VIDEO STANDARDS and FORMATS

Video Standards are protocols defining video signal format.   Three main International Video Standards currently exist:-
  • NTSC - NATIONAL TELEVISION STANDARDS COMMITTEE standards which are used mainly in the United States of America and in Japan.
    This standard is based on 525 horizontal lines and 60 frames per second.

  • PAL - PHASE ALTERNATING LINE standard which is used mainly in Western Europe, Australia and some areas of Africa and the Middle East and provides a clearer image than NTSC.
    • This standard is based on 625 horizontal scan lines and 50 frames per second. ('PAL plus' is a widescreen adaptation and enables 16:9 aspect ratio pictures).

  • SECAM - SYSTEME ÉLECTRONIQUE COULEUR AVEC MÉMOIRE the standard which defines TV and video formats in France and Saudi Arabia.

VHS = VIDEO HOME SYSTEM video cassette tape format, using ½inch wide tape, developed by JVC and currently the standard for home and consumer markets.
S-VHS = SUPER VIDEO HOME SYSTEM - a high-resolution version of the foregoing which can record 400 lines of a video signal compared to the usual 260 lines of VHS.
VCR = VIDEO CASSETTE RECORDER - a device for recording analog video signals onto magnetic cassette tape and playing back the tape to display the video on a television monitor.
CASSETTE TAPE = 1inch tape is mainly used for studio-quality mastering; ¾inch tape is no longer used, having been replaced by the popular ½inch VHS format tape. ½inch Beta format tape (the first to be used with the home VCR format) is now extinct.

The NTSC Video format is believed to be used in the following countries:-
Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Bolivia, Canada, Chile, Columbia, Cuba, El Salvador, Jamaica, Japan, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Puerto Rico, South Korea, Surinam, Taiwan, Trinidad, United States of America, Venezuela.

The PAL Video format is believed to be used in the following countries:-
Afghanistan, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Botswana, Brazil, China, Cyprus, Denmark, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, Germany, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lesotho, Liberia, Luxembourg, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mozambique, Namibia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Paraguay, Portugal, Qatar, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

These notes are given in good faith and not in an advisory capacity: neither the makers of the Film "Violette Szabo Remembered", nor the Proprietors of the Museum nor the Designers and Webmasters of this website are to be considered liable for any accident or damage to equipment resulting from the use of these notes as a basis for ordering any specific format of video, neither do they or any of them accept liability for any such occurrence.
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