using Samsung worldwide (SV5000W) as a converter?

[KMJvet]

Can anyone tell me if it's possible to use the Samsung as just a converter. I have a Panasonic multiregion DVD player that seems to be able to play PAL DVDs. When I connect its output into the Samsung worldwide, set the input to PAL and the output to NTSC, all I get a blue screen. I don't necessarily want to record a VHS tape--just output a converted signal from playing a PAL DVD thru this machine to my NTSC TV to be able to watch the PAL DVD. Do I have to record to get the conversion to work? Or is there something I'm missing about why this doesn't work. I tried setting up the DVD player where the "NTSC disc" setting was either set on NTSC or PAL60....doesn't seem to matter...nor did I think it would this being a PAL DVD.
With this VCR, playing PAL tapes and the conversion to NTSC does work just fine. The problem is just that I wanted to use it as a converter for watching PALs too...possible?

-KMJvet

[lordsmurf]

Your Panasonic is not putting out a PAL or NTSC signal, most likely. At least not if you can see it on your tv set.

I use the 5000W as a converter, but it has to get a good signal.

If it is blue screen, you may have it on the wrong channel or plugged in incorrectly.

[KMJvet]

If I plug the Panasonic S35 DVD player directly into my DVD recorder and then onto the TV (which is how everything goes to my TV...through my recorder)....I get a black and white picture which is shifted down on the screen with a black band on top. So, I think I'm seeing a PAL signal on my NTSC TV...ie I think that's pretty good evidence that the DVD player is capable of outputting a PAL signal....is that true?

I'm not trying to record the DVD either with the DVD recorder or the VCR, just pass through everything. So, I pulled the output from DVD player out of the DVD recorder input and put it instead into Line 1 on the front of the Samsung VCR and then put the output of the VCR into the DVD recorder. If I play a tape, it plays through the DVD recorder (not recording) to the TV just fine. But if I play the PAL DVD now, I get a blue screen.

Does that mean I need to change something on the VCR so it knows to look for the input from Line 1? ...that is to say, I'm getting the impression, this should work and I've done something incorrect with the connections?

thanks

-KMJvet

[lordsmurf]

PAL would be "flipping" on the screen too. Like a loss of v-hold.

[KMJvet]

So, if it's not playing a PAL signal for me to see on the TV, why can I see the movie at all?

[lordsmurf]

Sounds like it's some sort of quasi signal, not full PAL.

[KMJvet]

Sounds like it's some sort of quasi signal, not full PAL.

When I searched the forum before I posted to look for a previously posted answer, I didn't find one...but I did find a thread where someone had said that these multiregion players are manufactered to play in countries with PAL so they all do it. How and why could it create a quasi-signal? And besides it sounds like my signal is better than what you were expecting a PAL signal to play like, not worse?

-KMJvet

[lordsmurf]

It has nothing to do with "better" or "worse". It simply what a PAL signal does on an NTSC tv. A full PAL signal will roll on an NTSC tv set.

[KMJvet]

okay...got it working. Something you said about it being on the wrong channel... It was the VCR setting to the right input of L1 as opposed to AV...now I feel dumb. Just knowing it should work was the motivation I needed....thanks.

The picture is very clear...just some intermittant flashing. I don't know if VHS tapes do that....will have to test. This is a brand new to me used VCR I just got for christmas and I've only got one PAL DVD and two PAL tapes to test it with.

Is this intermittant flashing expected....the reason why people say these VCRs work passably but not perfectly?

-KMJvet