Can DVD MovieFactory convert PAL/Zone4 to NTSC/Zone2?

[juliannoye]

Hi Guys.
I have a problem which I hope I can solve with DVD MovieFactory.
I want to make a copy of a DVD I created with a Sony DVD HandyCam.
I live in Australia PAL/Zone4 and I want to send a copy of the DVD to Japan NTSC/Zone2.
Can it be done using DVD MovieFactory or any other software?
Should I just send a MPEG file?
Regards
Julian.

[devo_111111]

I use a program called DVD Decrypter to copy DVD's.

I think that DVD video is the same the world over and the local machine makes it PAL or NTSC on the way out. Am I wrong with that idea?

When you burn the new DVD the program has a spot that let's you select which zone code to use.

Ian

[sjj1805]

Although headed VideoStudio you may be interested in this article:
http://phpbb.ulead.com.tw/EN/viewtopic.php?t=11847

[heinz-oz]

....

I think that DVD video is the same the world over and the local machine makes it PAL or NTSC on the way out. Am I wrong with that idea?

...

Ian

Yes, you are, very much so. NTSC and PAL differ greatly. Not only are the frame size and rate (frames per second) different, the color signal is carried differently also.

One more thing, home made DVD's, made from your own DV footage, do not have a region code as such. Region coding is a method used by the movie industry, trying to control release of their movies on the world stage and preventing people from buying movies in cheaper markets.

[maddrummer3301]

.

[skier-hughes]

You can just change the settings as above but you won't get a very good result.

To do it properly you need to use a standards converter to change all the differences from PAL to NTSC, as Heinz stated it's not just frame size, frame rate it is the chrominance and luminance as well.

A PAL dvd would play on any computer around the world.
They could watch it like that.

If they don't fancy that idea then I'd get it profesionaly converted.

Graham

[maddrummer3301]

.

[Velojet]

He can convert them by exporting them (customize) using MF4 or MF5 and changing the properties under "Compression" from "PAL-DVD" to "NTSC-DVD".

Julian's problem is mine, too (just change 'Australia' to 'New Zealand' and 'Japan' to 'US') i.e. I have a DVD I created in PAL format that I want to convert to NTSC using MF5 (I don't have the original Mini-DV tape still).

As I understand it from MD's quote above, I can do it by exporting with 'Compression' set to 'NTSC-DVD' in 'Video Save Options'.

Further questions:

1) Should I set the 'Speed ... Quality' slider to 100%?

2) Should I use 'Two-pass encode'?

3) What should I set the 'Video data rate' to?

4) Should I change 'Frame Size' to '352 x 480' ?

5) Will all this give an adequate NTSC DVD quality?

Thanks!

[nosnoop]

oops, duplicate deleted...
see below.

[nosnoop]

Another thought, have you checked whether your recipient already own a DVD player capable of playing both NTSC and PAL DVDs?

As others have mentioned, yes, you can do it with VS/MF; but it won't do a very good job. As to whether it is adequate for your needs, you have to be the judge.

The most pain free way is to get a region free DVD player capable of playing both NTSC and PAL DVDs. Here you can get such a player very cheaply. For example, Toys r us (of all places! No, it's not a toy... ) has one for only about US$25 - region free (out of the box, no hacking or remote codes required), plays both NTSC and PAL DVDs, and even DivX/XviD! If it were me, I would probably send over a player with the DVD Much less time investment, better quality playback and less headache.

[Velojet]

Another thought, have you checked whether your recipient already own a DVD player capable of playing both NTSC and PAL DVDs?... If it were me, I would probably send over a player with the DVD

Thanks for the novel suggestion, nosnoop! My recipient is just on an NTSC system - to make things as hassle-free as poss, I'd prefer just to send as an NTSC DVD - if the quality is at least adequate.

So excuse me if I repeat my questions about settings and quality, in the hope that someone here can advise me:

1) Should I set the 'Speed ... Quality' slider to 100%?
2) Should I use 'Two-pass encode'?
3) What should I set the 'Video data rate' to?
4) Should I change 'Frame Size' to '352 x 480' ?
5) Will all this give an adequate NTSC DVD quality?

[heinz-oz]

We are losing sight of the questions asked by the OP. Footage taken with your own camcorder does Not have any region coding, full stop.

The conversion to PAL from NTSC or vice versa can be done, has been done and will continue to be done. Whether or not successfully depends entirely on ones own perception of Good quality.

A dedicated conversion program should do an infinitely better job than what any of the consumer and pro-sumer level programs like VideoStudio, MediaStudioPro, MovieFactory or DVD WS could do.

The problem is the frame size and the frame rate. Having an NLE or authoring program resize an image (for simplicity reasons let us just refer to each frame as an image) from one frame size to another is going to create quality loss. The frame sizes are PAL 720 x 576 / NTSC 720 x 480. Depending on what your original footage format is, the program will either have to invent horizontal scan lines (97 of them) from NTSC to PAL, or discard them from PAL to NTSC. How that could be done retaining the original quality is beyond me. Exacerbating the problem is the fact that both TV standards have a different frame rate as well, PAL 25 frames per second to 29.97 frames per second for NTSC. You have to, either slow down or speed up the action to accommodate this, or either invent intermediate frames or discard some, depending on which way you are converting.

