PAL to NTSC question

I have some footage that's been converted from PAL to NTSC, but it is quite jumpy, and I don't have access to the original PAL files. Since I'm stuck with it, is there any way to minimize the jumpiness after a bad conversion? In other words, are there any filters I can apply?

Nope. Sounds like it was converted poorly (which you admitted). Nothing can fix that other than a re-conversion done right. No magic filters to fix this.
Shane

Similar Messages

PAL-NTSC questions

I have a lot of VHS-PAL tapes to commit to iMovie/iDVD5. I have transferred several using a Video Standards Converter (PAL to NTSC) and an Analog to Digital converter (set to NTSC). There were some artifacts in the final result that I did not like, so I removed the Standards converter and set the A/D device to PAL (rather than NTSC) and fed into iMovie/iDVD5. The results played perfectly on a Sony DVD player into CRT analog TVs with NO artifacts!
I am thinking of using this as standard practice because results are superior.
How is this method possible?
Does iMovie/iDVD5, or the Sony player throw away 100 scan lines and insert 5 fps?
Conversely will homegrown NTSC DVDs play on PAL players and PAL TVs?
Am I making a mistake for the future?
Will this work with the new Digital display TVs (Hi-Def)?
I would sincerely appreciate any enlightenment that the forum can offer on all my questions.
This is Posted on both iDVD and iMovie Forums for wider exposure
G4 Quicksilver Dual 1.0GHz: G3-400 B&W 768MB RAM Mac OS X (10.3.9)

Yes, you can convert PAL<->NTSC via iDVD/iMovie/QT
but the results are not very good because the
movement gets jerky because frames are just dropped
or duplicated to compensate the different
framerates.
I guess iDVD did the conversion in your case because
apparently you left its prefs at NTSC.
You get smoother motion with JES Deinterlacer:
http://www.sjoki.uta.fi/~shmhav/SVCDon_aMacintosh.ht
ml#PAL_NTSC
http://www.danslagle.com/mac/iMovie/tips_tricks/6017.s
html
Dear Matti: You were perfectly correct in your analysis as to what transpired. Your answer and the valuable links help me a lot and are sincerely appreciated.
One further question, however: How long does the JES DeInterlacer take to convert 1 minute if iMovie from PAL to NTSC?
Thanks again
Malcolm
G4 Quicksilver Dual 1.0GHz: G3-400 B&W 768MB RAM Mac OS X (10.3.9)

Advanced Format Conversion - PAL - NTSC question

I need to convert from DV PAL (@ 25fps) to DV NTSC (@ 23.98fps).
My first test conversion resulted in a DV file running at 29.97 fps.
Also, I seem unable to modify the speed settings in order to re-time from PAL to NTSC, which should run approximately 4% longer.
Can somebody guide me through how to achieve this?
G5, dual 2.7 Mac OS X (10.4.9) Final Cut Studio 2.0

Marc:
AFAIK standard DV NTSC is 23.97 fps, why do you need 23.98?
The best free way I found is with Compressor Advanced format conversion, using the settings you'll find in this thread posted by Andynick:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=3055477&#3055477
Export your timeline as Quicktime Movie, same settings (self contained if you have space) and use that in Compressor.
Hope that helps !
Alberto

Question about changing frame rate from PAL to NTSC

Hi,
Usually, I would use JES Deinterlacer for changing the 25 fps of PAL into 29.97 NTSC.
Recently I've started shooting with Sony's EX-3, full HD (in PAL mode)
If I'm using JES Deinterlacer, the resolution would drop from 1920x1080 to 720x480 (adding 2 black rectangles to keep the 16:9 ratio)
With the 720x480 res I would need to choose 4:3 aspect in iDVD.
I'm somewhat confused here...Can I keep the original resolution of 1920x1080 and just use another software for changing the frame rate...then burn it with iDVD in widescreen 16:9? Is there anything like JES for that? Or does NTSC DVD means always 720x480?
Thanks a lot!
ymotion

