pal or ntsc for dvd

[Derek Roff]

> The video signal stored on a DVD platter is the same all over the
> world. The DVD **player** contains circuits to read that one signal
> and  convert it into the appropriate national TV signal standards.
> So you  just create a DVD, and it will play anywhere.

The above statement is contrary to my experience and to my 
understanding of video encoding.  I can say with certainty that many 
DVDs purchased in Europe by our language professors will not play in 
the majority of our DVD players.  They will play in the two DVD 
players specifically purchased to play PAL DVDs.  Most of the boxes 
for the DVDs that we buy are marked either "PAL", or else they are 
marked "NTSC."  Some are not marked at all, but even the unmarked 
ones will not play in our standard players, if they are PAL disks.

It sounds like I should get an Apex player.

Derek



Derek Roff
Language Learning Center, MSC03-2100
Ortega Hall Rm 129, 1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001
505/277-7368, fax 505/277-3885
Internet: derek at unm.edu