versions when it comes to games!?

THANKS IN ADVANCE!!!!! 🙂

deuts December 12, 2008 Reply

My PS3 was an Asian (NTSC) version. Im not sure yet whether it should work with PAL PS3.

Don’t believe those retailers. Get an Asian PS3 (it’s actually cheaper than the US one) and a Region 1 or 3 2K9 disc. It’ll work.

Besides the price and the input voltage requirement, i don’t have any idea what’s the difference between the US and Asian version PS3. But I’m sure you’re better off with just the Asian.

Kris December 12, 2008 Reply

hi sir! Region 1 and 3 will fit if im going to buy games, just make sure that it is R1 or R3( am i correct?!). and other thing sir they say that in the future most games cannot be played on standard TV, is that true?! last question! does the PS3 asian comes with AV cables, the ones for standard TV?!? (red, white and yellow cables)..

THANKS FOR THE REPLY SIR!!!

PS: how much is the PS3 in Greenhills!? do they have 1 year warranty or services

deuts December 12, 2008 Reply

Hi Kris, that’s a lot of questions, but I’ll be glad to help.

hi sir! Region 1 and 3 will fit if im going to buy games, just make sure that it is R1 or R3( am i correct?!)

That’s right. There are also games that are multi regions.

they say that in the future most games cannot be played on standard TV, is that true?!

I have no idea about this. But even if this will be the case, by then HDTV might already be selling at 25% the price of today, who knows.

does the PS3 asian comes with AV cables, the ones for standard TV?!? (red, white and yellow cables)..

Yup, such cable is included in the box.

how much is the PS3 in Greenhills!? do they have 1 year warranty or services

Got it for P20K. 3 mos. service warranty. I’m not sure with parts. The same I think with any other retailers in Makati.

Kris December 12, 2008 Reply

hi sir!! i think this would be may last question! (i hope so!) did you experience any problem when it regards to color?! because i called a shop and told me that most of their customers experienced black and white when playing games! i don’t want to believe her but i cant help it!!! do you have an advice?!?!

THANK FOR YOUR KINDNESS to answer my questions!:D

deuts December 12, 2008 Reply

I’m sure the store that you called sells region 2 copies of the game only. Did you happen to ask the lady what region they were selling?

Color is ok in standard tv. The only problem I can see is with the difficulty at reading small fonts for instructions some times, but that would not definitely hinder the overall experience and satisfaction.

Kris December 13, 2008 Reply

that another thing!! they dont know what are they selling!!!! one thing sir i have read that games are region free for PS3! i dont know if it is true! 😀

I’ll just make sure that Games are Region 1 and 3 (as you have advised) 😀

If you dont mind whats your TV brand?! 😀

THANKS SIR! 😀

deuts December 15, 2008 Reply

I think the Xbox 360 games are region free. If you want to try out games before purchasing to make sure that they will play in your system, try gamehopper.com.ph. They offer game rentals for as low as P599 per month. You can change titles as often as you want.

My TV is a 21″ Sharp standard (480i) TV.

Mike December 27, 2008 Reply

Thank you for this post Deuts!

Helped me a lot because I am stuck in choosing between NBA Live 09 and NBA 2K9. I want to buy 2K9 because, from what I heard, it’s more realistic compared to the arcade feel of Live 09.

Thanks also to Kris for asking the questions (for me. LOL!).

Just to make sure:

Region 1 or 3 of NBA 2K9 will work on a regular (Non-HD) TV.

deuts December 29, 2008 Reply

Yup, if you’re living in the Philippines or any country using the NTSC system.

I’m glad I was (and this blog) was of any help.

g3 January 5, 2009 Reply

i bought a ps3 japanese version do us or asian version games would work on my ps3

deuts January 6, 2009 Reply

I have no idea man. My only wish, in case you try it, you post here the result.

Vhic January 14, 2009 Reply

Hey Deuts,

Great post although a little late for me as I already bought my PS3 yesterday. 🙁

Anyway, I believe my nba2k9 is actually region 3 (as based on the globe and number 3 on the back, am I looking at the right thing?) but I am also getting the black and white issue when using it on my tv. Do you know of any other issues that might cause this?

deuts January 14, 2009 Reply

Yup, that’s region 3. Where are you located in the first place? Is your TV NTSC or PAL? Is your PS3 Asian or US?

