NTSC Film/ PAL: heeelp!

[nazimm]

Question: 99% of the Movies I have on my hard disc are set at 23.976 Fps and this is the same Frame Rate used for the VCD NTSC Film Template in TMPGEnc. The problem (or not) is that I live in Europe so the system here is PAL and the frame rate is set at 25 fps for that. Can anybody please answer the following:
-Does encoding a 23.979 fps AVI to a PAL VCD 25 fps affect the motion? Picture and sound quality I get is very very good (except of one or two titles slightly out of synch) but I do get a little jerkiness when scene gos from left to right and vice versa.
-If I use the NTSC Film template, would I still be able to play the VCD on my DVD player and watch it on my TV?

This fps thing has been bugging me for ages. pleas help
Nazim

[megadeathmick]

you should be able to, but when I watch ntsc on my dvd player it is in black and white, the only time it is in colour is if your tv is able to convert ntsc/pal.

I think sony's can do it.

[nazimm]

thanks....
Am I correct in assuming that the TV has to be "multi standard"? With VHS tape, I know I can watch non PAL tapes and the image is indeed B/W.... I think you are right. The TV is the one to check....
Thanks
Nazim

[sithspawn]

I had that same problem and I can tell you that covert NTSC to PAL DOES affect the motion: every other second or so the picture appears to stand still for a fraction of a second and I thought that quite annoying. I recently discovered the possibility of my DVD-player (Pioneer DV-626D) to swith between PAL and NTSC automatically. I turned of "auto" and switched it to "PAL" and now I can play DiVX NTSCFilm formats converted to VCD using the NTSCFilm template perfectly: no B&W picture, no stutter.

Perhaps your DVD player has the same option. Good luck

[McCrash]

I really don't think you should try to convert your NTSC 23.9fps source to PAL 25fps because most standalone dvd players available in europe are able to handle NTSC dvd so we can enjoy region 1 dvd on PAL display.

I think you sould take a closer look to your dvd player. If you can watch region 1 dvd on it, then you should be able to watch NTSC (s)vcd on it.

I am pretty used to Pioneer dvd players and all the models i have seen come with a special switch at the back panel that force the dvd output signal.
If the switch is set to NTSC or default, then you need a NTSC compatible TV but if the switch is set to PAL then you should be able to watch NTSC discs on a PAL TV.
When forced to PAL mode, the dvd players convert the NTSC signal to PAL 60hz that your tv set sould be able to display correctly.

cya

[nazimm]

did not know that!! I will check tonight at home what it says... I checked my TV and on the prod specs is states NTSC playback..... (hope it is the correct model) I will cut small part of a movie which has lots of action and convert it with NTSC film templates and see how it looks on the TV and if plays OK on the DVD... Will do my best to report back....
(would be nioce if it works as I am pretty sure it would get rid of the hardly noticable jerkiness!!)
Ta
Nazim

[willem]

If your DVD player doesn't have a NTSC/Auto/PAL switch on the back, you can convert your 23.976fps DivXes to 25fps to PAL (S)VCD's. I've described the procedure here:

http://www.vcdhelp.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?topic=49346&forum=3

It's a lengthy procedure but fortunately you can leave the PC alone as it's doing the conversion.

[nazimm]

Hi Willem,
Thanks for that one..seems a very long process and I do not have Cool Edit as it costs money (on of those who likes things free!!).

Read through your guide and I may be wrong, but it deals with the sound file of the movie rather than the jerkiness.... I use VDub to split the Wav file form the DIVX and although there is a difference in the length of the audio, this is only 200 ms or so and when I convert with TPM it all looks OK and in synch (except 1 or 2 movies, but then again the source itself is out of synch..).

I will try and shuv in an NTSC VCD in the player see what happens....
Ta
N

[nazimm]

OK, here it goes.....
As promised, I converted a AVI DivX, 23.976 fps, into NTSC Film (used sefy's template SeNTSCfilm) and let the file run using TMPGEnc. Movei was 1h39 and it took about 2 hours to encode the conplete thing. Whole file was less than 800MB (approx 730MB)!!
Strated Nero>VCD> Write. Got a message from Nero saying that the frame rate was not VCD complient, but I proceeded anyway. Movie burnt in 20 minutes. I have Philips DV616 DVD Player, no swtiches at the back or anything, and a Daewoo TV/VCR combo.
Stuffed the NTSC Film VCD on the DVD player and YES IT WORKED!!! Movie is perfect in glorious colour, can FFW, no jerkiness!!!
Just to conclude: I love my Philips 612/ Nero AND TMPGEng

NAz