PAL DVD recorder to record NTSC Laserdiscs

[newgen2005]

At the moment I am using an old Philips (2003 ish) DVD recorder to transfer my NTSC Laserdiscs to DVD. The problem I have is that the quality of the video (compression) isn't great, even at the highest bit rate. Are there any PAL machines that can record an NTSC signal? I have tried Sony and Toshiba and both of them go crazy when I pass NTSC through them. The LD player is a Pioneer CLD-925.

Thanks

[DB83]

AFAIK it was only those Philips machines that could handle a NTSC signal. But I do not think it was a pure NTSC signal more what is commonly known as PAL60.

If you have a lot of NTSC discs you could be better off sourcing a NTSC recorder.

The other option is a systems converter and a PAL recorder.

[newgen2005]

Thanks for the info. I have a few that need transferring to DVD so I wouldn't mind getting something better than the Philips! What convertors or NTSC recorders would you recommend?

[jman98]

I live in the USA and I doubt that any of our American members would advise you to buy an NTSC DVD recorder. The marketplace for such has been abandoned for years with Magnavox being the last manufacturer left who still makes them. WalMart sells those in the USA. You can buy used, but I don't recommend it. Older DVD recorders have likely been "rode hard and put up wet" as the cowboys used to say, meaning that they've likely been pretty abused and may not have much life left in them.

Your best option really would be to get a capture card capable of capturing NTSC signals and record them to your PC and turn that into a DVD. If you really want an NTSC DVD recorder, then I've explained the risks. Note too that you should not expect such recorders to be able to work on 220 power so you'll need some kind of voltage converter to use with them. I am not an electrician, but I think such things are called "Step down converters" if I remember correctly. If you can find a converter that can also convert the cycles to North American standards, that would probably be a good idea (again, not an electrician so just have some vague memory of reading about that in the past). Companies like Amazon and WalMart will very likely NOT be willing to ship electronics overseas so you may have to rely on the somewhat scary prospect of finding an individual seller and hoping you don't get cheated.

[newgen2005]

I live in the USA and I doubt that any of our American members would advise you to buy an NTSC DVD recorder. The marketplace for such has been abandoned for years with Magnavox being the last manufacturer left who still makes them. WalMart sells those in the USA. You can buy used, but I don't recommend it. Older DVD recorders have likely been "rode hard and put up wet" as the cowboys used to say, meaning that they've likely been pretty abused and may not have much life left in them.

Your best option really would be to get a capture card capable of capturing NTSC signals and record them to your PC and turn that into a DVD. If you really want an NTSC DVD recorder, then I've explained the risks. Note too that you should not expect such recorders to be able to work on 220 power so you'll need some kind of voltage converter to use with them. I am not an electrician, but I think such things are called "Step down converters" if I remember correctly. If you can find a converter that can also convert the cycles to North American standards, that would probably be a good idea (again, not an electrician so just have some vague memory of reading about that in the past). Companies like Amazon and WalMart will very likely NOT be willing to ship electronics overseas so you may have to rely on the somewhat scary prospect of finding an individual seller and hoping you don't get cheated.

Many thanks for your advice, much appreciated!

I read on another forum that PAL Pansonic DVD/HDD recorders may record NTSC! Just need to someone to confirm this!!

[newgen2005]

Found this one, not 100% that I can do want I want. Here is the manual:

http://tda.panasonic-europe-service.com/docs/2z51b77887z3z2e54az656ez706466z21z85cd5bb...17/vqt2j28.pdf

[DB83]

Following jman98's comments about the availability of pure NTSC recorders, a systems converter/PAL recorder may be a better option.

On the following page are the type of converters I had in mind.

http://www.cypeurope.com/store/store/app/browse/category/7110/AV-Conversion/World-Stan...-PAL-Converter

Even so, PC capture is the most obvious route. You do have full control over the capture/recording process and do it properly and you will end up with a much better dvd than with the dvd-recorder + converter method.

[DB83]

Page 69 of the manual does appear to confirm that this unit can record a NTSC signal

[newgen2005]

Thanks for checking it out. I might for for it as it seems decent enough, in two minds whether to get the one with a VCR built in, would be nice to backup tapes too!!

[DB83]

Take care. If the tapes are NTSC they will not copy. And you would also have to doubly check the specs of any combi (VCR+HDD) as they might not have the same NTSC external recording facility.

I assume that your laserdisc player does output a pure NTSC signal as a quasi-pal one will not not work.

