NTSC to PAL or PAL to NTSC

I have a client shooting a project in a couple of days and they are wondering what is the best frame rate to shoot at. They will be shooting to HDCAM SR 1920 x 1080 4:2:2 YCbCr 10 bit or to a drive 2880 x 2160 RAW 12 bit Bayer data. If they shoot 2k, the files would be rendered out into 1920 x 1080 Quicktimes to work with.
Ultimately, the project will end up as 1000 NTSC DVDs and 1000 PAL DVDs.
I will be editing with FCP and creating the DVD with DVDSP.
I had received advice to shoot everything PAL 25fps, and then convert the final product to NTSC. We never work with PAL so I was wondering if it would be better to shoot NTSC and then convert the final product to PAL.
I'm new to PAL so any advice, information or links to other posts/workflows will be appreciated.
Thanks,
Chris

G.
One of the advantages of Shooting with a PAL camera is that you don't have too many frame rates to worry about and no pull down is needed.
You can shoot PAL (50 fields per second as opposed to NTSC 60 ) at 25frames ps (or better 50fps, talk to your DoP about this) edit easily with FCP on a PAL timeline and eventually convert to NTSC using [Nattress Standard Converter|http://www.nattress.com/Products/standardsconversion/standardsconvers ion.htm] or Compressor 3.
However, there are a couple of things you can take into account:
1)most DVD players nowadays can play both PAL and NTSC (Not all though)
2)If you are used to a specific workflow stick with it or do some tests before you take any decision.
You could shoot with a PAL camera and edit a few minutes in FCP, do a standard conversion with Compressor then encode and import the asset in DVDSP to burn a DVD to see if you are happy.
Testing is a crucial step of the work and hiring the camera for half a day will cost you much less than a rushed decision.
Best,
G.

Similar Messages

NTSC project modified to PAL project is this possible?

I have a project that i am working with that has 3 menus, 7 tracks & 17 scripts.
there are two DVD's in the "set" each one is the same... just different video tracks... essentially its a 2 disc set that i need one version of NTSC (done) and one PAL version.
I have created the NTSC project first, but before I create the PAL versions i wanted to know if anyone had come up with a way of just replacing the project assets & video assets to PAL?
I have tried removing all the video off all the tracks and deleting them from the project (this works with no menus & no scripts to convert to PAL) Next I figured it was the menus so I changed out the video assets of the menus and transitions to PAL.mov's but they are lower quality and the project still will not switch to PAL.
any ideas before i recreate all of those scripts and menus in PAL?
as a side note just to make sure... Dolby files do not matter right? I dont think i need to make PAL versions of audio.. i couldnt find a way to do it anyway... just wanted to double check that thought.
Thank you.
-bryan

if anyone is wondering... the answer is no... rebuild it from scratch.

NTSC footage for a Pal DVD

Hello everyone
i have to make a DVD for Europe- PAL
but the footage was shot on NTSC-DV
If the settings of my DVD Studio Pro project -video standard is on PAL
but the quicktime i import to my video track is NTSC
will the client be able to play this dvd in europe?
i would appreciate any help
thanks
Danny

Hi::
If the settings of my DVD Studio Pro project -video standard is on PAL
but the quicktime i import to my video track is NTSC
will the client be able to play this dvd in europe?
You cannot import NTSC assets into a PAL DVDSP project. You must first re-encode your movie to the right standard.
You can find some info about how to do so in this thread in Compressor forum:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1015451&tstart=15
Hope that helps !
Alberto

Switch NTSC DVD slideshow to PAL

Good morning,
my wife and I recently received a DVD Slideshow made on a PC in the NTSC format from our Wedding photographers.
My family lives in Europe and cannot watch NTSC format. Is there a way to make a copy of my slideshow but in the PAL format?
Thank you very very much.
P

