DVD Survey Question...

[Alex]

Does anyone know if the top of the line DVD players play back the different international video standards, from NTSC, to Secam to Pal...???

And if the DVD plays back the different international standards, does it also "convert" the international video signal so it can be played back in different countries without needing a special monitor?

[TA 152]

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ August 28, 2003 05:30 AM: Message edited by: S8 Booster ]</font>

[TA 152]

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ August 28, 2003 05:30 AM: Message edited by: S8 Booster ]</font>

[calgodot]

First, the DVD FAQ. Every question you could ever have about the format is answered here:

http://www.dvddemystified.com/dvdfaq.html

Second, just because your player plays all regions does not necessarily make it PAL compliant. These are two different things altogether.

The region system is essentially a security method programmed into the chipset. This is why it is somewhat easy, depending on your player, to have Region 1 only players modified to be all-region players - it's just a different chip.

The NTSC/PAL issue is a matter of the player's video signal, as well as your TV, and is not determined by the chipset, but rather the video hardware inside the player (and your TV). According to the FAQ, "Most NTSC players can't play PAL discs. All DVD players sold in PAL countries play both kinds of discs."

That said, the all-region players sold as such (as opposed to custom-modified) with which I have experience also had a PAL switch. But I've heard rumors of some that play all region as long as the disc is NTSC.

Your best bet is to examine the manufacturer's specs ***VERY*** closely - look at the manual if you can find it online. And don't believe a goddam thing the sales person tells you. My first player ended up being a Region 1 player (which was okay) that did not play VCD or VideoCD (which was not okay). My mistake was not reading the specs closely (I never trust sales people).

From the FAQ:

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size=2 face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><table border="0" width="90%" bgcolor="#333333" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="0"><tr><td width="100%"><table border="0" width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" bgcolor="#FF9900"><tr><td width="100%" bgcolor="#DDDDDD"><font size=2 face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif"> Bottom line: NTSC discs (with Dolby Digital audio) play on over 95% of DVD installations worldwide. PAL discs play on very few players outside of PAL countries. (This is irrespective of regions.</font></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></BLOCKQUOTE>

And yeah, none of this makes sense. Why would a Region 2 (which includes Europe) not be a PAL player (which is the standard in Europe)? Thank the corporations and their insane desire for total controlling ownership of media.

[Alex]

Some enterprising company should realize the benefit of an "all in one" DVD machine for the burgeoning market of self-made videos.

If just one DVD deck played DVD's made from anywhere in the world, AND would convert the signal so that it would play properly on any television set via a setting so that you could make it play properly in your TV set no matter where you lived, then filmmakers could exchange DVD's of their works with other filmmakers from anywhere in the world.

[TA 152]

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ August 28, 2003 05:31 AM: Message edited by: S8 Booster ]</font>

[Alex]

That is helpful to know, but most people don't center their entertainment system around their computer. So in the context of watching it on your television set, the mac superdrive is not a solution.

From a marketing point of view, an internationally compatible DVD unit that decodes signals in any format and plays back in the video standard of choice could sell for $50.00 to $100 more than the standard DVD machine.

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ December 18, 2002 08:04 PM: Message edited by: Super8 Filmmaking in the DigitalAge ]</font>

[Alex]

So the final part to my question is,If a DVD player can playback the different international video standards, does the DVD "convert" that country's video standard to match the television set of a different video standard.

If my DVD player, purchased for playing back NTSC, can also play back a PAL DVD, will my television set, which is NTSC, properly show the PAL DVD?

It seems like my DVD would have to be both playback PAL and convert the signal to NTSC so I can view it on my NTSC television set.

[calgodot]

Several manufacturers make multi-region DVD players which handle NTSC, PAL and SECAM. They generally sell for well above the price of a single-region NTSC player. (Especially considering there are places where you can get a free player for buying 30 discs, for example.) This being the season for consumer extravagance, good deals can be had.

A multi-region NTSC player can be found for under $200. Daewoo makes a multi-region PAL/NTSC model (with a 110/220v converter even) for around $200.
Decent models from other manufacturers are over $200. Generally speaking, the more expensive the player, the more features it has. Progressive scan, for example, can bump a price up $100 on its own, but is killer with a compatible TV.

If you're seriously interested in such a player, check out dvdoverseas.com - they have several available as well as multi-system VCRs, telephones, and other electronics.

[Alex]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size=2 face="verdana, sans-serif">quote:</font><table border="0" width="90%" bgcolor="#333333" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="0"><tr><td width="100%"><table border="0" width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" bgcolor="#FF9900"><tr><td width="100%" bgcolor="#DDDDDD"><font size=2 face="verdana, sans-serif"> anonymous...
get an APEX dvd player. some of the models will accept discs from any region and spit out a ntsc signal. word</font></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></BLOCKQUOTE>

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ January 18, 2003 03:59 AM: Message edited by: Super-8mm in the DigitalAge ]</font>