| It is also important for those in the market | | | | the right products for their part of the |
| for a plasma TV to be aware of other | | | | world.The term NTSC is an acronym for |
| purchases that may be required besides the | | | | National Television System Committee, the |
| television itself. One of the most important | | | | industry wide standardization body that was |
| things to keep in mind is the fact that in | | | | responsible for the creation of the |
| most cases these TVs will not come with their | | | | format.The National Television System |
| own tuner. The buyer of the television | | | | Committee was first established back in 1940 |
| therefore needs to be prepared to provide a | | | | by the Federal Communications Committee (FCC) |
| cable TV, satellite TV, DVD, VCR or computer | | | | in order to resolve conflicts which had |
| input.It is also important to purchase only | | | | arisen over the introduction of a national |
| the highest quality cables to connect these | | | | analog television system in the United |
| external devices to the plasma TV. These | | | | States. In March of 1941, the committee |
| high quality televisions are very sensitive, | | | | issued a technical standard for black and |
| and using the highest quality cabling will | | | | while television, built on an earlier |
| help owners get the most out of their new | | | | recommendation by the Radio Manufacturers |
| TVs.The PAL FormatPAL is short for phase | | | | Association.After a few years of inaction, |
| alternating line, and it is a color encoding | | | | the National Television System Committee came |
| system that is used to broadcast television | | | | back into being in 1950, this time in order |
| signals in large portions of the world. The | | | | to make a decision about color TV. The |
| PAL formThe terminology PAL is generally used | | | | committee unanimously approved what is now |
| to refer to the 625 line/50Hz television | | | | known as the NTSC color television standard |
| system found primarily in European countries, | | | | in 1953.Throughout the years there have been |
| and to differentiate the system form the 525 | | | | a number of changes in the NTSC standard, |
| line/60Hz systems, known as NTSC, that have | | | | known as NTSC I, NTSC II and NTSC III. The |
| become the norm in North America, Central | | | | specifics on each type of NTSC are as |
| America and Japan. It is important for | | | | follows:*NTSC I first became the standard in |
| buyers of DVDs to understand this difference, | | | | 1941, starting in the US and later moving to |
| since not all DVD players are capable of | | | | Canada. The NTSC I standard was the original |
| playing both formats.PAL formats are used in | | | | black and white broadcasting standard.*NTSC |
| a number of different countries throughout | | | | II is the color version of the NTSC |
| the world, including all of Europe, many | | | | standard.*NTSC III was developed to deal with |
| parts of Asia, and many parts of Africa as | | | | the new digital television revolution which |
| well.The NTSC FormatThe NTSC format, on the | | | | began in the 1980s,and unlike NTSC all |
| other hand, is primarily used throughout | | | | aspects of the NTSC III format have been |
| Central and South America, including the | | | | rigidly designed.The NTSC format is used |
| United States, as well as in Japan. Again, | | | | throughout North America, including the |
| it is important for both television shoppers | | | | United States, Canada and Mexico, as well as |
| and DVD purchasers to be aware of the | | | | throughout Central America and the Caribbean, |
| differences between the competing PAL and | | | | including Cuba, Costa Rica, El Salvador, |
| NTSC formats, and to make sure they purchase | | | | Guatemala, Bermuda, the U.S. |