What Is PAL?
The MPEG video on DVD is stored in digital format, but it’s formatted for one of two mutually incompatible television systems: NTSC (USA) or PAL/SECAM. Therefore, there are two kinds of DVDs: NTSC DVDs and PAL DVDs. Some players only play NTSC discs, others play PAL and NTSC discs. Most NTSC players cannot play PAL discs. Some NTSC players (such as Apex, Norcent and Malata) can convert PAL to NTSC. So, if you have an NTSC only DVD player you will NOT be able to play a PAL disc unless you use a standards converter box. Rent and all-region, PAL capable DVD player. $3.
PAL is a video standard used for video transmission in different countries worldwide. PAL differs from NTSC in the following manner: PAL stands for Phase Alternation by Line, and was adopted in 1967. It has 625 horizontal lines making up the vertical resolution. 50 fields are displayed and interlaced per second, making for a 25 frame per second system. An advantage of this system is a more stable and consistent hue (tint). PAL countries include: Afghanistan, Algeria, Argentina (PAL-N), Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brunei, Cameroon, Canary Islands, China, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ghana, Gibralter, Greece Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, North Korea, Kuwait, Liberia, Luxembourg (also SECAM), Madeira, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Paraguay (PAL-N), Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia (also SECAM), Siera Leone, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda,
