is this a simpler way to convert PAL to NTSC?

[lerxst]

I tried following the guide: How To Convert To Pal or NTSC With Dgpulldown (http://www.johnisme.com/avi1.shtml) and I skipped the whole Dgpulldown part about converting 25-> 29.97 fps. Instead, I just selected the 29.97 fps within TMPGEnc when encoding the separate video and audio files. Apparently, I was successful as I was able to convert my mpg file from PAL to NTSC and even buned a DVD with it which plays perfectly on my NTSC DVD player.

My question is, by having skipped the fps conversion with Dgpulldown and having done this with TMPGEnc instead, does this mean that my resulting mpg file is not the “quality” that it should be? Is there something that the eye does not catch when watching the converted file? Why is this Dgpulldown step then suggested?

Again, the steps I used:

1) With tmpgenc/file/mpeg tools/simple de-multiplex, I created a separate m2v and a wav files.
2) On the main TMPGEnc window (not through mpeg tools), I loaded the m2v and the wav files as video and audio sources, I chose System (video+audio) as Stream Type, and changed Settings to MPEG2, 720x480 size, 29.97 fps, NTSC video format.
3) Clicked the big Start button

Any comments regarding the procedure I used and what I might be missing will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

[celtic_druid]

So you don't have jerky results?

[lerxst]

No jerky results, as far as I can tell from watching the authored DVD on my DVD player.

Again, so what is the purpose of using this Dgpulldown?

[celtic_druid]

That you leave it 25fps and your player reads the flags and outputs 29.97fps. Like with film sources that are 23.976fps.

Really if you had a 25fps source and told TMPGEnc to output 29.97 you should have gotten jerky results.

[Abond]

Probably not as AFAIK TMPG will blend the frames to produce new ones achieving for 29.97. Thus the smoothness during playback is more or less preserved. Might be the pitch of audio can be changed if tmpg audio engine doesn't account for that. Anyway the audio with tmpg is crap - that is why PAL-NTSC is difficult.

[bugster]

Probably not as AFAIK TMPG will blend the frames to produce new ones achieving for 29.97.

Tmpgenc does not blend frames to produce new ones, it simply repeats frames to make the framerate up to 29.97 from 25. This is why this method results in jerky video. How visible the jerkyness is depends on the material. Talking head shots don't show it much, but slow pan shots do.

This method is simple, but the results unacceptable to most people. Also, it depends on your source. Progressive source is less of a problem than interlaced.

[mgh]

If you aren't too technical try VSO DivXtoDVD-it is blazing fast-on my 2.4 GHz PIV-PAL to NTSC or NTSC to PAL was about 90% of real time-lipsync wsa perfect on both-the PAL to NTSC clip was 9.5 mins and the NTSC to PAL clip was 3.5 mins. It changes audio to 192 kbps ac3 two channel.
Only hitch, the kbps increased quite a bit. Before the final burning, you will have to tweak it with DVDShrink(which is also fast).

[lordsmurf]

Don't do it. Get a DVD player than does both PAl and NTSC. The end.

[mgh]

That's the best solution in the long term-in the short term, if you are prepared to shell out the bucks now

[lerxst]

Sorry to keep on top of this but I watched carefully over the weekend my PAL-NTSC converted DVD on my TV set and no matter how closely I look for glitches or "jerky video", I just can't detect them.

I tried another PAL to NTSC conversion only using TMGEnc and nothing else, and the result again was a true beauty.

I strongly suggest to give it a try. Very simple and great results.

[FulciLives]

If you know how to re-encode with TMPGEnc then it is a simple matter to simply leave it at 25fps but resize to a NTSC resolution (720x480 or 352x480).

Then just run DGPulldown on it.

Very simple.

See here ---> CLICK HERE

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[lerxst]

Thanks John but again, I don't see the need to use DGPulldown. TMPGEnc did it all for me with great results.

[FulciLives]

Thanks John but again, I don't see the need to use DGPulldown. TMPGEnc did it all for me with great results.

No.

It doesn't "do it right".

It may look OK to you but correct it is not.

So since you are re-encoding PAL to NTSC anyways ... you might as well do it right.

Adding the DGPulldown method only adds a few minutes to the process. Maybe 5 to 10 minutes per video file, give or take. That's all.

I'm not trying to be rude but ... you got it almost so right ... that it is annoying to me that you are accepting less than perfect when doing perfect is just a single extra short step.

As far as the encoding goes all you have to do is set it to 25fps and then run DGPulldown afterwards. It is that simple "to do it right".

So do it and stop saying that the WRONG way is "good enough".

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[lordsmurf]

If you know how to re-encode with TMPGEnc then it is a simple matter to simply leave it at 25fps but resize to a NTSC resolution (720x480 or 352x480).

Then just run DGPulldown on it.

Very simple.

This is basically what the PAL-capable DVD players do. Just internally, with hardware, and realtime. Not a true signal, but good enough that the tv can understand it. Every now and then, maybe once or twice per half hour, usually with a rapid scene change situation, you may see an interlace flicker, but it's very infrequent.

The NTSC LITEON DVD recorder is easily the best PAL player I have ever seen. A.K.A. ILO at Walmart. Another reason to buy that machine. Great PAL player.