NTSC -> PAL (VOB) + Subtitles (VOB)

[Primus Motor]

Hi

Please, try to bear these questions.

I've read around most of the tutorials, but they still haven't answered properly to two of my questions.

I'm deeply sorry if this has been asked thousands of times.... but apparently I suck and didn't notice them by searching... Oh well.

1) Is there a way to convert NTSC VOB files into PAL, without any/remarkable quality loss in sound / video?

2) Adding subtitles. There are some programs, like Subtitle Workshop, which let me add subtitles into VOB files. I have split a subtitle file by the VOB's, but now I have problems with synchronizing the subs. Is there any editor which lets me make one sync point to the part where the first sub appears, and by that the editor would adjust all the subtitles to match the sync point? For example, if before syncing the first sub appears 2 minutes after the VOB begins... and disappears 5 seconds after that. Now, the second sub would appear 2 minutes and 10 seconds after the beginning (disappearing in 2 min 15 sec)... and I would add the sync point to 1 min, so it would affect all the subs by their appearing/disappearing time... like the sub which would normally appear in 2 min. 10 sec would now appear in 1 min 10 sec because of the sync point?

I have TMPGENC DVD Author to make the menus, can I also make an option to switch subs on/off with it?

These probably have been answered many times, but please, point me out to the answers!

Hopefully you get what I'm meaning :/

Thanks in advance

[Cunhambebe]

1) Is there a way to convert NTSC VOB files into PAL, without any/remarkable quality loss in sound / video?

- As far as I know Canopus Procoder (which is a video encoder), can render to VOB PAL, but I cannot give you some more details since I've never done that before. Because framerates are different (PAL is 25, NTSC film is 23.976 and NTSC regular is 29.97 - please check out your NTSC file) you may experience some sync problems that "could" be fixed with Besweet. You have to try!

2) Adding subtitles. There are some programs, like Subtitle Workshop, which let me add subtitles into VOB files. I have split a subtitle file by the VOB's, but now I have problems with synchronizing the subs.

- How did you do that? lol

Is there any editor which lets me make one sync point to the part where the first sub appears, and by that the editor would adjust all the subtitles to match the sync point? For example, if before syncing the first sub appears 2 minutes after the VOB begins... and disappears 5 seconds after that. Now, the second sub would appear 2 minutes and 10 seconds after the beginning (disappearing in 2 min 15 sec)... and I would add the sync point to 1 min, so it would affect all the subs by their appearing/disappearing time... like the sub which would normally appear in 2 min. 10 sec would now appear in 1 min 10 sec because of the sync point?

- there are some ways to fix that.
1)- I guess if you do this with Subtitle Workshop, you'll have to fix all subs....it's going to take a long time, but nothing impossible.
2)Sony DVD Architect 3 has 2 options called AUTO RIPPLE and QUANTIZE to FRAMES. When these options are enabled, they may help you to fix the problem. Please note that DVD Architect is not freeware.
3)Subrip is freeware and as far as I know, after ripping the subs, there's an option that may try to fix this.

I have TMPGENC DVD Author to make the menus, can I also make an option to switch subs on/off with it?

-I'm used to authoring with DVD Architect. When you author the DVD, if you turn off one of the buttons corresponding to the subs, you'll have to select the subs with the remote control to enable them as you watch the DVD. Authoring the DVD and leaving the button enabled, will burn a DVD with forced subs, that means you'll have to turn them off with the remote control. I guess TMPGENC migh have the same option (?).

Cheers!
Mark

[Primus Motor]

Hm, ProCoder seems to be way too expensive for me, any alternatives?

And how does a process like that usually take, any one know?

I had to split up the subtitles manually for VOB because I don't know how to open all the VOB's like one movie (in Subtitle Workshop) and then manually edit them... maybe with SubRip, but haven't really tried it yet. Though it didn't seem to show the video in it :/

Does anyone else know a program with an automatic sync command like I described?

[Abond]

1) Is there a way to convert NTSC VOB files into PAL, without any/remarkable quality loss in sound / video?

Yes, there is (of course it depend of what you understand as remarkable lost of quality), but as the procedure is complex and long I must ask you why you need to make such a conversion?
To the second question - you can re-rip the files from the disc source selecting in the ripper to not split the vobs. If this is not the case, then download and unpack vStrip, start vStripgui, load your vobs, select for output split none and a name, click start - you will have one big vob. Then synchronize the subs. Subtitle Workshop has such afunctionality. Edit-timings-adjust-Adjust subtitle. Set the start of the first subtitle and the start of the last subtitle and click Adjust. There is also delay adjustment for all subtitles or for selected (marked) only.
With TMPGEnc DVD Author you are out of luck - it doesn't support subtitles.

