Exact authored copy PAL to NTSC

[olobay]

Hi,

I would like to know if it is possible to convert an authored PAL dvd to NTSC while keeping all of the menus and extras. I know how to rip and convert the vobs to NTSC but I was wondering if I could do something to have an exact copy except in NTSC. I don't know how to use IFO Edit but maybe that can help me? Is this even possible without re-authoring?

Thanks.

[Baldrick]

https://forum.videohelp.com/viewtopic.php?t=312479&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight= , read the entire topic....no it's not worth it.

[FulciLives]

Also read this guide by manono ---> CLICK HERE

That guide was something that manono put together due to the thread that Baldrick pointed out.

However I don't feel it is worth all the work not to mention all the pitfalls that need to be avoided (and luck) to make the whole thing work in the end.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[olobay]

Thanks for the replies. I tried the "patch" method but that only gave me black and white video. Kind of like when you play a PAL VHS tape in a NTSC VCR. One weird thing though, the buttons were a lot lower on the "patch" dvd than they were in the original. The selected button outlines were shifted so that they were only outlining starting from the middle of the box and going way beyond the bottom of the box. But that doesn't matter because it didn't work for me. I don't understand how a NTSC player would be able to play a PAL signal. I think I will give the other 2 ways a try. If I follow instructions carefully, I should be able to get a nice copy in the end.

[FulciLives]

Well the guide by manono only covers the menu aspect ... not the video itself.

For converting the video to NTSC you will want to read the following:

1.) THE HOLY GRAIL? ... A new method of PAL to NTSC conversion!

2.) PAL to NTSC problem

3.) How to convert a PAL DVD to a NTSC DVD using TMPGEnc Plus 2.5x

As for the so-called patch method ... don't feel bad. It really doesn't work that well. Even for those that get it to work the video is often not played back perfect and yes the menu's are screwed up as well in the manner you described.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[spiritgumm]

Has anyone here tried TheFilmMachine for pal->ntsc? I was going to give it a whirl, but it's website says to also download a compilation-type codec K-lite Full version. There are many forum posts advising not to instal this codec because of unpredictable conflicts, so how can we use TheFilmMachine?

[RayH]

I just did a couple of PAL DVD to NTSC. I used three pieces of freeware. DVD Decrypter to rip the files to a folder on the hard drive. Then I used VobBlanker to change the VOB files to NTSC. Really easy and intuitive. Takes another folder. Then I used DVD Shrink, to burn the files from VobBlanker rendered folder to DVD.

The only problem I had was that the menu had to be accessed from the remote control. But other than that, it's 100% the same.

[Pinstripes23]

I just did a couple of PAL DVD to NTSC. I used three pieces of freeware. DVD Decrypter to rip the files to a folder on the hard drive. Then I used VobBlanker to change the VOB files to NTSC. Really easy and intuitive. Takes another folder. Then I used DVD Shrink, to burn the files from VobBlanker rendered folder to DVD.

The only problem I had was that the menu had to be accessed from the remote control. But other than that, it's 100% the same.

You changed the attributes to NTSC in vobblanker, correct? That doesn't change the resolution nor the display framerate to NTSC though. NTSC has a resolution of 720x480 and a display framerate of 29.97fps. That means you have to convert the video to at least to NTSC resolution and pulldown to 29.97fps, and as far as the menus, a whole lot more goes into it than just fiddling around with it in vobblanker. You may have just gotten lucky and it plays in your dvd players (no diff than the patch method) but it isn't true ntsc-compliant.

[Pinstripes23]

Well the guide by manono only covers the menu aspect ... not the video itself.

Fulcilives, I think manono said he would do the full pal-to-ntsc guide for menus another time. That guide he did was for replacing edited menus while keeping in the same format (ntsc/pal). The guide works as I edit or replace menus also and follow pretty much the same workflow and tools. But converting pal menus to ntsc would require a few extra steps than what the guide provides.

[FulciLives]

I didn't really read it that closely LOL

I have no desire to get that "hardcore" as long as I know how to convert the video (which I do) the menu is just "icing" and not worth all that work ... to me.

What's more important? The gift or the wrapping?

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[olobay]

What would happen if I converted the main video VOB files from PAL to NTSC and then replaced them in my VIDEO_TS folder. Then I use IFOEDIT to "patch" the dvd. Would that work? I can convert PAL VOB to NTSC VOB using Canopus Procoder and if they have the same filename would that work?

[manono]

Would that work?

No.

[spiritgumm]

FulciLives,
if I want to convert PAL->NTSC DVD using your guide, but don't own Tmpgenc, can I use Dvd2svcd instead (with it's free encoder QuEnc)? Or can you suggest a freeware substitute for Tmpgenc?
Inre my previous post above (which has no responses yet), TheFilmmachine encodes in mpeg2 but doesn't use mpeg2, so I couldn't get it to work for conversion. Are there any tech/quality issues with converting vob (or mpeg2/ac3) to the formats it likes? If no issues, how would I do that?

