Anderson Sato
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: Converting NTSC content to PAL

Hello there,

 

Recently the company that I work got one client from Europe and they will need a digital PAL video source. I was wondering how can I convert an HD content from NTSC to PAL using FCP... And also the diferences between them, becouse I saw some infos over Google but any of them give me an info of digital files, only the ones that are on a fisical media like DVD.

 

So, there is two clients envolved. I'm receiving this material source, with this definition to convert to PAL:

 

- Coded of videio: Avid DNxHD (17.5 MB/s)

- NTSC source

- HD (1080x1920)

- It's a ".mov" file

- This video formart is supported on FCP by an plugin that the client gave us.

 

I need to transcode/convert the file to one of this HD possibilities:

 

Captura de tela 2012-09-20 às 15.22.40.png

 

I was wondering if I only  define the definitions of export to : H.264 (50MBs) / 25 fps / 1080x1920 and etc. It will give me an PAL file... or there is more things to do!?

 

I tried to do some of those things but I'm not felling secure to proceed with this material...

Mac Pro

Posted on Sep 20, 2012 11:31 AM

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Anderson Sato

Q: Converting NTSC content to PAL

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  • by Michael Grenadier,

    Michael Grenadier Michael Grenadier Sep 20, 2012 11:48 AM in response to Anderson Sato
    Level 7 (20,362 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 20, 2012 11:48 AM in response to Anderson Sato

    all you need to do is convert the frame rate.  Compressor will do a good job but be sure to reset the frame rate in the video settings in the encoder tab to 25 fps and enable frame controls in the frame controls tab and set the rate conversion to best and 100% of source

  • by Anderson Sato,

    Anderson Sato Anderson Sato Sep 20, 2012 12:30 PM in response to Michael Grenadier
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 20, 2012 12:30 PM in response to Michael Grenadier

    So, it's just convert to the frame rafe of 25 fps? There is nothing related with color correction?

     

    The thing about putting the rate conversion to best and 100% of the source is something that I think it will not match... I have a source that has 17,3MB/sec.. and I need to export the file to have 50MB/sec..

     

    There is a program that we can see if a file is NTSC or PAL? or is recognized by the frame rate?

  • by Detlef Kretschmer,

    Detlef Kretschmer Detlef Kretschmer Sep 20, 2012 2:54 PM in response to Anderson Sato
    Level 3 (968 points)
    Safari
    Sep 20, 2012 2:54 PM in response to Anderson Sato

    If you only change frame rate, the film will then become longer  by a factor of 30/25. I don"t think this would be desirable.

    You have to decrease the number of frames as well. There are different ways of doing that, most of them lousy.

    Use JESdeinterlacer. It will actually analyse the film and tell you what it is.

  • by Michael Grenadier,

    Michael Grenadier Michael Grenadier Sep 20, 2012 2:55 PM in response to Detlef Kretschmer
    Level 7 (20,362 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 20, 2012 2:55 PM in response to Detlef Kretschmer

    Nope.  Unless I'm not being clear...

     

    "set the rate conversion to best and 100% of source" makes the duration the same."

  • by Detlef Kretschmer,

    Detlef Kretschmer Detlef Kretschmer Sep 20, 2012 3:04 PM in response to Michael Grenadier
    Level 3 (968 points)
    Safari
    Sep 20, 2012 3:04 PM in response to Michael Grenadier

    Yup. THAT works ok.

    JES is still giving better results

  • by Michael Grenadier,

    Michael Grenadier Michael Grenadier Sep 20, 2012 3:11 PM in response to Detlef Kretschmer
    Level 7 (20,362 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 20, 2012 3:11 PM in response to Detlef Kretschmer

    Have you done a side by side comparison, with the parameters set to best in compressors frame controls panel?

     

    Enquiring minds want to know.

  • by phase52010,

    phase52010 phase52010 Sep 21, 2012 6:50 PM in response to Anderson Sato
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Sep 21, 2012 6:50 PM in response to Anderson Sato

    You might like to try MOVIECONVERTER-STUDIO. There's a demo version to play with.

     

    I've been using it for sometime to convert NTSC->PAL->NTSC and have been very happy with the results.

     

    Drop in a MOV file, (or anything just about; and it'll convert it to a PAL or NTSC mpeg.

