Go Back  DVD Talk Forum > DVD Discussions > DVD & Home Theater Gear
Reload this Page >

NTSC vs. PAL Regions, etc.

DVD & Home Theater Gear Discuss DVD and Home Theater Equipment.

NTSC vs. PAL Regions, etc.

Old 08-08-00, 10:36 PM
  #1  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: May 2000
Posts: 850
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I know that there are some players (ie. APEX) that play multiple regions, but will this still allow you to play a disc from Europe or Asia on your player? How does NTSC and PAL figure in? If anyone could explain or direct me to a site I would appreciate it. I wanted to order some discs exclusive to Europe, but needed this info before I bought a player. Thanks.
Old 08-08-00, 10:44 PM
  #2  
DVD Talk Legend
 
darkside's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: San Antonio
Posts: 19,862
Received 8 Likes on 5 Posts
quote:<HR>Originally posted by jimmywong:
I know that there are some players (ie. APEX) that play multiple regions, but will this still allow you to play a disc from Europe or Asia on your player? How does NTSC and PAL figure in? If anyone could explain or direct me to a site I would appreciate it. I wanted to order some discs exclusive to Europe, but needed this info before I bought a player. Thanks.<HR>


The Apex lets you choose whether you want the signal output as Pal or NTSC. Not sure on other players.
Old 08-09-00, 05:08 PM
  #3  
Guest
 
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: England
Posts: 1,300
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
quote:<HR>Originally posted by jimmywong:
I know that there are some players (ie. APEX) that play multiple regions, but will this still allow you to play a disc from Europe or Asia on your player? How does NTSC and PAL figure in? If anyone could explain or direct me to a site I would appreciate it. I wanted to order some discs exclusive to Europe, but needed this info before I bought a player. Thanks.<HR>


Yes, order away, you'll be able play Reg 2 or any other on your multi-region player.

I have a Reg 2 PAL Toshiba 2109 that has been modified - "chipped" - for
multi-regionality. All I buy now is Reg 1.
Old 08-09-00, 07:47 PM
  #4  
DVD Talk Legend
 
kenbuzz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Bloomington, IN
Posts: 22,558
Received 378 Likes on 242 Posts
Regarding NTSC or PAL....

It is my understanding that all DVDs are created equal, more or less. There's a series of bits representing the movie, there's some info on the disc indicating which region it's for, and there's some info identifying whether the title is NTSC or PAL.

It's also my understanding that the movie itself is burned onto the DVD in the same manner regardless of NTSC/PAL or region. The 1's and 0's will be identical. The only difference between an R1/NTSC movie and an R2/PAL movie, assuming no content is different, will be the header info identifying the disc's region and preferred output format.

Some players will output in NTSC, others in PAL, and still others are selectable. The Apex you mentioned is one of the latter, and there are a few others as well. The Apex comes with three output settings: NTSC, PAL, and Multi (the default setting). If set to NTSC or PAL, the player will output in that format, period. If set to Multi, the player will output in whichever format the DVD disc itself prefers. For R1 and Japanese R2 titles, that's NTSC. For the rest of R2, it's PAL. I don't know the format for other regions.

So, if you've got an Apex and want to watch some PAL discs, you need to change the output setting from Multi to NTSC. That's all.

Oh, you'll still have to monkey around with the region setting. To play an R2 disc, you'll need to change the region on your player to either "R2" (duh!) or "No Region". The latter setting is slightly better, since it works with virtually every DVD, and it lets you not have to worry about using the "secret menus" any more often than you need to. There are *some* DVDs out there that will not work on "No Region" players. If you get one, you'll need to manually set your player to the same region as the DVD. But other than that, you'll be fine.

I have the "loophole" Apex and have had no problem playing R2/PAL DVDs. I wouldn't worry too much about it.

Good Luck!
-Ken

------------------
The beginnings of my puny little collection
Old 08-10-00, 12:58 AM
  #5  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Sydney, Australia (The other side of the planet).
Posts: 11,633
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Your other option is to do what I've done. I own a TV that supports both NTSC and PAL. My DVD player puts out whatever it feels like and the TV just plays it no worries.

