# t.v. and DVD compatibility **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 8, 2003, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/t-v-and-dvd-compatibility/153769 "2003-02-08T21:48:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![El\_Elvis\_Rojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@El\_Elvis\_Rojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Elvis_Rojo)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2003, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/t-v-and-dvd-compatibility/153769/1 "2003-02-08T21:48:13Z")
I remember hearing somewhere that certain DVD players won’t work with older televisions. I have a REALLY old t.v., and I’m currently in the market for a DVD player that will play region 2 DVDs. I was told that, most likely, in order to be able to view said DVDs, I’d need to get a newer television because the two machines wouldn’t be compatible. Why is this? And what does a television need in order to be compatible with a region free/region 2 DVD player? ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2003, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/t-v-and-dvd-compatibility/153769/2 "2003-02-08T21:57:28Z")
Two things occur to me that you may be thinking of: [ul][_]When you start talking about regions other than Region 1, you are probably talking about PAL video (non-U.S. standard) rather than NTSC video (U.S. standard). Simple solution: make sure you get a DVD player than can read PAL and output NTSC.[_]DVD players, as a rule, do not have RF outputs (a.k.a. coax cable) and older TVs, as a rule, do not have composite (the yellow on the red-white-yellow connectors), S-video, or component (red-blue-green connectors) inputs. Simple solution: Buy an RF modulator at Radio Shack.[/ul]Hope this helps. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2003, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/t-v-and-dvd-compatibility/153769/3 "2003-02-08T22:02:11Z")
Or, just go to Radio Shack and get their RF convertor. I can’t remember the model number, but it takes the RCA jack output of a DVD (or other device) and converts it to the 75 ohm co-ax for cable ready TVs. I’m not aware of one that goes to the 300 ohm flat leads, but maybe you could use the 75 ohm to 300 ohm converter in tandem? Probably would work sucky, though. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2003, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/t-v-and-dvd-compatibility/153769/4 "2003-02-08T22:25:23Z")
BTW, FTR, FWIW, that was a simulpost. **KtK** answered the OP fairly well, I think. Cheers! ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2003, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/t-v-and-dvd-compatibility/153769/5 "2003-02-09T00:09:59Z")
I needed an RF converter for my TV it was $26.00 at Radio Shack. ---
**Author:** ![Truth\_Seeker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5fc32e/32.png) [@Truth\_Seeker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truth_Seeker)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2003, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/t-v-and-dvd-compatibility/153769/6 "2003-02-09T02:01:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\*Simple solution: make sure you get a DVD player than can read PAL and output NTSC. \*\* Too right. In addition to being able to read your DVD, your DVD player has to be able to display it on your TV. If the DVD is encoded for PAL, you’d still need a PAL-NTSC converter unless your “region free” DVD player does the conversion for you. Most don’t. You should also be aware that many “region free” players simply skip the region check and won’t work with many newer DVDs, especially from Region 1. You need to know one word: **Sampo**. Sampo DVD players can play both PAL and NTSC DVDs on both PAL and NTSC TVs. They also allow you to actually set the region so that it will play the new DVDs. They’re even 110/220 so you can use them anywhere in the world. Best of all, they’re relatively cheap! ---
**Author:** ![El\_Elvis\_Rojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@El\_Elvis\_Rojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Elvis_Rojo)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2003, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/t-v-and-dvd-compatibility/153769/7 "2003-02-09T02:31:34Z")
I did a quick google on Sampo and found a few. Is there a specific one that’s really good, or are they all region free? ---
**Author:** ![Truth\_Seeker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5fc32e/32.png) [@Truth\_Seeker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truth_Seeker)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2003, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/t-v-and-dvd-compatibility/153769/8 "2003-02-09T02:55:30Z")
**Elvis** Google on Sampo and “area 450” ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2003, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/t-v-and-dvd-compatibility/153769/9 "2003-02-09T03:03:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Truth Seeker \* > > * * * > > Too right. In addition to being able to read your DVD, your DVD player has to be able to display it on your TV. If the DVD is encoded for PAL, you’d still need a PAL-NTSC converter unless your “region free” DVD player does the conversion for you. Most don’t. DVDs are [not](http://www.horrordvds.com/extras/articles/palntsc/) stored in PAL or NTSC; it’s just compressed digital video. The DVD _player_ uses a digital to analog converter to send a PAL or NTSC signal. Some DVD players have an option to support either. Any DVD is capable of being played in either PAL or NTSC, no matter what region. ---
**Author:** ![Ms2001](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ms2001/32/18463_2.png) [@Ms2001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms2001)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2003, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/t-v-and-dvd-compatibility/153769/10 "2003-02-09T03:32:13Z")
**friedo** , there’s still a difference between NTSC and PAL discs. PAL has a taller picture and a slower frame rate, which the DVD player will have to correct. ---
**Author:** ![Truth\_Seeker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5fc32e/32.png) [@Truth\_Seeker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truth_Seeker)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2003, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/t-v-and-dvd-compatibility/153769/11 "2003-02-09T03:36:39Z")
**Freido** Your cite seems to say exactly the opposite. > [@](#): > > \*\*PAL - PAL (Phase Alternating Line) is a video standard used in many countries around the world. Countries such as the United Kingdom, The Netherlands and more use PAL as their video standard. When a VHS, DVD or laserdisc is released using the PAL format it can have a maximum resolution up to 625 lines with a vertical frequency of 50Hz. There are different types of PAL standards, one of which uses a vertical frequency of 60Hz instead of 50Hz. > > NTSC - NTSC (National Television Ssystem Committee) is another video standard used in many countries around the world. While it’s not technically superior, it’s more widely used thanks to its use in the United States and a variety of other countries, such as Japan. When a VHS, DVD or laserdisc is released using the NTSC format it can have a maximum resolution up to 525 lines with a vertical frequency of 60hz. \*\* ---
**Author:** ![Alereon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Alereon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alereon)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2003, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/t-v-and-dvd-compatibility/153769/12 "2003-02-09T03:48:28Z")
**friedo** : That’s incorrect. PAL DVDs are encoded at a different resolution and framerate than NTSC DVDs (720x480@24fps NTSC-FILM, 720x576@25fps PAL). While theoretically an NTSC DVD player may decode a PAL DVD properly and vice versa, I wouldn’t count on it working in all cases. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/t-v-and-dvd-compatibility/153769/13 "2003-02-10T11:50:19Z")
I sit corrected. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/t-v-and-dvd-compatibility/153769/14 "2003-02-10T13:28:42Z")
> [@](#): > > DVDs are not stored in PAL or NTSC; it’s just compressed digital video. Strictly speaking Friedo is correct. PAL and NTSC are schemes for encoding color and have nothing to do with frame rate or number of lines. In practice though, even if incorrect, people tend to use PAL and NTSC to designate certain common line/frame frequencies.