Can a PAL project be changed to NTSC

Using a new iMac, with new iLife, my student started the movie project as PAL. Once started, the option to switch to NTSC is not available. I exported the movie, then imported it into a new project with NTSC structure, but the clip shows as a 25 fps movie. Is there a way to change the original project to NTSC?

Hi
Yes and No and it can be done better.
Yes - one can let iMovie or iDVD change from PAL (25fps) to NTSC (29.97fps)
• BUT RESULT will be bad and - jumpy and flickering
No - there are no easy function in iMovie or iDVD that makes this good
Yes - by exporting as full Quality QuickTime .mov - Then use JES_Deinterlacer do the conversion.
This is free on Internet - and does this very good. There are professional alternatives to astronomical costs and barely noticeable difference.
Yours Bengt W

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Can I get the screen back for NTSC or PAL projects?

Hi
I am fairly new to Encore and trying to work my way through Classroom In A Book. My problem is that I am in the UK and I set Encore to PAL as default when the initial Project screen appeared, but I now need to be able to work with NTSC projects to help in my training.
I know I can start a project (presumably in PAL) but change the default so future projects are in NTSC - but I really would like to get that initial screen back that gives me the choice prior to any new project - but I can't find a way to access it and change my initial setting so it appears every time.
There must be a way - if not in Preferences then at least in the registry. Is it possible to get it back without having to re-install Encore completely? I tried a re-install over the existing Encore but for some reason it wouldn't get past Insert Disk 1 (which I kept doing but the installation wouldn't go past this message).
Help please.

Christian
I knew about the 'all new projects' setting thanks - this is fine but awkward because you have to create a project before you can get to this setting and the project is a waste of time as it will be in the wrong setting (if you can follow that).
But I didn't know about the 'reset all warning dialogs' thing - and so I am really grateful to discover I can get my settings box back.
I just really appreciate how these forums help people out when they're starting out. Hopefully one day I'll know enough to be able to return the favour.
Mike

Is there a way to convert an existing NTSC project to a PAL project?

I searched the Encore CS3 manual and all four Encore forums before starting this thread. Apologies if I missed the answer.
In Encore CS3, apparently one is only allowed to specify NTSC or PAL when starting a new project. If I try File->Project Settings on an existing project, I can change the Authoring Mode between DVD and Blu-ray, but the Television Standard edit box is grayed out and cannot be changed.
I often need to release projects in both NTSC and PAL standards, and it is a royal PITA to have to start a new PAL project, import the exact same assets as for my NTSC project, then rebuild all my menus, buttons, timelines, chapters, etc.
Can the conversion be done? Am I missing an obvious method? If not, why is it that the same assets can only be bound to a given standard when importing?

I understand your concern. I don't know for sure yet myself as the client had yet to mail the discs to Italy last time I talked to them.
However, I would check to see if the people on the forum are saying they won't work because they made a mistake in changing the parameters in ifoedit or if everything was correct and it still didn't play. Also, once you make the discs, even if everything is correct, they certainly won't play in American DVD players that aren't multi-region.
Also, ifoedit is a really simple free program you can download. If you google it you should be able to find it quickly.
From the quick look at the link I gave you, it looked like a rudimentary explanation of how to do it. I need to find for you the web site I found when I did this a couple months ago. I know I saved the info somewhere on my hard drive. I will try to find it later tonight after my kids go to sleep, ha!
Yes, the files you need to change are the ones that are created when you export to folder in Encore. The .VOBs and the .IFO extensioned files (that you open and edit in the program). After you change the IFO files, you can take those files including the .VOBs into a dvd burning program like nero or roxio and burn a dvd-video (not data).
If you have to change the language of the menus and all that, than you'll have to re-author the dvd in encore anyway you may as well do it through encore.

