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Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!harpo!seismo!uwvax!crystal!pal
From: pal@crystal.ARPA
Newsgroups: net.video
Subject: French Video tapes
Message-ID: <306@crystal.ARPA>
Date: Tue, 3-Jan-84 13:28:23 EST
Article-I.D.: crystal.306
Posted: Tue Jan  3 13:28:23 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 4-Jan-84 03:45:52 EST
Organization: U of Wisconsin CS Dept
Lines: 25

In reply to Han Nguyen's query about being unable to play French-recorded tapes
on his video.

The French tapes will be recorded in the SECAM video format.  I was also hit by
the incompatibility between the U.S. NTSC standard and the rest of the world
(in my case, PAL).  As to what can be done, the video signals can be
transformed, but as far as I know only the big studios (BBC,CBS,etc.) have the
equipment necessary.
The alternative is to get a TV set and video player that conform to the SECAM
standard.  I have not seen them in the US, but folks at home (India) have
systems that play/record/display all formats (PAL/SECAM/NTSC(2 types)).  As far
as I know, these are sold only in Asian/MiddleEastern markets, manufactured by,
among others, Hitachi and National Panasonic (I can probably get you model
numbers from my parents, but it will take a month at least (they aren't on the
net :-)), so you may be better off looking at alternative sources.
incidentally, I asked a friend in Britain to check into availability,
apparently the dealers in London will special-order, but do not have them in
stock.
Oh yes, one final warning.  I seem to recall the multi-system recorders as
saying something like "special middle-eastern SECAM", thereby implying that
they may not work for "normal"(French?) SECAM.  There may be other models,
though.

Anil Pal
U. of Wisconsin-Madison