Television

[Gwenhwyfar]

Trying to get our TV sorted for Xmas! Just read this:

"If you wish to receive both Local (French) and English TV please note, only a few TV sets will work on both systems. We would recommend you purchase a Sony, Phillips, Panasonic or Grundig, they will work on both !  The UK system is Pal i, not the Pal BG, which is installed to some (cheaper) Local sets."

I've seen a good deal on a Daewoo set and was just wondering if anyone else has had any problems with makes other than the ones they've suggested above???

[Martin963]

A lot depends if you are buying in the UK or France and I'm not sure from your post which it is, although I'm guessing France.

If you ARE in the UK, then there is a risk that the set will not respond to SECAM colour signals at all (either on the aerial socket or the SCART socket) and it may well not even respond to the French terrestrial transmission system (which is called system L).

Howver, if you are buying in France, then the SCART socket will be PAL/SECAM compatible and the aerial socket will respond to system L and SECAM colour.

If you do not intend to bring the set to the UK, then you can plug your British-based equipment in via the SCART socket regardless of other specs; as far as SCART is concerned there is no problem with the TV systems (B, G, L) as it becomes irrelevant. The only thing that matters here is that a French TV SCART will be PAL/SECAM compatible, a UK one MAY well only be PAL compatible.

The point about the mention of systems B and G (Germany and many other countries) concerns off air reception via the aerial socket. The UK uses system I with PAL colour and not all sets that respond to B & G and L can be switched to I - we have a Toshiba and it won't do system I. We can however use the SCART sockets for British equipment and the aerial socket for French TV so there is no real problem.

Persuade the sales staff (assuming you aren't in a virtual showroom!!) to dig out the mode d'emploi and check the specifications at the back.