PAL video in the states

[Paul Koning]

> On Jan 13, 2017, at 10:49 AM, Tony Duell <ard.p850ug1 at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> On Fri, Jan 13, 2017 at 2:37 PM, Kurt K <kurtk7 at centurylink.net> wrote:
>> I have a number of systems that require PAL and I was looking on Ebay for dual
>> NTSC / PAL monitors, and if necessary I can handle the power conversion requirements.
>> Any recommendations for a monitor that can work with Amstrad/Sinclair, BBC's, the
>> Archimedes, and the like.  I figure more than one may be necessary.
> 
> My LCD television (Sony KDL-22E5300) claims to be able to display PAL, PAL60 (I
> assume PAL with 60Hz vertical), SECAM (doesn't say which one), NTSC (with either
> a 3.58MHz or 4.43MHz subcarrier). It also has a VGA input, analogue
> (TV rate) RGB
> and 'component video' (the last if you happen to have a Tatung
> Einstein computer, I
> guess :-)). I am sure other TVs of a similar date (about 6-7 years
> old) have similar
> facilities, maybe more modern ones do as well.

Just yesterday I was looking at roughly the opposite question: how to make a DVD (in the USA) that my sister in Holland would be able to use.  The impression I got is that PAL DVD players will usually accept NTSC DVDs, and modern PAL TVs will accept a *digital* data stream of NTSC video from such a player.  But that doesn't necessarily mean they will accept NTSC analog (for VCR output for example).  Your report fits that story.

On the other hand, I also read that US TVs generally don't understand PAL, and US DVD players don't either.  My BlueRay player says that explicitly in its manual.  It did accept the "PAL" DVD I just burned, which might mean that I didn't do it right and what I got was actually an NTSC disk...

One possible approach for US people to deal with PAL analog video is to feed it into a video capture device.  For example, the one sold by ElGato is documented as accepting NTSC, PAL, and PAL60.  It captures, of course (to H.264 movie files) but it will also simply display what it's getting on the computer's screen.

	paul