[hadron]

I would like to purchase a widescreen TV in the 32" range that is able to display both NTSC and PAL format from DVD sources. There are many dealers in the Chicago area (only a couple hours drive) that sell multisystem TVs, but all of them seem to stock 4:3 format models exclusively.

Is there any US reseller that has WS models like the Sony KV-32FQ80, Philips 32PW9527, or similar?

Getting a standards converter box or DVD player with the same remains an option, but I would like to avoid this if at all possible. A TV set that can handle PAL natively, esp. with the new 100 Hz motion interpolation processors (Sony DRC-MF or Philips Digital Natural Motion) is what I am after.

There are just too many non-R1 DVDs that I want... Spooks, Manchild, Buffy WS, to name a few.

I'm trying to google for an A/V forum to ask this question in, but so far my results have turned up boards that only get a very small number of posts.

 

[D-EJ915]

B&H sells them Here

 

[hadron]

D-EJ915, I didn't see any items in widescreen or larger than 29" on the B&H site. Please, correct me if I'm wrong on this.

 

[Sol_Zhen]

There is no need for a multi-format TV if your PAL sources will be on DVD. If you have a decent multi-region DVD player, it will convert PAL to NTSC.

You'll need a multi-region player anyway if you want region 2, region 3, or region 4 discs. Just make sure it converts PAL to NTSC for the European releases.

 

[D-EJ915]

oh, heh, they sell lots of PAL stuff, so I didnt' bother to actually look and see...I will next time

 

[hadron]

Sol_Zhen, you may be correct. I'm thinking of getting a multiregion Philips 963SA (mostly for the video, SACD and Redbook upsampling is a minor bonus), I know the stock version will output both NTSC & PAL. Though the spec sheets claim that it will not do NTSC->PAL conversion. Seems a bit odd as both of the players I have now play PAL (S)VCDs with no problem on my NTSC TV, though I've yet to try a PAL DVD.

My interest is mainly being able to play Region 2 & 4 (U.K. & Australian) DVDs.

Edit: With high quality on PAL as the 100 Hz systems provide, the Philips SAA4993 Falconic looks to be an excellent chipset, which units use this?

 

[Sol_Zhen]

I prefer to run a two DVD player setup with a quality player for region 1 domestic releases and a cheap region-free player for the imports.

There are a multitude of cheap (sub $100) players that are region free and do PAL > NTSC. Most you just hack with a code entered from the remote.

That way you don't have to compromise on your primary DVD player, yet you'll have a perfectly functional secondary player for imports. Check here for a good list of player hacks.

 

[fractus2]

.