[Kirk Lorange]

The old NTSC v PAL formats has reared its ugly head again. I'm in the process of exporting the Slide video so I can convert it to DVD. As you may or may not know, the US and Canada use NTSC format for their TV, which is lower resolution than the PAL format that Europe, Asia and Australia use (480 pixels v 576), but higher frame rate than PAL (30 v 25 f/s) ...

The problem is this: if you shoot video on a PAL camera, which I had to do because video cameras over here are PAL, then you need to convert it to NTSC if you want it to play on US/Canadian players, and there is a loss of quality when you do that.

BUT, you can play either version on a computer ... I have no idea why that is, but that is the case.

So the poll asks: Do you watch instructional DVDs on your computer or on your player? If everyone used their computer, then I would just press PAL format, which is clearer; if most people say thier DVD player, then I'd press the lower quality NTSC to satisfy the biggest market (US - Canada).

It's a giant pain that there are two formats, especially in this day and age. Some players have a switch so you can watch either, but not all.

[Jean]

Hi Kirk,
I use a DVD player - it's much faster than the laptop of ours..

Jean

[allthumbs]

This sounds encouraging . My fingers are starting to itch. Gimmme gimmme gimme. BTW computer for me. I would rather have the higher quality.

[danthelion]

Hi Kirk

I agree it is a bit silly still having 2 formats in the days of globalization, there should be just one format with both the highest aspect ratio & the highest frame rate. [Also DVDs should be 'region free', but that's another subject]

From what I've read nearly all PAL players can play both formats, but very few NTSC players can PAL format. So if lots of people want to see it on their DVD players it might be better to put it in NTSC even though there may be a slight reduction in quality, that way everyone can see it on their players &/or computers.

http://www.dvddemystified.com/dvdfaq.html#1.19

Personally I don't mind as both my PAL player & computer play both.
By the way will you be having a package deal where you can buy this along with the PT combo so that frugal people like me can save a few cents on postage & credit card conversion fees? (As opposed to making 2 transactions)

Dan

PS. I have just remembered that my DVD player has a zoom feature & a variable speed thing-a-me-jig (technical term ). So I would definitely use my player.

[737blues]

What danthelion said, I think Kirk. Is the quality difference between PAL and NTSC very significant anyway? I've got a number of DVD's in NTSC format and for the most part they all seem to play okay in either my computer or the household PAL-DVD. There are two particular DVD's however, (Hal Leonard guitar tuiton one's, as it happens) which will only play properly in a dedicated DVD player. For what it's worth, most times when I'm viewing a guitar tuition video, I'd probably be at my computer.

In view of the number of members in the USA and Canada, wouldn't you have to go with NTSC?

[nagukush]

Hi Captain Kirk !!!

I hope everything is great there , I'm doing fine and practicing well

I always play my Guitar, sitting in front of my Pc and so I watch Instructional DVDs on my Pc only.

Thanks and Lots of Regards
Kush

[WernHalen]

Tricky one...

I'd say go for the market, however if every one watched on their PC's any way then go for the quality... My player plays PAL.

The great thing about standards, is the fact that there are so many

[coldethyl]

I'm not particularly fussy, I'll watch on either but I guess I would prefer to watch on DVD player.
Is that a contradiction in terms? Sorry if it is!

[bluesguy]

The computer & guitars in the same room so I would use the DVD with my PC.