Pal Footage on GS100? at DVinfo.net

Joao Oliveira · November 13th, 2003, 07:04 PM

Hi,

Still undecided on my cam purchase, a quick question to the GS100 owners.
I hear that Sony NTSC cams can play PAL recorded tapes into MAC/PC through firewire and back. I would Pana cams to able to do the same but would like to be sure.

I'm in PAL land, don't plan to mix PAL/NTSC footage, will use videos for output for web and/or DVD only, and the $$$ savings on a NTSC cam are significant. Still, the ability to up/download my PAL tapes to my MAC would be an important feature.

With some owners of Pana NTSC cams on this board, I hope that someone can answer on this. I contacted Alan recently and he told me that after talking with Pana reps, he was informed that it is not possible. If Sony's can why not Pana or other brands.

Thanks for any feedback.

Frank Granovski · November 13th, 2003, 08:14 PM

Quote:

I hear that Sony NTSC cams can play PAL recorded tapes into MAC/PC through firewire and back.

Which consumer Sony models can do this? I only heard that the PAL TRV900 could play back NTSC footage, but not moved via the cam's firewire.

Quote:

...he told me that after talking with Pana reps, he was informed that it is not possible. If Sony's can why not Pana or other brands.

What Sonys can??

Joao Oliveira · November 13th, 2003, 08:34 PM

Hi Frank,

I've got this from camcorderinfo forum. One of the senior members, Kerr Avon if my memory is correct, mentions on several threads that Sony TRV19/22/33 can do it. I would assume that all other Sony's as well. This might be BS, but I doubt it, otherwise someone would have come out and denied it.

Frank Granovski · November 13th, 2003, 08:47 PM

Well, I really don't know, but what I do know is that the PAL TRV900 could play back NTSC footage, but not upload/download nor convert. The NTSC TRV900 could not play back PAL footage. I have never heard of any NTSC Sony models that could playback or upload/download PAL footage. Perhaps you could e-mail Kerr Avon and find out more about this. This is certainly news for me, but at this point I'm suspect. Feel free to post here what you find out.

Oh, and my PAL MX300 can not play back NTSC. I've tried it. :)

Joao Oliveira · November 13th, 2003, 08:56 PM

Well, I have insufficient technical knowlegde here, but it would seem to me that while camera optics and chip capture differently for PAL/NTSC, when transferring footage via firewire, this is basically a digital data stream. The editing software would then be the one to determine if it is PAL or NTSC and work it accordingly.

Again, I don't have the technical background but this makes sense to me....

As for mailing Kerr, as far as I know he is Sony user and I would really hear some Pana user to confirm/deny this.

Bogdan Vaglarov · November 13th, 2003, 09:09 PM

Joao,
I have confirmed information that you can record correct NTSC signal via the FireEire from NTSC to PAL miniDV cam.

Then you can see color image on the PAL cam's own LCD monitor. However when you use the S-video or composite to watch on TV the image is black and white as the signal is NTSC (played back by the PAL cam). You'll need multy system TV to watch in color.

These is slightly different from what you want and reverse too but you can use it as starting point.

No any maker will admit their product can do both formats as it's against their policy.

I don't have any miniDV PAL recorded tapes otherwise I would check for you with pleasure.

Frank Granovski · November 13th, 2003, 09:12 PM

Quote:

As for mailing Kerr, as far as I know he is Sony user and I would really hear some Pana user to confirm/deny this

I am a Pana user, so is Allan. The Pana NTSC GS100 will not play back/upload/download/convert PAL footage. And I am suspect about your claim about these NTSC Sony models. I suggest e-mailing this "Sony user" or contacting Sony to get more information before you ask why Sony can do this and Pana can't.

Joao Oliveira · November 13th, 2003, 09:27 PM

I don't expect the NTSC cam to convert PAL to NTSC and v.v., I'm also not interested in the Sony cams and their capabilities.

I've heard a lot of discussion about "if you are in PAL country get PAL cam", but for my purposes, I can't see any reason to buy a PAL model if I can get NTSC for half the price.

Frank Granovski · November 13th, 2003, 10:21 PM

Joao, you have a point about prices. But if your country uses PAL, you're going to run into all sorts of problems with using a NTSC cam in PAL territory. Don't make this mistake. Perhaps settle with a cheaper PAL 1 CCD cam.

Young Lee · November 14th, 2003, 11:35 AM

Blame Europe's import tax system. :)

Allan Rejoso · November 14th, 2003, 07:50 PM

Best choice is to get PAL cams from Singapore or Malaysia through YowCH. Prices of PAL cams there are much cheaper even than Tokyo, while Tokyo is usually cheaper than Europe. Just have to wait when the PAL would finally be out, and starting street price should be higher than the current price(s) of the Jap GS100. MSRP (if ever they decide to give one) should be less than that of MX500.

Clive Muskus · November 15th, 2003, 12:11 PM

Hi Allan,
Quote: "Best choice is to get PAL cams from Singapore or Malaysia through YowCH"

How can I get in touch with YowCH and who is he?

Frank Granovski · November 15th, 2003, 05:36 PM

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...threadid=15402

He is a well-known member here and he has also posted for many years on dv.com's camera forum.

Emmet Lucey · November 15th, 2003, 10:43 PM

Don't do it joao. I did the same thing for the same reason (a canon cam) and all the little hassles go a long way towards destroying the pleasure ....

