Overview of the different video systems in use throughout the World
PAL
The system used in UK. Developed in Germany in the late 60s. Used in the UK and much of Europe. Phase Alternate Line is the acronym's expansion.
PAL pictures are made up of 25 frames scanning at 625 horizontal lines per second.
PAL-N and PAL-M is used in some South American Countries, although PAL-M has a line/frame rate the same as NTSC
Go to list of PAL countries
NTSC
The original colour television system. Developed in the United States and introduced in 1953 from a specification laid down by the National Television Standards Committee.
NTSC pictures are made up of 30 frames scanning at 525 horizontal lines per second.
Another interpretation is Never Twice the Same Colour, due to the signal's susceptibility to differential phase errors.
Go to list of NTSC countries
SECAM
Started in France in the late 60s, and used by other countries with a political affiliation.
This is Systeme En Coleur
Avec Memoire.
SECAM pictures are made up of 25 frames scanning at 625 horizontal lines per second.
Also said to stand for System Essentially Contrary to the American Method.
Go to list of SECAM countries
List of countries using the PAL system
PAL-M and PAL-N
Abu Dhabi Afghanistan
Albania Algeria
Andorra Angola
Aryenuna Australia
Austria Azores
Bahrain Bangladesh
Belgium Bhutan
Bosnia Botswana
Brunei Cameroon
Canary Is. China
Cyprus (Turkish) Denmark
Dubai Equatorial Guinea
Ethiopia Falkland Is.
Fernando Po Fiji
Finland Germany
Ghana Gibraltar
Greenland Hong Kong
Ireland Israel
Italy Jordan
Kenya Kuwait
Lesotho Liberia
Liechtenstein Luxembourg
Macao Macedonia
Madeira Malawi
Malaysia Maldives
Malta Monaco
Montenegro Mozambique
Nepal Netherlands
New Zealand Niger
Nigeria Norway
Oman Pakistan
Papua-New Guinea Poland
Portugal Qatar
Romania Saba and Sarawak
San Marino Serbia
Seychelles Sierra Leone
Singapore Slovenia
Somalia South Africa
Spain Sri Lanka
Sudan Swaziland
Sweden Switzerland
Tanzania Thailand
Tibet Turkey
Uganda U.K.
U A E Vatican
Yemen Zambia
Zanzibar Zimbabwe
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Go to list of SECAM countries
Go to list of NTSC countries
Other PAL systems
PAL-N
Argentina Paraguay
Uruguay
PAL-M
Brazil
Beginning of PAL list
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Go to list of NTSC countries
List of countries using the NTSC system
Antigua Antiles
Azores Bahamas
Barbados Belize
Bermuda Bolivia
Canada Chile
Colombia Costa Rica
Cuba Curacao
Diego Garcia Dominica
Dominican Rep. Ecuador
El Salvador Germany
Guam Guatamala
Haiti Hawaii
Honduras Jamaica
Japan Korea - South
Leeward Islands Mexico
Micronesia Midway Islands
Montserrat Nicaragua
Okinawa Panama
Peru Philippines
Puerto Rica Samoa (Eastern)
Surinam Taiwan
Trinidad & Tobago USA
Venezuela Vietnam
Virgin Islands
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Go to list of SECAM countries
List of countries using the SECAM and MESECAM system
MESECAM systems are denoted by *
Afghanistan Armenia
Azerbaijan Bulgaria
Burundi Central Afr. Rep.
Chad Congo
Cyprus Czech Republic
Dahomey Djibuti
Egypt* Estonia
France French Polynesia
Gabon Georgia
Greece Guadeloupe
Guinea (Rep.) Guyana (French)
Guyana (Rep.) Hungary
Iran* Iraq*
Ivory Coast Kazakhstan
Korea - North Kyrgystan
Latvia Lebanon
Libya Lithuania
Luxembourg Madagascar
Mali Martinique
Mauritania Mauritius
Moldova Monaco
Mongolia Morocco
New Caledonia Poland
Reunion Russia
Rwanda Saudi Arabia
Senegal Slovakia
Society Islands Syria*
Tahiti Tajikistan
Togo Tunisia
Turkmenistan Ukraine
Upper Volta Uzbekistan
Zaire
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Go to list of NTSC countries
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