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Harry Mondeo
Guest
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 Posted:
Fri Nov 05, 2004 2:58 am Post subject:
Can an NTSC device be connected to a PAL TV? |
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Hi, I have a Hitachi C24W511TN PAL TV (UK) as shown at
http://www.tvtrade.co.uk/itm00016.htm and want to connect an NTSC Windows
Media Center Extender box to it. Essentially, think of it as connecting an
NTSC VCR to my PAL TV.
Now the above link says the TV supports 'NTSC Playback' but I'm not sure how
accurate that is.
So, what is the worst that would happen if this was a non-NTSC TV and I
connected an NTSC VCR? Would I get a picture? Would it simply be too short
for the screen? (I could then tweak that using the screen adjustments.)
Would PAL recordings play back correctly on the NTSC Media Center Extender?
Thanks.
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the dog from that film yo
Guest
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| Posted:
Fri Nov 05, 2004 3:48 am Post subject:
Re: Can an NTSC device be connected to a PAL TV? |
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"Harry Mondeo" <harry@mondeoNOEMAIL.net> wrote in message
news:iCxid.7151$up1.3607@text.news.blueyonder.co.uk...
| Quote: | Hi, I have a Hitachi C24W511TN PAL TV (UK) as shown at
http://www.tvtrade.co.uk/itm00016.htm and want to connect an NTSC Windows
Media Center Extender box to it. Essentially, think of it as connecting
an NTSC VCR to my PAL TV.
Now the above link says the TV supports 'NTSC Playback' but I'm not sure
how accurate that is.
So, what is the worst that would happen if this was a non-NTSC TV and I
connected an NTSC VCR? Would I get a picture? Would it simply be too
short for the screen? (I could then tweak that using the screen
adjustments.) Would PAL recordings play back correctly on the NTSC Media
Center Extender?
Thanks.
|
most tvs can cope with ntsc these days.
if it doesnt work you'll get a rolling picture, or maybe a black and white
one.
on the other hand NTSC equipment usually refuses to work with PAL video
signals fed into them.
--
Gareth.
Quote of the day.
You're disgusting! you say he is sex lupines and sweep him away.
A chinese actress suffers the indignity of bad subtitles in the film 'red to
kill' |
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Stephen Neal
Guest
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| Posted:
Fri Nov 05, 2004 4:36 pm Post subject:
Re: Can an NTSC device be connected to a PAL TV? |
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Harry Mondeo wrote:
| Quote: | Hi, I have a Hitachi C24W511TN PAL TV (UK) as shown at
http://www.tvtrade.co.uk/itm00016.htm and want to connect an NTSC
Windows Media Center Extender box to it. Essentially, think of it as
connecting an NTSC VCR to my PAL TV.
Now the above link says the TV supports 'NTSC Playback' but I'm not
sure how accurate that is.
|
This could mean that it supports NTSC VHS recordings replayed on a PAL VCR
with "NTSC playback". This is 525/60 but uses PAL colour rather than NTSC
colour. This means you should get a locked picture on your TV, but it may
be black and white not colour.
However if your TV also has an NTSC decoder - you should get a full-colour
picture.
IF you get a B&W picture you can purchase a simple NTSC->PAL chroma
transcoder from Lektropacks or similar - though it might not be cost
effective to do so.
| Quote: | So, what is the worst that would happen if this was a non-NTSC TV and
I connected an NTSC VCR? Would I get a picture? Would it simply be
too short for the screen? (I could then tweak that using the screen
adjustments.) Would PAL recordings play back correctly on the NTSC
Media Center Extender?
|
Suspec they will - but whether they replay with nasty judder I don't know.
My Xbox Media Center (UK version but "modified" to replay non M$ software)
replays in RGB (rather than PAL or NTSC) - and will output "PAL" stuff at
50Hz and "NTSC" stuff at 60Hz (as well as allowing a choice as to whether
24fps stuff is replayed as 50Hz sped up or 60Hz with 3:2 pulldown) My TV
locks to both 50 and 60Hz sources (and also contains a PAL and NTSC
decoder - however RGB renders this irrelevant)
Steve |
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Harry Mondeo
Guest
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| Posted:
Fri Nov 05, 2004 7:30 pm Post subject:
Re: Can an NTSC device be connected to a PAL TV? |
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"Stephen Neal" <stephen.neal@nospam.please.as-directed.com> wrote in message
news:cmfokk$gmt$1$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk...
