Korean Job Discussion Forums

[intergalactic]

I can't find the answer to this question anywhere online. Can anyone help?

I'm looking to buy a DV camcorder, and will eventually take it home to Australia, where everything is PAL. Of course if I buy in Korea it will be NTSC system. The camcorder in Korea is far cheaper than the same one at home, so I'd like to buy here, but I'm worried about this PAL/NTSC discrepancy.

I have an i-book (can't burn DVDs, just VCDs) and want to mess around with i-movies and put my footage on VCD.

Questions:

1/ Does an NTSC or PAL camcorder make a difference when burning stuff onto VCD? (and then playing it on Australian DVD players)

2/ Also I have a multisystem (PAL/NTSC) VCR and TV. Can I record my footage onto PAL video tape using my VCR no matter which system camcorder we buy?

3/ I'm looking at a Panasonic PVGS70 miniDV. But there is also a NVGS70AS. They appear to be the same camcorder, and am just guessing P means PAL and N means NTSC. Right?

So confused, I hope someone can shed some light.

[the saint]

[jaebea]

Provided you have a relatively modern DVD player, you won't have problems playing back NTSC discs (VCD or otherwise). Coupled with the now near standard procedure of selling TV's than can play both NTSC and PAL formats, you shouldn't be in too much of a pickle.

NTSC VCD's will be recorded in 352x240 resolution, whereas PAL VCD's are usually 352x288. The 48 lines of difference are usually trimmed from the top and bottom of the video. If you have a multisync (NTSC/PAL compatible) player and TV, this won't occur.

The software does most of the trickery. Depending on what you use, you can change resolution of existing hi res video (DV has a LOT of different resolutions, but 640x480 is a good ballpark figure. Depends on your camera and what standards it subscribes to). Now the software you use to burn your VCD's, if it's schmick enough, can downsample video to the required needs (VCD NTSC or PAL) and set it up nicely for you to burn it.

Newer versions of Nero may be able to do this, but I never found the need to downsample video, as I have a DVD burner.

Hope this helps.

jae.

[intergalactic]

Thanks guys, that was very helpful.

I must admit you lost me a bit on that last paragraph though jae. I don't know, I thought I would just diddle with the i-movies and then hit 'burn'and burn it.

Glad to know a Brit bought an NTSC and an Aussie says I won't be in a pickle back home with NTSC.

cheers!

[the saint]

[jaebea]

Most PAL territories, as a lot of the good content tends to be in NTSC.. :)

Australia notably. You'd struggle to find a new TV set that doesn't do both nowdays.. :)

jae.

[the saint]

ah ok. I have a feeling that the UK and Japan (places I'm familar with) are stuck on PAL and NTSC TVs only and will be reluctant to pay more for both when hardly anyone uses the alternative there.