--- Forwarded Message from Ursula Williams <[log in to unmask]> ---

>Date: Wed, 4 Aug 1999 09:21:16 -0500
>To: [log in to unmask]
>From: Ursula Williams <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: PAL conversion tape length question

Must be the Dog Days; I actually find time to ponder this:

When converting video from PAL to NTSC, I have noticed that, while the
length of time is the same (of course) the amount of tape needed is not.
It's usually a guessing game, and if I run out of NTSC tape, I just insert
another cassette. Most people don't mind this, but I'd rather be able to
figure it out ahead of time. Also, it seems that people bring me 180
"minute" PAL tapes. I don't know how long these tapes would run on NTSC.
(It's a little confusing because tape length is conventionally measured in
time rather than feet, yards, meters or inches. Conversant with IPS speeds
for reel-to-reel tapes (UGH!) I am, alas, not familiar with the IPS, FPS,
or MPS of video tapes.

Anybody got a formula? Anybody willing to come up with one, while sipping a
daiquiri and dangling your feet over a dock?


PS: I don't like to use the fail-safe of EP record speed because of the
downgrade in quality of the copy.

PPS: Of course I don't convert copyrighted tapes, Lynne!<smirk>

Ursula