Did you listen to those Suspiria grabs? Did you hear the difference there? That is a PAL vs NTSC comparison from discs authored from the same source. Sometimes there can be speed differences if the source is different irrespective of video format, so this is a 'level playing field' comparison.

No, they don't play any differently. Being in 'region 2' is a functional irrelevance.

Putting them in sync on side by side monitors would be pointless: the difference would initially be imperceptible but would eventually become quite significant, cumulatively. Basic maths -- if something is losing a tiny but steady speed advantage the margin will grow wider and wider.

Are you saying that you are SO intent on the 'pace' of a shot that if it lasts 9.6 seconds rather than ten seconds this will completely derail it for you? You see, I don't understand how anyone could be enjoying a piece of film-making AND be obsessing over such a minuscule distinction at the same time. Film is to be felt, not measured and calculated in microscopic increments.

Ragged movement, on the other hand, isn't a problem?! Well, surely that little judder (it IS very little indeed, but then so is the PAL-NTSC speed difference!) is really apt to mess with beautifully executed, silky-smooth tracking shots, no?

Bottom line is that PAL and NTSC are both relatively crappy systems built on a compromise for the benefit of watching film on a CRT set. Their faults don't ruin my enjoyment, but to imagine one is a more pure representation than the other is a mistaken idea. They're both flawed. If you want a greater degree of exactness, Blu-Ray is the only way to go. I mean, even NTSC discs don't play at the RIGHT speed if you want to split hairs! They play at 23.9x fps but only after the native 29.9x fps has been fudged to that speed (hence the compromise on smoothness of movement) (can't be bothered looking up the exact numbers).

It's wonderful that better digital formats finally are doing away with this dated piffle. But I have loads of discs in both formats and I don't have a preference.

Last Edited By: Siouxsie Sue Feb 4 09 4:30 PM. Edited 1 times.