Changing defuault NTSC setting to PAL

Hi, Whenever I create a new project in iMovie it assumes I am making a NTSC format movie, it does recognise my PAL camcorder and change the format when importing, but sometimes I want to make a movie from .mpeg clips and I just can't seem to create one in the PAL format it always reverts to NTSC, the only options I get when creating a new movie are: DV or DV widescreen + HDV Mpeg 4 & isight, but it doesn't allow me to set pal or ntsc format.
Is there any way to do this as you could with prvious versions.
emac 1.25 Mac OS X (10.3.9)

glad I could help... you're welcome...
Apple is letting the side down with it's intuitive software on that front!
... hmm, I'm pretty sure, they spend hours in a sweaty conference room, discussing "but widescreen isn't NTSC, HiDef isn't NTSC - so it HAS to be called by its fps!" - "but NO ordinairy user knows the framerate of its homevideo!" - "yeah, but the new formats are not standard, so it's not NTSC!" - "yeah, but a US video is called NTSC, that is standard" - "but what about Japan?" - "..."
finally, the "enigneers" won.. technical correct, but for you and me.. cryptical.
thanks for The Big Green One

IMovie - Changing From NTSC To PAL & Other Way Around

I want to make a dvd in pal format and at present its only doing them in NTSC format. I've looked at the help on the site which states:
iMovie initially set all projects to PAL or NTSC video depending on the type of camcorder or device you connect to the computer, or the format of the first video you import.
To set new projects to be NTSC or PAL, follow these steps:
Update to iMovie 3.0.3 or later. It is available from the iMovie website (http://www.apple.com/imovie/). iMovie 4 is available as part of iLife (http://www.apple.com/ilife).
Open iMovie.
From the iMovie menu, choose Preferences.
Change "New Projects are:" to either NTSC or PAL.
Now I'm using 6.0.1 but I can't see "New Projects are" anywhere under the preferences in iMovie HD, can someone please offer me some suggestions as although this is my first mac I've had a pc for sometime so I'm not totally clueless about changing options and looking where to find these things....

With iMovie 6.0.1 the wording has changed slightly. In preferences, under 'General', you now want 'New Project Frame Rate:'. Set to 25 fps for PAL, and 29.97 fps for NTSC.
Presumably, as you're in the UK, all your imported footage is in PAL format anyway. If you are importing NTSC footage, but want to export in PAL, I would suggest that you convert the NTSC to PAL before importing it.
iMac G5 20in 1.8 Ghz Mac OS X (10.4.5) 2 GB RAM

Authoring a DVD for both PAL & NTSC regions - convert pal project to ntsc?

Hello gurus
I have programmed and built a DVD in DVDSP for PAL regions. But my cleint has come back to me and asked for an NTSC version.
I have re-encoded all assets for NTSC but am now struggling to find a simple way to convert the programming. DVDSP is asking me to remove all assets and menus and basically re-programme the whole disk again...
Do any of you peeps have any quick fixes???
Thank you in advance
Jay

There is no reason why you can't save the PAL project as a new project - NTSC version - then take out all the assets that are video (and therefore PAL) then change the project to NTSC settings. This way the basic structure is there - you will need to reconnect stuff etc and you may find that buttons you have created "disappear" from the menu screens (due to the different frame size of NTSC and PAL)
I have done this in the past where projects had scripts and the like and were fairly complex - it's not ideal but might save some time in redoing the project

IMovie PAL project imports to FCPx as NTSC

I've just downloaded the trial version of FCP X and imported an iMovie project into it. The original miniDV footage was shot in PAL, it's in iMovie as PAL but FCP X shows it as NTSC. Is there any way I can change this or should I bin the project and try again, or does it not matter? The ultimate destination is a PAL DVD.

The only thing I can think of is that you have imported your PAL video into an existing NTSC project.
If this happens FCP X will attempt to convert the PAL so it matches the NTSC.
Incidentally, every PAL DVD player that I have used has been able to play NTSC video perfectly.
So if your original material is NTSC you can simply make an NTSC DVD in the knowledge that it will play on almost every PAL player.

NTSC to PAL project conversion?

I know this question has been dealt with alot in the past but I can't seem to find an answer to my question. I know my video assets have to changed over to PAL
and that is not my question.
My question is can I convert the project to PAL,
with all my menu and buttons intact.
I don't want to have to go back and redo my menu and buttons.
It says the only way to change to PAL is to create a new project,
however then I loose my menu and buttons, which I don't want to do.
Is there away to convert the project to PAL, excluding the video assets?
Or how do I bring menus and buttons from a another project into a new project?
Thanks
Patch

Try this:
- Save As with a new name
- Remove all video assets from your tracks (you can keep the empty tracks
- Change in the Inspector the standard from NTSC to PAL (it must let you do so)
- Reencode your video and import the new assets into the old tracks (don't reuse the audio from NTSC tracks, because probably will get out of sync issues)
And finally . . . Menus. If you made graphics for your menu brackgrounds, you must made new versions of them using the right PAL pixels sizes. If you let DVDSP just resize the old ones, you'll get a poor quality background.
Give a try to this workflow!
Alberto

Slideshow made in PAL - changing to NTSC to make an iDVD?