Hi
Usually - NTSC-DVDs plays well in PAL players - but not the other way around.
So here is my notes on PAL to NTSC. Just think the other way around.
PAL to NTSC or NTSC to PAL
A. Copying commercial DVDs - No Not possibly at all - Not even legal to discuss.
B. Home made DVDs (DVDs without copy protection)
C. Movies from iMovie or FinalCut
• Save as full quality QuickTime .mov and convert this with JES_Deinterlacer (free on internet)
NTSC ---> PAL.
• Most often not necessary - Most stand alone PAL DVD-players playback NTSC
(if TV is old in BL/W)
PAL ---> NTSC.
• If played on Mac - not necessary AT ALL
• If on NTSC DVD-player - CONVERSION IS NEEDED - nearly no Stand alone NTSC-DVD-players
playback PAL at all.
To do this You need to convert the PAL DVD to streaming.DV or full quality QuickTime .mov
• I use Roxio Toast™ to do this (There are no free converter)
• JES_Deinterlacer (free on internet) to convert to NTSC
• Set up an NTSC project (29.97fps or 30) in iDVD and import then burn
I burn to
• Verbatim DVD-R
• Set down burn speed in iDVD to x1 or x4 recommended by many
• Secure a minimum of 25Gb free space on internal boot hard disk before burning (IMPORTANT)
PAL is 25 fps and an analog TV standard of 625 lines
NTSC is 29.97 fps and 520 lines
NTSC (29.97fps) 520 lines - about 640x480 pixels (square) 720x480 rectangular (narrow) pixels
PAL (25 fps) 625 lines - about 768x576 pixels (square) 720x576 rectangular (narrow) pixels
to use a photo 702x480 resp 576 then add 9 pixels on each side to add together as 720
If iDVD hangs on PAL or NTSC.
Bengt W wrote
Deleting iDVD pref. file - should return You into NTSC mode.
Yes iDVD can switch to PAL - BUT as You see with a rather lousy result.
a. Need to convert to PAL - most often not - Most PAL-player can playback NTSC
and on a fairly new TV in color. (old TV in Bl/W)
(Other way around - from PAL to NTSC most often a must - few NTSC-player can use PAL)
b. IF MUST - then use JES_Deinterlacer to do this conversion - so much better and free.
My list on this (or rather PAL --> NTSC - just think the other way around)
Allosaurus writes
Thank you SDMacuser. I dumped all the plist icons with no result, and was getting pretty plist off when it occurred to me to delete all the previous dvd.proj files. Bingo. That did the trick. So thank you for all your help and the additional information you provided.
Yours Bengt W

Importing a NTSC iMovie to a PAL iDVD Project

For some reason my iMovie is in NTSC format even though I am in the Uk and operate PAL. If I import to iDVD and burn in PAL is that going to work? And also, how do I change an iMovie project from NTSC to PAL. It is supposed to do it automatically based on what the DV camera is but mine clearly did not do this?

there are 3 reasons, why iM sets a specific video
standard:
* you have set in iM's prefs to 30
frames-per-second.. which is a little cryptic for
"NTSC"; PAL = 25fps...
* you've imported from a NTSCcamcoder... iM sets
automatically the standard, because it can handle
both...
* you've imported as clip_01 some downloaded file
which is NTSC... same as with camcorder-imports...
same with iDVD, you can set the video standard
manually ... or let the first file set it...
I wouldn't "switch" within the workflow... NTSC dvds
are mostly playbacked on European DVDstandalones&TVs
(some older lose audio and/or color...)
The Quicktime engine has a NTSC<<>>PAL converter
included, but my experiences with conversion (I did
just NTSC footage to a PAL project) was, that the
free JES
Deinterlacer does a better job... workflow:
finish editing in iM/Export as QT Full Quality/Import
to JESD/convert/Import new, converted file into iDVD
(which handles both standards too)...
and in case, your version of iM has some "hickup",
trash the imovie.plist... that will "reset" the
app....
helpful?
I was having lots of problems with the conversion of an Imovie6 NTSC to Pal and followed all the instructions in Imovie to convert to QT etc. finally got a girl at Apple and she moved one over to IDVD after changing the Preferences and and the Info to Pal and she actually burned a disc while I was on the line, just ignore the notice that comes up to that you are burning a Ntsc to a Pal disc and continue and it shows up on the later as a Pal disc. I think that was how I did them under IDVD 4 and 5.
Imac G5 Mac OS X (10.4.7) Life 6

