PAL & NTSC DVDs--an Option?

I have an extensive collection of PAL & NTSC DVDs. The G5 has a (lower) empty optical drive slot. If I install another Superdrive will I be able to set it up to exclusively use this to play PAL regions 2 & 4 DVDs without locking the G5 permanently into this format i.e. use the first drive to still play NTSC Region 1 DVDs only? I understand that the manual says the the format choice can only be changed 5 times, but it is not clear to me if this statement applies only to the optical drives or the computer itself. I certainly do not want to make an irreversible choice for the G5!
Any help will be appreciated.

So... You are confusing video standard (format) with region codes here. The optical drives in Macs (most) are region code locked, meaning that they will only play disks from one region (and that region may be changed up to 5 times before the hardware gets stuck). It doesn't care what video format is on the disk from that region (NTSC or PAL), and it doesn't care about region-free disks (recordable DVDs, and commercial region-free disks).
On the Mac, the region locking is managed by firmware on the drive itself, so you can have one drive per region, if you like.
It might be more convenient to upgrade the firmware on the drive (depending on what model you have) to a region-free version of the firmware. As you may or may not be aware, the US is a WIPO signatory country and is prohibited from recognizing region codes as a form of copy protection or copyright control. Apple includes region code locks on their drives, ostensibly at the behest of their peers in the media industry, but it's perfectly OK for you to remove it (and, there are locales where region code locking is actually prohibited, but presumably if you bought your Mac there the locks are already absent). Be aware, however, that changing the firmware of the drive would void the warranty on the drive (not the whole Mac, just the DVD drive).
Another option might be to purchase an external region-free DVD drive.

Similar Messages

  • Possible to do a DL PAL / NTSC DVD?

    Hi,
    we just finishing our DVD which is a PAL project and just comes out to fit a single DVD. Is it possible to make a DualLayer DVD with a PAL project on the first half and a NTSC project on the second to increase the commercial sale possibilities for the USA and Japan? Would a standard DVD be able to choose between these two or does it has to work through a kind of universal Menue?
    Best regards - Christoph

    Christoph:
    Would a standard DVD be able to choose between these two or does it has to work through a kind of universal Menue?
    There is no way to include both standards PAL/NTSC material in the same disc/project.
      Alberto

  • PAL/NTSC DVD player question

    Greetings, Can I play a PAL format DVD from the UK in my Powerbook? Here is the info. from system profiler:
    MATSHITA DVD-R UJ-835E:
    Firmware Revision: GAN7
    Interconnect: ATAPI
    Burn Support: Yes (Apple Shipped/Supported)
    Cache: 2048 KB
    Reads DVD: Yes
    CD-Write: -R, -RW
    DVD-Write: -R, -RW, +R, +RW
    Burn Underrun Protection CD: Yes
    Burn Underrun Protection DVD: Yes
    Write Strategies: CD-TAO, CD-SAO, DVD-DAO
    Media: No
    I have read that if you play a PAL format DVD more than five time my settings will be permanently locked in the PAL format, and I will no longer be able to play commercial NTSC DVD's. Which would be bad. I do travel allot with the Powerbook and watch movies on the plane. Should I consider converting all PAL DVD's into NTSC? If anyone could shed light on this please advise. Thanks.

    Here's the work-around I use, which just requires that you have enough free space on your hard drive to hold the entire VIDEO_TS file (up to 8 GB): Download the freeware program Mac the Ripper (Google it, then find a site that MacroVision hasn't hacked into and shut down, and proceed with the download and installation). Insert the DVD you want to watch. The DVD player in your Mac will then ask you if you want to use one of your few remaining region switches. IGNORE that dialog box altogether--just leave it open without selecting anything (if you select CANCEL it'll eject your DVD, so don't do that).
    Open Mac the Ripper and following the clear instruction manual to set the controls properly copy the DVD into your Mac (I choose to save the file in the Movie folder). Takes about 20-25 minutes for most movies, and the copy you get is stripped of region coding. When that is done, close MTR, go back to the dialog box of your DVD player, hit CANCEL, and let the disk eject. Then reopen the DVD player, and have it open the VIDEO_TS file. Playback will proceed as if you were watching the DVD itself.
    PS-if you want to burn a DVD backup stripped of region coding, you can use DVD2oneX2, a file-compression/DVD burning program available for a free 30-day trial, $30 thereafter. Works very well. Good luck & (hopefully) enjoy!

