Is UK PAL-I compatible with Europe PAL (S)VHS players?
 

Is a UK PAL (PAL I) VHS or S-VHS video tape compatible with a continental Europe PAL (PAL B, PAL G, PAL H, PAL D, PAL K etc) VHS/S-VHS player?

I've read that the difference between UK PAL and Continental PAL is the carrier frequency used for the audio. But is that referring to:

• the (now former) analogue TV broadcasts
• the encoding on the tape
• or both?

I am aware of the VHS PAL I standard for the UK and the VHS PAL B/G etc standard in continental Europe.

According to these links, if the SCART output is used, then the audio is available. The links say that the difference in audio encoding is only related to the RF (Radio Frequency) signal i.e. broadcasts:

• VHS tape recordings in the U.K. where else do they work? - https://forums.digitalspy.com/discus...e-do-they-work
• can I convert a PAL-B/G signal to a PAL-I signal? - https://www.avforums.com/threads/can...-signal.84444/

My use case is for using a continental video player from Germany to play UK VHS PAL tapes and convert the video and audio digitally.

My thinking is that the PAL variation refers only to a broadcast signal input into the recorder for recording and once on the tape, PAL is PAL is PAL - in that the audio and video are recorded in exactly the same way so that both video and audio is output when played back through SCART/S-Video/composite video and audio outs.

Also, related to S-VHS in general: there are 2 types of audio - linear and HiFi (S-VHS only, apparently) - is it possible for a VCR to advise me which one is on the tape during playback?

Setup:

• Model: JVC HR-S9600EU (not EK - UK) - one of the apparently higher quality machines, according to:
  • VCR Buying Guide 1 - http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/vide...ing-guide.html
  • VCR Buying Guide 2 - details of model codes such as EK and EU - http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/vide...g-guide-2.html
• Canopus ADVC100 attached to computer via Firewire

PAL standard references:

• http://martin.hinner.info/vga/pal.html
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PAL#PAL-B/G/D/K/I

Yes.
PAL-I is just the now-defunct broadcast standard. PAL is just PAL once on video tapes.
PAL-B/D/G/I/K is all the same, just PAL.
Only PAL-M and PAL-N are unique.
My JVC HR-S7965EK was made in Germany, bought in UK, to play my UK and Australian tapes.

HiFi and linear are harder to detect in PAL, don't have the extreme "BBZZZZTTTT!" buzzing on changes, or "HSSSSS" hissing that I've ever noticed. With NTSC tapes, it's usually pretty obvious.

For PAL, the 4:2:0 Canopus ADVC is fine. Still not best, but not bad like the 4:1:1 NTSC.

Your workflow is off to a good start. Now all you need is external TBC of some sort.

Hi-Fi is not unique to S-VHS. Most commercial VHS tapes other than the very early ones have Hi-fi audio. The player will usually have an form of indication on the display saying whether it's playing back hi-fi or linear audio. Hi-fi is also louder, clearer sounding and has much less hissy noise.

VCRs can decide to revert to the normal audio track if the hi-fi is very bad, but usually you get this BBZZZZTTTT noise if there are problems with reading it and hi-fi droppoing out or in.

You are not satisfied with the answers given to you at V.H forum two weeks ago? Like it was explained once it's on tape it's just PAL.