Producing NTSC dvd's from PAL projects

Hi
I'm in Australia (PAL) but would like to produce dvd's that can be viewed in the USA.
If I produce a NTSC version of my PAL filmed project in idvd, will it work in NTSC dvd players in the USA?

when you set iDVD to NTSC/29.97 and import a PAL iMovie, iDVD will convert your material and creates a NTSC videoDVD ...
... my experience, going vice versa, NTSC >>PAL, told me, that the underlying QTengine doesn't show a good result.. so, the long way for a probably better result is:
export your iM as 'QT/Full Quality' ..
download and use for free JES Deinterlacer
open your iMexport, choose 'Project, conversion' and let JESDI do the conversion..
drop THAT new file into a NTSC iDVD project..

I often use my iPhone to take video but the result is NTSC and I use PAL, how I can change? Can somebody help me? Thanks

I often use my iPhone to take video but the result is NTSC and I use PAL, how I can change? Can somebody help me? Thanks

My problem is when I transfer the movie on Final Cut for the assembly of the film, I know that I can convert with MPEG Streamclip but I would like to take my film directly on PAL. Is that possible? In the previous message I wasn't clear, I hope now I explained myself better. Thanks for help

OK, the videoformat may be changed (PAL, NTSC) by plugin a specified cable, but how can I force to have PAL-format instead of NTSC to be send to iMovie via the USB-cable?

OK, the videoformat may be changed (PAL, NTSC) by plugin a specified cable to be connected the iPhone to the TV, but how can I force to have PAL-format instead of NTSC to be send to iMovie via the USB-cable? Al this transcoding afterwards takes a lot to much time. Is there a solution before sending the clips?

Well, thanks a lot. iMovie '11 is similar, but not identical and unfortunately I don't seem to find any "Frame Rate Pop-Up menu" when I generate a new Project. Do not find an "Aspect Ratio Pop-Up" either. Also the help does not speak of this options. I just have to choose a Theme and that's it. Also the "Settings" Menu for the Film does not help.
I also checked the general settings for iMovie:
So I would dare say, there is actually no possibility anymore, to set the output format. And also when I create the output file, there is nothing more than a short list of resolutions.
I do not understand why all options were taken away. I admit, I am a little disappointed.
Best regards
Claudio

Merging two versions; one w/PAL Audio one w/NTSC Video

Here's an oddity...for a project was given a 2 hour video file in NTSC w/really bad sound levels. When I asked for it to be given a corrected copy, I got one with PAL video, with bad picture but great sound. Trying to get a third copy (third time is the charm) but for fun trying to see if there is a way to merge the two. First thing I tried was using the PAL Audio under the NTSC video (which of course didn't work, as the audio was longer due to frame rate, I assume). Then tried to change the length of the PAL audio in ProTools, changing it's speed by a small percent so the final length matched the NTSC video (fun experiment, but the synch wasn't at all right). Even tried converting the footage via Nattress, but no such luck.
Curious if there's anything else I should try for experimental learning...

Hi Phrisbee,
If it is set to 1.5meg than that is fine.
I say downoad as it has to match this when people have a asymetric service like most (A)DSL services are.
IF you don't know what you actually get from your ISP or want to test it there are test sites
http://www.auditmypc.com/internet-speed-test.asp
7:49 PM Wednesday; July 5, 2006

Cannot burn NTSC DVD after burning PAL DVD

Using Adobe Premiere Elements vers.10, I created a video which I need to burn onto DVDs, in PAL format for European users and NTSC for North American recipients. I successfully burned (to folder) in NTSC, and then in PAL. Produced two sample DVDs from those two folders and reviewed them. This highlighted the need for a few corrections to the project. I carried these out, burned the revised film to folder in PAL format, and then wanted to do the same in NTSC format. The computer appears to work on the task, but produces no folder and no files. I am no longer able to procude a DVD in NTSC format, either by burning to a folder or burning directly on a DVD. What is the cause of this problem ?
Thanks in advance for any help you can provide with this issue.
Paul