Vhic January 14, 2009 Reply

Also located in the Philippines and I have PS3 Asian. Thanks for the info on the region, let me check when I get home (I work in a call center) because I just realized that I might have seen the Region logo on my PS3 box and not on the game itself. I kinda hope that my Nba2k9 is region 2 so that I know what is wrong with it (although it would suck since I have to buy a new one). Thanks for all the help! I’ll reply back once I verify the region of my game.

deuts January 14, 2009 Reply

Yet you can sell it to someone with an HDTV already…if it’s really region 2.

ninong January 27, 2009 Reply

hello.. i just wanted to ask some questions.. what is the difference between the asian and us version? because i bought my ps3 in canada.. and i am not sure what region i should buy for games.. i think my ps3 region is 1.. there’s a picture of a globe then there’s a number 1 beside it.. hope i was looking at the correct one.. thanks so much!!

deuts February 11, 2009 Reply

Update: Checkout the PS3 games compatibility table here.

So far, BLUS and BLAS region codes worked in my PS3-Standard TV setup. Warhawk (BCUS) and Call of Duty 4: World at War (BCES) didn’t work (well, they actually did work with the PS3 console, but not viewable in my SDTV).

I’ll update soon with other region codes as I borrow them from gamehopper.com.ph.

So next time you buy a PS3 game, pay a closer look at the region codes at the face of the disc.

deuts February 13, 2009 Reply

Update: BLUS (both Region 1) titles Mortal Combat vs. DC Universe and Spiderman 3 didn’t work in my SDTV. I’m not really sure how come this happened as my NBA 2K9 copy was a BLUS one.

deuts February 24, 2009 Reply

WWE vs. Smackdown and Transformer the Game both BLUS worked this time.

deuts March 11, 2009 Reply

Update: Madden 09 (BLAS) and Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas 2 (BLUS) worked in my standard TV.

Layzie April 24, 2009 Reply

sir i just want to ask i bought my ps3 in japan region 2 nakalagay sa box ng ps3 ko what regions ng games will work in my ps3?thanks standard tv lang gamit ko thanks bossing

Mark March 2, 2009 Reply

Bossing tanong ko lng po kung san sa Virramall makikita yung Game One Gadget Store. salamat.

deuts March 4, 2009 Reply

Sa second floor kung saan ung mga gadget stores din makikita.

Marlo March 12, 2009 Reply

Ang pagkakaiba ng US at Asian version ng PS3 is ang US version ay 110 volts at ang Asian is 220 volts.

pido23 March 23, 2009 Reply

sir deuts yung ps3 na pinadala sakin ng sis ko from dubai pal yung nakalagay sa ilalim.gamit kong tv SD tv lang.anong region kaya ng mga games ang pwede ko bilhin?yung resistance 1 saka fear 1 ko kasi na r2 black and white ang lumalabas sa screen.

deuts March 23, 2009 Reply

I’m not sure ha pero the PS3 as a console is supposed to be region-free. I think for as long na gumagana sya ng maayos without the games is it can play any region 1 and 3 games. Well, some cguro based dito sa experience ko (see above comments).

Pero para makaka sigurado ka, I highly recommend you try gamehopper. At least dun, renta ka lng, para lng ma-try mo different games. You can change titles as often as you want.

I’m not in any way affiliated with Gamehopper. Let’s just say that I was a happy customer with their service.

Jag May 11, 2009 Reply

Just want to share. I have a PAL ps3 that I bought in Saudi Arabia. I was not really aware of the region coded games so I bought a lot of games way back in Saudi Arabia. Upon arriving here in the Philippines I started buying some games and noticed that some of the store clerks are so ignorant when it comes to infos of the games that they sell, they say that r2 coded games cannot be played in a SD TV but the thing is most of my games are r2/PAL and I don’t have any problems playing them on my SD TV. So what are those store clerks saying?? I was about to buy Valkyria chronicles at SM but they only have r2 version of the game when I asked them if I can play it on a SD TV they say it requires an HD tv to be able to play it, and that TV incompatibility problem is not covered on their warranty so I went home and checked all my games region to found that most of them are on region 2 and I don’t have any problems playing it on my SD TV. What gives??

Onny May 31, 2009 Reply

I have the same problem, I bought my PS3 in the UK which is PAL and all the games came with the system is R2. I also have a SD TV and i dont have any problem playing may R2 games. Have check some shops and most of them dont even carry R2 games and they are saying the R1/R3 wont play on my PS3. Can anybody confirm this?

StealthCrow March 17, 2011 Reply

Sir are all region 1 games doesnt work on a standard tv? im from the philippines and my ps3 is an asian version… because my warhawk and cod:Modern warfare wont work on my sandard tv… its on black and white and unviewable

deuts March 17, 2011 Reply

Check mo rin ang likod, pag HDTV lng nakalagay na compatible sya, or 720 or 1080 p man o i, at walang 480p or 480i, malamang di gagana un sa standard TV.

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