Before taking a look at the services we offer, if you need to get an idea on the different video formats, and how each one operates, and what formats are used in different countries, please visit our Info section.

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What can we do with a VHS tape?

A VHS tape can be in one of three formats: NTSC, PAL, SECAM.

NTSC: US & Canada and some other locations (check here)

PAL/ME-Secam: Europe, Eastern Europe and Asia

SECAM: Limited incompatible system originated in France, and adopted by the Eastern Communist Regimes, currently obsolete

We can do the following:

-Convert from PAL/MESECAM to NTSC: PAL VHS >> NTSC VHS

-Convert from NTSC to PAL:                   NTSC VHS >> PAL VHS

-Copy from VHS to another VHS:            Copy NTSC VHS >> NTSC VHS

                                                             Copy PAL VHS >> PAL VHS

There are two variations that have been developed: PAL-M and PAL-N.  The main differences between PAL and PAL-M is a lower resolution (525 lines instead of 625) and a higher frame count (30 frames per second at 60Hz versus 25 frames per second at 50Hz). PAL-M grew out of NTSC as an attempt to correct the inherent color problems of NTSC. PAL-M is essentially PAL at NTSC line and frame rates. The only major difference is how the color is processed. ie: the sub-carrier frequency.

PAL-N is effectively PAL (identical frame/scan rate), but uses a 3.582056 MHz chroma subcarrier. PAL-N  in engineering circles is known as "Chrominance Lock Technique". Without going into a long technical dissertation on PAL subcarrier like we did with NTSC, PAL-N was simply a more sophisticated delay-line technique which could better track and cancel differential phase distortions especially encountered in remote/mountainous areas.  With subsequent improvements in tuners and filtering techniques, the reality was, that it didn't "buy" much and was never widely adopted. The only countries employing PAL-N are Argentina, Paraguay & Uruguay. Note that attempting to display a PAL signal on a PAL-N monitor will result in only a monochrome image.

SYSTEM	PAL B, G, H	PAL I	PAL D	PAL N	PAL M
Line/Field	625/50	625/50	625/50	625/50	525/60
Horizontal Frequency	15.625 kHz	15.625 kHz	15.625 kHz	15.625 kHz	15.750 kHz
Vertical Frequency	50 Hz	50 Hz	50 Hz	50 Hz	60 Hz
Color Sub Carrier Frequency	4.433618 MHz	4.433618 MHz	4.433618 MHz	3.582056 MHz	3.575611 MHz
Video Bandwidth	5.0 MHz	5.5 MHz	6.0 MHz	4.2 MHz	4.2 MHz
Sound Carrier	5.5 MHz	6.0 MHz	6.5 MHz	4.5 MHz	4.5 MHz

PAL in part, came about as a result of NTSC's weakness in the area of color stability. It circumvented NTSC's inherent problems by inverting the color phase by 180 degrees on every other line. If the color drifted off by Plus 5 degrees on line 100 for example, then on line 101 the color drifted back minus 5 deg. since the color phase reference was inverted every other line. True, the color errors were still there, but the human eye and brain are wonderfully marvelous devices....  the image processing center of our brains integrate the interleaving lines smoothly all into one coherent corrected image. The effect is that phase shifts are effectively cancelled out using our human brain as a super high speed image integrating processor.

This very trait is where PAL got it's name----  Phase Alternation by Line....  which leads us to the next world standard.
 

SECAM was developed in France  and is used in France and it's territories, much of Eastern Europe, Russia, the Middle East and northern Africa. This system uses the same resolution of PAL, 625 lines, and frame rate, 25 per second, but the way SECAM processes the color information is not compatible with PAL (or anything else on the planet for that matter....) 

SECAM uses an FM color subcarrier that carries the color difference signals somewhat similar to PAL. But instead of all the color difference information being transmitted all at once, in SECAM the color difference signals are transmitted sequentially ...... that is:  R-Y on one line and B-Y on the next. A delay line in the receiver provides the necessary time delay for making R-Y and B-Y available for display at the same time and thus the term "Memoire" as part of the standard's name.

SECAM was not developed for any technical reason of merit (as was PAL)  but was mainly invoked as a political statement, as well as to protect the French manufacturers from stiff foreign competition. In that regard, they were highly successful !..... 

Reminds one of the classic lines from Star Wars - The Empire Strikes Back.... Where Hans Solo is about to deliberately fly into an asteroid field to avoid the Empire's perusing Tie Fighters.......

Princess Leia:  You're not actually going IN to an asteroid field ?
Han Solo:         They'd be crazy to follow us, wouldn't they ?

Likewise, no other foreign manufacturer in their right mind had any burning desire to commit economic suicide by having to deal with and support such a limited market that was incompatible with everything else on the planet.

The Eastern Block countries during the cold war adopted variations of SECAM simply because it WAS incompatible with everything else !

