NTSC vs PAL vs SECAM

[Airstrike92]

Which video format do you prefer and/or use? NTSC is used in the United States, as well as most other places in the world. PAL is used primarily in Asian countries and used to be the default in most of Western Europe before they switched to NTSC. SECAM is used in France and a select few other countries.


On an unrelated note
My faith in humanity has been lost...

Spoiler :

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

I use whichever format the video is available in. Ive never seen a video in SECAM or "other."

Heres a bit of trivia for you: I have a video in both NTSC and PAL formats. Sound on PAL videos is actually distorted a bit as it's either sped up or slowed down (I forgot which) I think 5% to sync up with the framerate. NTSC framerate is 29.97 fps (or close to there) and PAL is 25.00 fps.

 

[Airstrike92]

I use whichever format the video is available in. Ive never seen a video in SECAM or "other."

Heres a bit of trivia for you: I have a video in both NTSC and PAL formats. Sound on PAL videos is actually distorted a bit as it's either sped up or slowed down (I forgot which) I think 5% to sync up with the framerate. NTSC framerate is 29.97 fps (or close to there) and PAL is 25.00 fps.

From what I've read online, NTSC has a framerate of 60 and PAL has a framerate of 50?

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

I've never heard that before.

EDIT: No, wait, you're thinking of the "fields" which are lines which have something to do with the electrical system. Thats different from frames.

 

[Ajidica]

Can't comment on the video format, but my favorite google canadian search is 'Why can't I own a Canadian."
50% of those searching that are just being funny and the others are just plain stupid.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

BTW, there is a good explanation on the "fields" thing here, much better than I could explain it:
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-difference-between-ntsc-and-pal.htm

 

[Babbler]

NTSC, because the usa uses it, and usa #1, so ntsc #1

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

NTSC, because the usa uses it, and usa #1, so ntsc #1

PAL has better colors though.

 

[Aramazd]

This is largely irrelevant as it's based on geography, and all 3 standards have been superseded by newer digital ones. NTSC isn't even broadcast anymore in the US. Also it is my understanding that Europe never did adopt NTSC.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

This is largely irrelevant as it's based on geography, and all 3 standards have been superseded by newer digital ones. NTSC isn't even broadcast anymore in the US. Also it is my understanding that Europe never did adopt NTSC.

IIRC, most European televisions had NTSC built in, but most North American ones did not have PAL built in. I might be wrong though.

Also, I dont care about broadcast television so I wouldnt know about that.

 

[GravityWave]

PAL, better colour and more lines at 576 vs NTSCs 480.

IIRC, most European televisions had NTSC built in, but most North American ones did not have PAL built in. I might be wrong though.

True, a lot of UK TVs could display both PAL and NTSC. Standard wise though most European countries and their former colonies used PAL (SECAM if French), whilst Canada/US and its former colonies used NTSC. PALs being phased out in favour of DVB-T, but we never switched to NTSC as OP says.

 

[Arakhor]

PAL is still the UK standard and Region 2 covers all of Europe, with Region 5 covering almost all of Africa and Asia (China is Region 6, naturally).

 

[Perfection]

.avi

 

[civ_king]

other good ones:
Why are there: school
Why are their: voices in my head
Why is there: blood in my stool
Why is their: life

best three word combo
Why are jews:
hated
liberal
rich
so cheap
so rich
so successful
cheap
so obnoxious
so smart


@NTSC vs PAL vs SECAM
they are Console DRM basically

 

[cardgame]

NTSC, because the usa uses it, and usa #1, so ntsc #1

/thread

 

[BirraImperial]

NTSC because it's what we use here. We should discuss (maybe in another thread) the best digital broadcasting standard.

 

[dido]

h264

anyways, aren't these signals almost obsolete?

 

[GinandTonic]

From what I've read online, NTSC has a framerate of 60 and PAL has a framerate of 50?

Artifact of interlacing. Means the refresh rate is twice the fps.

 

[Tee Kay]

What's video?

 

[Chukchi Husky]

I have a video in both NTSC and PAL formats. Sound on PAL videos is actually distorted a bit as it's either sped up or slowed down (I forgot which) I think 5% to sync up with the framerate,

It's caused by cameras recording at 24 frames per second. For NTSC they would add in dummy frames to make it 30 frames per second. For PAL they left it at 24, but because PAL runs at 25 frames per second, it will be slightly sped up. One place where it is noticeable is films, where a country with NTSC will have a longer running time than one with PAL sometimes by a few minutes.

Newer PAL TVs (from about the mid nineties I think) could support a mode called PAL-60. I know the Dreamcast was the first console to support the mode. One thing that PAL had was SCART, which could use RGB mode, making the picture a lot clearer than composite or S-Video.