You could try doing it in compressor>advanced format conversions. Personally I like taking it to a terranex, but I also have had GREAT success with Graeme Nattress's standards converter. You can google it, or search this forum for a link. It's cheap, only a hundred bucks or so.
1. Convert the footage pal to ntsc, no frame size change
2. Open compressor and select the appropriate setting for the length of your video. And also add the dolby audio setting. Don't forget the anamorphic settings noted above.
3. I don't remember anything at all about idvd, haven't used it since DVDSP came out. DVDSP allows you a whole host of display parameters and infinite customization for your projects. It'll only take you a couple of hours to figure it out, and those are hours well spent.

QuickTime movie in Pal to NTSC

I have a PAL camcorder.
I made an i movie in PAL and then edited it. I then converted it to QT in Pal. I then want to convert it to NTSC in JES. It doesn't seem to want to convert. ??? Perhaps I put something wrong into the slots. Could some one give me the right steps?? I thought that I followed the "Unofficial iMovie FAQ"

Hi sola
Converting from Pal to NTSC is one of the hardest things to do.
Believe me! I live in New Zealand a Pal territory but when I wanted to convert my little TV programme DIYTV Learn TV Production in 44 minutes showing the world how to make saleable, watchable TV programmes on iMovie I had to convert it to NTSC and get it to work on all USA DVD's.
It took me five months! Nobody could tell me how to do it. You can get a man on the moon but not convert acceptable PAL to NTSC cheaply and easily.
I tried everything Jes, the Compressor which comes with FC Pro , took it to production houses and still I could not get an acceptable conversion that did not cost a bomb. I tried all the forums. I begged to be given some settings which would work. Nothing! Doing it digitally takes hours and you need the correct settings which are a 'big secret'.
I did not try Platinium Alchemist as it was about NZ$1000 a go and I had 8 programmes. I reckoned I'd not sell that many to cover the cost. I think this would be the best.
Now the first thing to find out is what you want to do with it once you have converted. This makes a difference for some of the ways you do this look awful on LCD screens
I am not an expert in Jes but a lot on the forum swear by it. I too never got it to work for me.
If your video is not too long you may consider having it done professionally by a duplication house.
For this you just need to take in your tape and they can make the change either to tape or DVD. They have the equipment mainly an NTSC recorder which are are difficult to come by in Pal countries.
You can do it the analog way at home by making a DVD, playing this on a cheap DVD recorder from China, a named expensive variety will not do, which has a cunning little switch between PAL/NTSC and you can make the change in real time and as good quality as you get, better than digital and it works on everything.
The big problem with this is you need an NTSC tape recorder.
Have you noticed your PAL camcorder will play in NTSC but not record. This is because the wattage/ampage, sorry experts I am dislexic here, is different in USA and it makes the pictures flicker if filmed under lights consequently the big firms only sell the correct type of camera for the country to avoid problems.
I hire an NTSC one as I have hours of video to change but if you have just one item it would be cheaper to get it done by a duplication house. Once you have it on NTSC you can do what you like with it.
Caution. If you want your iMovie to play on all USA DVD players you have to convert the sound to Dolby Sound AC3 but that is another problem.
This is my answer to the question for what it is worth. If anyone out there has a better solution please tell us. So far I have had no complaints and I have sold many DVDs changed like this. My change costs about $20 but takes hours to achieve but worth the effort.
Good luck. Hope someone is more helpful
Jane

Switch PAL to NTSC?

I've got the latest ipad with up-to-date OS & recently purchased the Digital AV adapter so I could connect to tv via HDMI.
I've just attempted to watch a video via my ipad onto a tv & it comes out all distorted with the wrong colour picture coming and going as well no sound at all. I know this is a simple case of switching it from PAL to NTSC as I am in America but the settings that I'm used to where I could change the tv signal output has disappeared.
How am I meant to change it now? The Digital AV adapter is useless if I can't change the settings for the tv signal output!

