The countries using PAL include:

Abu Dhabai; Afghanistan; Albania; Algeria; Angola; Argentina; Ascension Island; Australia; Austria; Azores; Bahrain; Bangladesh; Belgium; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Botswana; Brazil; Brunei; Cameroon; Canary Islands; Cape Verde; Cayman Islands; China; Christmas Island; Cook Island; Croatia; Cyprus; Denmark; Dubai; Easter Island; England; Eritrea; Ethiopia; Falkland Islands; Faroe Islands; Fiji; Finland; Gambia; Gaza and West Bank; Germany; Ghana; Gibraltar; Great Britain; Greenland; Guinea; Guinea Bissau; Hong Kong; Hungary; Iceland; India; Indonesia; Ireland; Israel; Italy; Jordan; Kenya; Kuwait; Lebanon; Lesotho; Liberia; Lichtenstein; Luxembourg; Macao; Macedonia; Madeira; Malawi; Malaysia; Maldives; Malta; Montenegro; Mozambique; Namibia; Nepal; Netherlands; New Zealand; Nigeria; Norfolk Island; Northern Ireland; Norway; Oman; Pakistan; Papua New Guinea; Paraguay; Poland; Portugal; Qatar; Romania; Sardinia; Scotland; Serbia and Montenegro; Seychelles; Sierra Leone; Singapore; Slovenia; Solomon Islands; Somalia; South Africa; Spain; Sri Lanka; Sudan; Sweden; Switzerland; Syria; Tanzania; Thailand; Tonga; Tristan de Cunha; Turkey; Uganda; United Arab Emirates; United Kingdom; Uruguay; Vananatu; Vatican City State; Wales; Yemen; Yugoslavia; Zambia; Zanzibar; Zimbabwe. No responsibility is accepted for the accuracy of this list. If in doubt check with a qualified TV engineer before purchase. No opinion is implied about the sovereignty or status of any place listed.

What can I do if I live in a non-PAL country and I want to view a PAL tape?

There are two solutions, and one good source of advice.

The first solution is to have the tape converted. The person doing the conversion will use special equipment to copy your PAL tape onto another tape, which you can then use on your normal VCR. The cost of this service varies; some US fans report paying around ten dollars; you might want to find out what it costs in your town before buying a PAL tape.

The second solution, which might be more useful if you want to watch a number of PAL tapes, is to buy a VCR that is dual-standard or multi-standard, and will allow you you to play PAL tapes as well as your usual tapes. It's best to take a PAL tape to the shop (store) and ask to see it played. Some TVs don't work with dual-standard or multi-standard VCRs, so the following precautions can save you trouble.

• Tell the shop assistant (store clerk) the exact model of your TV and ask if the VCR will play the PAL tape with your own TV.
• Seek their advice about the correct lead you need to connect the two together (connecting the VCR to the TV's aerial/antenna socket rarely works).
• Gain their agreement that if the VCR doesn't work with your TV, you can bring back the VCR and the lead for a refund.
• Try it out with a PAL tape as soon as you get home!

A good variation on this solution, if you can afford it, is to get a dual-standard or multi-standard VCR/TV combo (a TV with a VCR built in). You'll know the TV and VCR will work together if they're in the same case! Once again, take in your PAL tape and ask for a demonstration.

If you prefer to buy a VCR online or by phone, it might help you to know that I've found two American mail order merchants selling multi-standard VCRs. So, for information only, and not implying a recommendation by me or by anyone connected with this website, here are their links: MsMart.com and World-import.com.

Many places have a good source of advice in their immigrant communities. People whose families came from a PAL country often like to watch tapes from the old country, whether it's video letters from relatives or favourite shows their friends tape for them. If you know someone from one of the PAL countries, or if there are shops (stores) catering for communities whose roots are in a PAL country, ask them where they would buy a VCR that can play PAL tapes, or where they would get a tape converted.

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