I have a PAL VHS video sent from NZ and I want to either copy it to VCD or change it to the NTSC system that is used here. My video player is not equipped to handle PAL and therefore when I tried to use my computer to change it to VCD it was a fruitless effort.
Anyone know of anywhere where I can get the video changed? Or perhaps you have another idea.
That’s rather difficult. You can do it at home but need a suitable converter which cost about NT$8000.
I do however wonder what you mean by “and therefore when I tried to use my computer to change it to VCD it was a fruitless effort.” as I don’t see any way you could have transferred it to the PC since you claim the VCR does not support PAL!? :?
Guess there are some companies around which can do it but don’t know any and I am not sure if it’s worth the effort …
I connected my video player to the computer and tried to record to VCD, I had the sound which was not too bad but without the picture it is a waste of time. The computer software can handle PAL but the VCR can’t. What I think I need to do is find someone with an expensive VCR that can handle both systems and hook that up to my computer and CD burner and go from there.
It’s well worth the effort because if I can’t play the Video my son will not be happy.
I dug the yellow pages and found one company that does NTSC, PAL conversion.
Dah Tai Enterprise Co., Ltd.
Tel: 02-2765-9021
Also, if you know anyone that works at an advertising agency or production house–they can do it. Did the service for me.
Send me a mail if the one company posted here can’t help you.
I live in Taichung so I am looking for someone in Taichung who can do it. I never go to Taipei.
I contacted a company in Taipei a while back who quoted me a price of NT$800 (i think) to convert one tape. BBC’s advice about finding someone who has access to this type of equipment might be the way to go.
Fire up Kazaa and download that VDO 
I found a place that will copy a PAL video and they charge the earth… $1000nt less than one hour tape …$1500 nt for a longer tape. Oh Dog Poo !!! I can’t believe it.
Told you, it might not be worth it … 
In fact I have a similar problem, want to copy from my camcorder (PAL) to a VCR so I can mail the tape back home …
find a friend or a friend of a friend that has the right kind of player and hook it up to the computer. Let the guanxi network get rolling. I started it rolling today and it looks like it might work out free. fingers crossed. Some people really do have the expensive machines and can do it.
Rascal, if you have problems with a PAL camera, I guess its still an analog model? Get a tv card and connect it through Composite (FBAS) or S-video (provided by almost all cards) input to your computer.
To record, I suggest “Virtualdub” - its free, its extremely powerful, flexible and fast. You can try a lot of filters and compression codecs, record everything onto the harddisk and burn a cd from it…
Aeh no, it’s a DV cam and my laptop does have a Fire-Wire connection, so if I were to transfer to a PC it wouldn’t be a problem but I want to record to VHS as my parents don’t have any VCD compatible equipment.
Well, my two DVD players are in the apartment upstairs but they don’t accept CD-R/W and surely my parents wouldn’t know how to operate them.
So it gotta be plain’ old VHS in PAL …