Re: [CH] Why different formats?
Brent Thompson (brent@hplbct.hpl.hp.com)
Wed, 26 Mar 2003 11:02:03 -0800
> Does anyone know why the mini-brains decided to use different formats for
> videotaping and DVDs between Europe and the U.S.? They probably designated
> a third format for Asia.
> ...
> Can't even buy a DVD player with European format from amazon.co.uk for shipment to U.S.
I understand the DVD issue is purely a business decision by The Recording
Industry, that the world was carved into several regions with separate
codes to restrict access for marketing purposes, and big money gets its
way. E.g., the film "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" was released in Asia
by 1998, then on DVD no later than 1999, but released in USA only in 2000.
Think of the money that would have been lost if people in USA had had
access to DVD version of that film before 2000? (I'm sure it must be
irrelevant to ask, "Think of the money that would have been made if that
film had been released in USA in 1998, concurrently with Asia release,
instead of waiting two more years").
In contrast, the VHS issue is purely technological, I believe. I have been
told that NTSC is inferior to PAL -- significantly lower video quality. I
suppose NTSC was the first type of VHS available, when VHS use was ramping
up in USA, when it was dueling with Betamax, so it got the large installed
base, so it continues to predominate in USA. Maybe VHS usage in Europe
began growing somewhat later, and by then PAL had been developed, and it
would be reasonable for the superior solution to be more popular, so it
predominated there. Presumably ditto for the 2-3 other formats in use in
different regions around the world, not that I know the intro dates of any
of these formats nor merits, either, aside from NTSC/PAL comparison
mentioned above.
--- Brent