PAL resolution IS...VHS resolution IS...

[^^-+I4004+-^^]

"However, the vertical resolution is also affected by the quality of the raster scanning process, e.g. the width of the interspace between adjacent lines. All video systems are influenced by this additional effect to some degree, and the vertical resolution is reduced by a factor called the Kell factor (also called the utilization ratio), where:



The Kell factor is typically between 0.6 and 0.8.

Thus.....
a 525-line system, which has (say) 480 visible lines, has a vertical resolution of:

480 x 0.7 = 336 lines

assuming a Kell factor of 0.7."
[source:
http://www.bh.rmit.edu.au/mrs/kpm/EP...Bandwidth.html ]
more on these sites:

http://www.tech-notes.tv/Glossary/Glos%20files/k.htm
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/kell.htm

(or just put "kell factor" into google search....)

i intended to post some test-signal paterns to show graphically TV vs. VHS (pal) resolution but,that test can do anyone for themselves..(just record test pattern (NOT color bars:but REAL test patern) onto vhs & play it...if you have "4mhz" pattern (in that pattern) then your vhs video will not display them correcttly.."3mhz" bars however should look fine..)

consulting various books & net resources i've found that HORIZONTAL (left to right)resolution of VHS reaches 3MHz (x 80= cca 240 lines:my recordings of test patterns proved this to be the true)

it turns out that VERTICAL (top to bottom) resolution (at it's best,analog PAL) is cca 380 VISIBLE lines...SAME applies to VHS ( PAL )!

btw. i also thought(before) that "resolution in lines" (in VHS specs)means "vertical resolution",but i was wrong:i've looked better into it and it's H. resolution....[ when VHS manufacturers specs for product mention 240 lines,they are reffering to H.res]

i am posting this data because i've notice that there's quite a confusion about this matter on forum(s) here:some even dare to mention numbers such as this:

("Scuba" says : )"The Video on VHS is NOT 320X240. it's 720X480, as it's the current brodcast "DV NTSC" standard."

Horizontal resolution (of analog signal) CANNOT be converted into pixels in meaningful way....:H. resolution of analog signal is CONTINUOUS (1 line changing it's brightness & color):it's converted into pixels only by capture card...then it becames UNCONTINUOUS ie. every pixel is separated from it's neighbour....(so your a/d conversion loss is right there!some parts of the H. LINE ARE MISSING !)
video on VHS has 3Mhz (cca 240 lines) bandwidth....and you can sample (convert to digital stream) it as you may please...(choose the resolution that works BEST FOR YOU!!!)

i'm not going to debate over this:this is my statement on PAL & VHS VISIBLE resolutions (in the analog systems):it thas NOTHING to do with the way you capture:
use what's best for you! (as stated previously)

books used:
"Das Fernsehprogramm aus Deiner Hand" D.Nuhrmann ('81.Franzis verlag:Croatian translation by Z.Smrkic)

"Die Neue Fernsehtechnick" Dr.N.Mayer ('87 Franzis verlag:Cro.trans. by Kos-Sostaric)


[ edited : corrected-->VHS & PAL-TV have IDENTICAL VERTICAL resolution
....my assumption (in original post) that VHS was worse in this field too proved to be wrong so i erased it... see the .zip file for graphic representation of this.....it's in my second (& last ) post on this matter... ]