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Regarding Roger Waring enquiring about standards conversion of video
tapes (MMD 01.12.14), it is worth pointing out that most recent VCRs
and televisions sold in the UK are in fact capable of displaying NTSC.

When playing an NTSC tape in a modern PAL player the output signal
is in fact a 'fudge' that doesn't fully conform to either PAL or
NTSC standard but will enable display on essentially PAL equipment.
However, even though it might be viewable on a television, because
it is a non-standard signal you would not be able to copy the tape
to another machine.

Incidentally, you would probably find that commercial copy houses
would not copy and/or transcode a commercial tape due to copyright
restriction.

Ashley Sutton
Chandlers Ford, Hampshire, UK