I made a slideshow for a family members' funeral. For some reason, when I was inputing the photos, the project saved in PAL. Now, I can't figure out how to change/save the movie in NTSC format so I can make an iDVD to give to those who are now wanting copies.
If my project is saved (and was created) in PAL, how do I change the format to NTSC?
Please help... THank you!
Angela

First of all, don't burn an NTSC DVD of a PAL movie project ..it'll appear very jerky.
You can't save a movie which you've started in one format (e.g; PAL) as another (e.g; NTSC).
If you don't fancy starting over, a program called JES Deinterlacer (click on that blue link) can convert a finished PAL movie to NTSC (..and vice versa).
Or you could try MPEG Streamclip.
For details on how to use these, read some of Matti's info here: http://www.sjoki.uta.fi/~shmhav/SVCDon_a_Macintosh.html#PALNTSC

NTSC 24p conversion for PAL project

I've got a "conversion" issue I'm wondering if I can get some help with.
I'm working on a project primarily shot in PAL DV, though there are a handful of tapes shot 24p advanced NTSC. I've already captured all of the footage (everything is at Photo Jpeg resolutions to save drive space. The NTSC 24p footage was captured at 29.97- this is how it appears on the tape). Now I'm wondering the easiest and most efficient way of working with the NTSC and PAL footage together in the same PAL timelines.
I spoke with Graeme Nattress today and he suggested recapturing and removing the pulldown with Cinema Tools which I don't really know how to do. I'm sure it's basic and do-able, but if I can avoid recapturing all of the NTSC footage, I'd like to.
So, I figure I can convert the NTSC footage to PAL via Compressor or the Nattress convertor, but as far as I understand, I won't be able to preserve the tape source timecode. This is an issue for me, since I've captured everything at low - photo jpeg- resolutions, and will have to return to the master tapes for onlining.
If I've gotta deal with recapturing or with potentially eye-matching all of the NTSC footage when we got to online, so be it. If there's another- that'd be better obviously. Any other thoughts or suggestions would be really appreciated.
Many thanks, and happy new year.
Nate Smith
System:
G5 Dual 2ghz
2 gb memory
Final Cut Pro 4.5
2 external 250 gb Lacie firewire drives

Welcome to the forum Nate!
The only way I can think of that would preserve the TC would be to edit the 29.97 footage directly into the PAL sequence... Never tried this and wonder about bugs in the area surrounding the recapture, but it should recapture OK... I'd do a test of this to make sure the workflow will work OK... I'll also add that the NTSC footage will look pretty rough in the offline res probably when played back (and rendered each time you want to use it) in the PAL offline sequence... but that may not be such an issue. If it is, then you'll have to do what Graeme suggested first, then eyball it all in the online session as you've guessed. OR maybe just put it in twice on top of itself. Lower video track being the NTSC directly cut in, and upper track being the "transformed" version of the same. Delete V2 when you recapture...
In any event, you'll still need to do what Graeme suggests for the Online session. His plugin will make the time needed to change the NTSC to PAL go a lot faster than using Compressor... and removing the pulldown pattern in Cinema Tools is a snap actually. It's just a matter of importing the shot needed, then selecting remove pulldown pattern from the file menu. Read the instructions on page 192 of CT's Help, it's really easy to do... Be sure that the footage is shot 24P and not 24PA.. if PA you'll want to recapture it removing the advanced pulldown pattern on the fly with FCP and you won't need to use CT at all in this scenario, just Compressor or Graeme's plugin to change that 24p to PAL...
HTH
Jerry

Mistakenly changed from NTSC to PAL - Help!

My display settings on my mac mini were changed from NTSC to PAL (all i will say is that it involved a 3 year old) and now i can't get an output to my display. how do i change this??