[newgen2005]

Not sure about pure NTSC!! This my player:

http://www.laserdiscarchive.co.uk/laserdisc_archive/pioneer/pioneer_cld-d925/cld-d925.htm

[newgen2005]

Take care. If the tapes are NTSC they will not copy. And you would also have to doubly check the specs of any combi (VCR+HDD) as they might not have the same NTSC external recording facility.

I assume that your laserdisc player does output a pure NTSC signal as a quasi-pal one will not not work.

If I remember right the Pioneer CLD-D925 allows you to switch from PAL to NTSC 3.58 with the push of a button! Is NTSC 3.58 pure NTSC?

[DB83]

NTSC 3.58 is a pure NTSC(US and Japan) signal. NTSC 4.43 is the quasi-pal variant.

[newgen2005]

I noticed the Panasonic doesn't have S-VHS in!! Should I be worried about this? I have always connected the Pioneer up to the Philips using an S-VHS cable!

[newgen2005]

The VHS/DVD/HDD recorder has S-VHS input and it looks like it records NTSC! Please could you check the manual and confirm my thoughts?

http://tda.panasonic-europe-service.com/docs/2z51b78f1ez3z2e0a0z656ez706466z22ze95c4f8...68/vqt2j52.pdf

[newgen2005]

It has no HDD so I am skipping the VHS option, plus it is more expensive!! Scart input will be fine for the LD player.

Thank you for advice DB83, will report back when it arrives and has been tested.

Cheers

[jman98]

Actually S-video (I think you mean this when you said "S-VHS") is not recommended for laserdisc capture. One of our members posted a technical reason why in the past. If I remember, basically laserdiscs weren't mastered with the ability to make use of S-video and trying to use it any way degrades the signal in some way.

[DB83]

That could well explain the poor quality on the Philips. Does that have a Scart ?. Cheaper than a new recorder.

[newgen2005]

Actually S-video (I think you mean this when you said "S-VHS") is not recommended for laserdisc capture. One of our members posted a technical reason why in the past. If I remember, basically laserdiscs weren't mastered with the ability to make use of S-video and trying to use it any way degrades the signal in some way.

Yes, sorry I meant S-Video! Interesting what you heard about this connection for LD to DVD transfers!

[newgen2005]

That could well explain the poor quality on the Philips. Does that have a Scart ?. Cheaper than a new recorder.

Maybe, just seems that the transfers are blocky/pixelated - I put that down to the recorder being a very early model! I might check it with scart and see if it improves! However it would be nice to have DL transfers and the ability to store all my expensive LD's on the HDD!

[DB83]

Best of luck. Hope it works out for you.

[newgen2005]

Best of luck. Hope it works out for you.

Many thanks, will let you know

[newgen2005]

The recorder arrived today, works great! To start with the recorder wasn't liking the Pioneer NTSC! I changed the setting in the menu from PAL to NTSC recording and it cleared up the fuzzy image! I am using a blue QED scart lead, the LD is producing far better picture now I am using cart rather than S-VHS!!

Thanks for all your help!!

[DB83]

Glad to read that.

Of course switching to NTSC is rather a no-brainer since you have a NTSC source.

[newgen2005]

Glad to read that.

Of course switching to NTSC is rather a no-brainer since you have a NTSC source.

Yeah, I was gutted when the screen was fuzzy!!

[hech54]

The recorder arrived today, works great! To start with the recorder wasn't liking the Pioneer NTSC! I changed the setting in the menu from PAL to NTSC recording and it cleared up the fuzzy image! I am using a blue QED scart lead, the LD is producing far better picture now I am using cart rather than S-VHS!!

Thanks for all your help!!

I know the feeling. I've got one "scart from hell"....a fully pinned, cable-as-thick-as-my-thumb scart cable that I cherish. S-Video is normally better but sometimes a good old QUALITY scart cable is best.

[newgen2005]

The recorder arrived today, works great! To start with the recorder wasn't liking the Pioneer NTSC! I changed the setting in the menu from PAL to NTSC recording and it cleared up the fuzzy image! I am using a blue QED scart lead, the LD is producing far better picture now I am using cart rather than S-VHS!!

Thanks for all your help!!

I know the feeling. I've got one "scart from hell"....a fully pinned, cable-as-thick-as-my-thumb scart cable that I cherish. S-Video is normally better but sometimes a good old QUALITY scart cable is best.

Yes, I was always convinced that S-Video was the best connection for my LD to DVD transfers! But thanks to advice I got above and my new Panasonic DVD recorder my LD transfers look better than ever! Very happy with my setup now!