NTSC to PAL using what..?

PDB wrote on 6/1/2004, 1:41 AM
Hi everyone,

Apart from feeling rather dumb this morning, I've searched around but have not come across the answer to the basic question of how I get an NSTC vhs tape into the computer (in PAL land here...) The first dumb thing I tried was actually trying to record the tape played off a NTSC/PAL vhs machine straight into my PAL cam...Well that was silly I think...Then tried doing it by pulling the signal off the TV set rather than from the vhs tape machine, but that won't work either ( I'm guessing the TV set is just playing the NTSC signal...). So my only option left is getting the tape into the pc and take it from there..but how? Will the camcorder convert the signal (AGDVX 100 PAL...)? I also have a razzle (sorry Dazzle..) Hollywood dv bridge from way back (but don't trust it to save my life...)

Any clues??

Thanks in advance...

Paul.

Comments

pike_bishop wrote on 6/1/2004, 3:31 AM
Paul

You could try setting up a new Vegas NTSC project capture your material do the edit and then use Vegas to convert the finished video to PAL.

Have a look at this thread:

http://mediasoftware.sonypictures.com/forums/ShowMessage.asp?MessageID=285757&Replies=12&Page=2

HTH
Martin

PDB wrote on 6/1/2004, 4:05 AM
Thanks Mike, that was an interesting read indeed...Unfortunately there is no mention of how to capture the stuff...Do you know if I can use a PAL cam to transcode the analog source material to digital (using Vegas capture?) Or is my only option to use the Dazzle thing ? (if I can get it to work properly of course....I don't have much confidence in the dazzle bridge: I have problems capturing analog PAL video, so I hate to think the ordeal I'm going to go through if I have no option but to use it to capture NTSC...)

Thanks again for the pointer and help,

Paul.
AustinC wrote on 6/1/2004, 4:16 AM
Paul,
If you are putting the NTSC tape in to a PAL VCR that does NTSC playback on a PAL TV, then the signal going to the TV is PAL60. This signal is neither PAL or NTSC. As far as I know your only option is to have a video capture card that can handle PAL60, or have a card that can handle NTSC and get your self a NTSC VCR or a full Multi-System VCR. There is also a converter back out on the market that will convert the signal for you, how ever I have not actually used one. I use a NTSC VCR into a PAL/NTSC capture card. My first time I too tried it through a PAL VCR that does NTSC playback and just got garbage.

Austin
Chienworks wrote on 6/1/2004, 4:18 AM
Trying the Dazzle can't hurt anything other than possibly wasting some time. Do an NTSC capture if the Dazzle will allow it. Your computer doesn't care in the slightest whether you capture and edit in NTSC or PAL, so bring the video in in it's original format. Then render what you've captured to a new PAL DV file. Vegas is probably the best software available to do this conversion so make use of it.

You can always try just a few seconds first and see what happens.
pike_bishop wrote on 6/1/2004, 4:37 AM
Paul

I don't think your PAL camera will be accept an NTSC signal, but you could try. The PAL VHS decks we have here at work will output a true NTSC signal playing back NTSC tapes (there's a switch at the back - Sony decks from a few years ago). I think you are going to have to use the Dazzle bridge.

Martin
farss wrote on 6/1/2004, 4:47 AM
OK,
first of all you need a VHS VCR that'll play back NTSC, I mean actually output a true NTSC signal, a lot of them output a quasi NTSC signal so it'll be viewable on a PAL TV, a lot of NSTC gear will not be happy with that kind of mashed up signal. If the VCR has an option in the setup that says something like 'NTSC playback on PAL TV' turn it off.

If you can get that sorted out you need to switch the Dazzle into NTSC mode, probably a DIP switch or similar, just cannot remember for sure if they'd handle both, gave up on our Dazzle a long time ago.

Assuming you can get the Dazzle to not drop its bundle then as everyone else has said just capture as per normal and either drop it into a NSTC project and render out as PAL or drop it onto a PAL project and render out as PAL, if you need to do any work on it before hand I'd make it an NTSC project that way Vegas is not having to transcode for the preview.

To the best of my knowledge NO camera will do both NTSC and PAL pass through.

Bob.
PDB wrote on 6/1/2004, 4:57 AM
Thanks a bunch for all that info and suggestions everyone....Really helpful, I appreciate it.

I am not sure whether the vhs machine outputs real NTSC or what unfortunately, but it played the tape back fine on the TV set....The picture I was getting on the cam off the tv signal was NOT right however: B&W and a very ugly black line 2/3 down the screen as though the picture was misaligned...

I guess it's razzle Dazzle time...(cringe..) It seems about time to invest in some more serious hw (canopus advc 100 maybe..) but unfortunately I'm rapidly running out of time on this particular project...

I'll give the Dazzle the benefit of the doubt on this one and see how it fares.

Thanks again,

Paul.
farss wrote on 6/1/2004, 6:15 AM
PDB,
Dazzle will probably perform, last time I used one it was OK until it lost input sync and then it went off into Dalek audio mode until it was reset.
If you have no luck with that and assuming you're in Australia you can get ADVC-100 or 300 next day out of Videoguys in Melbourne.
If you're in Sydney I might be able to help out.

Bob.
PDB wrote on 6/1/2004, 6:38 AM
LOL! LOL!
Bob, that description on Dazzle going into Dalek audio mode really made me laugh...(people around are wondering what I'm up to laughing my head off while peeking at a screen....)

But alas no, I'm not In Australia...far from it (literally of course...!) Barcelona, Spain here...I'm checking up on local suppliers at the moment.....

Many thanks again!

Paul.