Paul,
I do not recall any issues, where the program gets hung up, though as a precaution, maybe clear the Media Cache in the Scratch Disks. I know that Encore (sort of the authoring "big-brother" to the authoring function in PrE) can get confused, when it has some older Media Cache files. It assumes that things have already been done, when it needs to "start over."
Also, I would create a new, empty folder, with a unique name, and direct the Burn to Disc to THAT folder. Since all that one gets is the VIDEO_TS, AUDIO_TS (empty), and then another folder, whose name I cannot recall (Encore does not write anything but the VIDEO_TS folder and IFO, BUP and VOB files), it's easy to confuse the output. Just thinking here.
Good luck,
Hunt

Can iMOVIE HD convert a PAL DVD to a NTSC DVD?

That was all! Can iMOVIE HD convert a PAL DVD to a NTSC DVD? That's my only question. Thanks.

Hi
A. Commersial DVDs - No Not at all - Not even legal to discuss.
B. Home made DVDs (without copy protection)
NTSC ---> PAL.
• Most often not necessary - Most stand alone PAL-DVD players playback NTSC
(if TV is old in BL/W)
PAL ---> NTSC.
• If played on Mac - not necessary AT ALL
• If on NTSC-DVD-player - CONVERSION IS NEEDED - nearly no Stand alone NTSC-DVD-players
playback PAL at all.
To do this You need to conver the PAL DVD to streaming.DV
• I use Roxio Toast™ to do this (There are no free converter)
• MPEG Streamclip (free on internet) to convert to NTSC
• Set up an NTSC project (29.97fps or 30) in iDVD and import then burn
I burn to
• Verbatim DVD-R
• Set down burn speed in iDVD to x1 or x4 recommended by many
• Secure a minimum of 25Gb free space on internal boot hard disk before burning (IMPORTANT)
Yours Bengt W

Making a PAL version of an NTSC DVD

Hello all.
I have recently finish production on a short film, made a DVD with extras for the crew, and now need to send one to Australia (PAL DVD). What is the best way to transform my NTSC DVD project to PAL. Do I need extra software to do this, or simply use the PAL settings on my NTSC video and let compressor do the work? Could I change my DVD SP project file to PAL and let DVD SP work it's magic?
Using:
DVDSP 4
Compressor 3
Thanks everyone!

Hi:
Another one:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=976262&tstart=15
And something to take in account is that "ussually" DVD players & TVs in PAL countries can play NTSC DVDs (what doesn't happen in NTSC countries where most of the equipmnets cannot read/play PAL movies).
You could check that with your contact/customer in Australia.
Hope that helps !
Alberto

NTSC Project Export to PAL?

I have a project that I edited in Premiere and a DVD project designed in Encore CS6 - all in NTSC. A client in the UK needs a copy in PAL. What is the best way to approach this? Encore does not allow me to change the standard in Settings or Prefs. The DVD project is made up of mostly Dynamically linked Premiere sequences, shot and edited in NTSC

