Recording both PAL and NTSC versions of same project

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Level 1

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Recording both PAL and NTSC versions of same project

I am importing a series of movies to iMovie in PAL format. I understand that it automatically sets the format. What steps should I follow to ensure that I can have both versions of the same footage correctly (PAL and NTSC)? On my first attempt to record on iDVD I had not changed the setting to PAL (even though iMovie project is PAL). A warning message showed that there were conflicting formats but I recorded the DVD and now it works on my NTSC TV and DVD. Then I changed the iDVD setting to PAL and made another copy. When I check the DVD's under Window>Movie Info (Quicktime) they seem to be in the correct format. It happened by accident but I understand that you should export your movie from iMovie in the new converted format in order to record a DVD in such format. I accidentally bypassed that step and I wonder if the quality has been lowered. Has anyone experienced this also? Should I do the same to save me an extra step? Thanks for feedback on this.

PowerBook G4 Mac OS X (10.4.9)

Posted on Apr 4, 2007 10:54 PM

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Answer 1

Apr 4, 2007 11:27 PM in response to estratagema

Hi e

This is somerthing that I'm trying to figure out too.

What I've learned:
- Don't let iDVD do the PAL -> NTSC conversion = Bad result.
- Use: JES Deinterlacer3.1.7 - which are said to do it very good

then I will start one iDVD project (PAL) and save a diskimage then burn with
Toast™ (with speed set as slow as possibly)
then start a new iDVD project - change to NTSC - close iDVD and now
start ONE MORE iDVD project (that now will be in NTSC). Import the converted
movie and make disk image ..............(see above)

Thats my main plan.

Yours Bengt W

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Answer 2

F Shippey

Level 7

21,500 points

Apr 5, 2007 10:15 AM in response to estratagema

The conversion from PAL to NTSC (or NTSC to PAL) is a non-trival task.

In the case of PAL to NTSC, not only must the frame size be changed from 720x576 pixels to 720x480 pixels (fairly easy resizing), but the frame rate must be changed from 25 frames/second to 29.97 frames/sec (this frame rate change is NOT easy). iDVD/QuickTime seem to simply duplicate an occasional frame to go from 25 to 29.97 fps (or delete an occasional frame going from 29.97 to 25 fps) - this technique can cause the converted movie to be rather jerky.

You will probably get a better conversion use JES Deinterlacer at http://www.xs4all.nl/~jeschot/home.html as mentioned by Bengt

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