PAL to NTSC

[dpoul34]

I am using dvdecrypter and dvd shrink to back up my favorite dvds, and with lots of success. However, I also invest a lot of money in european PAL-formatted dvds from bands I like because they play on my computer, the latest being Gravedigger's 25 To Live. Using these two programs works great in copying the dvd, but still will not let it play on my dvd player. Is there a conversion tool necessary to go from PAL to NTSC?

[guns1inger]

There are a number of tools and methods for converting your main movie and supplimentary material from PAl to NTSC, however there is no simple process to convert a working DVD between formats and keep it functioning.

The best solution is to buy multi-format playback equipment (DVD player and possibly TV) so you don't have to convert.

[hech54]

Buy a cheap Cyberhome DVD player at Best Buy, Circuit City....wherever and save yourself some headaches. Take the DVD's WITH YOU when you purchase the player to make sure it is a converting DVD player.

[yoda313]

Yep I agree get a cheap dvd player that plays multiregion discs. I have a cyberhome player that does and I got it for less than $50 after rebates. Much easier than software conversion.

THOUGH there is another method. You won't keep any 5.1 surround sound or existing menu structures but it does work.

If you have a modified (read hacked) XBOX you can play multiregion dvds on it. From there you can hook up your xbox to your capture card (assuming you have one) and record it in realtime. Then you can simply author the recorded file and it will be automatically converted to whatever dvd specs you recorded it in. (I did this myself with a concert disc and it works brillantly)

[Dr_Layne]

I author and also collect a lot of live music dvd's made by fans from unofficial audience video recordings. Many of these discs are in PAL. No need to reauthor the discs.


As stated here, you can get an inexpensive, or even an expensive dvd player that will play all region discs and even convert the video output of a PAL disc to NTSC. I just purchased a Yamaha DVD-S657 on the internet from those places that hack the firmware to make them code free. The player has a 16mb video convertor built in. It can convert PAL to NTSC, NTSC to PAL, or play the discs in it's native format. Also does SACD, DVD-A, mp3, divx, picture cd's.


Steve