Pal DVD -> NTSC DVD could you just....

[qaidskey]

could you just load an imaged pal dvd from your hd into something like daemon tools, then use a program like intervideo dvd copy (or w/e you use) to convert it for you? i haven't experimented much with dvd copy programs...but now i find myself in this type of situation and am curious as to whether or not this would work.

[Baldrick]

The comparison says that it can do pal<->ntsc
http://www.intervideo.com/jsp/InterVideoDVDCopy.jsp?mode=ComparisonChart

so try the trial and see how it works. And you can use daemon tools to make virtual dvd from the image.

[Baldrick]

I just tried it. It can't do dvd to dvd pal to ntsc or ntsc to pal....probably just for dvd to vcd/svcd/dvd.

Maybe pinnacle instantcopy ???

[qaidskey]

hmm...never tried pinnacle. you see the thing is i ahve a copy of one movie already in dvd format w/ menus and everything, and i dont know how i'd go about doing that with a conversion and all.

also wut about dvd santa? could i transfer the dvd's vob files to ntsc vob files and then just replace them in the image?

[guns1inger]

No. Mixed formats (i.e. PAL and NTSC) is not supported by the DVD specification. While some of the more lax authoring programs might allow it, and some of the more lax players might play it, most will not.

To convert a full DVD from one format to another, you would have to strip out ALL components - movies, menus, audio, sub-pictures, sub-titles etc - convert them all to the new target format, then reauthor the disk to put everything back.

A format change alters resolution and framerates, which impacts every aspect of the DVD, from the location of menu sub-pictures to the speed that audio plays back.

[qaidskey]

so basically im better off trying to get an ntsc version of it?

[anzimike]

As guns1inger stated that sort of conversion is very labor-intensive. Easy way is to load movie-only into TMPGEnc express 3.0 and output as dvd-ntsc. Click keep aspect ratio in resize filter. You will, however lose menus and subtitles, and audio will be converted from 5.1 ac3 to 2 channel ac3. (Did I mention you need the ac3 plug-in?). This is how I converted a video (Gypsy Eyes) that I ordered from Germany, I believe , not available commecially as ntsc. You need to decide if the tradeoffs (and cost of software) are worth it. Hope this helps.

[anzimike]

Just a thought. Can dvd rebuilder be configured to do pal-ntsc conversions?

[EvilWizardGlick]

DVDSANTA says it does PAL to NTSC and the reverse. You can copy the PAL dvd with DVDFAB to remove Macrovision and region coding then convert with DVDSANTA.

[guns1inger]

Theoretically, with the correct avisynth scripts and ecl script you might be able to do it. You would still have issues with subpictures on menus and subtitle timing being off. I don't think CCE would be kind to AC-3 audio, so might end up with a silent picture.

If you just want movie only, then ProCoder can also do ntsc<->PAL conversion

[Baldrick]

so basically im better off trying to get an ntsc version of it?

Well, if you are happy with just the main movie, a bit jerky playback and no ac3/dts 5.1 audio can you use tmpgenc xpress, dvdsanta as they suggest. If not find a ntsc dvd or get a cheap pal->ntsc dvd player.

[manono]

I don't know. It's not so hard. I've done a few PAL to NTSC movie only backups. For audio, convert the original PAL AC3 to WAV using BeSweet, at the same time slowing it to 23.976fps using the preset. Then reencode it to DD 5.1 with Soft Encode or some such. For the video, reencode with CCE, using an AviSynth script, taking into account the changed resolution and framerate, and run Pulldown.exe afterwards. Author with DVDAuthor GUI. If you need subs, DVDAuthor GUI takes text based subs. I converted the framerate of the idx/sub files to 23.976 with the Sub Cutter utility included with the VobSub package, OCR'd to SSA format, and then fed them into DVDAuthor GUI. I made a simple menu and got an image file out the other end, ready to burn. I agree that if you want everything from the original PAL DVD, it's much more difficult, but there's no reason the resulting NTSC DVD should play jerky. Mine certainly don't. Maybe you were referring to the output from TMPGEnc or DVDSanta. I wouldn't know, as I've never used either. Or maybe you were referring to the very slight jerkiness of all NTSC DVDs that have telecined output. But we're so used to it that we hardly even notice it. Or maybe you were just sniping at us NTSC people.