Home Theater Forum - View Single Post - Help! Is this normal for PAL playback on an NTSC TV?

Dick · 09-15-2004, 10:30 PM

I just bought a "converted" Philips 642 DVD player which is supposed to play back any region (and PAL) on any tv in the world. Well, I am sure it does (at least the aspect ratios of anamorphic widescreen PAL DVD's is correct), but I get what I can only describe as an aliasing problem - scan lines seem distorted, mostly during vertical pans - and fine details warble a little. The picture is viewable, just not the splendid, rock-solid image I am used to. Could this be a problem with the "converted" machine? Might I have better luck with a machine indended to play PAL from the start? Or is this an issue all persons have to live with when using an NTSC television for PAL playback?

Also, on some discs, the very top scan line of a letterboxed image is "broken..." the black area extends about a third of the way from left to right, then is filled with image. Again, not a critical thing, but it's annoying the way a not quite squared or straight movie screen is in a theater.

Any information would be apreciated!

09-15-2004, 10:30 PM	#1 of 8
Dick Member Join Date: May 1999 Local Time: 03:38 PM Local Date: 01-08-2009 Posts: 2,714	Help! Is this normal for PAL playback on an NTSC TV? I just bought a "converted" Philips 642 DVD player which is supposed to play back any region (and PAL) on any tv in the world. Well, I am sure it does (at least the aspect ratios of anamorphic widescreen PAL DVD's is correct), but I get what I can only describe as an aliasing problem - scan lines seem distorted, mostly during vertical pans - and fine details warble a little. The picture is viewable, just not the splendid, rock-solid image I am used to. Could this be a problem with the "converted" machine? Might I have better luck with a machine indended to play PAL from the start? Or is this an issue all persons have to live with when using an NTSC television for PAL playback? Also, on some discs, the very top scan line of a letterboxed image is "broken..." the black area extends about a third of the way from left to right, then is filled with image. Again, not a critical thing, but it's annoying the way a not quite squared or straight movie screen is in a theater. Any information would be apreciated!