Pal to NTSC wavy edges-bad

Recently did a conversion of an NTSC, photojpeg codec QT to PAL mv2 using compressor. Needed to create a PAL DVD in SP4. I tried it four or five different ways, and they all look really bad. There are wavy lines on all edges when the camera pans or zooms. I tried automatic, lower dominant (which is correct for beta footage) and upper dominant for the field rendering and all of them look equally bad. I tried DVPal as an option and it looks the same. What is the problem? Someone on the FCP list serve said it was because I am watching it on a progressive computer monitor, but on my portable dvd player which plays PAL it looks the same. My associate tried it on his and it looks the same and he claims to watch rented PAL disks and they don't look the way this one does. Any ideas?
G5Dual, 3GIG Ram, Mac OS X (10.4)

one question;
when you render new versions of your video material, do you give them new names?
and do you delete the PAR folder and its content?
dvd studio pro has a very sticky memory that sometimes seems to insist on using old material, even when you change the material in the timeline and in the browser.
safest thing to do: move the bad m2v file __and the PAR folder to the trash and empty it, re-open your project in dvdsp and move in you new material (first tell dvdsp to delete the missing clips if there are any)
if you have encoded your clips in different ways, they should look differently.
if they all look exactly the same, something else is wrong.
as for the exact "wavyness" that you see - can you describe it more precisely?
does it look like the combs of a fork and it only appears along edges of moving objects or when the camera moves?
this would indicate a field order problem
and you are sure the problem is not in the original file?
hope this helps
at least a little

Similar Messages

I want to convert a movie that I've created in iMovie from PAL to NTSC.

I've created a large movie using PAL but now want to convert it to NTSC to send to my family in Canada. It took ages to create. Is there an easy way of doing the conversion? I don't want to have to do it all again.

Hi
A. Using iMovie'08 to 11 - Will not give 100% result - as You want interlaced SD-Video = NTSC
B. Converting from PAL to NTSC - is Never 100% loss free - but You lose a bit
I use iMovie HD6 or FinalCut - as they can deliver 100% over to program that converts.
• iMovie and iDVD can convert - BUT RESULT WILL BE Very POOOOR.
My notes on How I do it
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)
I have to send it overseas
That too can be a problem. As USA = NTSC = 29.97fps and EU = PAL = 25fps.
DO Not let iMovie or iDVD do this conversion from one to the other - Result will be Very
BAD
I save the movie as a full quality QuickTime .mov file then I use JES_Deinterlacer to do the conversion - then I cont. in iMovie or iDVD with project set accordingly.
JES_Deinterlacer is free on Internet and there are Pro applications but not that much better and costs are astronomical.
PAL-DVDs - don't play in US
NTSC-DVDs - usually plays well in EU
All plays well on a Mac - What ever.
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

PAL to NTSC Big Problems

We shoot and edit in PAL on FCP and output to Quicktime MOV. When I convert the MOV to MPEG2 NTSC in Compressor I am getting some bad shuddering on any camera pans.
I have tried changing field dominance and turning on and off the deinterlacing. I have even tried transcoding from an encoded mpeg 2 PAL with no improvement
I am using version 1.2.1 of & have almost no control over the GOP settings. I don't know what do do
Please help

As a last resort (in case you are stuck which is a common fate of most users when dealing with this horrible legacy of NTSC frame rates) you have a simple solution that will produce flawless, no hiccups conversion from PAL to NTSC. You will need sufficient space, patience and willingness to accept 4% change in pitch.
a) edit your footage in 25 progressive. Export it as image sequence. Export audio separately.
b) In QTP import image sequence to NTSC frame rate 23.976. Add your audio (SCALED) to your movie.
c) Import your movie to 23.976 FCP sequence.
d) export it NTSC mpg2, which will add standard pulldown to bring it to 29.97.
(all this can presumably be done in FCP, if only one could figure out how!)
(Note to Apple.Please kindly note that 24 is not 23.98 nor it is 23.976, Your documentation is all over the place with no rhyme or reason. 24 can mean (FTC, QT) 24 or 23.976. Strangely 23.98 seems to be always used to denote 23.976. This is not nice nor professional and is awfully confusing)

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

PAL to NTSC Text issues

When I export from FCP5 to Compressor 2, converting PAL to NTSC, any text that I have used in FCP stretches vertically. Has anyone else had this and if so, have you found a solution???

Here's what I don't understand - some guys captured this concert in two ways - a PAL camera (and associated audio) and then some sort of audio recording, a believe a DAT.
They gave us PAL tapes which we have captured, and then ProTools audio files. Theoretically everything should match up at this point (the audio from the cameras and the audio from the recorder should be the same, right?)...
Why would it be that after changing the MIXES (but not shortening or lengthening the audio), exporting from ProTools, and then laying them into the FCP track (syncing up to the first beat of a song, etc), they audio drifts? Not bad, about 1 1/2 seconds in 6 1/2 min of footage.. but nonetheless, this is a HUGE pain.
Given this is a music DVD and the artist is a major musical stickler, changing the audio has a ZERO percent chance of being acceptable...
Thanks again for your help -
Jason

Converting PAL to NTSC in FCP

How do I convert PAL to NTSC in FCP?

