PAL<->NTSC: The Ultimate Converter
William R. Guest
the Panasonic AW1 and the Sharp WD1. Having had experience with both,
and now owning a Sharp, I know the conversion electronics for the
Sharp give better results. Both units run around $1500. Now there is
a less expensive solution! Sharp has taken the conversion electonics
from the WD1 and put it in a separate Video Converter only case!
Instead of having to buy the nice, but expensive player which
comes attached to the conversion electonics, you can use a less
expensive PAL player, the new Sharp AN-200SC Video Converter, and
any NTSC player/recorder.
The AN-200SC runs around $700 (hey, you want good conversion dont you?).
For info call XYK Enterprises in Seattle at 206-623-7473 and ask
for Zeeshan. I have NO connection with them, except for being
a satisfied customer (Sharp WD1). Tell him "bicycle man" sent you.
Frank Pilhofer
>The AN-200SC runs around $700 (hey, you want good conversion dont you?).
>For info call XYK Enterprises in Seattle at 206-623-7473 and ask
>for Zeeshan. I have NO connection with them, except for being
>a satisfied customer (Sharp WD1). Tell him "bicycle man" sent you.
A friend of mine has made some enquiries about NTSC<->PAL converters some
time ago. He finally found an address in Hong Kong and managed to get some
infos.
It was from a company named Cypress. They describe a converter named
CDM-800. Following is a list of its features:
.quote start
- CDM-800 is a digital multisystem converter that accomodates input
standards of NTSC 3.58, PAL and SECAM and converts to output stan-
dards of NTSC 4.43, NTSC 3.58 and PAL.
- Digital line (525 <->625 lines) and field (60<->50 fields) conver-
sion.
- Digital process generates high quality picture without causing any
picture compression and vertical rolling.
- 4M bit field memory; Static resolution: 500 lines, Dynamic reso-
lution: 300 lines.
- Accomodate two inputs and two outputs at the same time.
- Built in Time Base correction function for signal synchronization
.quote end
I have received this information as a fax forwarded from my friend. Unfor-
tunately, they do not sell to private customers but only in large amounts.
Sice none of us needs 50 converters, we have not investigated any further.
But it looks pretty interesting, and they have mentioned a price of about
$350 per piece.
I do not know how you can contact them. If you are interested, you can write
mail to op...@informatik.uni-frankfurt.de. If any one out thre has the finan-
cial capabilities to buy 50-100 of these converters, let us know; I would
want one of them, too.
Frank
P.S.: Martin (Opitz) has just left town and won't be back until later this
month.
--
+ Frank Pilhofer fr...@informatik.uni-frankfurt.de +
| Darmstaedter Str. 22 |
| D-63225 Langen, Germany |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
tno...@delphi.com
like a "sample".
Tom
wcno...@music.loyno.edu
peterzir
Have been searching for this sort information some time. Already knew
that Sharp released a stand-alone converter about 2 years ago. Never saw
the damn thing (except in a brochure).
Anyway, was in London last week and saw two different convertors with
TBC. Both machines looked very much alike and seem to be the same as the
Cypress machine too. One company in Hounslow-London sold it for 750
pounds, another one in Stoke-on-Trent for only 400 pounds. Anyway, I
bought the first one (because I had not heard about the cheaper one at
that time). The convertion was very good, but the TBC sucked. Output with
TBC on made it less sharp. Because the TBC was even more important for me
than the convertion, I brought the machine back and got my money returned.
If anyone knows a similar machine with a TBC that works well, please let
me know. I'd be interested in such a machine. Please let me know where I
can buy it and the price...
At this moment I have my eye on a stand-alone TBC I saw advertised in a
German magazine. It cost $775, which is a lot, so if anyone knows an
alternative.... Please let me know also.
Shane Borrett
Wow, with all that buildup I was wrapped to hear that its the AN-200SC
that you are toting, I have this model but I almost stayed on the fence
because of Rumours of a AN-300SC that was supposedly out - coming out or
something, does anybody have any concrete info on this model???
Comparisons?
--
sha...@actrix.gen.nz | LDA &700010,X
Phone +64-4-4764009 | INC A
Fax +64-4-8016729 | CMP &700010,X
William R. Guest
: A friend of mine has made some enquiries about NTSC<->PAL converters some
: time ago. He finally found an address in Hong Kong and managed to get some
: infos.
: It was from a company named Cypress. They describe a converter named
: CDM-800. Following is a list of its features:
The only thing which matters is how good the conversion results are,
compared to some standard. Maybe its a good deal if it has equal
results to a Panasonic or Sharp. Until someone has actual first
hand comparison experience, I'd consider that no deal is a good
deal if the quality isnt acceptable.
