CHV Lives On

What advantages there might be don't stop the fact that it's the single most annoyingly retarded thing about playing videogames/watching dvds in England. >_<
I can't take any of my stuff with me when I go to America cause it's all stupid PAL, it all runs on stupid UK voltage with stupid UK plugs and it's just not worth the hassle. I couldn't even make the stupid English travel kettle work over there at Christmas, even with an adapter plug. >_<
Today's Katy sponsored by the word "stupid".

damn
i dun own a network adapter
i actrually think PAL stuff are better...their models, technology, blah blah blah
the stuff that I want from Hong Kong are all PAL, and its hell trying to make them work in CANADA
now, if North America uses PAL too, life would be a LOT easier
- Instant Noodle is the way for a healthy balanced meal -

PAL's main advantages are due to the fact that it has a higher vertical resolution than NTSC, and the fact that the framerate (25 frames, 50 fields a second) are a lot closer to film's 24 progressive frames a second, which makes transferring PAL video to film a lot easier than NTSC.
Videogames probably are where I think PAL shows its greatest weaknesses, as it just isn't smooth enough for most games (especially fast-paced ones). It also doesn't help that I'm sure most developers probably don't properly format their games for PAL signals either.
As far as watching DVDs go, I don't think there's any real problem with it by itself. You do have a slightly higher resolution, and as I mentioned before, due to the similarities in framerates between PAL and film, you get less telecined-like effects in your video (although most people are used to it anyway). The only real problem I can see is when watching NTSC video (I'm fairly sure that most anime series' are encoded in NTSC instead of film) converted to PAL, or when bringing your stuff over to a NTSC area (such as the US or Japan) and wondering why it won't work with our stuff.
I was kinda hoping that there would be a single HDTV spec, which would also allow backwards compatibility for other signals like PAL, but I don't think that'll be happening.
Be thankful that the DVD region coding isn't enforced over there like it is here. If you wanted to stretch things (like the MPAA does at times), region-free DVD players would be considered a felony under the DMCA.
As far as the voltage goes...eh, I don't see either side changing anytime...well...ever. Same goes for the metric vs. imperial systems of measurement. Neither side would be willing to give it up simply due to the massive amounts of changes that would have to take place, as well as a decent period of time for the switch-over.

See, all the technical business goes right over my head, not being a technically minded-person, but what bugs me most about PAL is I have a PAL tv, a PAL Playstation 2 and an NTSC taste in dvds. >_

Sorry for the technobabble.
What do you mean though that you have a taste for NTSC dvds?

Anime essentially doesn't exist in PAL Region 2 save for a few mediocre titles. -_- NTSC has everything I want. >_

Ah...you mean...like those Hellsing DVDs sitting on my shelf over there?
On a serious note, I guess could be a problem, but aren't region free and NTSC/PAL DVD players fairly common over there?

Y'know, the answer to both your comments is the same, Jim:
Yes, but I don't have the money. >_

Well...er...then may I ask how its a problem specifically related to PAL? Wouldn't it just be a general financial problem that you can't afford the DVDs OR a DVD player?
And...er...if you hate PAL and UK plugs so much, move to the US or Canada after you graduate. Become a member of the world's most hated (or frigid in Canada's case ) country.

It's the fact that I don't have, and can't afford, a PAL/NTSC tv rather than just my crappy PAL tv. And I *am* moving to the US after I graduate.