burning PAL DVDs

[twoworldstech]

Does anyone know if iMovie and/or iDVD can be used to create DVDs in PAL, SECAM and NTSC formats? What other software might you recommend that can do this? Is Mac (G5) 's standard SuperDrive capable of burning in any format?

Any small piece of information would be helpful. We've been doing lots of research, but this is the one piece we have been unable to turn up. Even clues on where else to research would be great!
Thanks.

[pixeljammedia]

Does anyone know if iMovie and/or iDVD can be used to create DVDs in PAL, SECAM and NTSC formats? What other software might you recommend that can do this? Is Mac (G5) 's standard SuperDrive capable of burning in any format?

Yes, simply go to iMovie>Preferences and select Start New Project as PAL or NTSC. I am a big fan of Final Cut Pro, but iMovie is very powerful and inexpensive. The superdrive will burn whatever format you can feed it.

[twoworldstech]

Is that the same process if you are using captured video?

Also, how can we tell what format the captured video is in? Does it matter? (Our Hi-8 Camcorder is multistandard, but without any way to select the format or switch between formats.) Can iMovie/iDVD be used to convert the video? What about Final Cut Pro?

[pixeljammedia]

The main differnces between PAL/SECAM and NTSC are framerate and framesize. PAL will give you 24/25/30 fps while NTSC will give you 24/30. The size of the PAL DVD screen is 720x526 while NTSC is 720x480. To capture from Hi-8 you will have to have an Analog to Digital converter. Search the forum for threads on those. But the converter will probably dictate the format you import with. Chances are the camcorder will play at 30 fps and either cutoff some of the screen for NTSC or show it if the converter accepts the PAl signal. Either way, iMovie will take whatever you are sending through your firewire cable.

[deadsierra]

Either way, iMovie will take whatever you are sending through your firewire cable.

And iDVD will tell you to go to hell if you pick the wrong type.