Help please - video numptie....

[Clare Gledhill]

I have a mini DV tape which was recorded for me in the States which will not play on my video camera - I figure it is a different format.

I know it is not HD - because I asked.

I need to be albe to transfer it to PC - any ideas at all?

[PW1664]

Chances are that the tape was recorded on an NTSC format camera (as used in the USA) and your camera is PAL (UK format).

AFAIK you'll need a NTSC camera/player to play/upload the tape.

[Lee B]

Originally Posted by Clare Gledhill

I have a mini DV tape which was recorded for me in the States which will not play on my video camera - I figure it is a different format.

I know it is not HD - because I asked.

I need to be albe to transfer it to PC - any ideas at all?

Hi Clare, it is because it is NTSC format in the U.S and PAL here in the UK. NTSC is 525 lines @60Hz where as PAL is 625 lines @ 50Hz. You can get it format converted by lots of different places. They charge between £20-40 per hour of tape. Or you can get someone who has a NTSC camera (in the US) to save it as a file and you then will be able to play or format convert on your PC.

[Timbo]

Nero should do it!
Your camera should have an NTSC playback setting,,,

[Lee B]

Originally Posted by Timbo

Nero should do it!
Your camera should have an NTSC playback setting,,,

Very few DV cameras can do PAL and NTSC

[David P]

All I can say - beyond the above - is that my (serious end of the market) video camera has an "NTSC playback" option in the menus - though whether that means your tape could be either (i) played on it, or (ii) transferred to PC, is more debatable, if my experience of playing NTSC VHS tapes is anything to go by!

If I can help - if you're in central London during the day, say (I work near Whitehall!), and want to give it a go - let me know (PM).

David P.

[Lee B]

This usually means that your PAL 625 line caputed video can be played out of the Analogue video output in NTSC for playing on a NTSC TV whilst abroad. unfortunately it does not mean that you can play a NTSC 525 Line captured DV tape in it and play it out in PAL. Some professional equipment can do both and there may be somthing out there that can, but finding one that you can borrow is a different matter.

Clare if you like I can get it format converted but as I said it is usually aroud £20-40 a hour. I am getting one done next week probably at a company in Soho we use.

[scubadoguk]

go on ebay buy a dv camera, it has the usb hook up cost $100-150 for a jvc.
Then loan rent it out to others and still not be as expensive as a few hrs with the other company

[David P]

Lee - I suspect you're right but can't be sure. In my case it's a Sony PDX10P (so serious but not pro kit). The manual does though say "NTSC PB ... 1. On PAL TV ... to play back a tape recorded in the NTSC colour system on a PAL system TV ... 2. NTSC 4.43 ... to play back a tape recorded in the NTSC colour system on a TV with the NTSC 4.43 mode" - though I have a suspicion that even if this works, it'll end up with a pseudo-NTSC output which (judging by my VHS experience) a TV may cope with but a PC won't!

[Clare Gledhill]

Thank you so much to all of you who posted or PMd - and especial thanks to PennSimon who offered to do it for me

My son's friends are both computer geeks and americans so on the of chance I contacted them - and they sorted it out for me this afternonn - phew