How anyone can claim that this can be done satisfactorily, with no loss of quality, is beyond me.

Conversions from NTSC to PAL are all but useless since most PAL DVD players will play NTSC footage. However, The TV also has to be able to display booth standards.

To suggest to someone to sent a cheap DVD player with the DVD is plainly ridiculous, since the power supply in these countries are different as well and an “el cheapo” electronic device will not have the capabilities to run on 110 Volt, 60Hz power when it is designed for 230 Volt 50 Hz power supply.

[Velojet]

Thanks for the very full reply, Heinz.

We are losing sight of the questions asked by the OP. Footage taken with your own camcorder does Not have any region coding, full stop.

Yes, I'm aware of that - it wasn't clear whether the OP (Julian) was referring to a DVD recorded directly by his HandyCam, or to a DVD created by subsequent editing from that. Certainly, I'm asking about the latter.

The conversion to PAL from NTSC or vice versa can be done ... Whether or not successfully depends entirely on ones own perception of Good quality.

I accept that 'quality is subjective - that's why I used 'adequate' rather than 'good', hoping that people would have an adequately (!) shared understanding of adequate quality.

A dedicated conversion program should do an infinitely better job than what any of the consumer and pro-sumer level programs like VideoStudio, MediaStudioPro, MovieFactory or DVD WS could do.

Fully understood. I'd still like to see what MF5 can do. I just need some advice on the optimum settings:

1) Should I set the 'Speed ... Quality' slider to 100%?
2) Should I use 'Two-pass encode'?
3) What should I set the 'Video data rate' to?
4) Should I change 'Frame Size' to '352 x 480' ?

[heinz-oz]

Thanks for the very full reply, Heinz.

We are losing sight of the questions asked by the OP. Footage taken with your own camcorder does Not have any region coding, full stop.

Yes, I'm aware of that - it wasn't clear whether the OP (Julian) was referring to a DVD recorded directly by his HandyCam, or to a DVD created by subsequent editing from that. Certainly, I'm asking about the latter.
Unless you have specifically put a region code on it (don't even know if that would work) it still won't have any.

The conversion to PAL from NTSC or vice versa can be done ... Whether or not successfully depends entirely on ones own perception of Good quality.

I accept that 'quality is subjective - that's why I used 'adequate' rather than 'good', hoping that people would have an adequately (!) shared understanding of adequate quality.
Even that would be subjective. Try and see.

A dedicated conversion program should do an infinitely better job than what any of the consumer and pro-sumer level programs like VideoStudio, MediaStudioPro, MovieFactory or DVD WS could do.

Fully understood. I'd still like to see what MF5 can do. I just need some advice on the optimum settings:

1) Should I set the 'Speed ... Quality' slider to 100%? Definitely, what good could it do to aim low?

2) Should I use 'Two-pass encode'? That depends. Two pass will give you a better quality at smaller file sizes if you have a lot of fast action/slow action sequences. It doesn't do you much good if the overall content is fast or slow.

3) What should I set the 'Video data rate' to? Use a bitrate calculator to ensure you can fit your video to the disk. Use the highest possible data rate but not over 8000 kbps. Many DVD players will start to choke on bit rates higher than that.

4) Should I change 'Frame Size' to '352 x 480' ?
What would be the point? It's outside the DVD standard for starters and MF is likely to recode everything again and the aspect ratio is taller than wide??

What are the source file properties?
Do you intend to let MF do all the coding?

[Velojet]

Thanks for another very full - and prompt and helpful - reply, Heinz.

We are losing sight of the questions asked by the OP. Footage taken with your own camcorder does Not have any region coding, full stop.

Yes, I'm aware of that - it wasn't clear whether the OP (Julian) was referring to a DVD recorded directly by his HandyCam, or to a DVD created by subsequent editing from that. Certainly, I'm asking about the latter.

Unless you have specifically put a region code on it (don't even know if that would work) it still won't have any.

Ah yes, I should've made it clear that I was referring to the format rather than the region coding.

4) Should I change 'Frame Size' to '352 x 480' ?

What would be the point? It's outside the DVD standard for starters and MF is likely to recode everything again and the aspect ratio is taller than wide??

That was just my (bad!) guess from the four choices MF5 gives for NTSC-DVD:
352 x 240
352 x 480
704 x 480
720 x 480

Should I be going for the 720 x 480?

What are the source file properties?

MPEG-2
720 x 576, 4:3
25.0 fps
VBR (Max 4650)

Do you intend to let MF do all the coding?

Yes, I'd like to see what it can produce on its own, before (possibly) trying a more sophisticated approach.

Thanks again for all your help!