If you browse our website, you may notice our wide selection of TVs for sale. And once you’re on that page, you may notice even more: for example, that all of our TVs are so-called “multisystem,” or that some of our TVs have an “UHD” designation. What does any of that mean? Allow us to explain.
What’s Multisystem?
You may not be aware of this, but the different electricity systems throughout the world also have a significant impact on how electronics are built. Since the United States relies on a 110V system, all electronics for the American market are specifically designed and calibrated to function well within that current. But for European markets, which run on 220V currents instead, electronics have to be adjusted in order to make the most of (and not get damaged by) the difference in voltage. That’s all well and good, but begins to invite significant issues if you try to plug an electronic made for one country into an outlet in a different part of the world. At best, you’ll need a voltage converter to ensure your electronic doesn’t get damaged. At worst, your electronic simply won’t work. That’s what makes multiystem TVs so special. They’re able to run on any electricity current in the world.
What’s UHD?
Next, let’s examine what the “UHD” on some of the TVs in our inventory stands for. In short, it means “Ultra High Definition,” a concept so new you may not have heard about it yet. The technology is also known as 4K HD, largely because UHD screens have four times as many pixels as regular HD TVs, allow for a picture that’s four times as clear. If you thought HD looked crisp try an UHD alternative. Especially landscapes and water are rendered so beautifully, you want to enter the screen right then and there. That’s what makes UHD TVs so desirable, and that – along with their multinational capability – is why our Multisystem UHD LED TVs are such unique and desirable products. To see whether we have one available for your needs, contact us!
What are NTSC, PAL and SECAM?
NTSC (National Television Standards Committee) is a standard used in North America and Japan. It has the ability to display up to 525 lines of resolution. PAL (Phase Alternating Line), a standard used almost everywhere else in the world, has the ability to display 625 lines of resolution. SECAM (Sequential Color Memory) is used sparingly around the world and can be found in France, parts of Greece, Eastern Europe, Russia, Africa and a few other parts of the world. However, any SECAM country can display PAL tapes in full color, but not all PAL countries can display all SECAM tapes in color. Only if they are true SECAM and not MESECAM can those VCR’s display SECAM.
What video standard does my country use?
If you’re in North America, Japan, Korea, the Philippines and parts of South America, you use NTSC. Most other areas of the world use PAL or SECAM. Half of Brazil uses NTSC while the other half uses PAL-M. Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay use PAL-N. The rest of the world uses mainly PAL. If you’re unsure what your video standard is, contact your local cable or broadcast company. Also, on the back of most videotape is indicating what video standard the tape is. This is a good representation of what your video standard is.
Do I need special types of videotapes to record in different video standards?
No, videotapes are blank. You can get a blank tape and record any video standard onto it.
How do I watch overseas videotapes?
Videotapes come in variety standards, each incompatible with the other. To watch videotapes from overseas that are not the same video standard as your own, you’ll need what is called a multisystem VCR and a multisystem TV, or a Digital Video Standards Converter and VCR, or a VCR with a built-in Converter.
What is a multisystem VCR?
Different areas of the world use different video standards. North America uses NTSC, Europe uses PAL and SECAM, and South America uses PAL-M, PAL-N, PAL and NTSC. Almost every area of the world has a mixture of video standards. Unfortunately, none of these standards are compatible with each other. A multisystem VCR has the ability to play videotapes of different video standards.
