Using PAL discs

[dan633]

I found a DVD that I am interested in buying, but it is available only in PAL. My Players are not region free and wish to know if I copied PAL type discs via FAB DVD-DVD, would that copy play in any player? I know it removes region code, but I am not knowledgeable in all respects of format types. Does the region just mean an area of the world, or is it synonymous with PAL, NTSC,etc? Are most DVD burners that come with PC's capable of playing a PAL disc? And will FAB's DVD-DVD will be able to take a PAL disk and make the copy playable on any unit? The writers are Samsung: TS-H652L & SH-S182D. I recall reading that the region code (in the PC) can be changed just a few times. If someone gets a PAL disc 4 or 5 times over the course of a year they may not be able to view them for long. If so, and it becomes necessary, is there a way to reset that counter?
Thanks in advance for your ideas on this subject.

[tli]

PAL/NTSC and Region Code Compatibility Are Not the Same

I found a DVD that I am interested in buying, but it is available only in PAL. My Players are not region free and wish to know if I copied PAL type discs via FAB DVD-DVD, would that copy play in any player?

No, DVDFab PAL backups will play only in PAL-compatible players and most any PC.

I know it removes region code, but I am not knowledgeable in all respects of format types. Does the region just mean an area of the world, or is it synonymous with PAL, NTSC,etc?

Not synonymous. An all-region or region-free PAL disc would not play in non PAL-compatible players.

Are most DVD burners that come with PC's capable of playing a PAL disc?

Yes, with most any DVD software player app.

And will FAB's DVD-DVD will be able to take a PAL disk and make the copy playable on any unit? ...

No, DVDFab does not do PAL-NTSC conversion.

[AlienX69]

One of the mostly spread rumours is that if a DVD player is region free or code free, it will play both formats of DVD: NTSC and PAL on your NTSC TV monitor.... This is not true, however!.

the answer is:

Picture format or display system (i.g. PAL, Secam, NTSC, etc.) is the set of technical specifications in which a monitor displays the video signal. Therefore, your DVD player has to deliver the output video signal exactly in the format in which your monitor works (and the DVD region has nothing to do with it).

DVD region, in turn, is simply a program which helps to recognize from what region of the world a DVD film comes. It is often referred to as "DVD region locking system". Most North American DVD players are programmed to read region 1 and NTSC format only..... Thus, even if your DVD player is able to read the region of your DVD film, it also has to read the picture format / system in which the DVD is encoded (NTSC or PAL) and eventually output the signal to your monitor in NTSC format (this is done only by multisystem DVD players).

Therefore, a region free DVD player, working in NTSC system only, is not sufficient to read a PAL DVD film and convert it into NTSC signal.

Only DVD players which are both: multisystem ( PAL to NTSC / NTSC to PAL) and region free can read any region and any picture system signal in which the DVD is encoded and then convert it into the signal required by your TV monitor (NTSC or PAL). That is: processor of such a DVD player can convert the PAL signal from a PAL DVD into NTSC signal and output it to your NTSC TV monitor. End of the story.
Your North American TV system will correctly and happily display such a signal !.