Just out of curiosity, is the video in question encoded as PAL or NTSC? Seems to me the adapter would have to use whatever aspect ratio, lines, etc. the video is coded for.

Switzerland... PAL or NTSC?

Producing a DVD to be shown in Switzerland.
Alarmingly...I am unable to get any tech info from the end user. (dont ask me why...'cos I dont know but I live in hope they will get their act together!.)
Preference for me is to create a PAL DVD.
So ..are the Swiss... PAL or NTSC inclined? *
* Note: This question is more to do with what the common DVD playback system is ... rather than the TV broadcast system.
Ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PAL#Countries_and_territories_using_PAL

...and just in case you have another country or two to send a DVD to, here's what appears to be a fairly definitive list: World-Wide T.V. Standards @ Video University
Nope...I refuse to send it to anywhere that cant get their system together properly.
Its PAL or nothing from me.
Suffering end of long and convoluted project "blues" and I just want it out of here...NOW!
(he says as he is typing out the invoice simultaneously)

PAL to NTSC ? a little help please!

Hi. I have read several topics but couldn't really find an appropriate answer to my question.
I am trying to:
I live in Switzerland where we use the PAL system. So I have a PAL video-camera.
I am trying to create an NTSC movie to send to friends in the US!
I understand about the part where you can export the movie to NTSC format.
My problem is:
1) Proportions!! PAL is: 720x576 and NTSC is: 720x480!
The height is shorter so when I export, the image is squeezed!
Is there a way to "CROP" the image instead of having the image squeezed ?
2) I also saw that you can keep your proportions while exporting to NTSC, but then what will happen when someone uses a NTSC TV to watch movie. Will it squeeze the image, or will it add black stripes at the top and bottom?
3) I thought if my iMovie file was NTSC that it would crop the image when I do the import from my camera. But it doesn't work, and plus .. it transforms the NTSC standard to PAL automatically. So you can't even chose the format!
Any ideas, suggestions ? How could I do it? I am a bit lost! MANY thanks! & kind regards,
Stephanie

default settings (no cropping) to export as NTSC, but it didn't work out.
What was the problem then? How did it not work out??
The following page has info how to preserve correct aspect ratio when converting video:
http://www.iki.fi/znark/video/conversion/
For example, Section 3.2.2 has instructions for PAL to NTSC conversion:
PAL 720x576 must be resampled to 729x486, then cropped to the final 720x480 NTSC resolution.
I haven't tested whether JES Deinterlacer does the conversion along those lines (very few applications do these things right but luckily almost no one notices that!!) but in my tests the results have been very good.
If it is NTSC, why is it [iDVD] using PAL size ?
Notice that iDVD's PAL/NTSC setting takes effect only for new projects.

Transferring the film to video best practice and combining PAL and NTSC

Could anyone help me with the following 2 questions that I was asked in our small school video lab, I don't really have much experience with negative film and NTSC. Thankyou so much.
1. "I may be going back to the film negative to cut it, based on the FCP EDL. This means that Final Cut has to maintain perfect synch. I know that with AVID, it's more reliable to transfer the film to video at 25 fps rather than 24 fps. Do you have any idea whether this is also the case with Final Cut??"
2. "Some of my source materials is on PAL and some is on NTSC. Is that going to be a nightmare?? Will I be able to convert from one to the other when I import?? Or will I need to get the NTSC miniDV tapes transfered to PAL so that your PAL deck can read them? "
we normally use PAL (In UK).

1. This is where Cinema Tools comes into play. It can conform your edit list from FCP back to film.
There is a wealth of information in the Cinama Tools handbook and Help menu item.
Someone else might be able to contribute more information, my experience with CT is very limited.
2. Some decks are switchable between PAL and NTSC. If yours can do this then you can capture your footage in a preliminary project and convert it for free with [JES Deinterlacer|http://www.xs4all.nl/~jeschot/home.html] which does a decent job or for $100 with [Natress Standards Conversion|http://www.nattress.com/Products/standardsconversion/standardsconver sion.htm] which does a very good job. Both will take some time, best to capture only what you really need.
The best possible conversion is done with dedicated hardware solutions such as those offered by Snell & Wilcox. Real time with excellent results. This would be the way to go if you have a lot of material or if your deck is not PAL - NTSC switchable.