[Cunhambebe]

Thanks for the input on Subtitle Workshop and TMPGEnc DVD Author.

[Primus Motor]

By remarkable loss of quality, I'm meaning that I don't want the audio & video suddenly get more worse than they originally were... as in, suddenly some (even minor) graphical glitches appearing or pauses in the audio.

And I want to convert NTSC VOB's to PAL because I live in Finland, where PAL is the standard, and even though they would probably work on my PC, they wouldn't on my PS2 (would appear black & white)... I may buy a proper DVD player later, but now I just want to know the best (and preferably free) way to convert NTSC VOB's to PAL. And how long would th e process be, over 12 hours?

Hm, TMPGENC is the only one I have right now... any good alternatives for a program which can make menu's like TMPGENC can and also options for the subtitles etc.?

Oh, and besides the VTS_01_0*.VOB files, do I have to add the VIDEO_TS.vob file to the one big VOB file?

[DarrellS]

VSO DivXToDVD will convert NTSC VOBs to PAL VOBs. You have to choose the "Force PAL 25 fps" option.

Don't know what to tell you about the subtitles. The VOB conversion won't take much time at all. I would say, 45 minutes to an hour at the most.

BTW, VSO DivXToDVD is still free so get it before it goes to payware. It sounds like the pay version will be worth buying with all of it's capabilities.

[Primus Motor]

Hmm, after converting with the VOS program the picture seems to twitch in a noticeable way... what could cause it? Programs that are on at the same time, or some codec?

[Abond]

By remarkable loss of quality, I'm meaning that I don't want the audio & video suddenly get more worse than they originally were... as in, suddenly some (even minor) graphical glitches appearing or pauses in the audio.

Well, to convert from NTSC to PAL you should reencode the video at least, so some drop in quality is to be expected. If your source is good this drop would be not noticeable (ofcourse depend of the TV). BTW I think that PS2 outputs correct NTSC signal, but your TV can not cope with it.

And how long would th e process be, over 12 hours?

It depends of how fast you can learn, because in a proper conversion are involved more than 5 different programs. There isn't one click application for proper NTSC-PAL conversion.

Hm, TMPGENC is the only one I have right now... any good alternatives for a program which can make menu's like TMPGENC can and also options for the subtitles etc.?

DVDLab Pro works with subtitles it has a trial version. Other possibilities are Gui for DVDauthor (my choice for menu creation), DVDauthorGUI. If you decide that you don't need menus IFOEdit, ReJig, Muxman (my choice without menu). All of them support subtitles and are free software.

Oh, and besides the VTS_01_0*.VOB files, do I have to add the VIDEO_TS.vob file to the one big VOB file?

You don't need VIDEO_TS.vob and VTS_01_0.VOB. They should contain menus. If you want also the menus converted I am out - never bothered with menus convertion.

Hmm, after converting with the VOS program the picture seems to twitch in a noticeable way... what could cause it? Programs that are on at the same time, or some codec?

This is why I didn't suggest VSO. It makes conversion in a not proper way. It doesn't respect telecine or interlacing correctly.
Do you still want the conversion?

[Primus Motor]

Oh yes.

So, what are the proper alternatives to the VSO program & ProCoder?

[DarrellS]

Hmm, after converting with the VOS program the picture seems to twitch in a noticeable way... what could cause it? Programs that are on at the same time, or some codec?

I don't know what to tell you. I made a test file that came out OK and two other posters I've been working with did the same conversion and said everything was fine in their conversion to PAL. I even had an AVI file that I messed up by direct stream copying the AC3 audio in VirtualDub and when I converted it to see what would happen, VSO turned the bad AVI into a perfect PAL 25 fps VOB.

I myself have no need to convert my DVDs to PAL or add subs for that matter since I live in the U.S. and only speak English so it's not something that I do on a regular basis.

[DarrellS]

Oh yes.

So, what are the proper alternatives to the VSO program & ProCoder?

https://www.videohelp.com/guides.php?tools=&madeby=&formatconversionselect=&howtoselect...or+List+Guides

[Primus Motor]

Hm, most of those don't even apply to VOB's, and the one's which do don't work...

[DarrellS]

Hm, most of those don't even apply to VOB's, and the one's which do don't work...

Google it. I can't do all the work for you.

[Primus Motor]

That's not what I meant though...

Sorry. :/

[Primus Motor]

Hmm.