I tried using DVD Shrink to convert a PAL DVD to a NTSC DVD, but I am finding the audio cuts in and out with the conversion. This is just for a friend, so I am trying to do it without having to spend a cent. Any help or suggestions?

The following is what I do on a Mac. Every application used here is pretty much free (well, the iApps are free if you get them with a Mac and it would be great to make a donation to the creators of the share/freeware apps).

1. Obtain the permission of the DVD rights-holder.

2. Rip the DVD using Mac The Ripper.

3. Examine the Vob files and find the parts you need.

4. Drag those Vobs together onto MPEGStreamclip. YES you want to join them and YES you want to fix time-code breaks.

5. Export as an NTSC DV file at the right aspect ratio (try the 720P Intermediate Codec option in Quicktime, if you have problems with aspect ratios getting smooshed. Obviously set your iMovie project (next step) at the right setting.

6. Drop it into iMovie and tweak, edit etc.

7. Burn as a NTSC project using iDVD.

Once in a while I seem to run into a some audio sync problems but other times things are fine. It tends to be with longer projects and I have this suspicion it might have to do with the fact that I am ripping 24p material off a 25fps PAL disk. MPEGStreamclip thinks it's getting 25 but it's only getting 24, the pull-down isn't happening right and the 4% difference is causing the gradual sync drift on long projects.

That's just a hunch.

Thanks, but it seems that Mac the Ripper is only for Mac, I should have specified PC...any other suggestions?

PAL DVDs play fine on 95% of all players sold here in the States. If you have video, your player also plays PAL, so you're fine. The audio cutting on/off problem comes from some place else - don't know where from.

PAL DVDs play fine on 95% of all players sold here in the States. If you have video, your player also plays PAL, so you're fine. The audio cutting on/off problem comes from some place else - don't know where from.

Hmmm, I don't think so :)