  • by Bengt Wärleby,

    Bengt Wärleby Bengt Wärleby Sep 21, 2012 10:46 PM in response to Anderson Sato
    Level 6 (19,450 points)
    Sep 21, 2012 10:46 PM in response to Anderson Sato

    Hi

     

    My notes on this.

    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

  • by Detlef Kretschmer,

    Detlef Kretschmer Detlef Kretschmer Sep 22, 2012 3:41 AM in response to Bengt Wärleby
    Level 3 (968 points)
    Safari
    Sep 22, 2012 3:41 AM in response to Bengt Wärleby

    A: Of course it is possible and legal to dicuss it. If it is legal to do is a different question. If you own the DVD and you do one transformation for your own use, the question becomes very debatable.

     

    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.

     

    There are many DVD players around which play both, NTSC and PAL - just do a Google

     

     

    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)

     

    MPEG Streamclip is free and excellent

     

    I agree with the choice of JES Deinterlacer.

     

    Editing and authoring - FCP and DSP

  • by Bengt Wärleby,

    Bengt Wärleby Bengt Wärleby Sep 22, 2012 11:21 PM in response to Detlef Kretschmer
    Level 6 (19,450 points)
    Sep 22, 2012 11:21 PM in response to Detlef Kretschmer

    A: Of course it is possible and legal to dicuss it. If it is legal to do is a different question.

     

    Commercial DVDs !

     

    Wish You were right - BUT THIS IS NOT A LOCAL - discussion forum BUT A GLOBAL one, so to keep on existing it has to fold for International Considerations.

     

    Discussing Copying COMMERCIAL DVDs - even just in an Academic Way IS ILLEGAL in some Countries e.g. GERMANY.

     

    So Please keep this legal so that we don't end up with it Closed Down !

     

    Your Own - Not Copyrighted or Commercial DVDs - You can copy to Your full enjoyment and as much You like - Never any objections to this.

     

    Yours Bengt W (in Sweden where discussing is free - but doing it is not)

  • by Anderson Sato,

    Anderson Sato Anderson Sato Sep 24, 2012 8:54 AM in response to Bengt Wärleby
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 24, 2012 8:54 AM in response to Bengt Wärleby

    Sorry my absence. I was doing some tests before say anything else.

     

    I tried to do what Detlef Kretschmer said before... Actually when he mentioned about compressor I was doing the same definition on FCP but after 12 hours of export it crashed. So then I went to compressor to do what he said and also the Compressor also crashed.....

     

    I was thinking about this JESdeinterlacer... but I'm little afraid of using it as my client is an European Broadcaster... This program allows me to define the "MB/s"?

     

    Besides, I'm not trying to make a DVD..... I need to send a digital file...

     

    I maybe will try it with MPEG Streamclip.

     

    Thanks,

  • by Michael Grenadier,

    Michael Grenadier Michael Grenadier Sep 24, 2012 10:11 AM in response to Anderson Sato
    Level 7 (20,362 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 24, 2012 10:11 AM in response to Anderson Sato

    Have you tried my workflow that I suggested?  You can set an in and out in the preview window in compressor and do a short test to see if it works.

  • by Anderson Sato,

    Anderson Sato Anderson Sato Sep 24, 2012 10:56 AM in response to Michael Grenadier
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 24, 2012 10:56 AM in response to Michael Grenadier

    Michael Grenadier wrote:

     

    all you need to do is convert the frame rate.  Compressor will do a good job but be sure to reset the frame rate in the video settings in the encoder tab to 25 fps and enable frame controls in the frame controls tab and set the rate conversion to best and 100% of source

    Hi Michael,

     

    The thing about only convert the frame rate is the specification... When I convert the frame rate into the specifications that I sent on my first post the Compressor crashes... And I think is probably because of the bit rate... Maybe the compressor does not support it... I was trying to setup some other preferences and I saw that the limit of those preferences is 40 MB/s of bit rate...

  • by Michael Grenadier,Helpful

    Michael Grenadier Michael Grenadier Sep 24, 2012 11:01 AM in response to Anderson Sato
    Level 7 (20,362 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 24, 2012 11:01 AM in response to Anderson Sato

    sorry, the graphic or whatever you appended to your first post is not showing up.  Tell us exactly what format you're trying to output to in compressor.  I know there are issues with the bitrate of mp4, but there's a neet little trick around this. 

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