Try starting in Safe mode. If that works, change the resolution from whatever is the starting resolution to another choice. For example, if it comes up at 640 x 480 NTSC, change to 800 x 600 NTSC. Then restart normally. Hopefully that will get things back to the way they were before.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1455

Change from NTSC to PAL

I've made a video DVD (wide screen) with Premiere and Encore. I want to make a version for Europe, and therefore change to PAL (and therefore change the pixel dimensions). For some reason I can't find how to do this NTSC dropdown is greyed out, and I can't find presets for PAL with the change in dimensions. Do I have to make this change in Premiere or in Encore, and can you please tell me precisely where this setting is.
Perhaps the problem is that my computer's DVD Burner won't burn a PAL disk?
Thanks
kdoc

Boy oh boy oh boy I CANNOT believe anyone has not mentioned IFOedit program for this poor person!
No matter what you do, unless you originate video in PAL, it will look slightly funky in any conversion. That being said the simplest and probably best way to convert an NTSC dvd to PAL is to simply chage the instruction code in the DVD for the DVD Player itself. You'll have to download the free IFOEDIT program and follow the instructions here:
http://www.digital-digest.com/articles/Convert_PAL_NTSC_DVD_page1.html
I hope you have made an image folder instead of having Encore automatically make the dvd from the original edited file. If not, just track down DVD Decrypter and run your NTSC DVD video through that to extract all the data onto your hard drive. Then follow the instructions in the link carefully for IFOEDIT and then re-burn a new Video DVD (Not Data!) in Nero or Roxio for example. . Unfortunately there will be no way to test it other than throwing it into an NTSC dvd player and having it say it can't read the disc. That's why you just have to follow the instructions carefully and make sure you change everything you're supposed to when editing the IFO file.

Images importing with a NTSC timebase in PAL projects

Importing a series of jpeg images (various sizes) into a PAL project is resulting in the clips created having a NTSC timebase (Video Rate of 29.97fps). Not a big problem, but annoying as a clip that is set to 3:12 goes onto the timeline with a duration of 3:10.
Has anyone else had this happen?

When you say : «bad idea not to export at least a master in full res» how can I do this ?
What I meant was that for EVERY single project you work on you should always at the end export a QT movie self-contained with same settings as a Master.
So that is something to do next time you edit and complete a project, for this particular situation you posted about I told you already what to do.
Luca

Ntsc dvd from pal project

I am working in an off-line HD PAL project (at DNxHD 36) on Avid Media Composer and I need to create a SD DVD to send to the US. I exported my sequence as PAL QT and now I've brought it into Compressor on my Mac but I'm a bit overwhelmed by the format conversion options. Any ideas about what to use would be gratefully received. I have DVD Studio Pro + Toast 8 too.
Thanks

In Compressor 2 (at least the one on one of my machines) in settings->Apple-Advanced Format Coversions you will see options for PAL/NTSC and you can start there and convert to the high end NSTC then encode to m2v. You should see some HD Uncompressed formats that should work to make a good self contained movie then encode that to m2v. I found the two step process as oppossed to sending straight to NTSC m2v (or really PAL) seems to work a bit better quality wise.
Definately test on short sections if you can to tweak because the converions can take a long time depedning on the machine and length of material.

Cannont add NTSC to Pal project

Hi,
Ive been busy on this the last few days lol.
after using the "best quality dvd " settings in compressor, I go to import the assets into DVDSP but it says " cannont import NTSC assets into PAL projects"
1. how is it NTSC and since im in Europe Id like a Pal project. what dvd settings am i doing wrong in compressor?
Sean

Hi seanie84
Check your timeline. It sound as if you have made your project in NTSC and not in PAL.
FCP has a default of NTSC when you start a new project from new unless you change all the defaults when you installed FCP.
If not this then your film footage maybe NTSC and when you first put a clip on the time line it would have asked you if you wanted to set the timeline to the same as the clip, if you said YES then it could be that, if so make a new timeline and then copy all footage from old timeline and if asked say NO to "the make timeline same as footage".
If your footage is OK from your timeline, then check your DVD settings in compressor and make sure they are PAL.
HTH
PJ

Can a PAL project be changed to NTSC

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