Regards...

------------------
John 3:16
Old 08-10-00, 01:02 AM
  #6  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: May 2000
Posts: 850
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I appreciate all the info. THANKS!!
Old 08-25-00, 11:46 AM
  #7  
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: SoCal
Posts: 108
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
so, let me get this straight. will a dvd that is marked NTSC play on any PAL player (never mind the region for now)? And vice versa? I wanted to get Black Adder, but it appears to be only available in PAL. And living here in the states, I want to make sure that it will play on an NTSC player.

thanks for any info.
Old 08-25-00, 02:31 PM
  #8  
DVD Talk Special Edition
 
Join Date: Jul 1999
Posts: 1,171
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
NTSC and PAL discs ARE encoded differently. PAL disc are 50 Khz, and are 25 FPS (frames per second), while NTSC is 60 Khz and 30 FPS.

The Apex players (as well as the Raite and some other brands using the same chipset) have a chip that will convert PAL to NTSC (or the other way around) if needed. If you do a mod on say for instance a Pioneer DVD player, it will output whatever video signal the DVD is encoded with. My roomate's modded Pioneer will PLAY PAL discs, but you have to have a TV that will display a PAL source (his front projector will do this).

A modded PC DVD drive in conjunction with a Hollywood + card does an EXCELLENT job of coverting from PAL to NTSC. My Apex is barely passable in the same function.

So to answer the question, if you try to play a PAL disc on a modified NTSC player, it will NOT work.

------------------
Electric2k

Visit Region Free for DVD reviews and retail information for Import DVDs!
Old 08-25-00, 02:49 PM
  #9  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 1999
Posts: 691
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
This is from memory, so don't hold it against me if I'm wrong.

R1 NTSC USA and Canada (no PAL)
R2 NTSC Japan, Greenland
R2 PAL Europe (inc Canary Islands), Middle East (inc Egypt), South Africa
R3 NTSC Phillipines, Taiwan, Korea, Vietnam, Burma, Myamar
R3 PAL The rest of South East Asia ex mainland China, North Korea and Mongolia
R4 NTSC Central America, Mexico, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, Micronesia, Marshall Islands, Mariannas, Caribbean countries, Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Suriman, Venezuela
R4 PAL Australia, New Zealand, Soloman Islands, Norfolk Island, Papua New Guinea, Cook Islands
R5 PAL Africa (ex Egypt and Canary Islands), Russian Federation, North Korea, Mongolia (no NTSC)
Region 6 PAL China (no NTSC)
Region 8 Special international venues (airplanes, cruise ships, etc)
Old 08-25-00, 02:51 PM
  #10  
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: SoCal
Posts: 108
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
great! thanks for the info. looks like i'll have to wait for bbc to release an NTSC version. I won't hold my breath.
Old 08-25-00, 02:57 PM
  #11  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 1999
Posts: 691
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Oh yeah, R4 PAL also includes the rest of South America.
Old 08-25-00, 03:53 PM
  #12  
DVD Talk Special Edition
 
Join Date: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,279
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Where did NTSC and PAL systems start from anyway? Who invented them?
Old 08-26-00, 11:43 AM
  #13  
Cool New Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2000
Posts: 49
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
you should be able to play pal dvds and if you can the picture is better then ntsc because pal has more resolution pal has 625 line ntsc has 525 ntsc is a lower version of pal pal is the better format but takes longer to produce films in because they come from the us and have to be converted back from ntsc
Old 10-06-00, 10:12 PM
  #14  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Arizona, USA
Posts: 23,466
Received 7 Likes on 1 Post
I still have a question about this - I think this was explained wonderfully by the posters in this thread, but there is some discrepancy... I have a 36" Sony TV I bought in the states - it's only 3 years old. I have a Toshiba 2109 (soon to be chipped and region free)... I want to buy the movie Drive in Region 2 because the region 1 disk is suck. I can't find anywhere that lists this particular disk as either PAL or NTSC - am I to assume that it is PAL because it is in Region 2? Is it both? Can I play it?
Old 10-06-00, 10:55 PM
  #15  
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
 
