PAL VHS plyaer only

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

"Littleberry" wrote ...
> Are there PAL VHS players (not recorders) for sale that would
> be able to run off normal USA elecrtical outlets (120 VAC, 60 hz)?

Unlikely. There *are* North America models that will play both NTSC
and PAL (and handle transcoding PAL to NTSC), but it seems
unlikely there would be any significant market for a PAL-only machine
for North America.

> My TV-Wonder PC card has an option to use PAL or NTSC,
> so I assume it could accept the PAL signal and correctly display
> it on my PC monitor,

Presumably. I wouldn't bet my life on it, but if it will do that for
NTSC, and it claims NTSC/PAL functionality, sounds like it
might be a safe assumption.

> but the VHS player that accepts PAL format VHS tapes might
> requires 50 hz.

Are you sure? Most modern equipment like that isn't really
dependent on power/mains frequency any more. There were
likely very few (any?) consumer VCRs that use synchronous
motors. Usually, you can get away with a "travel transformer"
that converts 115V <-> 230V as most equipment doesn't give
a fig about the mains frequency.

> Also, is the PAL signal carried on a standard composite video
> cable (with the RCA jacks)?

Generally, yes. It would be another safe assumption.

Note that providing actual make/model numbers potentially transforms
this conversation from something speculative and academic to something
actually useful to you.

> The problem is I am getting some PAL VHS tapes and I just want to be
> able to see them on my PC's monitor like I can do now with all my NTSC
> VHS tapes using my old VHS player (NTSC only) and the TV-WOnder card.
> Thanks, littleberry

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

Richard Crowley wrote:

>> Also, is the PAL signal carried on a standard composite video
>> cable (with the RCA jacks)?

> Generally, yes. It would be another safe assumption.

The OP didn't state where he would be buying the VCR, but almost all
regular PAL VHS VCRs sold in Europe have two Scart sockets [1] and no
RCA jacks. (The models with stereo recording capability may have
additional RCA jacks for easily connecting the audio outputs and inputs
to the stereo, although you could just as well get the sound from the
Scart socket.)

Some other PAL markets - such as China and some of the Far East
countries or Oceania - may use RCA, but Europe is predominantly using
the Scart connector.

The signals [2] are the same and adapters [3] are readily available,
though.

_____

[1] <http://www.homecinemachoice.com/reviews/hccrev
iews/VCRs/Panasonic/PanasonicNV-HD630_rear.jpg>

[2] <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scart>

[3] <http://www.vandenhul.com/other/scart_s-vhsL.jpg>

--
znark