Interesting reply Stephen, thanks...
| Quote: | My Xbox Media Center (UK version but "modified" to replay non M$ software)
replays in RGB (rather than PAL or NTSC) - and will output "PAL" stuff at
50Hz and "NTSC" stuff at 60Hz (as well as allowing a choice as to whether
24fps stuff is replayed as 50Hz sped up or 60Hz with 3:2 pulldown) My TV
locks to both 50 and 60Hz sources (and also contains a PAL and NTSC
decoder - however RGB renders this irrelevant)
|
The Linksys Media Center Extender device I am purchasing features RGB
'Component' out also. Does this mean PAL vs. NTSC need not be an issue for
me either?
See ftp://ftp.linksys.com/qinstalls/wmce54ag_qi.pdf for a PDF quick install
guide with sockets pictured.
Does the Xbox give you customizable settings for PAL and NTSC etc? My hope
is the Extender will also.
Thanks. |
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Jomtien
Guest
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| Posted:
Sat Nov 06, 2004 12:24 pm Post subject:
Re: Can an NTSC device be connected to a PAL TV? |
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Harry Mondeo wrote:
| Quote: | The Linksys Media Center Extender device I am purchasing features RGB
'Component' out also.
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You might be interested in Googling this before parting with your
cash. I found some dedicated web-forums full of extremely unhappy
people. It is a new device though and better software may sort it out.
I also fancy getting one of these devices as I already have a network
connection from my Tivo to my PC and so fitting a switch would be
simple.. The market is still young and so I think I will wait a few
months longer but the best of the bunch at the moment seems to be the
Pinnacle ShowCenter. That's if you want RGB scart anyway. Even the
ShowCenter is decidedly buggy though.
--
Digibox problem? : A reboot solves 90% of these.
The Sky Digital FAQ: http://tinyurl.com/6u4p9
How to get UK TV overseas: http://tinyurl.com/6p73
Fed up with logos / red buttons? : http://logofreetv.org/
BBC gone? : http://www.astra2d.co.uk/
----
Only the truth as I see it.
No monies return'd. ;-) |
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Stephen Neal
Guest
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| Posted:
Sat Nov 06, 2004 6:24 pm Post subject:
Re: Can an NTSC device be connected to a PAL TV? |
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"Harry Mondeo" <harry@mondeoNOEMAIL.net> wrote in message
news:n8Mid.7635$up1.5732@text.news.blueyonder.co.uk...
| Quote: | "Stephen Neal" <stephen.neal@nospam.please.as-directed.com> wrote in
message news:cmfokk$gmt$1$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk...
Interesting reply Stephen, thanks...
My Xbox Media Center (UK version but "modified" to replay non M$
software) replays in RGB (rather than PAL or NTSC) - and will output
"PAL" stuff at 50Hz and "NTSC" stuff at 60Hz (as well as allowing a
choice as to whether 24fps stuff is replayed as 50Hz sped up or 60Hz with
3:2 pulldown) My TV locks to both 50 and 60Hz sources (and also contains
a PAL and NTSC decoder - however RGB renders this irrelevant)
The Linksys Media Center Extender device I am purchasing features RGB
'Component' out also. Does this mean PAL vs. NTSC need not be an issue
for me either?
|
It doesn't look like the Linksys has RGBS output (this would require 4
phonos) - which is the format used on SCART sockets - it looks like it only
has 3 component video phonos, which may be configurable for Y+Syncs, Pr, Pb
component (for use with component TVs - more common in the US), or
R,G+Syncs, B (worth checking that it DOES output RGB). It would probably
require a component to RGB SCART conversion device, or an RG+SB to RGBS
"Syncblaster" type cable - although you might be able to use the composite
feed as a sync source - so build a 4 phono video (RGBComposite) + 2 phono
(L+R audio) to RGB SCART - though this would require the composite and RGB
sources to be co-timed (which they probably should be)
It is also worth checking if the component/RGB outputs are output in
525/60Hz interlaced (maybe called 480/60i or 480i) as they may be
progressive/HDTV only?
