Best way to convert PAL to NTSC for DVD?

Question

Best way to convert PAL to NTSC for DVD?

I need to make NTSC DVDs. My footage is PAL - shot on 25fps. The master is an Apple Pro Res QT (HQ). I am definitely not a technical wizard, so probably you need to explain in step by step fashion! I have been talking to people, and doing some online research, but can't seem to find the exact solution. We have tried a couple ways:

First try: Using compressor to convert from HD25 to HD29.97 and then compressing for SD NTSC DVD. This looked great apart from the last couple minutes had some pixellation in the faces in an outdoor scene.

Second try: Dropping the HD25 into a SD23.98 sequence, exporting then compressing for DVD. Quality looked good but there was very subtle jumps in abrupt movements every now and then. Was subtle but visible.

Can anyone advise? Thanks so much for your help! Ruby.

Mac OS X (10.5.8)

Posted on Oct 26, 2011 4:15 PM

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Answer 1

Russ H

Level 7

22,432 points

Oct 27, 2011 8:08 AM in response to rubymackinnon

I'd begin by trying the most straightforward way, making the changes in the encoder pane of Compressor on a short, but challenging section of your movie. Do a build in DVDSP and play in DVD Player to see whether it indicates that it meets your quality standards.

Russ

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Answer 2

Oct 27, 2011 9:19 AM in response to Russ H

Hi Russ, thanks for your response! I have tried two ways recommended by a friend using compressor.

1) I converted my Apple Pro Res HQ QT using compressor to HD Uncompressed 8bit 1080p24 and then converted this file to DVD (90 mins best quality NTSC) and then burnt a DVD using DVD SP.

The quality looks great, but I can't help but feel that there are little jerks in the movements of the actors. It's a very subtle thing, but it's there.

2) I converted my Apple Pro Res HQ QT using compressor to SD/8-Bit Uncompressed Ntsc and then converted this file to DVD (90 mins best quality NTSC) and then burnt a DVD using DVD SP. The quality looks great but it starts to go pixellated on the faces at the end.

Anyone got any advice on how to convert smoothly from PAL to NTSC? If so I will be forever grateful! I have been going round and round in circles with this. Thanks so much again for your help.

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Answer 3

KarenMcC

Level 1

0 points

Nov 1, 2011 5:13 PM in response to rubymackinnon

Hi there- I'm in the same situation as you are and feel like my head is about to explode. I read your description of the steps you took and didn't begin to understand the workflow. I'm an experienced editor but am an idiot about conversion and format standards.

Could you explain the steps you took? How did you do the conversion listed as (1? I'm trying any and everything at this point. Could you throw me a life preserver?

Thanks

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Answer 4

Nov 2, 2011 7:57 AM in response to rubymackinnon

Is the footage 50i or 25p? 50i to 60i is relatively easy, but 25p to 30p can be tricky.

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Answer 5

dewshi

Level 1

56 points

Nov 4, 2011 10:18 AM in response to rubymackinnon

Ruby,

I have exactly the same task! Here's what I've found through doing a few clip tests:

Starting with an Apple ProRes 422 (HQ) 25fps 1080i movie exported from the FCP timeline...

1. Convert in Compressor to HD Uncompressed 10-Bit 1080i60

Results look good but every 5th frame is doubled (presumably to make up for the difference in frame rate change from 25fps to 29.97). Perhaps this is what accounts for your reported jerky movement.

OR

2. Convert in Compressor to HD Uncompressed 10-Bit 1080i60 with Best Rate Conversion

Results look great, no doubling of frames but encode takes 10 x longer on my MacBookPro!!! On close inspection, I think there might be a slight motion-blur artifact, but it's very hard to tell on the short clip I tried. I guess it's going to be most critical when there's a lot of movement in the frame or the image changes rapidly.

To change the Rate Conversion, go to the Frame Control tab in the Inspector. Click the gear icon to unlock all settings. Set Frame Controls to On. Then set the Rate Conversion to "Best, High quality motion compensated".

