NTSC to PAL audio conversion

[Waylander076]

I'm backing up the region 1 version of XXX to VCD even though
I'm in the UK (I wanted to see if an RCE encoded disk would play on my stand alone - which it does ).

Anyhow, the dvd is ripped and the video is encoded to a VCD compliant
PAL stream at 25fps.

This leaves the audio to do.
At the moment it's in it's original AC3 format.

What is the best way to convert the audio to a PAL VCD compliant mp2
stream so that it synchs with the newly created 25fps PAL video stream,
and doesn't slur or sound like mickey mouse on helium?

I've read the framerate conversion guide and I'm tempted to go the
CoolEdit route but I'd like hear of some of the methods you guys use for
PAL to NTSC audio conversion that give you good results.

The original film is NTSC FILM at 23.970 fps.

Thanks
Waylander

[Dragonsf]

If you want the audio to stay in sync, don't convert to PAL (NTSC VCD can be played back on most standalones).
With CooleEdit you have 2 options: preserve pitch or preserve tempo.The 3rd(preserve none doing things even worse).If you are going to preserve pitch, you are loosing sync on tempo.Otherwise, the voices get lower/higher from stretching/shrinking the audio length.
As 23.97 fps is much closer to 25fps, you'll mabey lucky enough and get satisfying results.Converting from 29.97 fps didn't work at all for me, because either way of shrinking the audio produced out of sync after some time.

[banjazzer]

It really depends how you encoded to 25fps. Is the new videostream the same length in time as the original, or shorter? Both options are possible, depending on your particular method.

If it is the same length in time, then you have no problem. Just convert the .AC3 to .mp2 using something like HeadAC3he or Besweet. If it is shorter, then convert the .AC3 to .wav, load into something like Soundforge and shrink the wav to 95.90%. The pitch difference will not be detectable. Then convert the .wav to .mp2.

[Waylander076]

banjazzer and Dragonsf Thanks for those ideas...will try both
tonight when i get in from work and see which gives the best results.

Like i said in the original post I have no need to do the converion, I wanted to see if i could do it (NTSC-PAL with forced subs) and i was after
different methods of doing the audio conversion.

So thanks for the replies

Regards
Waylander

[banjazzer]

Whenever I get NTSC(film) DivX I convert it to PAL by changing the framerate of the video and shrinking the audio to match. So far I have not detected any problems with the audio, although I may have cloth ears.

[Craig Tucker]

although I may have cloth ears.

You certainly do, looking at your picture

[banjazzer]

That was taken with my budget digital camera. I'm not sure it does me justice. 8)