B3.5.2 New Zealand: TV Info, Video Conversion
Description
This article is from the New Zealand FAQ, by Phil Stuart-Jones and Lin Nah with numerous contributions by others.
B3.5.2 New Zealand: TV Info, Video Conversion
NZ runs on PAL G on UHF. This gives the same picture and sound spacing
(5.5MHz), but the channel spacing is slightly wider - the same as that used
for 6MHz intercarrier spacing. Standard 50 hertz field rate, 25 hertz
frame rate.
We also use NICAM for stereo tv, rather than one of the various analogue
systems.
In the Southern Hemisphere, the locally-vertical component of the field is
in the opposite direction to where it would be an equivalent distance north
of the equator.
This affects the colour convergence of video monitors. It's not a *huge*
difference, and it took computer companies until the late 1980's to wake up
to the difference and ship different monitor versions to New Zealand, South
America, and Australia. Northern hemisphere monitors *work* but the
colours won't be as crisp as you'd expect.
Mike Tuppen wrote:
" lines ch bw Vision bw Sound spacing Vision Mod Sound Mod U.K. 625 8MHz 5.5MHz +6MHz -ve f.m. N.Z. 625 7MHz 5MHz 5.5MHz -ve f.m.
UK NICAM Standard I Second sound carrier is at 6.552MHz Main carrier
modulated with mono sound or A The 2nd carrier digitally modulated with L &
R or A and B or Mono plus data or full data.
NZ NICAM Standard B/G Second sound carrier is at 5.85MHz Main carrier
modulated with mono sound or A. The 2nd carrier digitally modulated as in
UK
So without tweaking you coils your audio output is likey to be somewhat
poor! Also if channel spacing is different (as the channel band width
hints) and if you set is digitally tuned you may possibly not be able to
tune into the NZ stations.
If your set is modern it might be worth contacting the manufacturer to see
if it can be modified.
Alan Brown wrote:
"Our video/audio intercarrier separation is 5.5MHz compared to the UK 6MHz
and the cost of getting the traps adjusted and IF retuned makes it
uneconomic - especially on modern TVs where to achieve the change an entire
module usually has to be swapped out.
"Additionally few UK PAL sets have VHF modules and our free-to-air channels
work almost exclusively in VHF 1 and 3 bands."
B3.5.3 Video Conversion
NTSC/PAL tv's are available but expensive. Commercial conversion
facilities are available.
B3.5.4 New Zealand: Bringing Computers In
Only problems are power supply suitability. Large monitors may experience
problems changing hemisphere (or Sun would have us believe!). See notes on
tv info and video conversion above as applicable.
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