OR

3. Convert in Compressor to HD Uncompressed 8-Bit 1080i60 with source frames at 29.97

As in the previous test, unlock the Frame Control settings, leave the Rate Conversion on Fast but check the radio button "so source frames play at 29.97 fps". In the Inspector's Encoder tab set Audio to Enabled instead of Pass-through (otherwise it will be out of sync)

The encode time is the same as test 1. Basically the 25fps movie plays at 29.97fps so is slightly speeded up. As whacky as this sounds it used to be pretty standard to telecine 35mm films shot at 24fps frame for frame to video at 25fps, speeding it up in the process. The main drawback is the increase in sound pitch by a note or so coz it's playing faster, but it's possible to repitch it back down in Soundtrack Pro.

Results showed no motion artifacts. I think this version can work depending on the material. I couldn't spot the difference between 8-Bit and 10-Bit, but perhaps it's best to keep it the same as the source (?).

Finally, convert one of the above movies in Compressor to MPEG-2 6.2Mbs 2-pass & Dolby Digital Professional 2.0 and Format in DVD-SP as NTSC DVD

At the moment I'm favouring test 2, despite a potentially long long encode for a 30min movie. It'd be great to know what solution you went with in the end...

Thanks,

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Answer 6

Nov 8, 2011 3:59 AM in response to dewshi

Hi Dewshi,

Thanks very much for your reply. Very helpful and well explained! (As I am not a technical individual I was pleased that I could follow it). I am going to try these second two methods. My film is a short - so it's only 11 minutes so the longer encode time shouldn't matter too much.

The best solution that we have found so far is Movavi Video Converter - which is pretty cheap. In England it's like £30. It isn't the very best quality for the image - you can see a bit of a loss of quality, but there are no problems with jerkiness or pixellation or motion blur. So that's what we used for our DVD.

A friend of mine also recommended this software - which is slightly more expensive at $100, but he said worked for him:

http://www.nattress.com/Products/standardsconversion/standardsconversion.htm

I haven't tried it though, so can't personally recommend it. But he is good with these things, so definitely something worth trying.

I would like to find a solution which is high quality for the footage and with no associated problems, as we have to make quite a few NTSC dvds, and of course you want the best quality possible.

It's amazing considering that this must be quite a common conversion that people have to do, that there is not one standard method of doing it that absolutely works perfectly. Unless there is one that I don't know about. But if you find a way, please do let me know, and I will update on any progress that we make.

Thanks very much for your help!

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Answer 7

Nov 8, 2011 4:00 AM in response to Brad Wright2

Hi Brad,

Thanks for your reply. It is 25p so perhaps that is what is making it tricky. If you have any advice then I would love to hear it.

Thanks!

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Answer 8

Nov 8, 2011 4:04 AM in response to KarenMcC

Hi Karen,

Sorry for my late reply. We have been going a bit mad trying to figure this out. It wasn't actually me who did the conversion methods that I listed above. A friend of mine did them for me, so unfortunately I can't talk you through them step by step, but I mentioned in my reply to Dewshi two pieces of software that perhaps might work. We tried Movavi Video Converter and there is another one recommended by my friend, which is a plug in for final cut:

http://www.nattress.com/Products/standardsconversion/standardsconversion.htm

I haven't tried this one myself, but it worked for him.

It definitely is an exhausting process trying to figure this out. If you have any progression then do let me know and I will let you know if we do.

Thanks!

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Answer 9

Nov 13, 2011 4:00 PM in response to rubymackinnon

I would vote for trying my friend Graeme's plug-in for converting PAL to NTSC. http://www.nattress.com

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Answer 10

Nov 14, 2011 6:55 AM in response to Brad Wright2

Hi Brad, my friend also recommended this plug-in. Have you used it? Just curious if it manages to convert without any pixellation or jerkiness in the movements. Thanks for your help.

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