  • PAL/NTSC DVD's

    I recently purchased a 17-inch Intel-based iMac, and i was wondering if it can play DVD's from different countries (Japan in particular), wouold there be a problem with PAL/NTSC TV's??
    Thank You

    Remember you will only be able to change the Region Code in your computer 5 times. After that it will be locked to the last Region Code you used.
    So if you have DVD's from say Japan and the USA, then each has a different Region Code. If you play a USA, then a Japan DVD, that will use up one of your changes, then if you go back to USA then another will be used. Once you use the 5th change your machine will only play discs from the Region Code you last set it to. SO you could only play USA or Japan NOT both.
    This has nothing to do with NTSC or PAL as they are not Region Code based.
    They are simple the format of the TV signal being output.
    If for instance you only ever use Japan DVD's all with the same Region Code then it does not matter if they are PAL or NTSC you can play them as many times as you like, no issue as you swap from one to the other.
    Region Codes are there to prevent content from being bought in one region of the world and played in another.
    You can read more about Region Codes here :-
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DVDregioncode
    Ian

  • Create a DVD playable on PAL & NTSC.

    Hi
    I am using Encore CS3 and would like (NEED) to create a DVD that will play on both PAL and NTSC DVD players. I have read in forums the following theory...
    Master my content at 23.976 and then import it into Encore. After output it will be interlaced by any DVD player to either 30 or 25 interlaced fps.
    When I try and import into Encore I am only given the option of PAL (25fps)or NTSC (29.97), so which do I choose and how can I be sure that My final DVD is in fact 23.976 fps and will play on any format?
    PS, This is all very new to me as I am a 2D illustrator by trade!
    Thanks in advance

    I live in London, UK and work for a TV company that produces shows for PBS
    in the US. I have never had any problems here playing NTSC discs.
    They do look a little softer than PAL ones, since the picture is stretched a
    little but not so the average user would notice. The only problem that might
    crop up is if someone is using such an old TV or monitor, and we are talking
    very old here, the picture could play in black and white.
    The reverse isn't true - we have had lots of issues with PAL discs being
    sent to US clients and being unplayable.
    I am sure you know this but just in case not there is one caveat... do not
    add any regional code! Almost every TV professional I've worked with still
    confuses regional codes, region 1 for US and region 2 for Europe with video
    formats NTSC and PAL. If you do add a region code then you will find discs
    will not play!
    Make your discs in NTSC and region free and you should be fine 99% of the
    time!

  • HD 1080i PAL to DVD NTSC

    I've learned a tremendous amount from reading the forum, and this is the first time I've been compelled to post - I am stuck! 
    My basic question is what is the best way to go from 1920 x 1080i AVCHD 25 fps PAL source footage edited in its native format in Premiere CS4 to a SD NTSC DVD authored in Encore?  I'm fine with losing quality, but I've been getting choppy video in transitions and audio sync problems, and that's not acceptable.
    I've tried using the dynamic link and transcoding in Encore with all sorts of different settings and usually end up with the audio going out of sync in a couple spots and some unexpected frames in transitions that cause jumps.  The best I've come up with is encoding to NTSC 23.976 fps progressive, 2 pass VBR which still has slightly choppy zooms. 
    The sequence is about 27 minutes and takes 2 hours to transcode to NTSC 23.976 fps WITHOUT using the maximum quality option.  If I select maximum quality then it takes over 24 hours (!!) and the quality is actually worse (jumps in transitions and audio sync problems).  Could this be due to the "frame blending" bug that I've read about in AME?
    I realize I'm dealing with two major issues: frame rate and resolution.  Any suggestions?  Thanks.
    - Aaron
    System Info:
    AMD Athlon II X4 2.9 GHz
    8 GB RAM
    64-bit Windows 7
    CS4 Production Premium
    Drives:
    C: System
    D: Pagefile/Project Files/Media Cache
    E: Source media

