TV Standards

There are three TV Standards in common use. If you are ordering a video from our shop, make sure you order the right format for the country you are in.

• VN = VHS - NTSC (Never twice the same colour)- America and Japan
• VP = VHS - PAL - UK Europe and many other countries
• VS = VHS - SECAM (Systeme au Contraire L'Amerique)- France
• DN = NTSC DVD
• DP = PAL DVD

Playing VHS Tapes

A modern (1999 onwards) European VHS machine and TV Set will usually play NTSC (American) Tapes. However, there are no guarantees from us on this. For more information about the different standards have a look

• Worldwide TV Standards (University of Surrey UK)
• Worldwide TV Standards (Calfilm USA)

Playing DVD (Digital Versatile Discs)

If a DVD has no region flag burnt into it then it will play on any DVD Player and will give out a TV signal in whichever format it was recorded in. The problem arises with the TV set connected to it. The Region flag has two purposes from the point of view of the Company selling it

• To permit release of the DVD at different times in different parts of the world
• To prevent it playing at all in a territory where there might be poor quality playback due to local TV standards

See also the note on playing the NTSC version of the Fugazi DVD

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