Converting PAL to NTSC in X3

[maxfrost01]

I'm pulling my hair out.
My father-in-law is US based and I'm about to send him this year's family DVD - or so I thought!
Footage has been shot in the UK (PAL camera) and edited in X3 - everything at 25 fps
I've managed to render a new mpeg2 file of the completed work n NTSC (29.97 fps). All of this in X3. I can see it's 29.97 by looking at the Properties of the new file.

But how to get this file onto a DVD at 29.97? I've tried bringing the 'NTSC' file into MovieFactory SE but I can't then get the Project Settings to show NTSC - only PAL.
I've set the Disc Template Manager to NTSC but if I then look at the Project Settings it's at 25 fps and I can't change it. If I go back to the Template Manager it's showing PAL again!!! I'm sure I didn't have any of this trouble in X2!!

So how can I burn a good quality DVD in NTSC format from my PAL project?

Help, please and fast. Xmas is coming and I've already missed the postal deadline for the US!!

[BrianCee]

If you still have your copy of X2 that would be the way to go - just import your NTSC mpg into the burning module of VS X2 and do what you did last time

[maxfrost01]

Hi, Brian

Thanks for coming back to me so quickly.

I do still have my copy of X2 but I have some reluctance to go the route you suggest.
I tried using X2 to burn an X3 edited video file before (different project, all PAL, no NTSC involved) and was convinced I suffered some quality loss - even though Properties appeared to be identical on what I was putting into X2 and what I was getting out. Advice on this forum was that possibly the file was being re-rendered in X2.
In the end I followed some advice from SJJ which was to create and ISO file using MoveFactory SE and then burn my DVDs - worked a treat. But I can't go that route with my NTSC file (so far as I can see).

[Black Lab]

While I can't vouch for what X2 may do, my workflow is to use X3 for editing and my trusty old v10 for authoring. I haven't noticed any quality issues.

[maxfrost01]

What a sorry state of affairs VS authoring has come to!
I'm going to try authoring with X2, Black Lab is working with v10..........
These guys at Corel had better get this fixed in X4 (or whatever it may be called) and soon would be good.

[Black Lab]

They shouldn't have "fixed" what wasn't broke in the first place!

[maxfrost01]

Okay, I've rendered a copy of my project using X3. I've done a PAL version with the plan of taking it into X2 for authoring.
But when I play the file I get stuttering - usually just before a scene change but sometimes in the middle of the same shot.
I used to get this in X2 but then got the great advice (from this forum) to turn off SmartRender which worked a treat.
But in X3 I've deselected SmartRender and I'm still getting the stuttering.
Any ideas?

I've created a 1440 x 1080, upper-field first, mpeg-2 file which is the same as the original video. For some reason this comes up as 'MPEG transport-stream' whatever that is........

Can anyone tell me how to render a high-quality mpeg2 high def file suitable for playback on my HDTV or computer? It really should't be this hard!

I held off the upgrade to X3 for months. I'm beginning to wish I'd never bothered..........

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi Max

There should not be a problem.

If you add a compliant Mpeg 2 whether it be Pal or Ntsc provided the option “Do Not Convert Compliant Mpeg Files” is selected your video file will not be changed, the file will be burned to disc without rendering.
The project settings being superfluous, not required.

From the final Burn button the first process should indicate “Convert Menu” If you see “Convert Title” then the main video is being rendered, not what you want.

Are you saying that you have burned a DVD from NTSC files and ended up with a Pal DVD

[maxfrost01]

Hi, Trevor

I haven't even made it to the burn stage yet!
At the moment I'm simply playing back the mpeg-2 PAL file that I've created - just having a look before importing into X2.
And what I can see is this stuttering.

Since my last post I have tried to render another mpeg-2 file but have somehow ended up with an AVCHD file - do not ask me how as I do not know!
Interestingly this shows a good quality image, no stuttering and no sound!

I await further replies. Meantime I will go and find a high window ledge.

[maxfrost01]

PS I want to try rendering a file simply using 'Same as Project Settings' but this gives me 720 x 576 even thought all the video clips in the project are 1440 x 1080. I've tried to change the Project Properties (Settings/Project Properties) but there is no option to change from 720 x 576 to 1440 x 1080.

I am slowly going crazy...........

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi Max

There seems to be some confusion here……
If you are burning a standard DVD then you have to use a Mpeg 2 compliant video file and that uses 720 x 576 for Pal. And 720 x 480 for NTSC, irrespective of whether its 4:3 or 16:9

Can you confirm just what you are trying to do?

[Ken Berry]

I am surprised that no one has mentioned as yet the obvious point that converting PAL to NTSC (or vice versa) is never for the faint-hearted, and that Video Studio, regardless of the version, is not really the means of carrying out a decent conversion... If you think about it, going from 25 fps to 29.97 fps, the program has to invent 4.97 fps out of thin air, and does so largely by copying existing frames. So I am not really surprised that you might be getting some appearance of stuttering! There are more specialised programs out there for this type of conversions, but they tend to be very expensive...

That being said, I note that you have not referred to making any changes in the MF 7 SE Preferences. You will see there that there is a TV System setting which in your case will show PAL. Change that to NTSC and you should get a message warning you that this will change the properties of your project, or words to that effect. But then, in Movie Template Manage, the models presented should all be NTSC.

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi Max

I can only assume you are trying to burn a standard DVD and not a HD Avchd or Bluray disc.

Your project needs rendering to Pal DVD and/or NTSC DVD. This will create a Compatible Mpeg 2 file suitable for burning a DVD.
One thing to watch is the Frame Order. You indicate that you have 1400 x 1080 files within the project, these are probably using Upper Field. (The stuttering you see may well be a field order issue)
Please right click a clip in the timeline and select properties, what are they?
Knowing these should help us in advising you on the actual properties required.

Unfortunately VS uses Lower Field as its default setting.
The easiest way is to edit your project properties to use the original video field order, I assume Upper. Then Share Create Video File –Same as Project Settings.

This will create a Mpeg 2 file.


Ken has mentioned changing the TV type, if you are using NTSC then you should do this.
Your disc should be burnt without further rendering the video file.

But first create a good Pal version before trying to convert/burn the disc.

[Black Lab]

Max,

It may be easier just to move your in-laws to England.

[maxfrost01]

Let me try and clarify 'cos I am clearly causing confusion!

I am approaching this in two stages.

Stage 1: to create a high def PAL video file from my high def PAL project. I can then play this on my high def TV using my Western Digital WDTV media player. (Works a treat with X2 projects.)

Stage 2 (should I ever get there): import the PAL video file into X2 ('cos X3 is useless at authoring) and burn a NTSC DVD for my father-in-law.

At the moment I can't get past Stage 1. The high def video file I have managed to render is stuttering and, until I can get that sorted I'm not even attempting Stage 2. I have tried rendering using the "Same as Project Properties" command but this is useless as it shows 720 x 576 and I cannot change it.
I am currently rendering a video file using the "Same as First Video File" command exactly as Trevor has suggested. I am not overly optimistic as the first time I tried to do this the programme crashes at 99% complete.

Video properties are:
PAL (25 fps)
MPEG files
24 bits 1440 x 1080 25 fps
Upper Field First
16:9
VDR 25,000 kbps
ADR 384 kbps
MPEG audio layer2, 48 KHz, stereo

Hope this helps to clear things up!