Country | Voltage | Frequency | TV System |
Afghanistan | 220V | 50Hz | B/PAL B/SECAM |
Albania | 220V | 50Hz | B.G/PAL |
Algeria | 127/220V | 50Hz | B/PAL |
Argentina | 220V | 50Hz | N/PAL |
Australia | 240V | 50Hz | B.G/PAL |
Austria | 220V | 50Hz | B.G/PAL |
Bangladesh | 230V | 50Hz | B/PAL |
Belgium | 220V | 50Hz | B.H/PAL |
Bolivia | 110/220V | 50/60Hz | N/PAL |
Brazil | 110/127/220V | 60Hz | M/PAL |
Brunei | 240V | 50Hz | B/PAL |
Bulgaria | 220V | 50Hz | D.K/SECAM |
Canada | 120/230V | 60Hz | M/NTSC |
Canary Islands | 110/220V | 50Hz | B.G/PAL |
Chile | 220V | 50Hz | M/NTSC |
China | 220V | 50Hz | D/PAL |
Columbia | 110/120V | 60Hz | M/NTSC |
Congo (P. R.) | 220V | 50Hz | D/SECAM |
Costa Rica | 120V | 60Hz | M/NTSC |
Cyprus | 240V | 50Hz | B.G/PAL |
Czechoslovakia | 220V | 50Hz | D.K/SECAM |
Denmark | 220V | 50Hz | B.G/PAL |
Dominican Republic | 110V | 60Hz | M/NTSC |
Ecuador | 110V | 60Hz | M/NTSC |
Egypt | 110/220V | 50Hz | B/SECAM |
El Salvador | 110V | 60Hz | M/NTSC |
Fiji | 240V | 50Hz | M/NTSC |
Finland | 220V | 50Hz | B.G/PAL |
France | 127/220V | 50Hz | E.L/SECAM |
Germany | 220V | 50Hz | B.G/SECAM/PAL |
Gibraltar | 240V | 50Hz | B.G/PAL |
Greece | 220V | 50Hz | B.G/SECAM |
Guam | 110V | 60Hz | M/NTSC |
Guatemala | 110/120V | 60Hz | M/NTSC |
Honduras | 110V | 60Hz | M/NTSC |
Hong Kong | 200V | 50Hz | I/PAL |
Hungary | 220V | 50Hz | D.K/SECAM |
India | 230V | 50Hz | B/PAL |
Indonesia | 127/220V | 50Hz | B.G/PAL |
Iran | 220V | 50Hz | B/SECAM |
Iraq | 220V | 50Hz | B/SECAM |
Ireland | 220V | 50Hz | AI/PAL |
Israel | 230V | 50Hz | B.G/PAL |
Italy | 125/220V | 50Hz | B.G/PAL |
Jamaica | 110/220V | 50Hz | M/NTSC |
Jordan | 220V | 50Hz | B.G/PAL |
Kenya | 240V | 50Hz | B/PAL |
Korea (D. P. R.) | 220V | 50Hz | D/SECAM |
Korea (Rep.) | 100/200V | 60Hz | M/NTSC |
Kuwait | 240V | 50Hz | B/PAL |
Lebanon | 110/190V | 50Hz | B/SECAM |
Liberia | 120V | 60Hz | B/PAL |
Libya | 127/230V | 50Hz | B/SECAM |
Luxembourg | 120/220V | 50Hz | C/PAL, GL/SECAM |
Macao | 110/220V | 50Hz | I/PAL |
Malaysia | 240V | 50Hz | B/PAL |
Mexico | 110/220V | 50Hz | M/NTSC |
Monaco | 220V | 50Hz | C/PAL, GL/SECAM |
Mongolia | 220V | 50Hz | D/SECAM |
Morocco | 115/220V | 50Hz | B/SECAM |
Myanmar | 230V | 50Hz | M/NTSC |
Netherlands | 220V | 50Hz | B.G/PAL |
New Caledonia | 220V | 50Hz | K1/SECAM |
New Zealand | 230V | 50Hz | B/PAL |
Nicaragua | 120V | 60Hz | M/NTSC |
Niger | 220V | 50Hz | K1/SECAM |
Nigeria | 230V | 50Hz | BG/PAL |
Norway | 230V | 50Hz | B.G/PAL |
Oman | 220V | 50Hz | B.G/PAL |
Pakistan | 230V | 50Hz | B/PAL |
Panama | 110/120V | 60Hz | M/NTSC |
Paraguay | 220V | 50Hz | N/PAL |
Peru | 220V | 60Hz | M/NTSC |
Philippines | 110/220V | 60Hz | M/NTSC |
Poland | 220V | 50Hz | D.K/SECAM |
Portugal | 220V | 50Hz | B.G/PAL |
Puerto Rico | 120V | 60Hz | M/NTSC |
Qatar | 240V | 50Hz | B/PAL |
Rumania | 220V | 50Hz | D.K/PAL |
Saudi Arabia | 127/220V | 50/60Hz | B.G/SECAM, PAL |
Singapore | 230V | 50Hz | B/PAL |
South Africa | 220/230V | 50Hz | I/PAL |
Spain | 127/220V | 50Hz | B.G/PAL |
Sri Lanka | 230V | 50Hz | B/PAL |
Sweden | 220V | 50Hz | B.G/PAL |
Switzerland | 220V | 50Hz | B.G/PAL |
Syria | 115/200V | 50Hz | B/SECAM |
Taiwan | 110V | 60Hz | M/NTSC |
Thailand | 220V | 50Hz | B/PAL |
Turkey | 220V | 50Hz | B/PAL |
United Arab Emirates | 220V | 50Hz | B/PAL |
United Kingdom | 240V | 50Hz | I/PAL |
Uruguay | 220V | 50Hz | N/PAL |
USA | 120V | 60Hz | M/NTSC |
C. I. S. | 127/220V | 50Hz | D.K/SECAM |
Venezuela | 120V | 50/60Hz | N/NTSC |
Vietnam | 120/220V | 50Hz | M/NTSC, D/SECAM |
Yemen | 230V | 50Hz | B/PAL |
Yugoslavia | 220V | 50Hz | B.G/PAL |