Emmet Lucey · November 15th, 2003, 10:45 PM

(I mea that about buying an ntsc cam, not about contacting Y :-) )

November 13th, 2003, 07:04 PM	#1
Joao Oliveira New Boot Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Bangkok, Thailand Posts: 21	Pal Footage on GS100? Hi, Still undecided on my cam purchase, a quick question to the GS100 owners. I hear that Sony NTSC cams can play PAL recorded tapes into MAC/PC through firewire and back. I would Pana cams to able to do the same but would like to be sure. I'm in PAL land, don't plan to mix PAL/NTSC footage, will use videos for output for web and/or DVD only, and the $$$ savings on a NTSC cam are significant. Still, the ability to up/download my PAL tapes to my MAC would be an important feature. With some owners of Pana NTSC cams on this board, I hope that someone can answer on this. I contacted Alan recently and he told me that after talking with Pana reps, he was informed that it is not possible. If Sony's can why not Pana or other brands. Thanks for any feedback.

November 15th, 2003, 12:11 PM	#12
Clive Muskus New Boot Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Lanzarote, Spain Posts: 12	Hi Allan, Quote: "Best choice is to get PAL cams from Singapore or Malaysia through YowCH" How can I get in touch with YowCH and who is he? __________________ Clive

November 13th, 2003, 08:34 PM	#3
Joao Oliveira New Boot Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Bangkok, Thailand Posts: 21	Hi Frank, I've got this from camcorderinfo forum. One of the senior members, Kerr Avon if my memory is correct, mentions on several threads that Sony TRV19/22/33 can do it. I would assume that all other Sony's as well. This might be BS, but I doubt it, otherwise someone would have come out and denied it.

November 13th, 2003, 08:47 PM	#4
Frank Granovski Outer Circle Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hope, BC Posts: 7,524	Well, I really don't know, but what I do know is that the PAL TRV900 could play back NTSC footage, but not upload/download nor convert. The NTSC TRV900 could not play back PAL footage. I have never heard of any NTSC Sony models that could playback or upload/download PAL footage. Perhaps you could e-mail Kerr Avon and find out more about this. This is certainly news for me, but at this point I'm suspect. Feel free to post here what you find out. Oh, and my PAL MX300 can not play back NTSC. I've tried it. :)

November 13th, 2003, 08:56 PM	#5
Joao Oliveira New Boot Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Bangkok, Thailand Posts: 21	Well, I have insufficient technical knowlegde here, but it would seem to me that while camera optics and chip capture differently for PAL/NTSC, when transferring footage via firewire, this is basically a digital data stream. The editing software would then be the one to determine if it is PAL or NTSC and work it accordingly. Again, I don't have the technical background but this makes sense to me.... As for mailing Kerr, as far as I know he is Sony user and I would really hear some Pana user to confirm/deny this.

November 13th, 2003, 09:09 PM	#6
Bogdan Vaglarov Major Player Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Yokohama, Japan Posts: 366	Joao, I have confirmed information that you can record correct NTSC signal via the FireEire from NTSC to PAL miniDV cam. Then you can see color image on the PAL cam's own LCD monitor. However when you use the S-video or composite to watch on TV the image is black and white as the signal is NTSC (played back by the PAL cam). You'll need multy system TV to watch in color. These is slightly different from what you want and reverse too but you can use it as starting point. No any maker will admit their product can do both formats as it's against their policy. I don't have any miniDV PAL recorded tapes otherwise I would check for you with pleasure.

November 13th, 2003, 09:27 PM	#8
Joao Oliveira New Boot Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Bangkok, Thailand Posts: 21	I don't expect the NTSC cam to convert PAL to NTSC and v.v., I'm also not interested in the Sony cams and their capabilities. I've heard a lot of discussion about "if you are in PAL country get PAL cam", but for my purposes, I can't see any reason to buy a PAL model if I can get NTSC for half the price.

November 13th, 2003, 10:21 PM	#9
Frank Granovski Outer Circle Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hope, BC Posts: 7,524	Joao, you have a point about prices. But if your country uses PAL, you're going to run into all sorts of problems with using a NTSC cam in PAL territory. Don't make this mistake. Perhaps settle with a cheaper PAL 1 CCD cam.

November 14th, 2003, 11:35 AM	#10
Young Lee Major Player Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 268	Blame Europe's import tax system. :)

November 14th, 2003, 07:50 PM	#11
Allan Rejoso Major Player Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Tokyo, Japan Posts: 569	Best choice is to get PAL cams from Singapore or Malaysia through YowCH. Prices of PAL cams there are much cheaper even than Tokyo, while Tokyo is usually cheaper than Europe. Just have to wait when the PAL would finally be out, and starting street price should be higher than the current price(s) of the Jap GS100. MSRP (if ever they decide to give one) should be less than that of MX500.

November 15th, 2003, 05:36 PM	#13
Frank Granovski Outer Circle Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hope, BC Posts: 7,524	http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...threadid=15402 He is a well-known member here and he has also posted for many years on dv.com's camera forum.

November 15th, 2003, 10:43 PM	#14
Emmet Lucey Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: lillehammer norway Posts: 67	Don't do it joao. I did the same thing for the same reason (a canon cam) and all the little hassles go a long way towards destroying the pleasure ....

November 15th, 2003, 10:45 PM	#15
Emmet Lucey Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: lillehammer norway Posts: 67	(I mea that about buying an ntsc cam, not about contacting Y :-) )