Re: [gentoo-user] OT: Mplayer question

[Alan McKinnon <alan@linuxholdings.co.za>]

On Thursday 27 September 2007, Anthony E. Caudel wrote:
> Thinking about ordering a DVD from Amazon.uk (not available here in
> the US).  It is a region 2 DVD and is in PAL format unlike the NTSC
> here in the states.
>
> Will the DVD play in Mplayer?

It's really got nothing to do with mplayer, the zoning has everything to 
do with the drive itself. If it's multi-zone, the dvd will play. If 
not, well then most drives let you change the zone 5 times or some such 
thing.

PAL vs NTSC vs SECAM et al is purely a tv broadcast thing and video 
software is utterly unaffected by these standards (we don't use tvs as 
display devices). None of the things that limit what a TV can do are 
applicable to software driving a monitor. I have played PAL and 
NeverTheSameColour video seamlessly on mplayer.

<subtly dig at stupid US standards>
What may well happen is that by viewing PAL in it's native resolution 
you might be surprised by the increased quality and this might 
adversely affect your viewing pleasure of future US tv broadcasts
</subtle dig at stupid US standards>

alan

-- 
Optimists say the glass is half full,
Pessimists say the glass is half empty,
Developers say wtf is the glass twice as big as it needs to be?

Alan McKinnon
alan at linuxholdings dot co dot za
+27 82, double three seven, one nine three five
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