TV formats: PAL, NTSC and DVD region codes
DVDs are produced in either NTSC or PAL format. Only dual-standard DVD players will handle both formats. Therefore you must order the correct format for your country. Many DVD players for sale now are dual-standard, and will play both formats, providing a suitable television set is used.
PAL
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-M is used only in Brazil. It has 525 lines, at 30 frames per second. PAL is the most widely used standard for video and is used in the following countries: United Kingdom, Europe (except France), Australia, New Zealand, and some countries of South America.
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, Madeira, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Paraguay (PAL-N), Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Siera Leone, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Uruguay (PAL-N), Yeman (the former Yeman Arab Republic was PAL, and the former People's Democratic Republic of Yeman was NTSC), Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe
NTSC
NTSC stands for National Television System Committee, which devised the NTSC television broadcast system in 1953. NTSC is also commonly used to refer to one type of television signal that can be recorded on various tape formats such as VHS, 3/4" U-matic and Betacam.
NTSC countries include: USA, Antigua, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Bolivia, Burma, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Greenland, Guam, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Jamaica, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Netherlands Antilles, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Puerto Rico, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, St. Kitts, Saipan, Samoa, Surinam, Taiwan, Tobago, Trinidad, Venezuela, Virgin Islands.
DVD Region coding
Region coding was imposed by film studios due to the staggered release of movies worldwide and to protect exclusive markets, region coding was designed as a method of ensuring discs would be playable only in certain geographical locations
- Region 1: The US, US territories, Canada
- Region 2: Europe, Japan, Middle East, Egypt, South Africa, Greenland
- Region 3: Taiwan, Korea, the Philippines, Indonesia, Hong Kong
- Region 4: Mexico, South America, Central America, Australia, New Zealand, Pacific Islands, Caribbean
- Region 5: Russia (former USSR), Eastern Europe, India, most of Africa, North Korea, Mongolia
- Region 6: China
Our DVDs are region free except where otherwise stated
