PAL or NTSC source, DOes the WDTV play both? Options

[sneezer2]

I have source material in both NTSC and PAL format. DVDs, .mkv files etc.

Will a single WDTV Live unit play both?

Or are there separate models for NTSC and PAL.

I have seen some forums which refer to a person having bought a PAL WDTV (in Britain)

Is this correct?

Thanks.

[sneezer2]

Actually, the refernce to a PAL version is right here in a post from Batfink.

I have source material in both NTSC and PAL format. DVDs, .mkv files etc.

Will a single WDTV Live unit play both?

Or are there separate models for NTSC and PAL.

I have seen some forums which refer to a person having bought a PAL WDTV (in Britain)

Is this correct?

Thanks.

[sneezer2]

Incidentally, another forum (wdtvforum.com) refers to someone having bought an Australian version and
having no trouble with, as he puts it "any framerate issues,with either Pal25fps/Nstc/29.970/23.976fps".

Also, this person says:

"If you run the box using COMPOSITE cable you can change Auto/Pal/Ntsc/
BUT if you use HDMI you cannot....but you can change Hz settings."

So, what gives here? Can I play anything I want on any unit or are there different versions?

I'm not talking about the TV. I will probably get a multisystem set soon. The question is
whether **any** WDTV will play any material into it, or do I have to go to UK or Australia
to get one that will.

Anybody have any knowledge on this?

Thanks.

[Rev Drew]

I have source material in both NTSC and PAL format. DVDs, .mkv files etc.

Will a single WDTV Live unit play both?

Or are there separate models for NTSC and PAL.

I have seen some forums which refer to a person having bought a PAL WDTV (in Britain)

Is this correct?

Thanks.

I have been trying to think if I played and PAL movies on mine. I think I did but it would have been a divx movie..
I see no harm in trying, it shouldn't hurt anything, then you can say with confidence one way or the other.

If you are timid I am more stupid than brave so post it and I will try it for you. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

[sneezer2]

Most of what I want to play would be xvid or matroska with a few DVDs.
I'm not concerned about the display end as I will by then have a multisystem TV.
But there seems to be little information on whether these files would play
through the WDTV. The manual says something about both PAL and NTSC
but not much.

I have been trying to think if I played and PAL movies on mine. I think I did but it would have been a divx movie..
I see no harm in trying, it shouldn't hurt anything, then you can say with confidence one way or the other.

If you are timid I am more stupid than brave so post it and I will try it for you. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

[ataa]

I have source material in both NTSC and PAL format. DVDs, .mkv files etc.

Will a single WDTV Live unit play both?

Or are there separate models for NTSC and PAL.

I have seen some forums which refer to a person having bought a PAL WDTV (in Britain)

Is this correct?

Thanks.

There are separate models for PAL and NTSC (for both original and Live versions) : http://support.wdc.com/product/download.as...amp;wdc_lang=en
I have both of them and never faced any issues watching Asian dvd rips or US DVD rips and even the PAL version is connected to Samsung Series 7 (NTSC Version) TV using HDMI and works just fine.

Upload a sample file, I'll try it on both versions.

[sneezer2]

Well, I sure would like to know the difference!. I did check your link to WDC and, indeed,
they do have several models. What's the actual difference though. They say two of
the models are PAL and two of them are NTSC but then they give no further
specification that I can see. Maybe it's in the manuals but those don't come with
the unit (at least not on paper).

Anyway, I did break down and buy one at Best Buy ($119.95). The model number on it
does not accord with any of this. Mine says WDBAAN0000NBK-NESN. Well, with all the Ns
in there, I guess it must be NTSC. However, I have played both NTSC and PAL source
material through it and both work fine. I've done no DVDs, only .avi and .mvk and
buth off a USB key.

Weird.

There are separate models for PAL and NTSC (for both original and Live versions) : http://support.wdc.com/product/download.as...amp;wdc_lang=en
I have both of them and never faced any issues watching Asian dvd rips or US DVD rips and even the PAL version is connected to Samsung Series 7 (NTSC Version) TV using HDMI and works just fine.

Upload a sample file, I'll try it on both versions.
[/quote]

[sneezer2]

Incidentally, I've just realized my Model No. means nothing. It looks like a
Model No. just for Best Buy. I've encountered that before, with a LinkSys router.
When the router needed new firmware, it was nearly impossible to find out
which version to use. I guess that will happen here too but for now I'm happy.

[sneezer2]

Nope, wrong again!

Those PAL and NTSC versions and model numbers are for the WDTV not WDTV Live.
So far as I can see there is only one Live and maybe that explains why it plays
everything. I don't think I'll waste more time looking into this aspect of it.

[neverlift]

Just to let ya know WDBAAN0000NBK-NESN is the WDTV Live model number not a BestBuy code.
Also when you see WD has both Pal and NTSC it have me believe the only difference would be the power adapter. Now please correct me if I'm wrong.

[sneezer2]

Well, no. I have pretty much scoped it out by now but that doesn't mean my answers will be perfect.
The source material, including from WD itself is contradictory and unclear. PAL and NTSC would
never refer to the power adapter as these are video standards. That said, a unit sold as a PAL
unit would probably have a different adapter from one sold as NTSC, only because it would likely
be sold in a country where PAL is (was) the prevailing TV standard, and those countries have their
own standards for mains electricity connections.

After a lot of searching it becomes clear that WD sold four versions of the WDTV (not Live) for
Australia, UK, US, etc. These were designated as PAL or NTSC. I'm not sure where this
designation applied and won't do any more research on it as I have the WDTV Live model and
that is my main concern.

The new model, WDTV Live is not designated as either PAL or NTSC and, as I have found out,
it will play both. It will play either one to an HDTV set. The difference arises when you want to
play video material to a standard definition (480i) TV using the composite output. There is a setting
in the WDTV live to change this output to either PAL or NTSC. In fact, so far as I have been able
to determine, this is the only application where the PAL and NTSC designations have any real
meaning.

My original purpose in asking this question was to know what the WDTV would do for me if
I bought one. In any event, I did buy one and it has performed very well, playing almost
everything I can throw at it. The issues I'm having now refer to network performance and
I will have nothing to say here. That's material for another thread.

[strongbow]

Actually they do make PAL and NTSC versions of the WDTV Live player

* Order/Model Number PAN AMERICA (NTSC): WDBAAN0000NBK-NESN
* Order/Model Number JAPAN (NTSC): WDBAAN0000NBK-JESN
* Order/Model Number APAC (NTSC): WDBAAN0000NBK-PESN
* Order/Model Number APAC (PAL): WDBAAP0000NBK-PESN
* Order/Model Number EMEA (PAL): WDBAAP0000NBK-EESN

From HERE

I have a PAL LCD screen but now live in North America. The question I have will the WDTV Live NTSC version playback via HDMI on my screen?
Probably wont know for sure until I get a chance to test it! I have a feeling it wont as its an old LG screen.
It also according to the specs linked to above will probably not play 1080i50 or 1080p25 files which I have lot of sadly.
Please feel free to correct me with good news (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)