Hi
May be my Amateuristic way can be of help ?
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)
I have to send it overseas
That too can be a problem. As USA = NTSC = 29.97fps and EU = PAL = 25fps.
DO Not let iMovie or iDVD do this conversion from one to the other - Result will be Very
BAD
I save the movie as a full quality QuickTime .mov file then I use JES_Deinterlacer to do the conversion - then I cont. in iMovie or iDVD with project set accordingly.
JES_Deinterlacer is free on Internet and there are Pro applications but not that much better and costs are astronomical.
PAL-DVDs - don't play in US
NTSC-DVDs - usually plays well in EU
All plays well on a Mac - What ever.
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

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.

PAL or NTSC? How to identify a specific DVD...

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Thank you for your reply. I would have checked that prior to asking but the DVDs I am asking about are consumer burned ones and not commercial DVD's. Anyway, after doing additional research, I found that when opening Apple's DVD player software, one can get information about the inserted DVD under File, Get Disk Info.
Thanks again and all the best

How to check the format (PAL or NTSC) of a DVD?

I wonder if someone can tell me how to check the format (PAL or NTSC) of DVD’s that I receive from my friends around the world. Many of them have no marking as to the format... Is there some software that can do this?

Hello Peace Freak,
have a look at myDVDedit (http://www.mydvdedit.com). It's actually designed to do postproduction on a DVD, but will also display a lot of info, such as TV standard, 16:9 vs. 4:3, etc.
Insert your DVD, then launch myDVDedit and open the VIDEO_TS folder contained in your DVD. Click the IFO tab to find the information you're looking for.
hope this helps
mish

Converting PAL to NTSC and making a DVD

I have a couple of .avi files, some are in PAL and others in NTSC, I wanna make a DVD in NTSC mode, How can I convert the files?

Hi
This is not easy and You need other programs to do this.
.avi.
You can use MPEG-Streamclip to convert the AVI files so that QuickTime can play them
and to streamingDV for iMovie.
This may work - I had great problems to get .avi into anything usably.
*PAL to NTSC or other way*
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.
• 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

FCP to PC, Mac and Television Pal and NTSC

I am editing a DVD for a French dancer who wants to send out the footage as a promotional piece. Target is Europe, North and South America. PC, Mac and Television. When things looked OK on the Mac I burned a dvd from DVD studio Pro. Checked on two PC laptops, a PC tower, a pal system television with dvd player and my Mac tower and powerbook G4.
I have now been reading articles and talking with people about the difference between the gamma
of 1.8 for Mac and 2.2 for PC and 2.5 for television. CRT and LCDs. What is the best we can do today when editing for people who are going to receive and play on different machines?
The new Mac cinema display does not change every time I move my head like the less expensive
LCD monitor I used in France and the PC and Mac laptops. Is it recommended in the video editing
world to buy a pal and/or ntsc monitor to color correct for Pal and NTSC? Does one have to linearize in some way on both?
Both Pal and NTSC seem to play on all computers.
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I'd just monitor it on a well calibrated external monitor and leave it at that.
If people will be playing it on a PC it will look like any other well calibrated thing would look on a PC and again on the mac.
If people thought PCs were too dark then they'd complain about them and never use them and you wouldn't have to ever worry about it... but they don't.
Just do a normal calibration and leave it at that. You'll kill yourself over EVERY combination!!
CaptM

PAL to NTSC simple solution

I realise there are probably many threads discussing this topic but I have just finished converting a 25fps movie to 23.98fps i.e PAL to NTSC and found after a lot of trial and error and trying an array of recommended methods that the simplest and best result is this:
1. Export your movie as a self contained clip from FCP and the audio as an .aiff
2. Open the clip in Cinema Tools and conform it from 25fps to 23.98fps
3. Open a new project in FCP and import the clip and the .aiff
4. Double click the clip within the Browser and adjust its speed to 104.165 with frame blending off which will adjust the clips lenght to the same exact lenght of the original PAL file and the .aiff
5. Put the video clip onto a time line with the same settings as the clip along with the .aiff audio
This final clip will now have a frame rate of 23.98 and the exact lenght of the original PAL clip with the original audio in sync.
For some peculiar reason the running time of the movie shown in the timeline is not the same as that shown in the browser but when you export it for dvd using compressor the resulting m2v is the correct lenght. You must also export the audio from the new timeline to go on the dvd as either another .aiff or a dolby digital.
There are some odd things going on with the stated running times of everything but the end result is correct.

I'm with Michael on this.
I use Graeme Natress's Standards Converter for this within FCP if it is a small project and use Compressor feeding Qmaster clusters for something more lengthy.
Clusters make a huge difference in the performance of Compressor. I have Clusters set up on machines running 10.6.8, 10.7.5 and 10.8.3 so I know it works on the range of current OSX versions.
Digital Rebellion has a good write-up on how to set up Qmaster.
Good luck,
x

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

I live in Australia, should I use PAL or NTSC settings when creating my DVD?

I am new to creating DVDs and I am not sure what settings will give me the best quality when I burn it to DVD. I live in Australia, should I use PAL or NTSC settings? Any other hints?

Hi
My best Guess is - PAL
Does Your electicity current use 50Hz or 60Hz
Sweden 240V 50Hz - TV - 25 frames per sec = PAL
USA 110V 60Hz - TV - 29,97 fps = NTSC
AND
Then it comes to HOW the Video was recorded - AS iDVD does not convert in a very good way. I use JES_Deinterlacer to do this when I need to send a DVD to USA. and it's free on Internet and even very expencive converters doesn't do it any better.
Yours Bengt W

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.

Pal to NTSC wavy edges-bad

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