NTSC to PAL through a VCR?

[Bomoh]

I live in UK and have a PAL standard Panasonic GS400. I have a NTSC videotape that I wish to make a dvd(PAL) from ( for my own personal use for the lawyers out there). My Toshiba VCR is multi standard and hence will play the tape perfectly for viewing on my Sony multi system TV screen. BUT when I link the camera up directly to the output of the VCR I am getting classic flickering/rolling picture in black and white indicating NTSC/PAL mismatch. Is there anyway I can get PAL standard film either by changing the capture parameters or converting in MSP8??

Thanks in advance.

[skier-hughes]

Doesn't make any difference if it's for your own personal use here in the UK.

Anyway, copyright aside, no you can't do that.

Your vcr sends out a pseudo ntsc signal, known as PAL 60. It's neither PAL nor NTSC but allows you to watch an ntsc tape using a vcr and tv that both allow this type of signal.

To record this and make a dvd you need a proper ntsc vcr. Capture this signal into your pc, requiring the right anologue capture equipment, using an ntsc project in MSP.
Save as dv.avi.
Use a conversion app such as canopus procoder or Sorenson squeeze to convert from NTSC to PAL. I tend to make an mpeg2 direct here.
Take the PAL file into your dvd authoring app using a PAL project and make your dvd.

Easy, but costly if you don't have any of the right equipment. Harder if it's a holywood tape as it'll no doubt have copy protection built in.

Something I do for a living though, if you want a quote contact me by pm or email.

[Bomoh]

Thanks for a great deal of useful info. but I guess my easiest solution is to just watch the video and forget the dvd idea.

[DB83]

If your VCR is truly multi-standard then there is no reason why you cannot connect the VCR to the PC and capture in full NTSC mode.

Make the dvd as NTSC and it will play in most UK dvd players.

But if I read you correctly you are trying to use a camera to record !!! Does this have pass-though and consider how you usually get the camera footage on to the PC if you indeed do this.

You should be able to simply connect a fire-wire cable from the camera to the PC and 'capture' the footage through MSP8.

Many VCRs are not true multi-standard. What they offer is NTSC playback on PAL equipment. Then, as my learned friend is telling you, you are getting a NTSC signal partially converted to PAL. To capture that you either need a standards converter or a capture card that supports PAL60 such as some older Hauppage ones (with BT878 chips)

[sjj1805]

The VCR isn't the problem. The problem is the hardware that is used to get whatever is on the VCR into the computer whether that be a TV card or a camcorder. The "Middle device" has to be (in his case) NTSC otherwise he can only get it in black and white. It's as Skier has said - it is not true NTSC that is reaching the computer.

You dont have this problem when watching a NTSC tape on standard TV set because the VCR connects directly to the TV - no middle thingy.

You cannot connect a VCR directly to a computer you have to use a middle thingy.

[Bomoh]

Thanks again to everyone offering useful advice.

[skier-hughes]

- no middle thingy.

You cannot connect a VCR directly to a computer you have to use a middle thingy.

I'm glad all this highly technical talk didn't confuse you !!!!!

[sjj1805]