*DVD format listed below

Video Playback Systems:  NTSC, PAL, SECAM etc.

Most countries around the World use one of three main television broadcast Standards.

These three main standards are NTSC, PAL and SECAM.
However, each standard is incompatible with the other.
For example, a video recording made in the UK could not be played on US standard VCR's or shown on the TV.

NTSC     The first color TV broadcast system was implemented in the United States in 1953. This was based on the NTSC (National Television System Committee) standard. NTSC is used by many countries on the American continent as well as many Asian countries including Japan.
NTSC runs on 525 lines/frame.

NTSC System:   Bahama Islands, Bolivia, Canada, Central America, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Jamaica, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Peru, Surinam, Taiwan, the Philippines, the USA, Venezuela, etc.

PAL     The PAL (Phase Alternating Line) standard was introduced in the early 1960's and implemented in most  countries except for France.European
The PAL standard utilises a wider channel bandwidth than NTSC which allows for better picture quality. PAL runs on 625 lines/frame.

PAL System:  Australia, Belgium, Czech Republic, China, Dwenmark, Finland, Germany, Great Britain, Holland, Hong Kong, Italy, Kuwait, Malaysia, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, etc.

SECAM     The SECAM (Sequential Couleur Avec Memoire or Sequential Colour with Memory) standard was introduced in the early 1960's and implemented in France. SECAM uses the same bandwidth as PAL but transmits the colour information sequentially.
SECAM runs on 625 lines/frame.

Secam System:  Bulgaria, France Guiana, Hungary, Iran, Iraq, Monaco, Poland, Russia, Ukraine, etc.

To locate the standard for the country you are interested in, go to this website: http://www.alkenmrs.com/video/wwstandards1.html and find the alphabetical listing of countries and Systems used.  Click on the first letter of the country name.