(1) Short for
Phase Alternating Line, the dominant television standard in Europe. The United States uses a different standard,
NTSC. Whereas NTSC delivers 525 lines of resolution at 60 half-frames per second, PAL delivers 625 lines at 50 half-frames per second. Many
video adapters that enable computer
monitors to be used as television screens support both NTSC and PAL signals.
(2) Short for Programmable Array Logic, a type of Programmable Logic Device (PLD).