How to measure video tape length for Conversion
If you have a VCR with a real time counter in hours, minutes, and seconds, you can measure the length of your video tape. Insert the tape, press rewind and make sure the counter reads zero. Then push fast forward. Some VCR's stop at the end of the tape. Others must be stopped manually.
Write down the time. If it is 1hr 31 min 00 seconds, convert this number to minutes or 91 minutes. If you have a PAL tape that is 91 minutes you can figure the length of tape necessary to use for NTSC conversion. PAL has 25 frames per second as opposed to 30 frames per second for NTSC. Therefore more tape is required when converting from PAL to NTSC, Less tape is required when converting NTSC to PAL. Multiply 91 minutes times 2 meters per minute which equals 182 meters. Then look at our chart. You will see 185 meters equals a T-90 NTSC tape. This is the length tape necessary to transfer your 91 minute PAL tape to NTSC.
Tip: NTSC machines do not read the correct length of PAL or SECAM programs. If your real time counter reads 1:17:23 you must convert to minutes or 78 minutes. Divide this number by 5 and then multiply by 6. Your length of tape needed for conversion equals 93.6 minutes.
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PAL and SECAM uses tape at the same rate of 1.42 meters per minute. NTSC uses tape at the rate of 2 meters per minute.
|
Tape |
Length |
PAL and SECAM |
NTSC |
|
Label |
Meters |
Record Playback Time In Minutes |
Record Playback Time In Minutes |
|
E30 |
45 |
30 | 22 |
|
E60 |
88 | 60 | 44 |
|
E90 |
130 | 90 | 65 |
|
E120 |
173 | 120 | 86 |
|
E180 |
258 | 180 | 129 |
|
E240 |
346 | 240 | 173 |
|
T20 |
44 | 28 | 20 |
|
T30 |
64 | 42 | 30 |
|
T45 |
94 | 63 | 45 |
|
T60 |
125 | 84 | 60 |
|
T90 |
185 | 126 | 90 |
|
T120 |
246 | 169 | 120 |
|
T160 |
326 | 225 | 160 |
|
T180 |
367 | 253 | 180 |
|
T200 |
410 | 288 | 205 |
If PAL or SECAM is recorded on a E180 it will only play 180 minutes. If they are recorded on a T-180 American tape the play time could be 253 minutes.