If that wasn't bad enough, there are other variations of SECAM: SECAM-L (also known as French SECAM) used in France and its' now  former territories, MESECAM and SECAM-D which is used primarily in the C.I.S. and the former Eastern Block countries. Naturally, none of the three variations are compatible with even one another.   They couldn't even agree on a single incompatible standard even amongst themselves....

A Solution of Sorts

MESECAM stands for Middle East Systeme Electronique Couleur Avec Memoire..  It is a modified variant of SECAM used for recording SECAM on videotape only. This variation of SECAM is never broadcast but is just a less expensive way to record SECAM on a video tape. Thus, you'll never see MESECAM listed in any of the world standards charts, for as just stated, it is a format which is never broadcast.

So why would anyone in their right mind who is not a glutton for punishment, ever want to create a format
that is never broadcast, you're probably asking ?

Well, it all came about owing to the limited number of units of SECAM equipment manufactured. SECAM equipment; televisions in particular, are quite expensive, since the economic efficiencies of high volume mass production and competitive market forces could never be realized. PAL televisions however, are  "dirt cheap" by comparison. Europe is swimming in the things !   Short of totally scrapping SECAM, what was needed was a way for SECAM video tapes to be played back on inexpensive PAL televisions.  The answer:  MESECAM

MESECAM allows a standard SECAM signal to be slightly modified and recorded on tape that is close enough to PAL, so that SECAM programs can be played back on a standard PAL television. Thus many so called SECAM recorders aren't true SECAM recorders at all. They internally convert SECAM to MESECAM. MESECAM is the actual format written to tape.

The price that's paid for this "wonderful" cross compatibility, is that MESECAM differs from regular SECAM in how the color component is processed. SECAM uses an FM modulated subcarrier whereas MESECAM uses an AM modulated subcarrier. Naturally, the two systems as far as color is concerned are incompatible. Color recordings will only play back in black and white between SECAM and MESECAM systems. Thus an MESECAM VCR is required to play MESECAM tapes in color. They couldn't have it both ways !

What can we do with a DVD disc?

Digitize Your Movies

1. Go to our Order section.

2. Choose the format of your original copy.

3. Select the length of the tape you are converting:

   • Minimum time is 1hr

   • If your video is less than or equal to 30 min past the hour round down (eg. for 1:30 and under, only order 1 hour, )

   • If your video is more than or equal to 31 min past the hour round up (eg. for 3:31 and higher order 4 hours)

4. Chose the type of conversion in General

   • VHS--VHS

   • VHS--DVD

   • DVD--VHS

   • 8mm--VHS

   • 8mm--DVD

   • DVD--DVD changing form Pal to NTSC

   • DVD--DVD only changing to MultiRegion Disc

5. Choose the specific conversion type you desire

6. Choose the quantity of blank tapes/DVDs you need.

7. Choose method by which we will receive your media:

   • If you live in Toronto, we can pick up if the area is serviced by TTC (pick up at your home or another location) for a small fee.

   • You can drop your media off at St. Clair Ave W and Oakwood Ave at no charge

   • You can also ship the item to us (at your own expense)

8. Choose method by which you want to receive your original and converted media back (Returning):

   • In Toronto areas serviced by TTC we can drop off for a fee.

   • You can pick up your media  at St. Clair Ave W and Oakwood Ave  for free

   • We can ship the item to you (charges differ for within Ontario & Rest of Canada, and in the US).

9. Select a Reason for Converting (just to give us an idea on how to best serve you)

10. Click Add to Cart & Show Costs

Checking out:

• After pressing the submit button a new page will pop up (the shopping cart)

• If you have pop up blockers please ensure that these are not blocking the page from opening.

• If you closed the page use the Show Cart Contents button to see your cart

• If you need to erase items, enter "0" for quantity and click Recalculate.

• Make sure 10 items appear in your cart  (some of them may have a charge of $0, that's okay)

• Choose Shipping Options:

  • If you chose to have us dropoff your order, or you will pickup yourself (you can pick up your media  at St. Clair Ave W and Oakwood Ave  for free ) choose Toronto Pickup/Dropoff

  • If you chose for us to ship the item back to you chose whether you reside in Ontario, elsewhere in Canada, US, or International, then click Recalculate and the shipping charges for that location will appear

• Use any coupon/voucher codes you may have

• Enter a note or comment, then click Submit.

• Fill out the required address information with your correct address and your phone number.

Payment methods:

1-Paypal:

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• Cash is only available for pick up/drop off orders within the Toronto area served by TTC

• Money orders and cheques (personal cheques are fine) must be from a Canadian Institution only.

• If you are a US resident you may need to provide  an International Postal Money order (more information about this will be communicated to you upon submitting an order).

• Personal Cheques and Money Orders may require at least 3-7 days to clear.

If you require more info on our services or policies check the FAQ section, the online Blogger system, or our Terms and Services (you must agree to these before completing a purchase.), or feel free to contact us.