PAL to PC

[acw]

I recently copied a PAL VHS for a friend, onto a DVD, using a LG Combi VHS/DVD recorder. (The original content had been copied to VHS from a Cine film)

My friend has asked if I could make a copy that she could send to her daughter in America (NTSC).

I have tried using several tools to make the conversion, but they either put a watermark on the film, or limit the output to just a few minutes.

Therefore, I am considering a different tack, to convert the files to a PC format. Is there such a thing as a format that will play on any PC or Mac, anywhere in the world, without having to install either additional players or codecs?

The DVD files are in a folder called, Video_TS, and the files seem to have a .vob extension.

I copied two films onto the DVD, one was about 20 minutes, the other aboout 45.

Any help for this very confused Newbie would be welcome
Allan

[MOVIEGEEK]

You can convert it to MPEG-1 which will work on any PC.I would use DVDFlick to make a DVD but first you have to use VOB2MPG to convert.

[aedipuss]

have her send a pal copy of the dvd to the daughter. it will play on a computer with a media player. it may also play in her standalone, as many ntsc dvd players will convert pal to ntsc.

you could try convertxtodvd as there is an old free version in the tools section you may be able to set to output ntsc.

[guns1inger]

The old free version of ConvertXtoDVD does a crappy job of converting PA to NTSC because it creates duplicate frames and a jerky result. DVD Flick has the same problem, although I believe the beta version uses the Pulldown method to convert correctly. FAVC already does this, and would be my first choice in this instance.

[acw]

You can convert it to MPEG-1 which will work on any PC.I would use DVDFlick to make a DVD but first you have to use VOB2MPG to convert.

I used the VOB2MPG program, but there is no sound to the resulting MPEG. There does not seem to be separate sound files on the original DVD, so I assume they are encoded as part of the VOB files, rather than added later by DVDFlick.

Thanks for the help so far,
Allan

[guns1inger]

I suspect you need an AC3 codec for you to hear it. Open the file in g-spot to confirm that there is an audio track

[acw]

I suspect you need an AC3 codec for you to hear it. Open the file in g-spot to confirm that there is an audio track

Sorry this has taken so long to reply to.

I downloaded the GSpot program, it confirmed there was an audio track and the codecs were installed.
But a general scan for the list of all codecs and filters reports the following line:
ACM Base msacm.ulmp3acm ** Missing file: ulmp3acm.acm
which could be the source of the 'no sound' problem.
Is there a simple way to rectify this?
Any help appreciated
Allan
The original post is below, should anyone require additional info.

I recently copied a PAL VHS for a friend, onto a DVD, using a LG Combi VHS/DVD recorder. (The original content had been copied to VHS from a Cine film)

My friend has asked if I could make a copy that she could send to her daughter in America (NTSC).

I have tried using several tools to make the conversion, but they either put a watermark on the film, or limit the output to just a few minutes.

Therefore, I am considering a different tack, to convert the files to a PC format. Is there such a thing as a format that will play on any PC or Mac, anywhere in the world, without having to install either additional players or codecs?

The DVD files are in a folder called, Video_TS, and the files seem to have a .vob extension.

I copied two films onto the DVD, one was about 20 minutes, the other aboout 45.

Any help for this very confused Newbie would be welcome
Allan

[acw]

I suspect you need an AC3 codec for you to hear it. Open the file in g-spot to confirm that there is an audio track

Sorry this has taken so long to reply to.

I downloaded the GSpot program, it confirmed there was an audio track and the codecs were installed.
But a general scan for the list of all codecs and filters reports the following line:
ACM Base msacm.ulmp3acm ** Missing file: ulmp3acm.acm
which could be the source of the 'no sound' problem.
Is there a simple way to rectify this?
Any help appreciated
Allan
The original post is below, should anyone require additional info.

I recently copied a PAL VHS for a friend, onto a DVD, using a LG Combi VHS/DVD recorder. (The original content had been copied to VHS from a Cine film)

My friend has asked if I could make a copy that she could send to her daughter in America (NTSC).

I have tried using several tools to make the conversion, but they either put a watermark on the film, or limit the output to just a few minutes.

Therefore, I am considering a different tack, to convert the files to a PC format. Is there such a thing as a format that will play on any PC or Mac, anywhere in the world, without having to install either additional players or codecs?

The DVD files are in a folder called, Video_TS, and the files seem to have a .vob extension.

I copied two films onto the DVD, one was about 20 minutes, the other aboout 45.

Any help for this very confused Newbie would be welcome
Allan

[guns1inger]

Try installing the AC3 ACM Decompressor

[acw]

Try installing the AC3 ACM Decompressor

I tried this, still no sound, is it possible that when I used VOB2 MPG I got a setting wrong which just recorded a 'blank' soundtrack.

Thanks for your help so far
Allan

[manono]

...is it possible that when I used VOB2 MPG I got a setting wrong which just recorded a 'blank' soundtrack.

No.

Perhaps install the AC3 Filter.

[acw]

The old free version of ConvertXtoDVD does a crappy job of converting PA to NTSC because it creates duplicate frames and a jerky result. DVD Flick has the same problem, although I believe the beta version uses the Pulldown method to convert correctly. FAVC already does this, and would be my first choice in this instance.

One of you suggested trying a different media player with the 'silent' video tracks I created with VOB2MPG, when played with the VLC Media player, the sound is there.

If I use the FAVC program, do I convert directly from the original disk, (with the VOB files) or do I use the MPEGS I created with VOB2MPG?

I tried to use DVD Flick, but it wants to create file sizes which are larger than the limitations imposed by my FAT 32 hard drives. Does FAVC have this problem, if so, is there an easy way to overcome this limitation?

Thanks to everyone who has helped so far.
Allan

[thecrock]

You should use the VIDEO_TS folder. If you do it with the MPEG file you will be encoding again and get poorer quality picture.
FAVC should output .vob files no larger than 0.99 gig which I think is ok for FAT32, but will only convert avi's..I think.

Are you trying to author a PAL dvd from a NTSC dvd source?

[t0nee1]

FAVC converts more than just avi's.......

[acw]

You should use the VIDEO_TS folder. If you do it with the MPEG file you will be encoding again and get poorer quality picture.
FAVC should output .vob files no larger than 0.99 gig which I think is ok for FAT32, but will only convert avi's..I think.

Are you trying to author a PAL dvd from a NTSC dvd source?

I am trying to convert PAL to NTSC.

I decided to convert the MPEGS from VOB2MPG, good job I started earlier, it looks as though it will take about 2 hours to do the conversion.

As for the quality issue, the original was on Cine, and the copy looks as though someone has just projected it onto a screen and copied it with an early camcorder. So it does not look brilliant on VHS, but is of great sentimental value.

I love newsgroups, and I must admit, this is one of the best I have used.
With thanks
Allan