    Thanks for the quick replies, everyone.  It seems that there were some specific edits that were causing audio syncing and video glitches - they were fine in the Premiere project, but would cause problems when exported.  I spent some time exporting (directly from Premiere without multiplexing or changing the frame rate) those specific sections that were giving me problems.  I couldn't get anything to work consistently.  Finally, out of desperation, I tried exporting to tape and it worked!  It rendered to 1080 50i HDV and recorded to my Sony HDR-HC9 without any problems.  Then I recaptured it into Premiere and was able to export it from Premiere into both PAL and NTSC standard definition Encore projects without any problems.  I think it must have been some problem with way Premiere was trying to export the original AVCHD clips and/or the way they were edited together.  I'm not really sure what it was, but I'm relieved it finally worked. 
    - Aaron

  • PAL (25p) - 24p - NTSC DVD

    I have two CanonXL1e (PAL) cameras. I am planning to shoot footage at 25p and conform the clips to 23.98fps, edit in FCP on 23.98fps sequences, and then output to NTSC DVDs at 23.98fps.
    The audio gets out of sync when I conform the 25p clips to 23.98fps and drop them into a 23.98fps sequence.
    The audio stays in sync with the video when I conform the 25p clips to 24fps and drop them into a 24fps sequence. The problem I have with this setup is when I export the 24fps sequence from FCP to Mpeg2 using compressor I seem to drop a frame every once in a while. Is this because it's going from 24fps to 23.98 fps?
    What is the correct workflow to get from PAL 25p to 24p to NTSC DVD?

    I have not - but instead of conforming to 24, does cinema tools give you the option to conform to 23.98? If not, I'd have to think it's like Dropframe/Non-Dropframe sync issues - stuff drops out at the rate of 2 frames per minute. Not noticeable in the first minute, but definitely discernible after 3.
    I don't know of any option other than to run the audio at 99.9% or slipping the audio every minute...
    Or is that 100.1%?
    Patrick

  • NTSC & PAL Widescreen DVD from Flash Animation

    Hey Everyone. I have a question regarding a project I am finishing up. I created an animation in flash that is being exported to both NTSC Widescreen DVD and PAL Widescreen DVD.
    I started with 1024x576 in flash and created a sweet animation with audio. (Its a 1 min animation that will be looped for conventions etc)
    For NTSC
    From Flash I exported a 853x480 animation and imported it into FCP to add some fades to the beginning and end and make a few tweaks. I exported out another 853x480 video and imported it into DVDSP set to NTSC Widescreen. I burned the disc and everything looks great on my screen (letterbox on my crappy home tv)
    For my PAL version I followed a similar process.
    From Flash I exported a 1024x576 animation and imported it into FCP to add some fades to the beginning and end and make a few tweaks. I exported out another 1024x576 video and imported it into DVDSP set to PAL Widescreen.
    The thing I noticed is that the video in the viewer seems stretched where as the NTSC looked perfect.
    Am I missing something here? Where did I go wrong. Should i have set the video size smaller in FCP and outputted the proper video size (NTSC 720 x 480 and PAL 720 x 576) to bring into DVDSP? I don't know why one would look ok and the other would look stretched.
    Any help would be appreciated. Thanks
    Fish

    Fish:
    Try this in FCP:
    PAL VIDEO
    - Select Easy Setup DV PAL
    - Create a new sequence and open it
    - Go to menu Sequence > Settings...
    - Change Quicktime Video Settings Compressor from DV-PAL to uncompressed 8 bit
    - Check the anamorphic option
    - Import your movie and make it fit the canvas (check the Distort option in the Motion tab)
    - Do your edit
    - Export your timeline as Animation.
    Same for the NTSC but using DV NTSC Easy Setup and so . . .
    If I don't missed something your movies must be fine in DVDSP.
    Hope it helps!
      Alberto