Pal to ntsc small query

I have read up on the forum re producing an NTSC dvd from a Pal file and taken on board the suggestions re compressor & nattress etc. One quick question though. A friend of mine who shoots in Pal and produces dvd's in both pal & ntsc says he simply nests and exports the Pal project using QTconversion, sets up a new NTSC sequence and imports the qt file into it.
I have tried a small clip this way and if I look at the new clips properties in QT player, it appears to display as the correct frame rates etc for NTSC and seems to play ok.
Is there something very obviously wrong with this method? I am assuming so as otherwise everyone would use this method.
I think my friend is working on the basis that he says FCP will happily handle a mix of PAL & NTSC in the same timeline so switching is not a problem?
Confused?

All my movies/DVD are short ones then I use the Natrress plugins with very good results. It works inside FCP. It's a time consuming process, but you can leave working alone as heavy renders.
About how to test reaults, I don't find any other option that using a real NTSC TV. I'm sure you can find some models there with both standards PAL and NTSC.
Don't judge the conversion in the computer monitor because you need to check there is no problems with interlacing/scan.

HDV Pal to NTSC

Hi.
I have a PAL video, and my client wants to have a NTSC DVD.
I made a search in PAL to NTSC conversion, and I saw http://www.macworld.com/article/49306/2006/02/marchcreate.html
I made the slow-Pal method, but after I made the conform in step 2 it says "drag the file into compressor`s Batch window." I don`t know how can I do this. I never used before the Cinema Tools.
Another question. Do I need to convert my HDV footage with quicktime to DV Pal?
Thanks in advance.
Best regards.
Luis.

Luis, just conform your movie file as described in Linecker's article and close Cinema Tools (actually you have already completed this step). Note that your original file will now have slower frame rate. Find the movie file in the finder and drag it to Compressor (Compressor can be in the Dock or in the Applications folder in the Finder). Alternatively, you can first open Compressor and drag the file from the Finder into Compressor's Batch window, exactly like it's described in the magazine.
I do not think you have to convert HDV to DV PAL but you can experiment and have it both ways, then decide which you like better.

Transfer PAL to NTSC and extract audio: Best Place in L.A.

I have a little record company. I'm going to release a video of a concert as a DVD and will ALSO release a CD of the same concert. I want to extract audio from the PAL (for the CD)at best quality for remastering.
I also want to Convert the PAL to NTSC so I can edit it in FCP. (I assume that's the best quality Video I can get under the circumstances. Is that so? Is there a better way? It's music, so it HAS TO BE in sync)
I will do the editing for the DVD master, and my mastering guy will deal with the music for the CD.
1. Can anyone suggest the best place in L.A. to do these transfers?
2. Can anyone suggest the best place in L.A. to author and replicate the DVDs?

Laurie,
I've put the word out to the LA contingent of FCP elitists about your question. Hopefully one of them will respond.
If you decide to go through a software based conversion, there is a thread over in the FCP forum that will be useful to read.
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3650277?tstart=0
Good luck,
x

Transcoding clip from PAL to NTSC

Hi, just my second discussion post so sorry if this question has been answered a zillion times before.
I need to buy a short stock footage clip that was shot in PAL DV (Standard Definition) at 720 x 576 @ 25 frames per second. I want to transcode to NTSC DV 720 x 480 @ 29.97 fps in PE 4 (by importing into a project and rendering it). Then I will use that transcoded clip in my project.
Before I buy this clip, I thought I'd ask if I can expect reasonable quality or if there are any things to watch out for. I'm assuming I can do what I describe above.
Thanks!
Steve

The conversion from PAL to NTSC can be a tough one, even with professional level software, Steve. As you indicated, it means not only changing the frame size (and pixel dimension) but also changing the frame rate -- which can often result in jiggliness.
Although officially possible, it's usually a pretty ugly transition. I don't know how much you're paying for this piece, but it might be worth challenging your provider to give it to you in acceptable NTSC format before you lay out the money.

