PAL dvd's

[dvsinc]

Okay, I created a dvd using PAL/SECAM as the video system.
I imported an AVI file from Pinnacle Liquid Edition as my source video (standard NTSC .avi file format) and burned the disc.

To my suprise, the disc plays fine in my NTSC dvd player.

I'm confused, I was under the impression that PAL dvd's would not play in NTSC players.

HELP, I need to be sure I'm providing my client with the correct DVD format before mass duplication for Europe.

[heinz-oz]

First of all, there is no such thing as a standard NTSC.avi format. The avi extension can be used for lots of different compression formats like DV-Avi, Divx, XVid, mpeg4 etc.

When you create a DVD in any standard, PAL/SECAM or NTSC, the source video will be converted to DVD compliant mpeg2.

PAL players are known to be able to play NTSC format but only a limited number of NTSC players will play PAL video. That has to do with the necessary modifications needed to play these format. PAL is 25 fps whereas NSC is 29.9 fps. The frame size is different as well.

Check if your NTSC player is capable of playing PAL or whether or not your DVD is actually PAL or NTSC format.

[dvsinc]

By NTSC avi file, I simply meant 29.97 fps, 720X480. Sorry for the incorrect use of the term.

I know that my DVD player does not play PAL because I have a PAL disc from the client that will not play. (That's a whole other story)

Is there a way to confirm PAL compliance with a dvd created using DVD Workshop?

[heinz-oz]

What are the properties of the source file when you bring it into WS? The way I read your post, it should be NTSC format DV-AVI, right?

I don't use DVD WS and, hence, do not know much of it's capabilities. Do you convert this source file to a PAL compliant file first or do you go straight to menu creation and DVD authoring?

It seems to me that WS has left/changed the settings to suit your source material which is NTSC, 29.9 fps, 720 x 480. PAL needs 25 fps, 720 x 576.

I have never checked a DVD for the format used but the VOB file properties should tell you what it is, I guess. I also know that DVD Shrink tells you the properties of a DVD, try that also.

[dvsinc]

I'm trying to avoid converting prior to importing into WS.
I will try DVD shrink to analyze the output discs from WS in both NTSC and PAL projects and post the results.

Thanks for the help!

[skier-hughes]

If this dvd is going to be sold in retail then converting from NTSC to PAL using the properties of WS will not hack it. Programmes like this (and others such as VideoStudio etc) will make a conversion by reducing the frame rate and stretching the size of the movie, but rarely do any do anything to the difference that the chrominance and luminace are displayed.

The end result is often fine for home viewing, where people will realise they have made a trade off, but for a commercial project.............

Get it professionaly converted from NTSC to PAL using a quality standards converter, where you'll find the quality difference is enormous. You need to have the dv.avi file converted, as this is the highest quality file you will have.

Then set your WS properties to PAL and work with the PAL files.

If you are going to do this properly then you need to import a proper PAL dvd player and tv set so you can check all is ok. Getting a new ntsc set that shows a pseudo pal signal is no good.

[DB83]

Maybe I am missing something here.

If your source material has all the characteristics of NTSC - 29.97 fps/720*480 then why not just make an NTSC dvd.

That disk is guaranteed to play in NTSC enabled regions and will also play in many if not MOST PAL players.

As has been said before, PAL players will play NTSC disks. Many NTSC players will not play PAL disks.