Converting PAL to NTSC

[CliffJrm]

I'm wonding if anyone can help. I have several ISO and IMG files that are coded in PAL.

 

I'm able to burn fine, but they dont play in my DVD Player.

 

My player supports NTSC only.

 

Can ImgBurn convert to NTSC in the burning process?

 

If so how?

 

If not, any other suggestions???

 

Thanks!

 

Cliffjrm

[Shamus_McFartfinger]

ImgBurn can't do what you're asking. This should help.

 

http://www.jakeludington.com/ask_jake/2004...vd_to_ntsc.html

[blutach]

I'd also recommend buying an el cheapo multi-framerate player. Otherwise, the process is not trivial, although there's some good software out there which works. EG Canopus Procoder (very expensive). SUPER (freeware) might be able to convert the VOBs' framerate but then you'd need to create IFOs around the newly created VOBs (easily done with IfoEdit). Not sure how well the menus would come out, either.

 

You can also look here for some guides.

 

Regards

[mworthington]

I'm wonding if anyone can help. I have several ISO and IMG files that are coded in PAL.

 

There is much posted here, but please also check out the great info at http://www.digital-digest.com/articles/Con..._DVD_page1.html

 

In summry :

 

1. Get Video_TS folder (however that may be done ..... )

2. Modify .IFO files using the free IFOEdit application to convert PAL to NTSC

3. Burn

 

Simple, and it's always worked for me, even with episodics.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark

[blutach]

Sorry mworthngton. The patch method (as it is known) just won't cut the mustard. It alters the framerates in the VOBs not one iota. To truly convert, you need to adjust the VOBs framerates and resolutions.

 

Regards

[dontasciime]

As mentioned previously by Blu. Get a cheap dvd player that is PAL/NTSC much easier as long as your tv is capable.

[mworthington]

Sorry mworthngton. The patch method (as it is known) just won't cut the mustard. It alters the framerates in the VOBs not one iota. To truly convert, you need to adjust the VOBs framerates and resolutions.

 

Regards

 

Blutach,

 

Thanks for the guidance. Does that mean that the DVDs that are working OK at the moment have indeed cut it?! Or am I just lucky?!

 

Mark

[dontasciime]

you just have not noticed the frame rate is not quite right, IE slightly jittery on panning scenes should be noticeable.

 

If your watching them on your PC will not see any difference has to be on TV

 

If you have multi tv and multi dvd player you will not notice either

[lfcrule1972]

I think if you watched the discs on a dvd player locked to the other format you might find that it's not so great

[mworthington]

you just have not noticed the frame rate is not quite right, IE slightly jittery on panning scenes should be noticeable.

 

I'll have to tell the family in teh States to look a bit closer

[lfcrule1972]

It might just be that their player and tv can cope with PAL discs That way all should be fine.....

[mworthington]

Sorry mworthngton. The patch method (as it is known) just won't cut the mustard. It alters the framerates in the VOBs not one iota. To truly convert, you need to adjust the VOBs framerates and resolutions.

 

Regards

 

Blutach,

 

Ref http://www.digital-digest.com/articles/Con..._DVD_page1.html

 

So is

 

Most countries in the world use the PAL video standard which has a frame rate of 25 frames per second (fps). The US, Canada and Japan use NTSC which has a rate of 29.97 fps. Most DVD’s are encoded from videotape with a rate of 24 fps and are interlaced. The MPEG streams on the DVD contain instructions regarding how to treat the video information for display depending upon the type of DVD player. For example, to play a stream in PAL format, each frame of the video is shown twice, video and audio data is interlaced and both audio and video are “speeded up” by 4%. The audio then becomes slightly sharp from its original recording, The data can be displayed non interlaced (progressive scan) for component (RGB) video and on computer monitors.

 

relavant/not true?

 

I'm just trying to increase my understanding!

 

Mark

[blutach]

Just cos it's up on Digital Digest, which I obviously respect very much, does not make it technically true (although the descrption you have quoted above about interlacing and speed up is correct - anyway PC monitors could not care less about framerate). And professional studios, ensure the audio is slowed. If you are interested in the technincal details of DVD, get Jim Taylor's book, DVD Demystified. There is also a real good online reference - http://www.dvddemystified.com/dvdfaq.html

 

Sometimes, the patch method can work for PAL-NTSC. But what I said before about framerates and resolutions is a technical fact. If you want to do this correct, you need to alter the FR and res in the VOBs, not just the IFOs - the MPEG stream needs to be correct. Techo boffins may like to use avisynth scripts (bilinear resize will get the resolution right), but there are olots of progs out there which do the job pretty well - DVD Flick and SUPER come to mind (although Procoder seems to tick every technical box every time - pricey though).

 

Regards

[mworthington]

Just cos it's up on Digital Digest…..

 

Oh yes, agreed, hence my perseverance here!

 

There is also a real good online reference - http://www.dvddemystified.com/dvdfaq.html

 

I’m “familiar” with that link …. ie, read often but only partially understood.

 

Sometimes, the patch method can work for PAL-NTSC

 

Another example; a friend had an NTSC DVD that would not play on his PAL set-top player/TV. The patch method enabled him to play it OK (ie it looked OK to him) … and therein lies the answer. If it works acceptably, it’s a workable solution, so it’s worth knowing about.

 

Thanks for the heads-up on the other technical info …. I have Procoder Express, it’s a great app. I’m loath to get too much into VOB editing; so far I seem to be able to do most of what I need relatively painlessly.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark

[blutach]

Almost all PAL players and TVs can handle native NTSC OK (patch or no patch). It's not true NTSC but is rather 60Hz PAL (which sounds a bit like an oxymoron, but is really the best way to describe it). But the display is as good as perfect (well, as perfect as NTSC can be I guess - it really is quite inferior ... but that's another discussion).

 

Regards