PAL to NTSC or NTSC to PAL Conversion in Premiere

Hi Guys,
I have come hat in had to ask the gurus here about format conversion. I have a Lagarith AVI that is PAL, 30 FPS & progressive. If I am encoding that to NTSC, what steps should I be taking?
Thanks!
Howard

you dont have to have hat in hand... nobody is gonna bite your head off.
this is place where users of programs like YOU help each other.
To do that sometimes questions are answered with an eye toward fixing ( educating ? ) a person about the underlying causes of confusion. This means spending a moment to explain things sometimes...rather than just blurting out the obvious and making a poster look for the answer somewhere else.
NTSC is based on the electrical grid of 60 cycles per second... and so half of that is 30 frames per second.
PAL is based on an electrical grid that generates AC current at 50 cycles per second.. so half of THAT is 25 fps.
This has to do with broadcast TV. It has NOTHING to do with what your camera actually shoots, your options with your source material... it ONLY has to do with broadcast TV.
If you live in a country that is PAL ( like the UK ? ) then they broadcast PAL at 25fps.
If you live in a country like the USA then they broadcast at 30 FPS.
What you need to do is determine what country you want to send your product to... broadcast it...or make DVD for local TV's to watch it...
Do you live and work and want to deliver your video in PAL or NTSC ?
Again, this has NOTHING to do with what you shot your video with. It only has to do with what your delivery is.
If your original source material ( video you shot ) is 30 FPS... than it is in line with being NTSC...cause that's what the US and other places using 60 cycle per second electric generators use for their main power grid.
That is what Ann meant by saying it is " already" NTSC ". she was referring to your source material if it is in fact 30 FPS.
What YOU do with that in your editing export etc to accomodate different 'markets' ( pal and ntsc etc ) is up to YOU.... and there are different ways to do that...depending on which way you are going....
For example, interleaved is nice for some broadcast markets ... instead of progressive. It all depends on stuff you want to deliver to. It has nothing to do with what you SHOT it at...or your source material.
Google NTSC and PAL and progressive vs interlaced and you will start to see what is going on...
good luck !

RE: PAL to NTSC in QT Pro

First, I need exact instructions on how to transfer a 750 MB PAL QuickTime movie to an NTSC QuickTime movie in full-res (the project began as a PAL project, but when I try to output NTSC from from Final Cut Pro 5, the file cuts off in the near the end). So now I want to try it in QT Pro.
Second, is it possible to output a compressed file such as H.264 directly from the PAL QuickTime movie, or do I need to transfer it to NTSC first? I would like nstructions on how to do this in QuickTime Pro as well.

Two things about your question that maybe you were not aware.
A computer file is much different that what plays on a TV.
QuickTime Player doesn't care about PAL or NTSC if the files will only be used on a computer.
QuickTime Player can play frame rates from .0.001 to nearly unlimited (only your computer can decide) because the file will only be viewed on a computer.
It's only when you want to convert to formats that will be "eventually" viewed on a PAL or NTSC device (your TV) that you must be concerned about frame rates and video dimensions.
Your PAL files (25 fps) will look the same when viewed on a computer. The same with 29:97 NTSC.
Another QuickTime Pro trick:
You can "add scaled" any DV (and other formats) to any audio track to speed up or slow down video playback.
Time Lapse video comes to my mind. But you can make your own using QuickTime Pro.
Simply "Copy" your video track and then "Add to Selection & Scale" to create the effect.
"Wizard of Oz" (video track) scaled to Pink Floyd "Dark Side of the Moon" comes to my mind:
http://members.cox.net/stegokitty/dsotrpages/definitivelist.htm
as an example.

PAL to NTSC question

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