Need advice for move from NTSC to PAL country

[rikytik]

I may move from Canada to France soon and wonder if anyone can answer this question about PAL/NTSC gear.

Will my new DVD and VHS players work with a PAL/SECAM TV?

Logic tells me they will if connected to direct inputs, as opposed to going through the antenna.

[richardc2000]

These two sites might help, although my second reaction is "why bother"



_http://www.intransit-international.c...lectrical.html
_http://www.stupid.com/games/french/

[rikytik]

LOL


Yeah, the 220/110 50cycle/60cyle thing isn't the issue it's that I dont' understan the PAL/SECAM setup. That is, is the output from a DVD Plyer playing an NTSC disc readable by a PAL TV if the input goes into the Vieo/Audio plugs, or even the 3 color jacks?

I had a multistandard VHS player and a multistandard TV I bought 10 years ago when we were going to France and then my company diverted me to Tokyo (NTSC country) The TV gave up the ghost 2 months ago and the VHS deck was ready to be replaced. And now suddenly we are nearly ready to go back to France. I worked for a French company as an expat for 20 years, btw, although I always lived abroad. My wife is French.

[richardc2000]

Sorry - I am far from an expert regarding Canadian and French

compatability - the proof = my EX is from France but she was no PAL.

[rikytik]

You are making my task more and more fun. Good play on words. Very French, I might add!

[richardc2000]

de rien
on fait ce qu'on peut
Maybe BC has an idea
Don't Norwegians and Swedes have PAL?

[rikytik]

I think everyone does except for North America and Japan. Actually NTSC DVD's will play in many European DVD players, but I don't think NTSC tapes will play at all. A PAL DVD will not work in an NTSC player and a PAL VHS tape provides a poor b/w image.

My goal is just to decide if there is any point carrying along my brand new Sony DVD and VHS players. Probably no big deal since this stuff is no longer very expensive, but they are new models and tres chouette.

[Cyberion]

Doesn't PAL have a much better frame rate then NTSC?

I have alot to learn about video and pal/ntsc etal...

What is better in your opinion? PAL v. NTSC? (is there another format??)

[unicorn]

Never Twice the Same Color?

[rikytik]

Cyberion. PAL/SECAM carry more data and hence better quality images. NTSC if I remember has 525 lines, PAL more like 600. (I forget).

Far as I know the only two countries who use NTSC are NorthAmerica and Japan. So if you live there then you are going to use NTSC gear.

For a user who has VHS tapes and DVD's to play in both formts, there are Multi-standard TV's and palyback units to get around this problem.

I send DVD movies made from NTSC to my Italian daughter and she plays them OK on her PAL system. But, PAL DVD's don't play at all on an NTSC systerm.

Same routine with VHS tapes, which you can have converted professionally to NTSC or the other way to PAL (which I've done with travel and family movies)

So, it's not really a choice of which quality you want. It's where you live and whast format you need.

I suspect that I will simply have to bit the bullit and buy new gear since I'll be going to Europe. I have the choice of paying more for multi-standard equipment, then I can take along my 200 VHS tapes and enjoy them.

Something I haven't looked into yet is if the newer flat screen tv's offer more options to handle cross format viewing of dvd or VHS media.