VCRs - Multisystem vs Multiconverter - Whats the diff?

[quantass]

I'm looking to get a Aiwa HV-MG330SH Multi Converter VCR PAL MESECAM NTSC. I've come across the names: multi-system and now mult-converter vcrs.

What is the difference between a multi-system vcr and a multi-converter vcr? I'm looking to play a PAL (German) vhs tape and output an NTSC signal for viewing on my Canadian tv.

[hech54]

The expensive "converting" VCR will do it....the multi-system will not without an extra external converter.
Already been covered and explained.
https://forum.videohelp.com/topic360892.html#1917275

[jagabo]

A multisystem VCR will output a PAL signal when playing PAL tapes, and an NTSC signal when playing NTSC tapes.

A converting VCR can output either a PAL or NTSC signal regardless of what format tape it is playing. That is, it can convert PAL tapes to an NTSC signal or convert NTSC tapes to a PAL signal.

In Europe most TVs can display both NTSC and PAL signals. In the USA most TVs can only display NTSC signals. To watch a PAL tape on a USA TV you will need a converting VCR.

[turk690]

Nice if it were that simple and we get true good-quality (free-to-air TV 330 lines standard as our yardstick) NTSC video from a PAL tape. However, it is anything but. To quantass, don't get your expectations too high on that Aiwa. Like so many others in its class, the converted video from that VCR has wildly varying quality: from barely ok to downright unwatchable. Converting from PAL to NTSC (and v-v) seems straightforward, but it's not, & the only real quality that counts comes from such professionals like Snell & Wilcox and others of its ilk, who manufacture systems converters that start out in the ten thousand dollar range. I started out grand in the same way and I have detritus in the form of TenLab converters/VCRs and a Panasonic AG-W3 in my wake to show for it, all gathering dust.
In the end, I've largely left systems conversion to the pros. I simply took a multi-system VTR and hooked it to a multi-system TV. The point is rather moot for the TV anyway: ALL recent model LCD TVs (2 years or less), whether or not they state it in their instruction manuals or elsewhere, can display PAL and NTSC comfortably.
Now if only there is a program or a black box somewhere that can convert a 1080/50i HDV file to 1080/60i ...

[jagabo]

oops, wrong thread.