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 4,583
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
quote:<HR>Originally posted by Trigger:
I still have a question about this - I think this was explained wonderfully by the posters in this thread, but there is some discrepancy... I have a 36" Sony TV I bought in the states - it's only 3 years old. I have a Toshiba 2109 (soon to be chipped and region free)... I want to buy the movie Drive in Region 2 because the region 1 disk is suck. I can't find anywhere that lists this particular disk as either PAL or NTSC - am I to assume that it is PAL because it is in Region 2? Is it both? Can I play it?<HR>



If it's R2 then it is most likely going to be a European or Japanese release. If it is European then it is going to be PAL. If it is a Japanese release then it is going to be NTSC. Therefore the Japanese version should play fine if you DVD player is multi region compatible or will be. I am not sure about modification but if it means region free only then the TV will not display the image as US TVs are NTSC only. However if the modification allows the DVD player to convert the PAL signal to NTSC, and I don't think it does, then your TV will be able to display the image.

The reason why so many people in Europe and other parts of the world can view R1 DVDs on modified players is because TVs sold there are usually PAL and NTSC compatible so only the region modification is needed.


------------------
MY SHORT BUT SLOWLY EXPANDING DVD LIST


MY GETTING LONGER BUT SLOWLY EXPANDING DVD LIST

"The earth does not belong to people; people belong to the earth. Everything that happens to the earth happens also to the sons and daughters of the earth." -Chief Seattle.
Old 10-06-00, 11:09 PM
  #16  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Arizona, USA
Posts: 23,466
Received 7 Likes on 1 Post
quote:<HR>Originally posted by cloud:

If it's R2 then it is most likely going to be a European or Japanese release. If it is European then it is going to be PAL. If it is a Japanese release then it is going to be NTSC. Therefore the Japanese version should play fine if you DVD player is multi region compatible or will be. I am not sure about modification but if it means region free only then the TV will not display the image as US TVs are NTSC only. However if the modification allows the DVD player to convert the PAL signal to NTSC, and I don't think it does, then your TV will be able to display the image.

The reason why so many people in Europe and other parts of the world can view R1 DVDs on modified players is because TVs sold there are usually PAL and NTSC compatible so only the region modification is needed.


<HR>


I thought DVDs were encoded at 800x600 resolution images anyway... So my TV is NTSC only and I will get NO image on the screen if the DVD is PAL? It's not like I'll get a bad looking image? The DVDs have to be either PAL or NTSC? They don't make DVDs that are both? My modchip kit says it will allow PAL & NTSC DVD playback - does this mean that it will allow me DVD player to play the PAL disk, but my TV still will not be able to display the image? Or does it mean that everything is right with the world and I can see this Region 2 movie?
Old 10-06-00, 11:22 PM
  #17  
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
 
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 4,583
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Trigger,
As I said I am not entirely sure WRT modification and whether it "behaves" in the same way as the Apex players for example. One suggestion, you might want to post this also in the "International Forum". Some one from overseas who frequents there might be able to give a more accurate answer.

I guess it depends if the fact that the mod chip allows the playback of both NTSC and PAL is the same as saying that it converts PAL to NTSC and vice versa. As I said this not an issue for people living overseas as the TVs there more often then not are both PAL and NTSC compatible.

------------------
MY SHORT BUT SLOWLY EXPANDING DVD LIST


MY GETTING LONGER BUT SLOWLY EXPANDING DVD LIST

"The earth does not belong to people; people belong to the earth. Everything that happens to the earth happens also to the sons and daughters of the earth." -Chief Seattle.
Old 10-07-00, 12:51 AM
  #18  
Banned
 
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: LA Staples Center
Posts: 13,733
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Moving to Home Theater Hardware Forum

------------------
Kenwood
DVDTalk's Main Forum Moderator
DVDTalk FAQ Thread

Email: [email protected]
Old 10-07-00, 01:57 AM
  #19  
uhh, Clem?
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
quote:<HR>Originally posted by dodobird:
Where did NTSC and PAL systems start from anyway? Who invented them?<HR>


NaTe SCrum invented NTSC (see how that works?) and PAuL Anka invented PAL when he was in England.

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.