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Re: NTSC/PAL - Standards Conversion (more then you probably want to know - but good to file for later use!!)



Bonnie Travers explanation was very good. Here are a few additional
points.

Since NTSC and PAL are inherently different in several fundamental ways
(such as frame rate and resolution) the transfer between these standards
is not inherently simple. Consider in the simple case - one has a PAL 25
frame per second tape and converting to NTSC requires 30 frames per
second - you don't have those additional frames - no information is
available - how do you "create" the new ones from the existing
information that you do have and keep the motion smooth? 

Inexpensive multi-standard VHS players do these conversions in a very
crude fashion that is often unacceptable for many applications. In the
simple case mentioned above - the machines will simply repeat the fields
of information (2 fields in a frame) in order to make the conversion.
This will often create a "stutter" in the motion. For casual viewing
this may be acceptable, but it is not acceptable in many applications.

Machines that do a better job of these conversions are called standards
converters. They vary from expensive to very expensive (over $100,000
US) and depending on the specific technology used - have very
sophisticated techniques to handle the conversions. If you have a small
quantity of material it is possible to cost effectively job out the
transfer to any number of video post production facilities that
specialize in this type of service. A search on the internet will
quickly reveal several vendors. It is wise to inquire exactly what type
of conversion you are getting for your money - there will usually be a
very strong correlation between the cost of the transfer and the cost of
the technology used. While there certainly are bargains to be had -
there is a difference in the technologies, costs, and results.

James Lindner
Managing Member
 
Media Matters, LLC.
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New York, N.Y.  10003
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-----Original Message-----
From: Archives & Archivists [mailto:ARCHIVES@LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU] On
Behalf Of Travers, Bonnie
Sent: Thursday, June 13, 2002 2:37 PM
To: ARCHIVES@LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU
Subject: Re: NTSC/PAL

Although VHS video format is the same throughout the World, the video
standard or electronic signal that is recorded on the cassette varies
from
country to country.  VHS stands for Video Home System.The standard home
videocassette  format, which has ½" videotape. (in the 1970's there was
this
big battle between VHS format and BETA (or Betamax) format.  Both are ½"
tapes. VHS won the market war).

SVHS (Super Video Home System is a high-quality video format with higher
resolution than normal VHS. (I suspect it is
a response to the demand for better quality vhs playback which BETA had
provided). It must  be played on a videocassette recorder that supports
the
SVHS format, and to see the sharper image resulting from  the higher
resolution, it must be played on a  high-resolution television set.

NTSC (National Television Systems Committee) is the vhs system or
standard
used in North America and most of  South  America for VHS. In NTSC, 30
frames are transmitted each second. Each frame is made up of 525
individual
scan lines.

PAL (Phase Alternation Line) is the predominant video system or standard
used overseas. In PAL, 25 frames are transmitted each second. Each frame
is
made up of 625 individual scan lines.

Another standard used overseas is called SECAM which stands for Systeme
Electronique Couleur Avec Memoire. It too has 625 lines and 25 frames
per
second. 

Our institution invested in a multiple formats tape player
(/NTSC/PAL/SECAM)some years ago because faculty would bring back tapes
from
overseas and find they couldn't play them here.  The player did make
them
viewable, but because electrical systems differ too, there were still
some
"gliches" in the playback.  The other option was to find a Lab that
would
"convert" the tape to NTSC. For special tapes faculty wanted to put "on
reserve" that's what we would sometimes do.

I have no knowledge about how well the digital video players/conversion
works (Elayne's DVD/VCD/CD/MP3 players). 
NTSC/PAL/SECAM are "analog" systems.  Professional broadcast television
and
the more recent Digital video formats have their own vocabularies.  (Now
that I own a DVD player, I do find myself buying more DVD's than VHS
these
days. Don't you?)  
  
You can check on-line as to which countries in the world tend to use the
various analog standards for video. One is
http://www.blackstar.co.uk/help/help_formats.
 
******************************************************************
Bonnie L. Travers, Special Collections Librarian
P.O. Box 210055 
Tucson, AZ   85721-0055 
Phone: 520.621.4295
Fax:     520.621.9733
E-mail: Traversb@u.library.arizona.edu
<mailto:Traversb@u.library.arizona.edu> 
*****************************************************************

-----Original Message-----
From: Susan Smith [mailto:SSmith@MCC.MCCOAK.ORG]
Sent: Thursday, June 13, 2002 9:46 AM
To: ARCHIVES@LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU
Subject: Re: NTSC/PAL


This is a very interesting discussion!  I only recently learned that
there
were different international media formats.
Would someone be kind enough to explain the acronyms used in these
messages?

Thank you,

Susan M. Smith
Archivist
Minnetrista Cultural Center

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