DVD and Video Formats
Television standards differ throughout the world. Australia employs the PAL colour system in video production and television transmission as opposed to the NTSC format standard in the USA. Basically, the PAL system uses more lines to make up a slightly better quality TV picture.
Most of the DVDs and videos that we sell are in PAL format, unless otherwise stipulated in the product description on our website. You can also view the back covers of our titles online to confirm the suitability to your equipment. Many recent TVs sold in the Australian market can play both NTSC & PAL formats, but if you are unsure whether your TV is suitable to play the PAL format, please consult your owner's manuals for your equipment before ordering.
World Television Standards
NTSC (National Television System Committee)
Antigua, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Bolivia, Burma, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Greenland, Guam, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands Antilles, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Saipan, Samoa, South Korea, Surinam, Taiwan, Trinidad, Tobago, United States of America, Venezuela, Virgin Islands.
PAL (Phase Alternating Line)
Afghanistan (Kabul), Algeria, Argentina (PAL-N), Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil (PAL-M), Brunei, China, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France (PAL & SECAM), Germany, Ghana, Gibraltar,Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Liberia, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Monaco (PAL & SECAM), Netherlands, New Guinea, New Zealand, Nigeria, North Korea, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Paraguay, Portugal, Qatar, Romania (PAL & SECAM), Saudi Arabia (PAL & SECAM), Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Uruguay (PAL-N), Yemen (AR), Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
DVD (Digital Video Disc) Regions
DVDs have a built-in decryption system and are coded for specific regions throughout the world. Each disc can only be played on a DVD player purchased from the same region, unless you have a multi-zone / multi-region player or the disc is region 0, which means that it is not region-specific. Otherwise there are eight zones:
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North America
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Europe, Japan, South Africa, Israel, Lebanon, Middle-East
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Korea
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South America, Australia, New Zealand
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Russia, North-East countries, Africa
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China
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Reserved
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Special International Venues (airplanes, cruise ships etc)