William R. Guest
: Wow, with all that buildup I was wrapped to hear that its the AN-200SC
: that you are toting, I have this model but I almost stayed on the fence
: because of Rumours of a AN-300SC that was supposedly out - coming out or
: something, does anybody have any concrete info on this model???
: Comparisons?
Havent heard about an AN-300SC, but was just passing along latest US
info. Remember, you're in the UK and may have had access to the 200model
for alot longer than anyone here. Its also grey market here, not officially
available. Why Sharp wont release it to the largest consumer market
in the world confuses me.
Laurence Chiu
only) and it works well. I fed the output from my Hi8camcorder into the
box and then fed its output into a PAL TV. The picture quality was
impeccable. But then I have also used the Sharp unit and it seems pretty
good too as well as doing PAL>NTSC.
BTW Cypress is a Taiwan company and they will send you one unit as a
"demo". Their top of the line digital converter is $380 plus $50 or so
shipping to the US DHL. Sounds like a good deal.
______________________________________________________________________
Laurence Chiu | lc...@crl.com
Walnut Creek, California | Tel (work) (510)412-4730
Dreamer
: I have used the Cypress converter (an earlier model which was NTSC>PAL
: box and then fed its output into a PAL TV. The picture quality was
: impeccable. But then I have also used the Sharp unit and it seems pretty
: good too as well as doing PAL>NTSC.
: BTW Cypress is a Taiwan company and they will send you one unit as a
: "demo". Their top of the line digital converter is $380 plus $50 or so
: shipping to the US DHL. Sounds like a good deal.
Does Cypress has a US distributor ? How I can contact with Cypress ?
Thanx !
--jian
: ______________________________________________________________________
Laurence Chiu
>
> Laurence Chiu (lc...@crl.com) wrote:
> : I have used the Cypress converter (an earlier model which was NTSC>PAL
> : only) and it works well. I fed the output from my Hi8camcorder into the
> : box and then fed its output into a PAL TV. The picture quality was
> : impeccable. But then I have also used the Sharp unit and it seems
pretty
> : good too as well as doing PAL>NTSC.
>
> : BTW Cypress is a Taiwan company and they will send you one unit as a
> : "demo". Their top of the line digital converter is $380 plus $50 or so
> : shipping to the US DHL. Sounds like a good deal.
>
> Does Cypress has a US distributor ? How I can contact with Cypress ?
If they do I have no idea who they are. All the people I know who have
gotten one have dealt with the Taiwan company directly. Here is the
information I have:
Cypress Technologies:
Voice +886-2-9464340 or fax +886-2-9464093. Ask for March Kung. The model I
was thinking about is the CDM800 that does NTSC/PAL/SECAM to NTSC
3.58/4.43/PAL. Sells for $340 in quantities of 50 but you can get a sample
for the same price and $65 shipping DHL.
--
_____________________________________________________________
Laurence Chiu Manager Technical Support
lc...@crl.com UNIQUEST INC
Tel(wk) 510-412-4730 Richmond, CA
Samir M. Fahs
>In article <Cwpz8q.JL2@da_vinci.ecte.uswc.uswest.com>, Dreamer wrote:
>>
>> Laurence Chiu (lc...@crl.com) wrote:
>> : I have used the Cypress converter (an earlier model which was NTSC>PAL
>> : only) and it works well. I fed the output from my Hi8camcorder into the
>> : box and then fed its output into a PAL TV. The picture quality was
>> : impeccable. But then I have also used the Sharp unit and it seems
>pretty
>
>
>Voice +886-2-9464340 or fax +886-2-9464093. Ask for March Kung. The model I
>was thinking about is the CDM800 that does NTSC/PAL/SECAM to NTSC
>3.58/4.43/PAL. Sells for $340 in quantities of 50 but you can get a sample
>for the same price and $65 shipping DHL.
>--
>
Does this Unit do recording or just conversion. In other words, if I gave it
an NTSC signal can I get it on a PAL Tape, or do I still have to feed
the output of this machine to a PAL recorder? and of course
Vice Versa?. I suppose there is no sense in asking how it compares to
the Panasonic AG-W1 unit, since they are in two different price
and possibly task categories.
How does the quality of the output compare to some other units, like some
of the AIWA units on the market?. Since service is going to be
impossible when ordered from Taiwan, how reliable have you found
it to be?.
Your response is much appreciated.