PAL to SECAM converter - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Gordon · 18th May 2004, 2:48 pm

Hi everybody,

I live in France and let my French neighbour borrow PAL-encoded videos, which she watches on her SECAM system, in black and white.
Does anybody have a design for a simple converter so I can add some colour to her life! ?

Gordon.

ppppenguin · 18th May 2004, 3:43 pm

I suspect the simplest answer is a multistandard video recorder. Most (newer) european TVs are already dual system PAL/SECAM.

Gordon · 20th May 2004, 7:36 pm

There was a design for a 'transcoder' in the Jan issue of Elector, 1996.
I know it's a long shot, but does anyone have a copy of this?

Gordon.

Thank you Jeffery, I think you are probably right,

ppppenguin · 20th May 2004, 9:19 pm

In the early 1980s I worked for Michael Cox Electronics. Amongst other things they made PAL>SECAM and SECAM>PAL transcoders. These were complex professional items. Even if I had the schematics around I doubt that you'd want to build any of them at home.

Cox was one the very few companies that actively supported SECAM. I did a (mercifully) small amount of design work on SECAM equipment before moving on to more interesting things.

Good luck with whatever method you use to get the tapes to work.

ppppenguin · 21st May 2004, 7:58 am

There must be one chip that does virtually the whole job. Otherwise the Elektor project and the product that Malcolm found would not be feasible. I suppose it's just possible that they use a SECAM decoder chip and a PAL encoder chip back to back.

ppppenguin · 21st May 2004, 7:19 pm

Also be warned that cheap PAL>SECAM conversion can look pretty horrible.

Gordon · 22nd May 2004, 3:05 pm

I have found a design on the following site:

http://kudelsko.free.fr/

The site is worth visiting just for the superb detail, as for the cost, probably much more than a new VCR Paul. I will take a trip to my local Carrefour.

Gordon

Sideband · 22nd May 2004, 11:06 pm

Hi Gordon.

Before you dive in and buy/build a transcoder be careful. There are several possibilities here. (1) Your neighbours VCR is not PAL/SECAM compatible and therefore will not recognise the colour burst signal from a PAL tape. It's output will be black and white. (2) Your neighbours VCR is PAL/SECAM compatible but the TV is not (less likely but possible). Result is still a B/W picture but a transcoder will not correct this. I think Jeffs first answer is correct and you require a Multistandard VCR.

If your neighbours VCR is connected to the TV via the aerial socket it might be possible to program the TV to select PAL for that program number (assuming a multistandard TV) and assuming a multistandard VCR.

Now probably even more confused.......!

Rich.

ppppenguin · 23rd May 2004, 8:47 am

The design that Gordon found is very much as I would expect. PAL decode followed by SECAM encode. Not worth the trouble of building when there are easier solutions around.

18th May 2004, 2:48 pm	#1
Gordon Pentode Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Bournemouth, Dorset, UK. Posts: 131	PAL to SECAM converter Hi everybody, I live in France and let my French neighbour borrow PAL-encoded videos, which she watches on her SECAM system, in black and white. Does anybody have a design for a simple converter so I can add some colour to her life! ? Gordon.

18th May 2004, 3:43 pm	#2
ppppenguin Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: North London, UK. Posts: 6,168	Re: PAL to SECAM converter I suspect the simplest answer is a multistandard video recorder. Most (newer) european TVs are already dual system PAL/SECAM.

20th May 2004, 7:36 pm	#3
Gordon Pentode Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Bournemouth, Dorset, UK. Posts: 131	Re: PAL to SECAM converter There was a design for a 'transcoder' in the Jan issue of Elector, 1996. I know it's a long shot, but does anyone have a copy of this? Gordon. Thank you Jeffery, I think you are probably right,

20th May 2004, 9:19 pm	#4
ppppenguin Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: North London, UK. Posts: 6,168	Re: PAL to SECAM converter In the early 1980s I worked for Michael Cox Electronics. Amongst other things they made PAL>SECAM and SECAM>PAL transcoders. These were complex professional items. Even if I had the schematics around I doubt that you'd want to build any of them at home. Cox was one the very few companies that actively supported SECAM. I did a (mercifully) small amount of design work on SECAM equipment before moving on to more interesting things. Good luck with whatever method you use to get the tapes to work.

21st May 2004, 7:58 am	#5
ppppenguin Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: North London, UK. Posts: 6,168	Re: PAL to SECAM converter There must be one chip that does virtually the whole job. Otherwise the Elektor project and the product that Malcolm found would not be feasible. I suppose it's just possible that they use a SECAM decoder chip and a PAL encoder chip back to back.

21st May 2004, 7:19 pm	#6
ppppenguin Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: North London, UK. Posts: 6,168	Re: PAL to SECAM converter Also be warned that cheap PAL>SECAM conversion can look pretty horrible.

22nd May 2004, 3:05 pm	#7
Gordon Pentode Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Bournemouth, Dorset, UK. Posts: 131	Re: PAL to SECAM converter I have found a design on the following site: http://kudelsko.free.fr/ The site is worth visiting just for the superb detail, as for the cost, probably much more than a new VCR Paul. I will take a trip to my local Carrefour. Gordon

22nd May 2004, 11:06 pm	#8
Sideband Dekatron Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Croydon, Surrey, UK. Posts: 7,734	Re: PAL to SECAM converter Hi Gordon. Before you dive in and buy/build a transcoder be careful. There are several possibilities here. (1) Your neighbours VCR is not PAL/SECAM compatible and therefore will not recognise the colour burst signal from a PAL tape. It's output will be black and white. (2) Your neighbours VCR is PAL/SECAM compatible but the TV is not (less likely but possible). Result is still a B/W picture but a transcoder will not correct this. I think Jeffs first answer is correct and you require a Multistandard VCR. If your neighbours VCR is connected to the TV via the aerial socket it might be possible to program the TV to select PAL for that program number (assuming a multistandard TV) and assuming a multistandard VCR. Now probably even more confused.......! Rich. __________________ There are lots of brilliant keyboard players and then there is Rick Wakeman.....

23rd May 2004, 8:47 am	#9
ppppenguin Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: North London, UK. Posts: 6,168	Re: PAL to SECAM converter The design that Gordon found is very much as I would expect. PAL decode followed by SECAM encode. Not worth the trouble of building when there are easier solutions around.