CRISPIN@SUMEX-AIM.ARPA (06/20/85)
From: Mark Crispin <Crispin@SUMEX-AIM.ARPA>
Great Britain uses the PAL television standard, which is not
compatible with the USA's NTSC standard. NTSC (a.k.a. "Never Twice
Same Color" due to its color instability) is the oldest by many
years; the Europeans had a chance to learn from our mistakes. The
French invented something called SECAM, and the West Germans invented
PAL. PAL is the most widely used standard in the world, and is
considered by many to be the best.
There is no compatibility between NTSC and PAL. PAL has greater
resolution and shows 50 half-frames/second, while NTSC shows 60 half-
frames/second. Also, PAL videotapes operate at different speeds.
A company named Instant Replay in Florida modifies NTSC VHS
format (ugh!) VCR's to have a "PAL" switch which if set runs the tape
at PAL speed and kludges up the video signal so it will play on an
NTSC TV or monitor. The signal is not as good as a vanilla PAL or
NTSC signal, nor can it be copied to another VCR, but the results are
still viewable. So if you're really desperate for a videotape of RHPS
and can't wait the years(!) that CBS/Fox says it will be before an
American release, you can get a British tape and an Instant Replay
VCR (currently around $800) and do the Time-Warp again.
-- Mark --
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