Query on PAL

AvidWatcher · 09-03-2005, 6:08 PM

I have been e-mailed the following query from a friend who lives in France but is relocating to the UK:

"Can you tell me the difference between PAL B/G J/K and I? I have a French TV that works in PAL b/g, will that work in the UK?"

Can anyone help me/him out please?

Tight Git · 09-03-2005, 6:32 PM

The main difference is the sound/vision frequency spacing.

There's also a slight difference in video bandwidth, although you probably wouldn't notice.

red16v · 09-03-2005, 6:58 PM

Hi, we use PAL I in the UK, so no his telly will not work in the uk. However, if it has a scart input there is no reason why he could not buy an external receiver (Sky or Freeview) and feed that into the scart socket of his tv. Regards, yt.

AvidWatcher · 11-03-2005, 12:50 PM

Many thanks.

DRGL · 11-03-2005, 9:24 PM

I thought France was Secam? The difference in Pal I B & G was the sound sub carrier??

Piers · 11-03-2005, 10:19 PM

Secam is video, PAL I is audio.

DRGL · 11-03-2005, 10:23 PM

Always thought PAL I was UK,PAL G Germany??

Tight Git · 12-03-2005, 9:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Piers

Secam is video, PAL I is audio.

Wrong on both counts!

PAL and SECAM (and NTSC) are systems for transmitting colour television, over the air in VHF and UHF.

There are plenty of exceptions, but basically:

NTSC is used in USA, Canada and Japan.

SECAM is used in France (and ex-colonies) and Russia.

PAL is used everywhere else.

Of course, it's not that simple, because there are variations of each in order to accomodate each countries different needs!

Confused?

red16v · 12-03-2005, 4:12 PM

Hi, er .. there is some confusion here.

PAL/SECAM/NTSC are all BASEBAND (ie, video) composite encoded signals. If we then take our selected baseband signal, present it to a transmitter together with a source of audio then the method of carrier modulation, bandwidth of the video, separation of the vision and sound carriers and the bandwidth of vestigial lower sideband transmitted determines the designation of the 'TV transmission system'. In the UK we use PAL system I, in Germany they use B and G. In France .. system L. Regards, yt.

Battlestar · 12-03-2005, 5:48 PM

N.T.S.C
National , Televison , standards council.

P.A.L
phase, alternate, line.

Not sure what secam stands for.

A televison made in the uk , should be able to display all these formats , but only through the scart(euro/av) conection at the back of the tv, exept pal which is what the tv is designed for and will be able to "lock" on to the signal VIa coaxil areial and video inputs (composite).

click here for a full indepth explination

Tight Git · 12-03-2005, 6:04 PM

Red16v,

Very good explanation.

That's what I meant, but was too lazy to type!

David Sheekey,

SECAM is the French for "Sequencial with Memory" because the two lots of colour information are transmitted in turn on an FM carrier and then combined, rather than PAL which uses quadrature modulation.

Right, that's used up all my ancient brain cells for now!