Need playback device for PAL miniDV

JackW wrote on 7/5/2005, 2:25 PM

We're beginning to get an increasing number of requests for conversion of PAL miniDV tapes to NTSC. Not enough yet to spring for a high priced deck, although that may come in time.

Any suggestions for an inexpensive way to capture from the PAL miniDV to Vegas for conversion to NTSC?

Jack Wolcott

Comments

farss wrote on 7/5/2005, 2:29 PM

Hard to beat the DSR-11.
It'll play and record PAL and NTSC.
Note that NO deck will do a conversion and a good hardware box to do a better job than Vegas is very expensive.
Bob.

Liam_Vegas wrote on 7/5/2005, 2:31 PM

Not sure if this applies,.. but my own NTSC PD170 (as I found out) plays PAL MiniDV tapes just fine. I can capture these PAL tapes direct using VidCap.

It was not obvious to me that my PD170 would have this capability... but rather useful when I needed it. Not sure if other camcorders are the same (ability to play back PAL even if they are NTSC cameras).

BrianStanding wrote on 7/6/2005, 7:26 AM

I, too, have found that my PD-150 will play back PAL tapes very well. It will also capture them over firewire. They show up on the Vegas timeline as PAL DV files.

However, it WON'T play a PAL tape out the analog outputs, so you can't see it on an NTSC monitor. I don't have a PAL monitor, so I don't know if the analog outs work in PAL format.

Guy Bruner wrote on 7/6/2005, 7:46 AM

My understand is that most if not all Sony miniDV cams can do this.

JackW wrote on 7/6/2005, 10:16 AM

I learn something new everyday. I take it that this is handled automatically by the PD 150/170, as there seems to be no menu item that switches the camera from NTSC to PAL.

Thanks, all. I'll give it a try.

Jack Wolcott

Liam_Vegas wrote on 7/6/2005, 10:37 AM

No menu item required. Just plug in tape and capture away (I guess as far as the firewire is concerned it is all just "ones and zeros" on the tape.

And what Brian said about not playing out the analog ports is correct - in so far as it does not "convert" from PAL to NTSC. However... the odd thing is that it records a PAL signal from the analog inputs. I stumbled across this "fact" when in Iran last year and I needed to dub someone elses tape. With a bit of trial and error... I found that little "gem"... and saved the day!