View Full Version : PAL to NTSC


Trevor Allin
December 16th, 2006, 02:02 PM
Hi

I am working on a project in PAL that wil also need to end up in NTSC. Is it straight forward to convert one to the other? Or are there things I should take not of?

Thanks

Trevor

Antony Michael Wilson
December 16th, 2006, 03:19 PM
Personally, I've never seen ANY software that comes close to good dedicated hardware standards converters and you should aim to use something with motion compensation like Alchemist with the Phc option. This will give great results and all good facilities should have it or something like it.

Trevor Allin
December 16th, 2006, 04:02 PM
Hi Antony

Thanks for this.

Trevor

Jack Walker
December 16th, 2006, 04:27 PM
If you want to try a software conversion TMPG Xpress works well:
http://tmpgenc.pegasys-inc.com/en/product/te4xp.html

I used Procoder 2 and get good results for what I need. Procoder Express also does conversions. Both programs have trials.

Jack Walker
December 16th, 2006, 04:29 PM
If you want to try a software conversion TMPG Xpress works well:
http://tmpgenc.pegasys-inc.com/en/product/te4xp.html

I used Procoder 2 and get good results for what I need. Procoder Express also does conversions. Both programs have trials.

In my opinion it is worth trying yourself. If you go to a company that does conversions, I suggest getting recommendations and find out exactly what equipment they are using (and see samples of their conversions), before choosing a company.

Trevor Allin
December 16th, 2006, 06:00 PM
Hi

I am using Final Cut pro, so i am wondering if this is up to the job?

Thanks

Trevor

Jack Walker
December 16th, 2006, 06:31 PM
Hi

I am using Final Cut pro, so i am wondering if this is up to the job?

Thanks

Trevor
I'm not sure what you are referring to as "up to the job."

As far as I know, you want to completely finish the video streams first in their native format on whatever editor you use.

Then you would convert the video streams from PAL to NTSC.

This could be done with high end hardware as suggested above or with a software solution, two of which I mentioned -- and both of which are PC only, I believe. However, the conversion can be done on a PC. Just save the files to an external hardware and convert on a PC. You would take the files from your editor and use the software to convert to NTSC MPEG2 for the DVD. The way I see it you would make the conversion to NTSC and the transcoding to the files to be used on the DVD all at once.

After you have your NTSC program files (MPEG2 files for the DVD), then make the DVE in NTSC, with NTSC menus, etc., using whatever program you author in.

I am guessing your end product is a DVD.

You should be able to locate someone where you are that does this as a matter of course. Since the U.S. is a big market and most European video is shot in PAL, there are sure to be people who routinely deal with this on a high level.