Taking a VCR to Russia

[Joanna and Richard Robin]

>Unless it has changed the Russian video system was French SECAM.
No, the video system of Russia is SECAM D and K. It differs from French
SECAM in the frequencies used for the telvision channels and in picture
resolution.

True, the Panasonic AG W-1 *will* work for any format on any TV. But it's
dreadfully expensive. If you don't need to play American NTSC tapes, the
cheapest way to go is to get a PAL/SECAM machine in any import
electronics store in any large U.S. city, or in Russia. You'll pay
$200-300. If you use the set in the U.S. you *will* be able to watch
Russian videos on any American TV will AV input jacks, but the picture
will be in black and white and slightly enlongated. You will also need to
ajust the vertical hold. (I do this all the time.)

Similarly, on an NTSC (U.S. system) VCR connected to a Russian TV, you
can watch American videos (but not Russian videos) in black and white.
Again, inputting through A/V cables will insure a usable b/w picture +
sound.

And here's the real surprise: you can watch American SHVS videos on an
American SVHS recorder hooked up to a *Russian* SECAM TV *in color*! (But
the color will be off!) It has to do with the way SVHS handles color.

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Richard Robin     <robin at gwuvm.gwu.edu>
Slavic Languages and Literatures, The George Washington University
Washington, DC 20008