Additionally, if you want to watch 50Hz UK MPEG2 stuff it is worth checking
if it will output 625/50 stuff (maybe called 576/50i or 576/i) natively.
The "PAL" version of the XBox allows you to run in either 50Hz or 60Hz modes
(I believe the "NTSC" version sold in US/Japan etc. is more difficult to
persuade to work in 50Hz) When used with an RGB Scart connection lead (you
have to buy this separately - the standard XBox connection lead that comes
with it is composite only) this allows you to run in either 525/60Hz or
625/50Hz display modes.
When using a "modified" XBox to run Xbox Media Center you can config the
software to replay in the best display mode (i.e. 50Hz or 60Hz) depending on
the frame rate of the source material.
The only downside of the XBMC solution is that it doesn't replay interlaced
MPEG2 video as interlaced video - instead it de-interlaces to progressive
and re-interlaces, meaning the quality for this is not the best. However
for film-sourced MPEG2 and other video formats (Divx, WMV, Realvideo etc.)
it is a great solution. The Xbox only has integrated cabled ethernet - so
you need to use an external WiFi device if you want to run wirelessly.
Steve |
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Simon Slavin
Guest
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| Posted:
Sun Nov 07, 2004 8:28 pm Post subject:
Re: Can an NTSC device be connected to a PAL TV? |
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On 05/11/2004, Stephen Neal wrote in message
<cmfokk$gmt$1$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk>:
| Quote: | This could mean that it supports NTSC VHS recordings replayed on a PAL
VCR with "NTSC playback". This is 525/60 but uses PAL colour rather
than NTSC colour. This means you should get a locked picture on your
TV, but it may be black and white not colour.
However if your TV also has an NTSC decoder - you should get a full-
colour picture.
|
Big-name TVs sold in the UK (e.g. Panasonic) all boast NTSC display
these days. They cope with both NTSC output from an external source
like a video recorder, even if they use NTSC colour information.
However, at least one of them will not cope with NTSC broadcasts
which arrive via the antenna socket. I don't really understand why
but I understand that it's something to do with the the demodulating
process.
Simon.
--
Using pre-release version of newsreader.
Please tell me if it does weird things. |
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Stephen Neal
Guest
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| Posted:
Mon Nov 08, 2004 7:39 am Post subject:
Re: Can an NTSC device be connected to a PAL TV? |
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Simon Slavin wrote:
| Quote: | On 05/11/2004, Stephen Neal wrote in message
cmfokk$gmt$1$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk>:
This could mean that it supports NTSC VHS recordings replayed on a
PAL VCR with "NTSC playback". This is 525/60 but uses PAL colour
rather than NTSC colour. This means you should get a locked
picture on your TV, but it may be black and white not colour.
However if your TV also has an NTSC decoder - you should get a full-
colour picture.
Big-name TVs sold in the UK (e.g. Panasonic) all boast NTSC display
these days. They cope with both NTSC output from an external source
like a video recorder, even if they use NTSC colour information.
However, at least one of them will not cope with NTSC broadcasts
which arrive via the antenna socket. I don't really understand why
but I understand that it's something to do with the the demodulating
process.
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Yep - NTSC over-the-air broadcasts use a transmission system called System M
(hence the broadcasts are said to be NTSC-M) They use narrower bandwith
vision channels (6MHz) and have lower frequency sound sub-carriers. As
there are no system M broadcasts in Europe (outside of US bases?) there is
no real reason to add to the expense of European TVs by adding System M
specific RF tuning and demodulation kit. System I, L, B, G, D, K are all
broadcast around Europe - and some are quite similar to each other - so
multi-standard tuners supporting these standards make more sense I guess.
NTSC decoding from an external AV source (or from a System I/B/G modulated
RF carrier from a VCR or DVD) does make sense - and is relatively simple to
implement at a low cost - so supporting NTSC games consoles, DVD replay,
VCRs, satellite receivers, camcorders etc. is sensible.
Steve |
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Harry Mondeo
Guest
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| Posted:
Mon Nov 08, 2004 10:13 pm Post subject:
Re: Can an NTSC device be connected to a PAL TV? |
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Just to let you all know, I got the MCE Extender box today and it works
perfectly with PAL recordings on a PAL TV via S-Video. I guess my TV may be
NTSC compatible so no guarantees for yours, but it's looking good! :) |
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