Help with VHS and DVD from The Netherlands

[randyannie]

Hi. My husband and I are fixing to go to my homeland: The Netherlands. My family is always trying to hook me up with VHS tapes and DVDs that were recorded in Holland, but I tell them that I can't play them in the states because it's a different video system.

Everyone one in both the states and in Holland seems to have differing opinions on the right kind of equipment needed to play the stuff from Holland, but my husband told me that you guys and gals at VideoHelp.com are the definitive video experts, and to post my questions here.

I'd love to see Dutch shows in the US but I really need to know what kind of VCR, DVD, and even TV that I need to invest in.

Thanks for your help, Annie

[johns0]

You need either a pal or multisystem vcr to watch tapes from holland cause they are in pal format.

[jimmalenko]

There are two systems in the world: NTSC and PAL. So all you need is hardware that can play both PAL and NTSC (most DVD Players can, not sure about rates of VCRs or TVs).

[johns0]

Tv's have to be able to accept 50hz(pal) to play pal vcrs so a mulitsystem would be the vcr you would need cause it will play pal tapes and output to ntsc for which most tvs need,more newer and expensive tvs can accept pal.

[jlietz]

Can one capture a PAL recording with a non-PAL device? In other words, can one capture a PAL recording using a NTSC vcr and then convert the video to NTSC?
Thanks.

[jimmalenko]

Can one capture a PAL recording with a non-PAL device? In other words, can one capture a PAL recording using a NTSC vcr and then convert the video to NTSC?

I don't think the VCR would recognise the signal, so I'll say no.

[randyannie]

Thanks for the help. I have one more question: If I have a multisystem VCR or DVD player, do I also need a multisystem TV? Or will it play on American TV?

Annie

[BobK]

If the multisystem VCR is playing a PAL tape then you have to have a PAL or multisystem TV also.

> Tv's have to be able to accept 50hz(pal)

60 hz/ 50 hz is the electrical (AC) system used in the different countries (the US is 60Hz- mostly 120 volts, Europe is 50 Hz- usually 240 volt). It has nothing to do with PAL/NTSC or other video specifications.

[lordsmurf]

60 hz/ 50 hz is the electrical (AC) system used in the different countries (the US is 60Hz- mostly 120 volts, Europe is 50 Hz- usually 240 volt). It has nothing to do with PAL/NTSC or other video specifications.

Yes it does.
These are why we get 29.97 (30fps drop-frame) and 25fps video.
Double it ... you get the Hz. Fps is based off power cycles.

These days, it appears many PAL units can also accept 60Hz power.
But your frame rate is still standard 25fps.

[BobK]

FPS may have been originally based off power cycles, but i't's no longer relevant. If you're in the US and you buy a multisystem TV or VCR made to work in the US it's going to work on 60Hz AC power and will play PAL correctly without 50 Hz power. TVs in Europe run on 50 Hz power but multisystem (or NTSC) TVs still play an NTSC signal correctly.

Battery powered TVs run on DC- there is no Hz there.

It's not necessary for a TV to accept 50 Hz power to play PAL.

[junkmalle]

The easiest route for video tapes is a converting VCR like the Samsung SV5000w:

http://www.samsungusa.com/cgi-bin/nabc/product/b2c_product_detail.jsp?prod_id=SV-5000W%2fXAA

You can get them for about US$300.

There are many inexpensive DVD players that can be made region free via a few key presses from the remote, and that can convert PAL to NTSC on the fly. You can find them by searching the DVD Players at this site for the features:

https://www.videohelp.com/dvdplayers.php?DVDname=&Search=Search&multisystem=1&country=&...Submit2=Search

I have the US$35 Yamakawa 218 and it has no problems playing PAL on an NTSC TV:

https://www.videohelp.com/dvdplayers.php?DVDnameid=1360&Search=Search&#comments