auto-detect NTSC or PAL for VHS?

[matt9b]

At the risk of taking over the forum with all my questions, I have another

I have a VHS tape that looks smoother than 25fps on TV. i.e. to my keen eye it looks more like 29.97. Is it possible to somehow find out what format the tape was actually recorded in so I can capture it correctly?

[edDV]

At the risk of taking over the forum with all my questions, I have another

I have a VHS tape that looks smoother than 25fps on TV. i.e. to my keen eye it looks more like 29.97. Is it possible to somehow find out what format the tape was actually recorded in so I can capture it correctly?

Doesn't the VCR or TV indicate when they are in PAL-60 mode?

If the tape is NTSC, you will need a PAL-60 capable capture device or an NTSC VCR.

If your VCR is outputting PAL60, your ADVC-55 can't accept it.

[matt9b]

Doesn't the VCR or TV indicate when they are in PAL-60 mode?

I'm using a decent Panasonic Superdrive VHS player with a Panasonic TV, but can't find any mention of the PAL mode currently being played anywhere within the menus.

[DB83]

Forget what the VCR is telling or not telling you. If your capture source shows a preview in Black & White then you have an NTSC tape. Swith your capture device to receive an NTSC source an if the video shows in colour but freezes in preview then you have an NTSC tape.

[edDV]

Forget what the VCR is telling or not telling you. If your capture source shows a preview in Black & White then you have an NTSC tape. Swith your capture device to receive an NTSC source an if the video shows in colour but freezes in preview then you have an NTSC tape.

If you have a PAL VCR, it will play NTSC as PAL-60 to the TV. Only a few capture devices will capture PAL-60.

PAL-60 is 525/60 video with PAL subcarrier at 4.43 MHz.

[matt9b]

Forget what the VCR is telling or not telling you. If your capture source shows a preview in Black & White then you have an NTSC tape. Swith your capture device to receive an NTSC source an if the video shows in colour but freezes in preview then you have an NTSC tape.

The ADVC-55 shows the source preview in colour. Just loses signal a lot and flickers. So from what you say I guess it must be PAL50

SHIT I just saw a spider on the carpet it freaked me out!

[jagabo]

I have a VHS tape that looks smoother than 25fps on TV.

In all likelihood its true 25i instead of 25p encoded as 25i.

[matt9b]

I have a VHS tape that looks smoother than 25fps on TV.

In all likelihood its true 25i instead of 25p encoded as 25i.

YES! It looks like it. How do I capture this?

[edDV]

Forget what the VCR is telling or not telling you. If your capture source shows a preview in Black & White then you have an NTSC tape. Swith your capture device to receive an NTSC source an if the video shows in colour but freezes in preview then you have an NTSC tape.

The ADVC-55 shows the source preview in colour. Just loses signal a lot and flickers. So from what you say I guess it must be PAL50

PAL-60

The ADVC-55 does not autodetect NTSC/PAL. You must set dip switches as shown in the manual for NTSC mode or PAL mode. There is no support for mixed mode for PAL-60.

To record NTSC tapes with an ADVC, you will need an NTSC VCR. Output will be 525/60 with NTSC subcarrier at 3.58 MHz.

[edDV]

If you play NTSC VHS tapes as PAL-60 to an ADVC set for PAL, the colour would be correct but the raster size and frame rate will be wrong (not PAL).

So, do you have any idea if these tapes are NTSC or PAL?

[DB83]

If you play NTSC VHS tapes as PAL-60 to an ADVC set for PAL, the colour would be correct but the raster size and frame rate will be wrong (not PAL).

So, do you have any idea if these tapes are NTSC or PAL?

That is what I was trying to say. Hence the freezing in the preview.

Set the ADVC jumper to NTSC and you end up with Black and White.

But if the switch is PAL and the preview, subject to the loss of signal, is smooth then the tape is PAL.

[jagabo]

PAL60 is NTSC sync rate with PAL chroma channels. If you try to record that as PAL you will get the right colors but the picture should be screwed up (though some devices may get so confused they don't show color or don't capture anything at all). If you try to record that as NTSC the picture should be fine but in black and white.

[edDV]

The ADVC is not going to work for PAL-60. It should work fine for PAL or NTSC.

What is the model number for the Roxio stick? It may have PAL-60 support.

[matt9b]

ROFL! You people make me laugh

The question wasn't "Will the ADVC work with PAL-60?" , it was "How do I find out what format the VHS tape is in?"

Does anyone know how I can tell what format a VHS tape is in?

So far everyone seems to be in disagreement over how to find out

I'm guessing not many people have tried to find this out in the past or there would be a definitive way to do it..

[edDV]

ROFL! You people make me laugh

The question wasn't "Will the ADVC work with PAL-60?" , it was "How do I find out what format the VHS tape is in?"

Does anyone know how I can tell what format a VHS tape is in?

So far everyone seems to be in disagreement over how to find out

I'm guessing not many people have tried to find this out in the past or there would be a definitive way to do it..

Do your work. What is the TV and VCR telling you? NTSC or PAL?

What is the history of these tapes? NTSC or PAL?

The most telling for me is when you say recent PAL captures work fine on the ADVC. Probably because they are PAL.

If your life isn't threatened I will lower my response to you as entertainment.

[matt9b]

What is the TV and VCR telling you? NTSC or PAL?

As mentioned, the VCR and TV don't state NTSC or PAL during playback, in fact they don't give info on format for any VHS being played in any of the menu options

What is the history of these tapes? NTSC or PAL?

LOL If I knew that I wouldn't be looking for a way to find out

We recorded them in europe with tape cameras from my father's workplace of unknown origin over the years, however, since his workplace brought over many things from the US, UK, Germany, and other countries, it seems likely they are PAL but possible some might be NTSC.

when you say recent PAL captures work fine on the ADVC. Probably because they are PAL.

When did I say that? The ADVC doesn't work for the old home video tapes because they have weak signal. I was hoping to find an answer a little more concrete than "Probably". Is there no official or definitive way of finding out the format of a VHS tape?

Do your work.

[edDV]

If they play through the ADVC they are probably PAL. If they don't who knows?

[DB83]

You are now just trying to be difficult.

Most UK VCRs will offer NTSC playback on PAL equipment. There is no setting on the VCR for this or if there is it is typically already set when you take the VCR out of the box.

You HAVE been told how to do a quick test of whether the tape is PAL or NTSC. If you do not want to do that then fine. But do not bite the hand that feeds you. Else you will quickly find that you are no longer fed the help that you are being offered.