capturing NTSC tapes in a PAL VCR?

[geek rock]

i have a canopus advc-100 DV bridge, and i'm trying to capture some NTSC VHS tapes i have.

i'm in the UK, and i have a PAL VCR that can also play back NTSC tapes.

if i set the canopus to "PAL" and play the NTSC tape, i can capture a rolling picture, which is pretty much useless.

if i set it to "NTSC" it captures perfectly - but in black and white.

does anybody know of anything i can buy to enable me to capture in colour? or am i going to have to find an NTSC VCR from somewhere?

-Mark

[Anonymous65]

Your PAL VCR cannot really play NTSC tapes in PAL, it simply converts the color information from 3.58MHz NTSC to 4.43MHz PAL, and does not change the frame or line rate at all. To do this, you must use a standards converter that changes the 525/30 to 625/25 line/frame rate in addition to encoding the color information in the new system format. The Canopus cannot capture quasi-formats like you can do with a simple TV tuner card.

[uxbridge]

I am not sure, but it could be that your Canopus supports either PAL either NTSC, while your VCR could be outputting a Quasi-PAL signal for compatibility with your TV-set.
Try to check with the manual of the VCR if this is the case and if there is any way to disable the Quasi-PAL in your VCR and make it outputting pure NTSC signal. That should make your Canopus to work.
Regards

[geek rock]

Your PAL VCR cannot really play NTSC tapes in PAL, it simply converts the color information from 3.58MHz NTSC to 4.43MHz PAL, and does not change the frame or line rate at all. To do this, you must use a standards converter that changes the 525/30 to 625/25 line/frame rate in addition to encoding the color information in the new system format. The Canopus cannot capture quasi-formats like you can do with a simple TV tuner card.

i figured it was something like that, since the picture i got in the NTSC mode was perfect but with black and white.

how much is a standards converter going to cost? i've seen those small units for about £40/$60 for video game consoles etc, but i'm now assuming that they just do the same thing as my VCR and change the colour information?

thanks for the help. (oh and btw uxbridge - can't turn off the quasi-pal. )

-Mark

[Deaks]

Your capture card needs to be set to Pal60, though not all cards or software can do this. After a lot of playing about with different cards and software I ended up buying a US NTSC VCR for about £45 off ebay so now all I have to do is play my tapes on that and capture in true NTSC.

[txpharoah]

Hook up 2 VCRs. When you copy the tape, if you can copy it (no anti-copy or Macrovision), the copy should be recorded PAL 25fps, etc. Capture it. You won't find many cards that capture quasi-settings.

You shouldn't lose much "quality" when you copy it to a real PAL tape. It's only VHS, not much loss occurs on the first two copies of a tape.

I have a Samsung Worldwide that plays anything in the world. You'd need something like that for true conversion, and they're not cheap. I have wires and power plugs for anywhere.

And I'm not so sure about just buying a VCR from the USA. Your power settings and outlets are different, that may not work. Research that first if you decide to buy an NTSC VCR.

Honestly, the recopy method is easiest and cheapest.

[Deaks]

No way is re-copy easiest or cheapest!? You can't record the output of an UK NTSC playback VCR onto Pal unless you have a standards converter inbetween or an expesive multi-standard VCR. As I said, I picked up a US NTSC VCR on ebay.uk for £45 delivered, a 240 to 110 AC converter from Maplin for £12 and all my problems were solved!

[txpharoah]

No way is re-copy easiest or cheapest!? You can't record the output of an UK NTSC playback VCR onto Pal unless you have a standards converter inbetween or an expesive multi-standard VCR. As I said, I picked up a US NTSC VCR on ebay.uk for £45 delivered, a 240 to 110 AC converter from Maplin for £12 and all my problems were solved!

It's late and I'm too tired to argue, you may be right.
I think I goofed on that one. I'm definitely going to bed now.

[geek rock]

Your capture card needs to be set to Pal60, though not all cards or software can do this. After a lot of playing about with different cards and software I ended up buying a US NTSC VCR for about £45 off ebay so now all I have to do is play my tapes on that and capture in true NTSC.

yep, i figured that'd be my only option. shall have a look on ebay.

-Mark

[Deaks]

There are a couple of UK models that are switchable to output both NTSC 3.58 & 4.43 - The Sony SLV-SE80 and SLV-SE850 do this, as does the Samsung SV-5000W Worldwide VCR.