Question for the experts: These Flat Screen TV's

[VectraMan]

No, the TV signal is still encoded as NTSC/PAL/SECAM regardless of it being demodulated due to the fact that the USA TV expects a signal based around a 60hz timebase and a UK tv based around 50hz.

Technically PAL and NTSC (Never The Same Colour) refer to the colour encoding schemes and not the frame rate or resolution, though they tend to commonly be used to refer to the resolution and frame rate standards.

The answer is to look at the specification. I don't know how true this is of modern flat screens, but I understood that in the past hardly any NTSC equipment supported PAL, whereas NTSC support is commonplace on PAL/European TVs and DVD players. But it may be that economies of scale means the Japanese now make the exactly the same TVs for everybody (Japan uses NTSC BTW).

Also both now use the same resolutions for HD, whereas they didn't for SD. Which means a 1080p NTSC TV is no different from a 1080p PAL TV, it's just a case of whether the electronics can decode the PAL signal.

[DimPrawn]

shirley the NTSC/PAL thing won't be an issue if you're connecting to a Sky or Freeview box as you're bypassing the built-in tuner?

No, the TV signal is still encoded as NTSC/PAL/SECAM regardless of it being demodulated due to the fact that the USA TV expects a signal based around a 60hz timebase and a UK tv based around 50hz.

I know this as my mate found out the hardway.

[~Craig~]

shirley the NTSC/PAL thing won't be an issue if you're connecting to a Sky or Freeview box as you're bypassing the built-in tuner?

[bogeyman]

Won't it be 110volt ?

No. All modern TVs will work on all available mains voltages and freqs.

Just imagine the production costs of fitting custom PSU circuitry for every market. All the mfrs need to supply is a cable with the right plug on the end.

[Peoplesoft bloke]

Won't it be 110volt ?

[OrangeHopper]

I wouldn't recomment an American TV. The choice of programmes is absolute carp!

[Bob Dalek]

American tellies often implode on the UK mains, thus creating micro blackholes, like the hadron thingy will.

[oracleslave]

I take it both ways.

HAB..is that you?

[ace00]

I heard they take it both ways.

[DimPrawn]

Depends.

Some will work others won't.

My mate shipped over a very large plasma from the USA a few months back. Guess what. That one didn't work. Seems PAL support was disabled to prevent UK buyers bypassing rip-off prices in the UK.

[oracleslave]

Dunno for sure, but very probably.

Excellent cuk 'expert' answer. Would have been better if you stated emphatically the wrong answer though. 8/10

[milanbenes]

Afternoon All,

these flat screen tv's, if I buys one from a supplier in the USA ('cos they're cheaper across the pond) will it work in the UK/Europe, or is there still that NTSC / PAL problem ?

Thanks,

Milan.