PAL vs. NTSC Format
There are different formats for DVDs, and for the most part, if you buy your electronic equipment and DVDs in the same country, you won't have a compatibility problem. However, if you get bring in video gear or DVDs (or even old videocassettes) from other countries, they might not work with your other items. Understanding the differences between the formats (PAL and NTSC) will help you avoid getting a product you can't use.
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History
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The concept of different formats didn't originate with the DVD. In fact, the PAL and NTSC formats apply to more than just DVDs. They relate to all analog televisions. The same configuration issue was present in the days when video cassettes were widely used. You can look at the difference between the two formats almost like the Betamax versus VHS debate that occurred in the early days of VCRs. Still, the PAL versus NTSC distinction existed in both of those tape formats.
National Standards
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In general, each video format is limited to a certain region. The United States uses the NTSC format. The United Kingdom and some parts of Europe use PAL. There is another format called SECAM, which is used in parts of Europe, most notably France. However, equipment sold in Europe can work with either PAL or NTSC formats. It is possible to buy NTSC equipment in the United States that will play PAL, too, but while the number of those machines is growing, it's far from the standard.
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Size
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One of the key differences between NTSC and PAL relates to the picture size and aspect ratio (the ratio between length and width of the picture). The default picture size for PAL is 720 x 576; NTSC is 720 x 480. Those numbers refer to the pixels on the screen. The first number is width and the second is height. As the numbers show, the picture on PAL equipment is more square, and it's composed of more pixels.
Frame Rate
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Another difference in the formats is frame rate. Frame rate refers to the number of frames (independent pictures) shown in the course of one second. NTSC has a frame rate that comes to a little less than 30 frames per second. The frame rate for PAL systems is 25 frames per second. So, NTSC provides more information in a given second than does PAL, at least in terms of the number of frames.
Audio
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A final difference between NTSC and PAL formats involves audio. This is one that wasn't really a factor before stereo sound. NTSC systems rely on Dolby Digital sound. PAL uses a system called MPEG audio. All PAL players can play Dolby Digital audio as well. That gives them an advantage because there are some NTSC players that can handle MPEG, audio, but they are far from the norm.
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