HW: Bedouin - Sonic Rock Solstice DVD

[Paul Mather]

On Fri, May 28, 2004 at 05:06:00PM +0200, Henderson Keith wrote:

=> OK, this item (coming from Visionary/Screen Edge, formerly Jettisoundz) is
=> listed as "Region 0/NTSC (will play anywhere in World)"
=>
=> But with parenthetical add-on, do they mean that it won't be rejected due to
=> the region-encoding ONLY, or do they truly mean that it's one of those
=> PAL-compatible DVDs, such that it really will play anywhere in the World,
=> regardless of equipment?  Anybody know for certain?  I imagine that it must
=> be the latter ('cause they're a UK co., and why would they make it *only*
=> for the US? - there seems to be only one version), but you never know!

Remember, DVD-Video is digital video, so the playability depends upon
your playback equipment.  This entry from the DVD FAQ
(http://www.dvddemystified.com/dvdfaq.html) might shed some light on
this:

>>>>>
[1.19] Is DVD-Video a worldwide standard? Does it work with NTSC, PAL,
and SECAM?

The MPEG video on a DVD is stored in digital format, but it's
formatted for one of two mutually incompatible television systems:
525/60 (NTSC) or 625/50 (PAL/SECAM). Therefore, there are two kinds of
DVDs: "NTSC DVDs" and "PAL DVDs." Some players only play NTSC discs,
others play PAL and NTSC discs. Discs are also coded for different
regions of the world (see 1.10).

Almost all DVD players sold in PAL countries play both kinds of
discs. These multi-standard players partially convert NTSC to a 60-Hz
PAL (4.43 NTSC) signal. The player uses the PAL 4.43-MHz color
subcarrier encoding format but keeps the 525/60 NTSC scanning
rate. Most modern PAL TVs can handle this "pseudo-PAL" signal. A few
multi-standard PAL players output true 3.58 NTSC from NTSC discs,
which requires an NTSC TV or a multi-standard TV. Some players have a
switch to choose 60-Hz PAL or true NTSC output when playing NTSC
discs. There are a few standards-converting PAL players that convert
from an NTSC disc to standard PAL output for older PAL TVs.

[[Various extra technical gubbins...]]

There are actually three types of DVD players if you count
computers. Most DVD PC software and hardware can play both NTSC and
PAL video and both Dolby Digital and MPEG audio. Some PCs can only
display the converted video on the computer monitor, but others can
output it as a video signal for a TV.

Bottom line: NTSC discs (with Dolby Digital audio) play on over 95% of
DVD systems worldwide. PAL discs play on very few players outside of
PAL countries. (This is irrespective of regions -- see 1.10.)
<<<<<

So, it seems the TV playability of NTSC-formatted DVDs on PAL systems
rests on the capabilities of your DVD player and/or your TV.  If you
are playing it on a DVD-ROM drive to your computer monitor, you will
have no problems at all.

Cheers,

Paul.

e-mail: paul at gromit.dlib.vt.edu

"Without music to decorate it, time is just a bunch of boring production
 deadlines or dates by which bills must be paid."
        --- Frank Vincent Zappa