PAL to NTSC DVD [Full Disc] Conversion (hybrid method, very easy)

LadyLiete · Member Joined: 09 Jan 2007 Location: United States

ADDED UPDATE FOR ALL THOSE WHO READ.
This guide was not intended to compete with professional methods, and was intended only to be a small step up in quality from using the patch method on the entire disc. If you wish for professional studio level results please go elsewhere and stop complaining in my thread. This method is designed for end users, particulaly those still using the patch method or video only disc conversions.
Despite endless objections and criticism I will stick by my original statement that this guide, and this method is completely viable and will continue to support my guide and answer any questions posted.

This guide will teach you how to create an NTSC DVD, from a PAL DVD (or vice versa) using a combination of actual converting, and DJRumpy's patch method. It is slightly more complicated than his method but I believe you will be overall much more satisfied with the end result.

I would say this is the second easiest way in existance to convert a full dvd menu's and all and still have a decent quality disc.
[Side note, if converting NTSC to PAL, just flip flop the two words (Pretend PAL means NTSC and NTSC means PAL) and it will work just the same.]

Please start with this guide first.

Programs needed:
Dvd Santa
Vob Blanker
Ifoedit
Dvd Shrink

Part 1

STEP 1: Select Add Media, and select the video_ts file inside of your PAL dvd by clicking your D drive once on the menu, if the PAL DVD is not region free you will have to first rip it to the hard drive and convert it into a video ts file. (inside the ts file you need only click the first thing listed and it will automatically add the main video of the disc to dvd santa)

STEP 2: Select the format and ratio you want your new video only video_ts file to be

STEP 3: Select the destination for your new video_ts video only file

STEP 4: Push the create DVD button to begin making your new folder

STEP 5 OPTIONAL: Add subtitles to the vob video or forever hold you peace, you won't be able to add them again unless you intend on splicing them in once the dvd is complete.

Once dvdsanta finishes its PAL to NTSC (or vice versa) conversion of the main video, it should have created a fresh new video_ts folder

NOTE: Dvd santa will only rip the main audio stream from your DVD video, you you wish for it to rip an alternate audio stream, open dvd shrink in reauthor mode and change the default audio stream of the main movie before opening it in dvdsanta. If you wish to add multiple audio streams to the main video you will have to use a different guide to add it in once the dvd is complete.

Part 2

STEP 6: Open the original pal dvd, complete with menu's in dvdshrink, and select no compression for all attributes, and push the backup button to a folder of your choice.

Once this is done, you will have a second video_ts folder containing the original PAL DVD, menu's and all.

Part 3

STEP 7: Take the new video_ts file, complete with menu's and open it in vob blanker as (input), and select output wherever you wish the new third video_ts file to be.

STEP 8: Select the main video (usually the largest file), and it will appear in the second bar down below, scroll over to "REPLACE" then select the video from the first[b] video_ts that you converted with dvd santa. Press the "PROCESS!!" Button and wait for your new patched video_ts file to be created.

[b]Part 4
Take the newly patched video_ts file into ifoedit, use DJRumpy's patch method to patch the menu's, extras and any remaining PAL content on the disc, unless you prefer to convert the extras as well.

Part 5
Open the final video_ts file in dvd santa, or other program of your choice and burn, Since your just patching menu's (which dont move) and optionally extras, although you can use the same method for converting them as the main video, if you choose to do so.

And behold your fully functional (mostly) NTSC dvd that will work in almost any player without hiccups or jerkyness! (Although on some players you menu make shake a little, but WHO CARES!)

guns1inger · So Very Tired Joined: 01 Apr 2004 Location: Miskatonic U

You lost me when you used DVD Santa. I equate it with WinAVI as far as credibility as an encoder goes. However I will be curious to see what others get out of this.
_________________
The views expressed in this post are mine alone, unless plagiarised from others
Read my obscure DVD reviews here and my general blah here

LadyLiete · Member Joined: 09 Jan 2007 Location: United States

If your confused on any steps just let me know which one it is, essentially in part 1 with dvd santa all your doing is ripping the main PAL video off the dvd to and converting it to a NTSC video_ts folder. Which down the road you will use to replace with the original PAL video in vob blanker. Extras can be done this way as well if the dvd contains them...

After you've replaced the PAL main video and extra's, with the NTSC copies, you just use the patch method to fix the menu and any additional PAL content on the disc.

on a side note,

Dvdsanta is a love it or hate it program, its encoding quality is very average, and its lay out is so simple a 5 year old could use it. It is true there are better encoders out there, but it so simple the room for error is much lower than with most other programs, it also supports subtitles which as far as I know winavi does not.

Pinstripes23 · Member Joined: 25 Aug 2004 Location: United States

FulciLives · Posted: Jan 10, 2007 02:06

Basically you are converting the main video to NTSC using a very poor method then attempting to insert it back with Vob Blanker so as to use the original menu ala the patch method.

