Framerate conversion question (AVI --> DVD)

[kmmoore]

I would like to convert a couple of AVIs to DVD and was wondering about which framerate would be best to select for conversion.

The AVI's I have are progressive @ 23.976 fps and I want to convert them to DVD compliant MPEG2 to be able to play them on my standalone DVD player.

I am using TMPGENC 4.0 express and it gives me conversion options of:

Progressive - (gives me 29.97 fps)
Interlaced - (gives me 29.97 fps)
3:2 Pulldown Playback - (gives 3:2 pulldown playback, 23.976 fps)
Inverse 3:2 Pulldown - (gives Inverse 3:2 pulldown, 29.97 fps)

Which should I select, so as to keep a nice, smooth judder free video, and not get any audio sync issues ?

Many thanks for your help, and I am sorry if this is a very basic question.

Kevin.

[guns1inger]

3:2 Pulldown is the option you should use. Assuming TmpgencXpress encodes it correctly, you get 23.976 fps mpeg-2 video with 3:2 pulldown flags for 29.970 fps playback.

[kmmoore]

Thanks for the quick reply

So, does the converted video actually playback at 29.97 or at 23.976 fps and just "fools" the DVD player into thinking it is 29.97 ?

Would any of this affect the audio sync ?

Thanks,
Kevin.

[guns1inger]

The latter. You only encode 23.976 frames of video per second of footage. The pulldown flags tell the player to insert extra frames on the fly for playback. If you have a newer TV and progressive scan DVD player then you can play it back at 23.976 instead. It doesn't affect audio sync, as you are encoding the same number of frames, at the same framerate, as the original.