Grex Hardware Conference

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Grex Hardware Item 25: Standard U.S.A video to European video conversion.
Entered by klaus on Thu Nov 21 12:04:38 UTC 1991:

I have an 8mm video tape, with about an hours worth of material on it,
that I would like to have recordered on to a VHS tape incorporating the
european video standard.  I have called around and found a place that'll
do it for about $45.  I understand that this is not a simple process, in
that the video on the tape would have to be placed between sync pulses 
of different timing, but was hoping to do it for about half of that.  Any
thoughts?  Also, what is the difference between european and U.S.A video?

13 responses total.

#1 of 13 by mistik on Thu Nov 21 18:10:43 1991:

I was thinking that the UofM Libraries have a media center where they can
do such transfers, don't know about rules and fees.

#2 of 13 by choke on Thu Nov 21 18:49:57 1991:

American video began as black and white video.  When color came up, the 
additional information was fit into the black and white bandwidth.
NTSC color has fewer lines than black and white (american) video.
American power is cycled at 60hz. American video is also 60hz (vertical
refresh)

PAL (The european standard) started as a color standard, and thus there was no
compromise for backwards compatability.  It has more lines vertically, and as
european power is 50hz, the refresh rate on PAL equipment is also 50hz.

#3 of 13 by bad on Fri Nov 22 00:05:39 1991:

I could transfer it to VHS american, if that helped, but I doubt it would.
It's a bitch to get a european setup, and they feel free to charge you an
arm and a leg for the use of it.

#4 of 13 by ragnar on Sun Nov 24 07:02:26 1991:

Re #2 - Actually, when color was introduced, the refresh rate was dropped just
a hair to 29.97 per refresh (or half-refresh, not sure) to work around a
problem with certain parts of the signal 'beating' with each other.  Not only
does this further screw up conversions, it makes audio time-coding a real bitch

#5 of 13 by klaus on Mon Dec 2 12:42:22 1991:

The U of M Libraries sounds like a good idea.  I'll check into it.
(I sure hope that when HDTV becomes the standard, they will come up with
a global standard.)

#6 of 13 by bad on Mon Dec 2 23:19:03 1991:

I work at the grad, and I don't know anything about this. I'll have to ask.

#7 of 13 by mistik on Tue Dec 3 01:14:55 1991:

I heard from someone that there is a media library or something like that,
where you can watch videos, and also do conversions. However, you would have
to clarify the (C) status.

#8 of 13 by ecl on Tue Dec 3 06:59:37 1991:

Look around on the second floor of the Modern Languages building.

#9 of 13 by mcnally on Wed Dec 4 08:21:40 1991:

  If you're affiliated with U of M, I'd try calling either (a) the LS&A
Media Center (in the basement of Angell Hall), or (b) the Film & Video 
Department.  I believe there's a Film and Video library somewhere on 3rd,
4th, or 5th St. (i.e.: way off campus) but I suspect that the Media Center
is your best bet.

#10 of 13 by klaus on Wed Dec 4 13:10:29 1991:

I will look into the U pf M.  I am not associated with the U, but my dad
certainly is.

#11 of 13 by mdw on Wed Dec 11 14:42:48 1991:

Switching between NTSC and PAL color is pretty trivial.  Switching scan
rates is not -- you have to take 25 frames of 600 lines, and turn it
into 30 frames of 500 lines, or some such -- they did use the same
horizontal scan rate, but that doesn't really help a whole lot.  A
couple of years ago, a box to do the conversion, one way, cost about
$40K.  'Course, it's all electronics, so ought to be dropping like a
rock.

#12 of 13 by ragnar on Thu Dec 12 02:51:54 1991:

<THUD!>

Hey, lookit this...  looks like an NTSC/PAL converter...

#13 of 13 by mdw on Sat Dec 14 06:51:40 1991:

You can get IC's that will mix color into either Pal or NTSC.
Most of the logic is the same for both.

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