Hi to all,
@JohnMarsh : PAL to SECAM transcoders were needed and became popular because many CamCorders (and all Sony 8mm stuff) were in PAL.
If you search on E-Bay or the French Le Bon Coin web site, they are a dime a dozen.
Interesting models are the Sony SFR-1000 (very compact, SCART I/O, wall-wart PSU) and the Canon TC-21SP (metal box with cables, inboard PSU)
Also many models by CGV (Compagnie Generale de VideoTechnique)
See my CGV data repository (spec sheets, schematics) here :
https://app.photobucket.com/u/jhalph...9-94e2bf65f433
A word about French SECAM VHS VCRs:
There were 2 ways to record SECAM.
The official JVC standard for models sold in metropolitan France was a simple divide by 4 of the SECAM FM subcarriers. All commercial cassettes with movies used this.
RF modulator output is SECAM L/625, UHF, Positive Video Mod, AM Audio, 6.5MHz spacing.
The other, non-official way was to use essentially a PAL machine with the appropriate tuner.
This was called ME-SECAM (ME for Middle East).
Many multistandard JVC VCRs can record/play this standard.
Colour definition is better with ME-SECAM than with divide by 4, BUT all French commercial tapes will play only in B&W on a genuine French SECAM machine.
Best Regards
jhalphen
Paris/France