Encoding NTSC in UK

Kontiki · Post by **Kontiki** » Thu Jun 30, 2005 2:13 pm

Hi guys. Any advice or help on the following would be appreciated. I have finished editing a programme in the UK. The client wants a PAL and an NTSC DVD (2 DVD's) to produce glass masters from and then produce over 1,000 copies of each. The PAL I am happy with. The NTSC I intend to take the following procedure. Encode my mpeg 2 file in Soreson at NTSC standard. Open Ulead in NTSC standard, import my NTSC file and burn a copy. I will set for all regions. Is this correct and is there anything else I ought to be aware of???
I am interested to know if PAL DVD's will play in the States?

GeorgeW · Post by **GeorgeW** » Thu Jun 30, 2005 2:25 pm

Most NTSC DVD's don't playback PAL Formatted DVD's (some players will do it -- like several Apex DVD Players).

I saw your note in another thread, and ironically, Procoder (and Procoder Express) have been mentioned in several forums as being able to do great standards conversions.

I'm not sure about your encoder, but you've got the right idea. COnvert it to NTSC standards, and author an NTSC DVD.

p.s. what type of audio do you plan to use on your disc? mpeg audio is not fully supported on all NTSC DVD Players, and LPCM Audio takes up alot of space -- so Dolby Digital audio might be your best bet

Kontiki · Post by **Kontiki** » Thu Jun 30, 2005 3:12 pm

Hi George. Yes I always use dolby as it seems to take less memory. I have always used Soreson or Cleaner. Might give Procoder a look.

DVDDoug · Post by **DVDDoug** » Thu Jun 30, 2005 8:44 pm

mpeg audio is not fully supported on all NTSC DVD Players,

Right! The DVD standard requires PAL players to play LPCM and MPEG. Dolby AC3 (and anything else) is optional. Apparently. most PAL players can play AC3. I'll bet that most DVDs sold in the UK have at least two soundtracks... One AC3, and either MPEG or LPCM.

NTSC players are required to play LPCM and AC3. MPEG (and anything else) is optional. Lots of DVDs sold here in the US have AC3 only... Of course, lots of DVDs have multiple soundtracks, but always one AC3 or one LPCM.

BTW - I've never even seen a PAL DVD!

I would hope that your client will sign-off on both versions before stamping-out 1000 copies. The replicator should allow the client to try-out the first samples off their line too.

From what I read, most replicators require a DLT (digital linear tape). But, I suppose they can help you (or your client) make one... for an extra fee.

The replicator will also have CSS and Macrovision licenses. They can add copy protection to (stamped) DVDs for a per-DVD fee.

Devil · Post by **Devil** » Fri Jul 01, 2005 7:46 am

I have done a number of PAL>NTSC projects from a DV Type 1 AVI file, just using MSP7 and WS2.

The important thing I have found is to not use the encoder to convert from PAL>NTSC. I always take the PAL project as a single DV file and put it in the MSP timeline with the project settings as wanted for the NTSC file. I then create a new NTSC DV file. I encode the MPEG from that.

I STRONGLY recommend you use DLT tape if you are mastering if you wish trouble-free perfromance. There are companies that will accept DVD±R but there is relatively little reliability in-built. I believe the tape has checksum control, so that it is almost impossible to have an error, whereas DVDs don't. You may very well find you have 1000 discs that are unplayable and you will have no recourse if the error was a single faulty bit read during making the master (a microscopic dust particle could do it, either during burning or reading).