Video FAQ

1. What's the difference between NTSC and PAL?
2. What is VHS?
3. What's the big picture?
4. How do I know if I need a PAL or a NTSC video?
5. If I choose to use a DVD, do I still have to worry about PAL and NTSC?

6. What's the difference between DVD, DVD-R, DVD+R?
7. What format are World of Swing DVDs based on?
8. What is a region code?
9. Do the World of Swing DVDs have a region code?

1. What's the difference between NTSC and PAL?

NTSC (National Television Systems Committee) and PAL (Phase Alternation Line) are two different TV broadcast/video standards. This means they define two different ways to produce and transmit a video signal. NTSC is used for example in America, Canada, Mexico, Central/South America, and Japan. PAL is for example used in Europe, Australia, and China, and other countries.

NTSC is the older system and originated in the USA. PAL was developed in Europe to display colors more accurately (a known joke says that NTSC actually stands for "never the same color"). There are a few technical differences, but the main differences are the number of pictures (frames) that are displayed per second and the number of vertical lines that can be displayed. NTSC operates at 525 vertical lines and displays 29.97 frames per second. PAL operates at 625 vertical lines and displays 25 frames per second. Another TV standard that is used in the world is SECAM (Systeme Electronique Couleur Avec Memoire). SECAM was developed in France. Nowadays all SECAM VCRs should be able to play PAL, too. If you are not sure, double-check the manual of your VCR.

Additional info: The new High Definition TV (HDTV) includes a couple of different formats, but the differentiation between PAL and NTSC will still survive.

2. What is VHS?

VHS (Video Home Standard - by JVC) describes the size of a cassette and the way the TV signal (PAL, NTSC, SECAM) is recorded on it. As a simplified picture you can think about VHS as a box and PAL/NTSC/SECAM as what you put in the box. A video made for Europe and a video made for America can use the same VHS cassette, but a PAL recorded VHS cassette won't play in a NTSC video cassete recorder (VCR) and vice versa. Some newer VCR models can play back NTSC and PAL and sometimes also SECAM, but be aware that most models can't convert between the formats, they can just play them back on the local TV system. (The converted signal they produce is not exact enough to be recorded again). Nowadays you can find a decent priced home-video format converter on the Internet.

Some older video cassette standards were Sony's BETA (not the professional BETA CAM) or Video 2000 from Siemens. Nowadays VHS is the most common cassette format. Other common cassette formats are S-VHS or the formats that are used for camcorders, like VHS-C, Video-8, or miniDV. DVDs are on the way to replace VHS as the standard media format for distributing videos.
 

3. What's the big picture?

To understand the whole picture you have to see a video system as a system with three components. The media (DVD, VHS, etc.) that holds the recorded information. The player (VCR, DVD player, etc.) that can extract the information and must fit the media. And the display (TV, computer screen, etc.) that gets a signal from the player to display the picture. Maybe you understand now better how things have to work together. If you have for example a NTSC recorded DVD you need a player that can handle a NTSC signal. Then you need a monitor that can handle the output signal of the player. Therefore even if a PAL player can play back a NTSC DVD it will only output a PAL signal (actually it is not a real PAL signal, but don't worry about it). So if you take your player overseas you won't have much fun with it unless you take your monitor with you. What you would need is a multi-system player, which is able to output different TV signals. There are also multi-system TVs available that can display different video signals.

You might ask, why don't the manufactures produce only multi-systems? The main answer is cost. A multi-system needs more and better electronics (format conversion is a pretty difficult job, because you have to handle colors and motion correctly and deal with the half-frames all traditional video systems are based on) and most people don't need it. In the case of DVD players the region code is also another factor.
 

4. How do I know if I need to order a PAL or a NTSC video?

It depends on the VCR/DVD player that you use to play back the video. In general if you live in America, Canada, Mexico, or Central/South America you will need a NTSC video. If you live in Europe, Australia, or China you will need a PAL video. Japan uses officially NTSC, but most players can play both standards. VCRs from countries that use SECAM should be able to play PAL tapes in the meanwhile. If you are not really sure, check the manual of your VCR or DVD player.
 

5. If I choose to use a DVD, do I still have to worry about PAL and NTSC?

Yes, and no. In general a DVD is just another media (box) to store the TV signal. So the differentiation between PAL and NTSC is also valid for a DVD. A DVD can hold a PAL signal or a NTSC signal. In general if you don't have a multi-system DVD player your DVD player will only be able to play PAL or NTSC DVDs. Fortunately almost all PAL DVD players (~97%) can also play back NTSC DVDs. Therefore we only offer DVDs in NTSC format. (Be aware that most NTSC players can't play back PAL DVDs.)

Normally you can play PAL and NTSC DVDs on your computer. Every DVD player software anyway has to convert the TV signal into a signal for a computer display, which uses a different technology and therefore supports both standards.
 

6. What's the difference between DVD-Video, DVD-ROM, DVD-R, DVD+R

DVD-Video holds video programs. DVD-ROM holds computer data. If you buy a commercial DVD in a shop you get a DVD-Video. Those DVDs are pressed via a glass master. They play on every stand-alone DVD player and computer (provided that the TV signal and the region code match).

DVD-R and DVD+R are two different formats for home use that are not compatible. DVDs in those formats are burned like home CDs and run only on players that support the respective format. Many modern stand-alone players and computer DVD drives support at least one of the formats. More and more players that support both formats become common. Older players normally don't support any of those formats. Therefore only 65-75% of the home players can play those DVDs. Check your player manual to find out if your player supports those formats.

The DVD-R format is supported by the DVD Forum, Panasonic, Toshiba, Apple Computer, Hitachi, NEC, Pioneer, Samsung and Sharp. The DVD+R is supported by Philips, Sony, Hewlett-Packard, Dell, Ricoh, Yamaha and others.

7. What format are World of Swing DVDs based on?

World of Swing is going to produce upcoming new titles on DVD-Video. We choose DVD-Video to offer you the best compatibility, quality, and value. Unfortunately DVD-Video is much more expensive to produce for smaller productions than DVD+R or DVD-R. Therefore we might offer our older videos on DVD-R or DVD+R. Some of the older tapes will be converted to DVD during the year 2005. The other videos will run out during 2005.

8. What is a region code?

Most of the time the big movie studios have different release dates for their movies throughout the World (often due to licensing, synchronization, etc.). Therefore the region code was introduced with the DVD. (VHS doesn't have a region code). The designers divided the world in 5 different regions (See region code map). Each DVD player has a certain region fixed in its hardware. So only one of the region codes that are stored on the DVD matches the region code in the player the DVD will play.

You can find companies on the Internet that offer region-free players with changed hardware that allows the selection of a region code to allow you to play all DVDs. Be aware region codes are independent from the TV signal. Even if you are in the unlikely fortune to own a region-free player you still need a multi-system player to play back PAL and NTSC DVDs.
 

9. Do the World of Swing DVDs have a region code?

All the World of Swing DVDs are region code free.