PAL vs NTSC

[jyeh74]

I plan to buy a dvd in asia but its only PAL version. Does that mean I will have trouble watching it on my USA (NTSC) dvd player?

[redwudz]

Yes, you will; Unless you have a DVD player that can play PAL natively. There are a few out there that do both NTSC and PAL. You can convert it to NTSC with software, but it is difficult to do well and a PAL DVD player will play it back much better.

The good news is that a PAL DVD will play perfectly on a computer, just not a NTSC only DVD player.

[yoda313]

Most likely yes. Though some dvd players do play pal and ntsc dvds nowadays. You'd have to read up on your dvd player to find out. If its less than a few years old theres a small chance it might. My cyberhome ch300 actually plays pal discs (though the only pal disc I own is region 0 so you might have to rip it and burn to region free then play it if yours plays pal).

Otherwise you'll have to go through a long and laborious process to convert pal to ntsc. And you most likely won't be able to keep the menus unless you really want to make it more complicated then it will be.

[jyeh74]

what software can I use that is most common?

[levick]

I would say the >90% of all DVD player sold in New Zealand are able to do both and we are PAL configuration. Take a non offensive NTSC disc with you, just in case your made to review it in customs etc and try it. I would be supprised if it doesn't play NTSC, PAL requires more video memory so being able to play NTSC requires no extra. Check for region settings of course, this might be the problem, your disc will prove that one to. Make sure you take a bought disc set for your region.

[redwudz]

For software PAL>NTSC conversions, look here:https://www.videohelp.com/convert#4;41

[jyeh74]

I'm using TMPGEnc 3.0 Xpress. I am a little confused since there are two steps that ask me if I want PAL or NTSC.

In step 1 "Set Source" you select your file and in that function, it asks for "Aspect Ratio" Here you can select

Pixel 1:1 (square pixel)
Pixel 10:11 (NTSC 4:3)
Pixel 12:11 (PAL 4:3)
Image 4:3
Image 16:9

Here I usually select Image 4:3 since it stretches it out to maximize on my TV. I am not sure what the difference is between Pixel 10:11 which is NTSC and Image 4:3.

Next step on "Set Output" it asks you output format selection. Here, you can select dvd and choose from NTSC or PAL. (or VCD or SVCD). I am confused since I thought I did that in step 1?

[sctlnd1314]

I have converted from PAL to NTSC using decrypter and dvdshrink. Make sure you do not change your drive setting to PAL, just exit the screen and open decrypter.

[Noahtuck]

I have converted from PAL to NTSC using decrypter and dvdshrink. Make sure you do not change your drive setting to PAL, just exit the screen and open decrypter.

Neither of those programs will convert PAL to NTSC

@jyeh74
You are better off looking for the dgpulldown method and using TMPGEnc instead of TMPGEnc 3.0 Xpress as i don't believe that program allows you to change the resolution while keeping the correct frame rate you need.

The easiest thing to do is what yoda313 stated, search the DVD Hacks link, see if your model player has a code or hack to make it region free, then try the disc and see of it plays, if your player does not have a region hack and your PAL dvd is region 0 (actually multiple or all region encoded as there is no such thing as "region 0") you can still try it asnd see if it works.
If the dvd is encoded to a specific region, all you have to do is rip it and burn it back to a dvdr making it "region free" (see above).
If your player will not play the PAL disc in NTSC land, you can either pick up a cheap dvd player like the "cyberhome" which you can make region free to be able to play any disc with any region coding.
Or undergo alot of reading and practice with multiple programs.
SOme people like to say, use dvd santa or nero recode or some other one step wonder but you will not get a high quality and correct conversion and i guess most can live with jitters or the occasional sync problem, just depends on how good you want it to be, how much effort you want to put into it & how much time you want to spend.

@yoda313 you do know you can make that cyberhome region free

[ZippyP.]

I have converted from PAL to NTSC using decrypter and dvdshrink.

I believe you're mistaking PAL and NTSC for region coding. Region coding is used by the studios for marketing purposes so that disks from different regions are not easily sold and played in another. PAL and NTSC are different video standards. Some DVD players can be made region free, some can do PAL- NTSC conversion and some can do both, usually with a firmware hack.

DVDDecrypter and DVDShrink won't convert PAL and NTSC but can remove region coding.

[vitualis]

In PAL land, the majority of DVD players can play both PAL and NTSC, as well as convert between the two. Perhaps you should look to buying a model that will work on US power as well and bring it back with you...

Regards.

[sctlnd1314]

Now I myself am a little confused as a friend had a PAL DVD Region 2 which he wanted to play on an NTSC player. I am thinking now that I maybe converted it with DivX to DVD converter as you can force the output to either PAL or NTSC. The origonal disc would not play but the back up copy doesso as far as I can recall I used DVD Decrypter, DVD Shrink and Divx to DVD converter. I do not have any of the other programs you are mentioning.

[Noahtuck]

Now I myself am a little confused as a friend had a PAL DVD Region 2 which he wanted to play on an NTSC player. I am thinking now that I maybe converted it with DivX to DVD converter as you can force the output to either PAL or NTSC. The origonal disc would not play but the back up copy doesso as far as I can recall I used DVD Decrypter, DVD Shrink and Divx to DVD converter. I do not have any of the other programs you are mentioning.

His player may have been capable of playing/converting PAL to NTSC, but was locked to region 1 which will not allow region 2 or any other region encoded dvd to be played regardless if it is PAL or NTSC.

But by ripping the original Reg. 2 PAL dvd and burning it back to a dvdr, you no longer have a region code on the dvdr, or more accurately, it was burned with all region codes, 1-8, so now the dvd players region check is passed.

When you ran it through shrink did you retain any of the menus ?

Region coding and PAL/NTSC are two diff. things as stated by ZippyP.

[sctlnd1314]

Come to think of it I think I had a trial copy of Blaze Media Pro at the time and I used that.

[dj4monie]

Back from the dead...

Okay so let me get this straight. I just got Robotix PAL DVD in the mail and promptly popped it into my PC (Pioneer DVR-710) and it played (not surprised, I know the drive will lock the region code after 5 plays of a PAL disc for example).

I ripped it with DVD Decrypter and saved it on my new 250GB ext drive.

So as I read this thread, when you do that, you remove the region coding from the disc when its just raw TS files correct?

So then I can do that with any PAL disc I get and not worry about locking the DVD drive into one region code???

[guns1inger]

If you put a different region disc into the drive in between, it will be another count off the 5. Eventually you will lock the drive. Try DVD43 as a way to stop this happening.

[dj4monie]

If you put a different region disc into the drive in between, it will be another count off the 5. Eventually you will lock the drive. Try DVD43 as a way to stop this happening.

Hmmm, I'll check into that before ordering that Vehicle Voltron boxset that's available Down Unda as Media Blasters hasn't finished with it's Lion Force release yet.