PAL to NTSC

readw wrote on 4/9/2003, 5:19 AM

After converting a PAL file to NTSC, MPEG-2 in preparation to burn on a DVD, I find that the NTSC Mpeg-2 file appears to have a lot of interlace problems, especially with fast moving scenes. Is this a function of the process or do some settings need to be tweaked, any information would be appreciated.

Thanks

warren

Comments

Kurt8 wrote on 4/9/2003, 9:24 AM

Hello!

I din't even know that you could do the conversion in Vegas. Where and how is this done? I've been using a program designed specifically for PAL to NTSC conversions called??? Do a google search on it ("PAL to NTSC conversion") and you'll find a site - possibly called "DV tools". anyway, it's a small program from a one-man-operation in Hungary and I've been getting excellent results. Cost is about US$100.

RBartlett wrote on 4/9/2003, 11:03 AM

Format conversion between differing (though probably aimed at lower to higher rates) can be achieved in a repurposing render in Vegas. The $99, and ProCoder options for doing this (outside using a Snell&Wilcox Alchemyst Ph.) won't use very different techniques. Vegas has Smart Sampling to interpolate (low fps to higher fps) in its new arsenal. All mathematically loose source resolution/information to gain smoothness and it is often worth considering if there is a format which can be read in the target country. E.G. PAL50 is fine when played back on a PC in the USA.

Doing a transcode without such image processing technology creates a beat of the difference between the frame rates which is particularly noticable on camer panning/ object movement.

Give it a try and watch for scrolling/panning elements having any hic-cups or combing.

readw wrote on 4/12/2003, 12:25 AM

I just selected the render option as NTSC (Vegas 4) when transcoding the Mpeg-2 files, I don't know if this is the right process but it appears to work. One thing it takes about 20 hours to render a 60 minute video, however my machine is now quite old (1.2gb processor). The bottleneck appears to be processor related, however transcoding from PAL avi files to PAL Mpeg is much faster and that makes sense as it has a lot less work to do. But I am sure I must be able to fix the cobming problems when transcoding.

Warren

sdmoore wrote on 4/12/2003, 6:15 AM

Hi Warren,

How did you notice the interlace problems? Did you see them on your monitor or on a TV? If you saw them on your monitor then this is normal since monitors are not interlaced. It should look OK on a NTSC TV (unless the field order is wrong).

Cheers,

Scott