I am currently living in the US but will eventually move back to
Australia.
I want to purchase a rear projection TV but obviously need to be sure
it will be able to handle PAL back in Australia. I know you can
purchase Multisystem TV's from online dealers but you don't end up
getting a very good deal. There is also no point asking the sales guy
at Best Buy if any of his TV's can handle PAL because they don't even
know what NTSC is let alone PAL!
I guess it would still need 2 tuners to receive Analogue signals on
PAL and NTSC but digitally a HDTV box should be able to do either? So
my question is really will a standard HDTV ready Projection TV handle
an Analogue PAL signal?
Or will I have to get one shipped from the UK where most TV's will do
both PAL and NTSC.

Hi, confuzedcious...

I don't have an answer for you, but I do have a suggestion.  If you
live anywhere near a military base, try the electronics stores in the
base town.  Military personnel frequently serve overseas for extended
periods, so there's a higher demand for PAL near the bases.  Here in
Canada, at any rate, there's usually a store that carries (or will
bring in) multisystem electronics.

Since I am not allowed to register as a researcher, I will gladly
share what I DO know.  Sharp corp makes several NTSC and PAL flat
screen TVs.  When you get into the higher dollar ranges, Mitsubish and
Sony offer both in a projection TV, but they re typically special
order items as US stores don't have much call for them.  Check with
electronics stores in New York and San Fransico for smaller TVs by
Samsung that have both inputs too.

Happy hunting

Thanks for the comments, I will check with Sharp to see what they
retail in
the US. Can anyone confirm that the regular HDTV projection screens
sold in the US will not take a PAL signal?

Just to say that, PAL and NTSC are broadcast as different rates of
display, it is not an issue of the tuner, they do not sort out wich
signal it is, it is the set itself that is either 50hz or 60hz 50
being pal 60 ntsc. Most modern Sony equipment is NTSC enabled you just
have to tell the set what frequency you require.
I hope this helps.

Just got the following from Mitsubishi and Sharp
Now I know Sharp and Mitsubishi somewhere make PAL systems because
they
are sold in Europe and Australia. 
Guess I will have to go with an import.
---
Thank you for contacting Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America, Inc. 
We are pleased to be able to assist our customers via our website. 
Here is the information that you have requested:

Sorry, we do not sell a set that will accept a PAL signal.
---

and from Sharp

--
Thank you for contacting Sharp Electronics Corporation.

Sharp US does not market CRT TV's  that are anything but NTSC.

We appreciate the opportunity to provide you with this information. 
If you need additional information include all information from prior
e-mail messages and replies.
--

While Sharp USA may NOT *market* them in the US, they are available. 
I have a catalog that lists a couple of plasma screens that are PAL
compatible.

So, I did a little more digging for you.  you can find Sharp
Multi-system TVs that are NTSC and PAL compatible here:

http://www.dvdoverseas.com/store/index.html?catalog54_0.html

There is also a Sharp flat-screen here:

http://www.audioexcellence.com/sharplc20a2u1.html

There is a large selection of NTSC/PAL televisions here (including the
aforementioned Mitsubishi, Sharp, and Sony).

Searched via YAHOO  +Sharp +PAL and +Sony +PAL

Also look using the term "multisystem" in conjuntion with "television"


Cheers
Ed

Thanks Ed, this is kind of what I have been trying to avoid. I know
there
are a lot of places that sell imported multisystem televisions but the
reason for the original question is that for price I could get a
better plain old NTSC
rear projection television from BestBuy and not have to worry about
warranty or
grey market goods etc. I figure a HDTV decoder box does a lot in the
way of signal translation so surely it can also take a PAL signal and
process it correctly??

Thanks for the responses and the info though.

- Shaun

One of the links I tried to post did not come through.

Look here:  http://www.mindlogic.com/Prod_MSTV.shtml

They are all US warrantied, and you can even buy extended warranties

Cheers
Ed

Nice rear projection here:  http://www.mindlogic.com/MSTV_HTCH_c5078fsp_DTL.shtml

Just what you are looking for


Cheers
Ed

Was this issue ever resolved? I'm in the same boat, in that I want to
get a TV in the US that I can bring back to Australia. I saw a nice
50" Sony rear projection LCD TV at Best Buy, but it's only NTSC
compatible. Is there a version of this TV that's also compatible with
PAL? Can I buy a PAL to NTSC converter for when I go back home? How
does it affect picture clarity, etc, and can I still get High
Definition?

No never resolved. I am back in Australia now and ended up just 
buying a TV here with US dollars. You can buy Multi Format TV's in the
US from Web or special Retailers but you end up spending quite a bit more
than you would normally be saving buying a TV in the US instead of Australia.
Technically any Plasma (monitor) should be able to deal with the signal
of any PAL or NTSC tv tuner, but I would wait till you are back in Oz.
You will have a warranty then as well.