What is the difference between PAL and NTSC?

Answer 1

PAL and NTSC are words and formats that are applied to DVD for convenience, and because of historical convention. There is nothing fundamental about a DVD which makes it either PAL or NTSC. At their heart, DVDs are merely carriers of data files with compressed audio-visual information contained therein. This information can be placed on DVD in one of two resolutions; 720 x 576 pixels (PAL DVDs), or 720 x 480 pixels (NTSC DVDs), and with various frame rates (24, 25, and 30 frames per second are common). The DVD player itself takes this data file and formats it appropriately for display in either PAL or NTSC.

Answer 2

PAL and NTSC are TV broadcast standards. PAL - in its various guises - is the most widely used worldwide. Most modern TVs can receive either PAL or NTSC, which is why you can play NTSC DVDs in the UK and vice versa (provided they are region free).

There are a number of differences between the standards - PAL has more lines but fewer frames per second. But the most important is how colour information is coded. PAL stands for Phase Alternation by Line. In PAL the phase information carrying the color signal is reversed on alternate lines, which means that errors due to say poor transmission conditions are automatically cancelled out. This means that PAL does not suffer from the color shifts that NTSC was plagued by (orange faces etc).

As receiver technology has improved the distinction between PAL and NTSC has become less visible.

Answer 3

Well, these file formats pre-date dvds, and NTSC is the most common in the US, PAL being mostly in Europe. I don't know the technical difference but am led to believe that older dvd players may not play both formats. Newer dvd players, maybe.