Not very elegant.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman
_________________
"The eyes are the first thing that you have to destroy ... because they have seen too many bad things" - Lucio Fulci
EXPLORE THE FILMS OF LUCIO FULCI - THE MAESTRO OF GORE

guns1inger · So Very Tired Joined: 01 Apr 2004 Location: Miskatonic U

I'm not confused by your guide. I just don't like the process. To begin with, I believe the patch method is an unreliable kludge and not something I would trust. Secondly, when even very good encoders like ProCoder can struggle to give good results when doing format conversion, why would I put my faith in a second-rate toy like DV Santa. Again, these are personal opinions, and I will be interested to see what results people get. Software format conversion is difficult to get right, and so far the only method I have seen that convinces me is the DGPulldown method.
_________________
The views expressed in this post are mine alone, unless plagiarised from others
Read my obscure DVD reviews here and my general blah here

Bjs · RoadKill Joined: 09 Feb 2004 Location: Australia

Its why I run the things through ulead video studio ... nstc to pal and versa , and rebuild the entire thing from the component's once converted .

Out of curiousity ... check the play length time of the original to that of the encoded output ... there had better be no difference between them .

LadyLiete · Member Joined: 09 Jan 2007 Location: United States

Pinstripes23 · Member Joined: 25 Aug 2004 Location: United States

Noahtuck · Posted: Jan 10, 2007 13:11

LadyLiete · Member Joined: 09 Jan 2007 Location: United States

manono · Member Joined: 28 Aug 2003

You know what, because you can't, DvdSanta has good encoding quality and I would stake that it probably does a hell of alot better job than whatever POS your using.

Wanna upload a small piece of a conversion you did using DVD Santa? Upload 10-15 seconds worth (with movement/motion) to:

http://rapidshare.de/

It'll take up to 50 MB. Then post the link here. If you don't know how to cut, one way is to open a vob in DGIndex and use the [ and ] buttons to isolate a small section. Then File->Save Project and Demux Video. Or MPEG2Cut.

LadyLiete · Member Joined: 09 Jan 2007 Location: United States

ill do it... just to prove you all wrong

13 second PAL vob clip 16:9, SIZE: 11.0mb

The same 13 second vob clip converted to NTSC by Dvdsanta 16:9, SIZE: 11.9mb

I made sure there was lots of action (its a soccer game), and no im not dumb I know how to rip video clips.

If this isn't proof enough I don't know what is.

manono · Member Joined: 28 Aug 2003

Hi-

and no im not dumb I know how to rip video clips.

Plenty of people don't know how to cut pieces from a video, or where to upload them. It has nothing to do with being dumb.

Thanks for uploading a small piece.

If this isn't proof enough I don't know what is.

Proof of what? As I and a lot of others have suspected, every 6th frame is a duplicate frame. The effect is to introduce a steady stutter or jerk into the video. Plus, bits are wasted encoding for 29.97fps, where it could have been encoded for 25fps, with pulldown applied afterwards, resulting in higher quality, as measured by the average quant. It may be OK for rookies that don't know what they're doing, which is about all you claimed originally. But as for, "I would stake that it probably does a hell of alot better job than whatever POS your using". Well, any other encoder, commercial or free, can do a better job of the conversion, in the right hands. I've done it properly using Procoder, CCE, and HCEnc (the free MPEG-2 encoder). FulciLives and many others following his guide have made proper conversions using TMPGEnc.

You're brave to put the video out there for all to see and study and use, and I appreciate that. I hope some will find the guide useful.

LadyLiete · Member Joined: 09 Jan 2007 Location: United States

Dang some of you people must be really picky it looks crystal clear to me.

FulciLives · Posted: Jan 11, 2007 00:42

LadyLiete · Member Joined: 09 Jan 2007 Location: United States

I understand that there are betters ways of doing it, and most of them I am probably capable of doing. I knew this before I even wrote this guide. I am also fully aware of the details in both NTSC and PAL (I go to college for video editing).

The point of this guide was to be a simple, and somewhat small step up from using the patch method on the entire disc. This wasn't intended to compete with your TMPGEnc guide, just alot of people in this thread seem to be compairing them.

I honestly don't care if it repeats a frame, or the quality isnt up to the standards of the vets of this forum, im sure the average person would prefer speed and ease of use over quality. Sorta like why dvdshrink is so popular... It wasn't intended for people with advanced knowledge of dvd editing... which is what all of you who have replied so far fail to understand.

----------------------------

I added an update because I am getting sick and tired of all this flaming on my method. It works good. Thats my story and im stickin to it.

DIEEEE

FulciLives · Posted: Jan 11, 2007 01:46

LadyLiete · Member Joined: 09 Jan 2007 Location: United States

Im sorry but im completely sick and tired of hearing your complaints, read the updates.

If you think that is bad video quality you should lock yourself in a bubble.

FulciLives · Posted: Jan 11, 2007 01:50