  • PAL to NTSC DVD conversion

    I own a number of Region 2 (UK), PAL DVD's that I want to copy to Region free or region 1 (US), NTSC as I know live in the US.
    I use MactheRipper to rip the DVD content using my old powerbook with it's superdrive firmware unlocked (so it can read the UK DVD) and then use Popcorn to burn a DVD colpy on my G5 iMac (with upgraded DL Panasonic 845 DL Superdrive).
    The resulting copy plays fine on my computers but on my DVD player I get a "not NTSC" error. Can I make Popcorn burn an NTSC DVD,
    I know TOAST has a PAL/NTSC option - but can I make a playable DVD with TOAST. I assume not, otherwise why would I need Popocorn.
    I appreciate any advice - thanks
    Neil

    The resulting copy plays fine on my computers but on my DVD player I get a "not NTSC" error. Can I make Popcorn burn an NTSC DVD,
    Depending on your DVD player, you may have PAL compatibility already. Therefore, you only have to make the disk region free and have the DVD convert the PAL signal to your TV.
    Just a thought.

  • Can CS5 import from a PAL DVD, then burn a NTSC DVD?

    Hi, I've looked to see if PAL to NTSC has come up in the forum but couldn't spot it.  Has anyone taked the footage from a PAL DVD into CS5?  And is it possible to then send that footage to burn a NTSC DVD?  Thanks for any help!

    The footage will need conversion at some point, and PP may not be the best tool for that job.  Try the link below (but try it quick, it won't be up for long).  If memory serves, one of the options Dan set up was to convert between NTSC and PAL (or in your case, the other way 'round).
    http://www.dv2film.com/

  • 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.

  • Creating a PAL Widescreen DVD from NTSC footage.

    First off, my iDVD is version 7.0.4
    If someone could help me out with a very precise workflow it would be great, because I have a project with a one day turn around and the DVDs have to play properly the next day.
    This is the (sparse) information I got from the company that needs the DVDs : "As long as the DVD is UK pal widescreen it will play on the monitors."
    In the past, if shooting in NTSC and transferring to PAL, I've had the DVDs professionally transferred. With this project, I won't have time to do that.
    I'm planning on shooting on a DVX100 and editing in FCP. If shooting in NTSC is going to cause problems, I can definitely rent a PAL camera instead. (And would prefer to do that than have to do too much in post to get to a PAL Widescreen DVD)
    Can you let me know what sequence settings I should use (for both the NTSC possibility and the PAL possibility) in FCP, and then exactly how to set up the DVD in iDVD? I know this is a super basic question- thanks in advance for your help.
    Please note: I need the most reliable, quick workflow- would rather spend some money on renting a PAL camera if that's a more reliable method than transferring footage.

    Thanks for the response! I just learned about an additional problem, unfortunately...
    The client has OTHER footage that was already shot in NTSC that they need edited into the project. So I pretty much have to shoot in NTSC. However, there is the additional option of uploading the final clip to a server instead of burnind DVDs... any advice? Can I use MPEG Streamclip to create Pal files (let's say quality doesn't have to matter as much...)

  • Converting NTSC DVD to Blu-ray or PAL DVD

    Why doesn't Encore allow me to change a DVD project to a Blu-ray project with the ability to choose the frame size and rate, or to change an NTSC DVD to a PAL DVD? It looks like the option is there, but they are grayed out.
    I exported my Premier Pro CS3 project for NTSC DVD, PAL DVD and Blu-ray, hoping to simply change to Encore CS3 project type, and then replace the assets with the appropriate file/format exported from Premier.

    >Maybe worth a feature request for CS5?
    God in heaven - NO!
    As Joe just pointed out, these are 2 completely different TV standards, running on different frame rates at different resolutions.
    The results of attempting this "on the fly" with menus etc would very closely resemble a dogs dinner.
    >I would therefore guess that you are stuck with copying the menus and other such assets into a new Encore project for each output format.
    That won't work.
    NTSC is 720x480, PAL is 720x576. They have different PAR as well.
    If compliance is what you need, then design your menus in Square Pixels at 720 x 540, and resize the image (in PS) to the required TV standard before importing into Encore. 16/9 is worse, as you need to use different designs for each TV standard. There are no short-cuts.
    Asset preparation should be done
    i outside
    the authoring application, never
    i in
    it.

