Rendering into NTSC

Nigel Allen wrote on 6/24/2012, 10:23 AM
I've read a few topics here about the subject of formats but they're far too technical for me to go into, so I was wondering if anybody has a simple fix for making my DVDs playable in a standalone DVD player in the U.S.
The video clips are either shot on a Sony camcorder in the UK by me and are m2ts files or acquired from other people as mp4. They're combined and edited in Sony Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum and rendered out using a DVD Architect NTSC template. Finally, the finished product with menus is constructed in DVD Architect Studio 5.0
When I send them to friends in the U.S. they all say the discs will not work in their DVD players but they're fine when played using a computer. I've also tried sending them a version rendered into PAL. That doesn't work either.
The irony is that I've had DVDs made for me in the States and sent over by various people and they all work in my computer and my DVD player. I asked them what they used to make the discs and they usually say "I don't know" or "Nothing Special".
Thanks

Comments

videoITguy wrote on 6/24/2012, 1:56 PM
Hello Nigel, Are YOU not in the PAL world? Do you know your DVD authorized region and how to set regions? What do you make a DVD with - a burner?, which one? This has nothing to do with format -although again do your sources come from PAL equipment?
Steve Mann wrote on 6/24/2012, 7:17 PM
Most players sold in the US market can't play 50i (or 25p) media, and I suspect that this is what you are sending to them. Most DVD players in Europe will play 60i (30p) with no problem.
Nigel Allen wrote on 6/25/2012, 5:00 AM
Yes I am in the UK and all the source video I use is PAL. I burn the finished DVD to disc using imgburn and always region free.
Steve I think you may have given me the answer. I was so fixed on NTSC vs PAL that I didn't think about the field and frame rate. As you suspected I did send them 50i which I'm guessing their computers could handle but the DVD player couldn't. I'll try making a 60i version though I won't know if it works until the disc gets across the Atlantic (around 3 weeks).
Thanks a lot guys.
videoITguy wrote on 6/25/2012, 10:17 AM
Personally, I would not send anything out by ship across the ocean UNTIL I went down to a local shop (service bureau) that has an NTSC player/TV set combo for a simple play test. You should be able to find such a service readily available to you.
Nigel Allen wrote on 6/26/2012, 10:47 AM
That's a good idea if I could think of somewhere. The 'Sony Centre' might be sympathetic but all our local ones have closed down. I'll look around. Thanks.
Steve Mann wrote on 6/26/2012, 9:23 PM
"I burn the finished DVD to disc using imgburn and always region free."

"Region" has nothing to with the frame-rate of really anything on the DVD. It only has ONE purpose - to tell a DVD player what NOT to play.