TheFilmMachine: "All In One AVI,MP4 to DVD/(S)VCD conversion utility. Supports DVD subtitles(both permanent and selectable). NTSC to PAL and PAL to NTSC conversion. It also supports standalone encoders like CinemaCraft Encoder SP and Canopus Procoder. "

[Pinstripes23]

I didn't really read it that closely LOL

I have no desire to get that "hardcore" as long as I know how to convert the video (which I do) the menu is just "icing" and not worth all that work ... to me.

What's more important? The gift or the wrapping?

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

Oh I know you have no desire or are into the original menus. But for the purpose of this thread it was to let people know that the link to the guide wasn't a conversion of pal-to-ntsc menus. As for me I'm into the whole package, as when I create dvd's I like to make (semi) complex motion menus to go along with the movie. Plus if anything it's a good exercise to dissect into what consists of the menus for commercial dvd's and how it's all put together.

[FulciLives]

@spiritgumm

You can use HCenc which is a most excellent freeware MPEG-2 DVD spec encoder.

I was planning on putting together a guide for PAL to NTSC using AviSynth and HCenc but I haven't gotten around to it ... yet.

If you look at my TMPGEnc guide you will notice that I list 2 links at the end of my guide (the very first post in that thread). Both of those cover how to do the conversion with AviSynth.

You then just have to set-up HCenc correctly which is really rather simple.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[spiritgumm]

@spiritgumm
You can use HCenc which is a most excellent freeware MPEG-2 DVD spec encoder.
I was planning on putting together a guide for PAL to NTSC using AviSynth and HCenc but I haven't gotten around to it ... yet.
You then just have to set-up HCenc correctly which is really rather simple.
- John "FulciLives" Coleman

...but I'm unwilling to try scripts which is why I'm looking at gui-type freewares (like TFM - TheFilmMachine). I had thought your guide was script-free...

[RayH]

I'm kind of new to this stuff. I just try to get people to get a DVD player that already has a PAL to NTSC converter in the machine. But the VobBlanker does change the resolution automatically. Whether or not the pull down rate is also changed, I don't know. It doesn't indicate.

[FulciLives]

@spiritgumm
You can use HCenc which is a most excellent freeware MPEG-2 DVD spec encoder.
I was planning on putting together a guide for PAL to NTSC using AviSynth and HCenc but I haven't gotten around to it ... yet.
You then just have to set-up HCenc correctly which is really rather simple.
- John "FulciLives" Coleman

...but I'm unwilling to try scripts which is why I'm looking at gui-type freewares (like TFM - TheFilmMachine). I had thought your guide was script-free...

My TMPGEnc Plus guide can be done without AviSynth but then you must use TMPGEnc Plus. If you want to use another encoder then you have to use AviSynth in conjunction with another encoder.

I don't know a thing about TheFilmMachine nor do I care about it really.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[Pinstripes23]

I'm kind of new to this stuff. I just try to get people to get a DVD player that already has a PAL to NTSC converter in the machine. But the VobBlanker does change the resolution automatically. Whether or not the pull down rate is also changed, I don't know. It doesn't indicate.

VobBlanker is just changing the attributes at the IFO level. If you run the actual video streams (vobs) through something like gspot, vdubmod - it will show the true resolution as PAL. But as you said the easy way would be just to get a dvd player that plays both.

[RayH]

^^ I dunno what you are looking for. I transcoded a couple of PAL DVDs I bought online out of the UK: Wasabi and Taxi 2. If I rip the new "NTSC" DVDs with Nero Recode, it says their NTSC. They play on stand alone DVD players as NTSC.

The menus work on the new NTSC disks just like the original PAL disks. The Taxi 2 disk didn't stop on the menu and had to be accessed by the remote. So does the NTSC "easy method" disk. Wasabi PAL stops on the menu, so does the "NTSC" easy method.

[Pinstripes23]

^^ I dunno what you are looking for. I transcoded a couple of PAL DVDs I bought online out of the UK: Wasabi and Taxi 2. If I rip the new "NTSC" DVDs with Nero Recode, it says their NTSC. They play on stand alone DVD players as NTSC.

The menus work on the new NTSC disks just like the original PAL disks. The Taxi 2 disk didn't stop on the menu and had to be accessed by the remote. So does the NTSC "easy method" disk. Wasabi PAL stops on the menu, so does the "NTSC" easy method.

You said you use 3 tools. DVDDecrypter, VobBlanker, and DVDShrink. And from your original post you said:

Then I used VobBlanker to change the VOB files to NTSC.

VobBlanker doesn't transcode anything. It works at the IFO level where you can manipulate a DVD by blanking, replacing, changing attributes, etc. It doesn't alter the video streams whatsoever. I don't use Nero Recode but if it says NTSC then I am sure it is just reading the IFO's and not the actual video streams. Run the actual vobs thru gspot or vdubmod and you will see the resolution has not changed from the original PAL DVD. And if it plays on you standalone then you're lucky cuz just like the patch method either it works or it doesn't but it still isn't a true NTSC DVD.