moccamaximum wrote:
If your DVD is not mulitlingual (Because FLV can have no multiple audiotracks) and you only want to show the final product to your client, without the requirement that it has absolutely to be played back in a 10+ years old PAL-only Player, you could always go for Webexport(Flash).
If you have never tried it before: at best quality it pretty much is indistinguishable from the real deal.
Flash excport is not a DVD and is not supported on APple devices either so not a great answer. Likewise, this will not play on any DVD players either.
Alex DeJesus wrote:
Sorry mocca, this is WAY over my head. I did not realize I needed PAL menus, only PAL video assets. I thought that if I created an Adobe project in PAL that Encore would encode the menus accordingly.
Neil, I am able to export PAL from an NTSC sequence in Premiere. Or I can create a PAL sequence and cut and paste from the NTSC sequence already edited - without timeline markers, though. This is pretty frustrating stuff to keep track of. And I have no idea it will playback in England.
Hi Alex.
I understand your pain, believe me - and if your client is specifically asking for PAL, then that is what you have to deliver.
Exporting a PAL asset from an NTSC sequence is indeed possible in PPro, but be very very careful as the frame rate differs from the NTSC, and you will have to check playback very carefully to make sure you are not just dropping frames which could result in twitchy playback. (NTSC is 30fps, PAL is 25 - all sorts of room for catastrophe there)
There are settings in the render dialogue that can help with scaling (your footage will be scaled as well) and different render frame rates compared to sequence frame rates.
Just tick the "Maximum render quality" and "Maximum depth" options & cross fingers & toes.
Personally I have had much more success with After Effects than PPro for this type of work - the thing to remember in AE conversions is to be absolutely sure ytou set the option in t he render dialogue to "composition length" instead of "Whole timeline" or whatever it is called (memory fails me right now) or else your run time will change. To explain what I mean, we recently had to create a title where there were 5 film clips, one in NTSC, 2 in PAL and 2 more in 4 and 12 fps stop-frame animations. Without the "composition length" option ticked the thing simply ran out a hell of a lot faster than it should have done but with that option checked, AE just created new frames and the results were great.
Menus also have PAL resolution of course, as well as the different PAR (Pixel Aspect Ratio) earlier discussed. Scaling these will ruin text in mnore cases than not & t he best approach is to rebuild all menus from scratch - it is actually quite simples in PhotoShop - just open your original NTSC screen, create a new PAL menu template from the presets given and then (after turning off SPHL layers) merge or flatten the original NTSC screen, and then drag the background onto the blank PAL menu, hit CTRL-T (make it a scalable object) and resize to fit your new screen - you may well need to fill in the blanks - and then just drop your button layers in & tweak.
Final option is to check with client & ask them why they need PAL - which I have to congfess raises one question in my mind:
WHen you shot the footage, had you been asked to supply NTSC or PAL originally? If they asked for NTSC, then you should charge them for the reworking to PAL.
However, if they wanted just PAL in the first place then you have to bite the bullet on this one.

NTSC DVD Transfer to PAL

I finished the Wedding in NTSC DVD. The client wants a copy in Pal to send to Russia. What is the best way to do?
Transfer NTSC DVD to DVD PAL direct, easiest way. Is there any other way?
Thanks a lot.

You must have set the wrong preset. Look in the "advanced format conversions"... Make your movie a PAL version Then perform the MPEG compression in iDVD. The the resulting file should work fine in iDVD. The resulting QT movie will be 720X576. After you do this THEN import the file into iDVD for the mpeg compression. The size of your file you just made leads me to believe that you created an MPEG PAL version... this isn't going to look as good I'll bet, and it probably won't import into iDVD which expects something other than an MPEG file.
You are starting with your sequence master from FCP right?
Jerry

NTSC DVD production from PAL media

I have had issues producing DVD for the U.S in the past.
In New Zealand we can play both PAL and NTSC on probably 99% of the DVD players in the country. Same in Australia I believe.
Seems that the U.S has mostly NTSC only DVD players and it is difficult to find a PAL or dual standard player. (Is that correct?)
Is there a better (simpler, faster, less steps) way for me to produce DVDs for the U.S (NTSC) than the way I am doing it.
Edit in PAL project and out put movie.
Import PAL Movie into a NTSC Project. Small scale adjustment usually required
Export Movie (NTSC)
Encode NTSC Movie to MPEG (I use Main Concept ENcoder - standalone version)
Open mpeg in NTSC Encore Project and burn disks
Note: I encode to mpeg outside Encore because Encore never seems to like encoding the avi (PAL or NTSC) in the NTSC Encore Project. It is fine with the mpegs

>it is difficult to find a PAL or dual standard player. (Is that correct?)
It is.
>Is there a better way for me to produce DVDs for the U.S
Maybe try DVFilm Atlantis.

NTSC to PAL or PAL to NTSC

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