ORAC, I have a VCR bought and paid for in the USA - it will play (at the touch of a button - if not left in automatic) any NTSC, PAL or SECAM tape into any format of TV.
It will also deduce - and then tune in all stations - whether the input signal is cable, terrestrial or an A/V feed.
It will also receive one signal from the input source but record it in the format of your choice.
I have a DVD, bought and paid for in the USA, which will play any region of DVD onto any format of TV.
When did you invent the idea that
In the USA you can only get DVD players with NTSC output. Fine for playing back your NTSC tapes, but not for PAL. There is no DVD available which has a "pseudo NTSC" mode for playing back PAL tapes.