What does all this PAL/NTSC shit mean for DVD's? Is it affected by the DVD player, TV or both? Please advise - the last think I want is to bust my brain trying to log on and order it in two weeks time, wait for...a month (?) for delivery, only to find myself staring at the little man through thousands of vertical lines and a Minnesota snowstorm.

Soapstone said:

NTSC = playable in US/Canada ONLY
PAL = playable in UK/Euroland ONLY

The only way to be able to play the DVD is if you have a multi-region player.

Otherwise, the Region 2 version is due out in mid-September.

In other words, DON'T buy the DVD from NPGMC if you live outside North America and don't have a multi-region player.

Shapeshifter said:

Don't listen to this bullshit...

The DVD is Region 0, so it's playable on all types of DVD-players (Multi-region AND region-restricted players)...
99% of the European TV's have been able to play NTSC since the '90's...

But I wouldn't buy the NPGMC version mainly because NTSC is crap opposed to PAL...

Neversin.

Shapeshifter said:

This is not actually correct ...

The DVD will be region 0, meaning that it will play in any DVD player, no matter where you are in the world.
The only possible problem for PAL (european) users could be that the DVD is NTSC encoded (which is completely unrelated from the region lockout scheme). To view NTSC video on a PAL TV, you'll need a pretty recent TV that's capable of 60Hz or higher signals... most TV's are capable of this now, check your TV's manual to make sure.

Neversin beat me to it edit
[This message was edited Tue Jul 29 4:55:15 PDT 2003 by m3taverse]

Thanks, I think. Only order if my TV is capable of 60 Hz or higher.

TA

Now on amazon.co.uk: Region 2 PAL version.

If you are in Europe, even if you have a region free/NTSC system, the picture quality on this verison will be better.

Prince-Live at the Aladdin


List Price: £14.99
Our Price: £13.49
You Save: £1.50 (10%)


Free UK delivery on orders over £25 with Super Saver Delivery. See details & conditions

Release date: 25 August, 2003. Not yet available: you may still order this title. We will dispatch it to you when it is released by the studio.

Classification: Exempt

Edition Details:
• Region 2 encoding (Europe, Middle East & Japan only)
• PAL
• ASIN: B000AYLMX
• Catalogue Number:

DanUK said:

Cheers, just read this on the other thread. But I can't help feeling that we are going to miss out on something by NOT ordering from the club. (Can someone tell me why am I a member again?)

Soapstone said:

Agree, I'd rather buy the 'official' version (probably be asked to send the Amazon version to the Pharoh (sp?) in a few months time...)

Having said that when asked, one of the PP's said if you are in Europe, buy the non-npgmc PAL version and that there was no differencce in content.

Wait and see I guess. I've ordered an amazon copy, but can always cancel if the 1st people to get the npg version report anything different.

Is there really significant difference in quality between NTSC and PAL?

BTW, when this is released August 25th in Europe, I guess they'll have it for 24-hours-shipping, right?

Shapeshifter said:

eh hem!

Pal plays in OZ.

but my played takes mpeg/vcd/multi-region so i am set like jelly baby

Of course NPGMC didn't inform non-US fans about this.

There will b no difference since the source 4 the recording is NTSC.
The PAL version can not b better that the actual recording i think

Soapstone said:

If the disc would have a region coding: Is your DVD player still NOT region-free by now?
How old is your TV set?

I guess the disc will play fine.

sebastian said:

Didn't they use something better than NTSC?

The NTSC/PAL thing isnt entirely true...a PAL TV can offten play NTSC videos/DVDs it just a difference in colour and frame rate. The real problem is that your DVD player has to be multiregion otherwise it wont play USA DVDs

purpledoveuk said:

THE DVD IS REGION 0!

At least the one you can order from the NPGMC.

Soapstone said:

Not wanting to worry you further but having a 60hz TV isn't always enough as there is another format called PAL60. If your TV is only PAL 60 compatable and not fully NTSC, then you will get a stable picture but it will be in black and white due to the different frequencies of the colour signal.

Most TV's within the last 5 years should be OK though.

How do you know it Region 0...Rave from NPGMC is Region 6

purpledoveuk said:

Cos it clearly says so on the flyer...

Neversin.

Eh = what flyer, I havent seen anything over at NPGMC yet and Ive just had a good look everywhere.

Well, that's b/c the club doesn't have the flyer up. They released it to MSN, and to Universal Music Publishing, and I'm sure to any other media outlet that they thought might possibly print a little blurb about it.

They don't care enough about the members to give the same details that they made public to the rest of the world weeks ago. It would ruin the surprise, don'tcha know.

purpledoveuk said:

Don't you know that you shouldn't go to NPGMC for info on Prince releases...??
Paisley Park sent out flyers 2 weeks ago... (That's how I got a hold of one, still don't know why cos I'm not a member this year, same thing happened back in '97 with that "Crystal Ball" Flyer even tho I hadn't ordered anything from them)...
Someone posted it on the net, but the quality isn't all that good so the specs are hardly readable...
Some recordstores in Holland received a couple of those flyers today together with their batch of "N.E.W.S." CD's, so check your local recordstore to see if they have any of them...

Neversin.

...and the moderators posted the technical info of the DVD over at the Club.

Ok thats fair enough but teh copy that will be on sale in the UK is only Region 2 and Ive seen some US copies advertised as only Region 1...perhaps they are doing special ones for the clubs - about time they did SOMETHING exclusive

ah hemmm PAL is suitable here in NZ also...it is better quality -more lines = more clarity - but if it is coming from a NTSC source original...dunno if it will be 'better' quality
NTSC is only 720 x 480 lines while PAL is 720x576...and yes most newer tvs will play both...region 0 will play anywhere - region 4 is for australasia but here in NZ I don't think u can buy a dvd player that is regionally locked - 4 some reason our dvd players will play any format (both my phillips and magnavox play any dvd)- and its all legal...but u have 2 make sure that your tv can handle the NTSC format - 1 of my tvs will play NTSC in colour - all the rest only in black and white and thats only due 2 my other tvs being more than 5 years old...
hope this helps
ps I did a search on amazon (UK) and can't find the new prince dvd - someone got a link?

jimino1 said:

Took me ages too it doesn't come up on any searches for prince, search DVDs for Aladin.