Totally off topic...software question
Posted by yabbitgirl on Jan 25, 2009 · Member since Apr 2006 · 14266 posts
I know there are lots of computer literate peeps on here (I can't believe I just wrote "peeps"), so here goes.
Many years ago I brought some NTSC videotapes over. We have multi-system videos here that will convert NTSC to PAL (which is what Spain and a lot of Europe uses) for the TV.
My DH has patched our DVD recorder to the video in order to safe our favourite old tapes onto disc, but it won't accept the NTSC ones, even played on the multisystem video. It says something along the lines of "check zone". (US is Zone 1, Europe is Zone 2).
Is there anything I can do to get the DVD recorder to accept the converted video signal? There are a couple of really old documentaries that I'd like to save if I could.
No idea. But I thought I'd bump up your query in case someone who does know missed it.
awwwwwwwww ... this suddenly reminded me of the video tapes i brought over from France, recordings i haven't watched in awhile because, as has been stated, the signal is different from what's used here in the USA.
'course, now with DVD technology - (what'll come next?!?) - those old video tapes are next to obsolete. still. hmm.
(*sigh*)
My dad makes his living selling self-defense tapes on the internet - to all sorts of places. I will copy and past the original post and email him. Maybe he knows.
If you do, I will owe you major bigtime. And your dad of course.
Sorry, I wasn't clear. The tapes play fine on the VCR; the DVD won't accept the converted signal. I need to know how to convert the NTSC tapes to PAL format DVD. Can he tell you how to do that, or tell me?
He could email me at lachimpa40 AT Yahoo DOT co DOT uk
Or you could.
If he pulls this one out of the hat for me, he's an absolute star. And you, too!!
:)>>> :)>>> :)>>>
I'll talk to DH about that. HP movie writer...I'll check that out too.
for dvds, regions (i assume is the same thing as zones) mean something totally different than the video format. The US is Region 1 (or Zone 1, I would imagine), Europe and Japan are Region 2, most of Southeast Asia is Region 3, etc. A dvd player that's made to play dvds from a certain region cannot play ones from another region. Most retail dvd players are restricted to their region. It's a copyright thing, since movies come out at different times in different parts of the world. You can find region free dvd players, also called region 0, i think.
but this doesn't really help you too much as you're trying to view vhs stuff. but maybe the dvd recorder recognizes the ntsc-ness as region 1, no matter what filter or whatever you put on it, until you actually convert it to pal.
i think it'd be a lot easier to do it on a computer with a video recording card or usb device. it would have to take in ntsc format though, then you would convert it to pal on your computer and burn the dvd through there. but then you're stuck with a card that takes in ntsc format video that's pretty useless in europe.
All DVD players are made to play any region, and then configured in the country of sale. You can undo this configuration if you have the "hack" for it. I own one hacked DVD player but DH refuses to let me even see if I can find the "hack" for the DVD recorder (assuming there is one). They're easy to hack, you do it with the remote control. It's just knowing which numbers to push in which order.
Think about it: 98% of them are made in China/Korea/Asia and distributed worldwide. With the "hack" you simply reset it to "Region 0". Magic. The reds get a little saturated, but it works OK.
Be careful with that, there are usually hardcoded limits to how many times you can change the region. There might be a way of getting around that as well, but for most I think it's 3 or 4 times.
From experience (I used to work tech support), I would never suggest anyone who isn't already fairly technically inclined ever try to change firmware in or reprogram any device themselves. Unless of course, they can easily afford to lose said equipment if something goes wrong. In that case, play away; that's how you learn and become a technically inclined person.
You don't change it each time, Flik. Reset to Region 0 a standard DVD player for use with a TV will play anything you throw at it. Now, computers are not like that. They do switch region each time and by the 3rd change it will lock up forever.