  • PAL DV footage to NTSC DVD help wanted!

    Hi there, apologies if this has been tackled elsewhere, but I couldn't locate it!
    I have a finished PAL edit of around 90 minutes in FCP 4.5 that I have output to a PAL DVD via DVD SP 4/Compressor 2. Following this, the client has also asked for an identical NTSC DVD to send to the USA. Luckily I have the edit still loaded in FCP - therefore: This is the first time I have needed to do a standards conversion. Can anyone advise what the best method/workflow for creating this NTSC DVD is?
    Many thanks in advance for your time, TP
    PowerMac G5, Dual 1.8 ghz, 3GB Ram, 250 GB HD   Mac OS X (10.4.6)   FCP 4.5, DVD SP4, Motion, Toast 6 Titanium

    You didn't understand what my last post said.
    I said go from his PAL DV edit in FCP to a DV tape (DVCam preferrably). Then have the PAL DVCam tape transferred to another DVCam tape in NTSC.
    PAL is better quality that NTSC so there will be some loss just because there is less resolution in NTSC than PAL, but keeping it on a DVCam tape is fine.
    Then log the footage back into FCP with NTSC settings and then edit/export/author.
    I said nothing about tranferring it to analog or VHS. I don't know where you got that one. He said his original footage was edited in DV.
    And YES, if you take it to a "professional" dub house it will turn out better than most software conversions is what i meant. I have used Lightning Media in Hollywood for years and their stuff turns out great.

  • NTSC DVD doc for PAL Europe. Updated Advice on IF I need to convert & HOW?

    I have read with interests several posts on playing NTSC, all region DVDs on PAL DVD players. I hope someone may have some updated advice for my situation. In brief, I would like to give out DVD copies to festival goers in France where my Doc will play in April. I thought to produce DVD-Rs on my Mac.
    With a film acquired documentary(24fps), transferred to NTSC video (29.97 fps) sitting as both Avid and Final Cut Pro Media on my trusty G-4, I am now ready to export a Quicktime Movie and then encode to MPEG-2, and "author" a DVD in DVD Studio Pro.
    Will an NTSC DVD now play on most DVD players and Televisions in Europe? (A contact stated their "players are bi-standard NTSC and PAL", but I'm still uncertain this means my DVD-R or replicated NTSC will play).
    Should I make a PAL DVD?
    IF I try a PAL DVD is it really as simple as exporting a Same as Source Quick Time Movie from Avid or FCP then using the QT MPEG-2 exporter and selecting "PAL" from within Quick Time? Then I just create a new Pal project in DVD Studio Pro?...... Even if it is that simple to create PAL from QT and my media, I don't see how my 24 fps/29.97 fps doc now magically becomes PAL 25 fps / 59.97 fps just because I converted it to MPEG-2.
    Do you all recommend I try to make my own PAL DVD or should I just take my already authored NTSC DVDs and cross my fingers.
    I really appreciate any newer thoughts on this topic. I'm an old pre-digital film guy so be kind.
    Thanks, Rob
    G-4 Quicksilver   Mac OS X (10.3.9)  

    Yes, although the vast majority of newer European DVD players and TVs have no problems with NTSC DVDs, the only way to be sure (well, almost sure) is to burn a PAL DVD. You can't legislate for the fact, however, that not all DVD players can play all DVD-R authored disks, but that's a seperate problem!
    I generally use After Effects for quick and dirty (but good quality) standards conversion. Whatever you do don't just try exporting your project via Quicktime using a PAL as this will only change the colour space and not the frame rate or frame size. If you use QT to change frame rate it will simply repeat every fifth frame to get to 30fps which will give you jerky motion.
    Here's a step by step guide to doing the conversion in Compressor 2, using "optical flow" to interpolate to get the extra frames :
    http://www.macworld.com/2006/02/secrets/marchcreate/index.php?pf=1

Maybe you are looking for