Pleeeeeze Help - that damn 23.976 fps!!!

[carrspaints]

I've read dozens of posts on this forum regarding the conversion of NTSC 23.976 frame avi films so they can be played on PAL sets. It seems NO ONE has a scooby about how this is done. So I make one last desperate plea.

Can I just convert it using SVCD template for NTSC film, without using drop-down and burn the mpeg? If I select NTSC on my DVD machine under Video settings, will this allow me to watch this mpeg on a PAL tv set? Or do I need to convert the 23.976 avi file?. Please do not let it be the latter. I have tried everything. I either have bad audio sync, or the film skips or jumps, or the films has annoying lines in them - not smooth quality.

I have a Logix 3000 DVD player. What I can't understand is that no matter what settings I use with the NTSC Film template, I get terrible results.

Please, I ask that you only reply if you know what you are talking about. Some contributions have lead to me spending hours doing the WRONG THING! If you don't know, don't comment.Thanks

[vitualis]

If you want to make a SVCD (MPEG-2) using NTSC-FILM framerates (i.e., 23.976 fps), you can... but you must put the 3:2 pulldown flags in (there are guides on how to do this in most DVD --> SVCD guides). NTSC-FILM framerates are not supported in the SVCD specs thus the requirment of the 3:2 pulldown flags (which should work on most DVD players).

However, if you have PAL equipment, your DVD player must either be able to convert this to PAL output or your TV must be multisystems capable. Most PAL equipment should be able to do this so this shouldn't be an issue.

If you want to create a VCD (MPEG-1) using NTSC-FILM framerates, the VCD specs already allow this. However, not all DVD players can handle this framerate though.

If you need to convert NTSC-FILM framerates to PAL framerates, then you will have to speed up the video (by a little bit over 4%). You can either use VirtualDub to speed up the AVI and save it and separately use CoolEdit 2000 to speed up the audio, or use a AVISynth script to do both. snowmoon posted one here: http://www.vcdhelp.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?topic=44501&forum=3

You cannot just drop such an AVI into an MPEG encoder using a PAL template and expect it to work as most cannot handle odd framerate conversions well.

Regards.

[carrspaints]

Finally some sound advice that works. Thanks for your support.

[snowmoon]

Use this one insted... the other one was slightly broken..

################################################## #####
# Copyright 2001 Eric Warnke <eric at snowmoon dot com>
# Free for non-commercial use, please give credit
################################################## #####
#
# Generic .avi to VCD, and SVCD conversion
# script. Allows converion between PAL->NTSC
# frame rates. Please use AVISynth 1.0b3, as not all
# functions work under 0.3
#
# Follow directions and uncomment lines where necessary
# when done you should have a complete conversion sctipt.
# For simplicity I assume..
# VCD = 352x240/288 with a frmae rate of 23.976,29.97/25
# SVCD = 480x480/576 @ 23.976,29.97/25
#
# I do not answer simple questions at above email address
# but I will take any corrections/alterations.
#
################################################## ######
#
# Load video source
#
# Uncomment ONE of the following lines to load
# your source. Make sure to include the full path to
# your avi source or this may not work.
#
#1 Use for most normal .avi files including Divx
#AVIFileSource("moviename.avi")
#2 Use next line only for LARGE .avi's
#OpenDMLSource("moviename.avi")
#3 Use Next line only for virtualdub/avi_io segmented .avi's
#SegmentedAVISource("moviebase.avi")
#4 Use for odd formats that play though MP see AVIsynth doc
# for more info. Can open MS DV files.
#DirectShowSource("movie.mpg")
#4a if you notice off colored lines when using Directshowsource
# use the following line
#FixBrokenChromaUpsampling()
#
################################################## #######
#
# Load external audio source ( if necessary )
#
# This will overlay an .wav file over the movie. Great for use
# with program like DVD2AVI that produce a seperate .wav file.
#
#1 If necessary load external .wav file for movie
#audioDub ( WAVSource("Mymovieaudio.wav") )
#2 bump audio if necessary -in seconds-
#delayaudio(1)
#
################################################## ########
#
# Video size / bordering
#
# Use one of the following to get a properly resized borderd
# video based on input and output. All resize values have
# been rounded to the nearest 16 to prevent macroblock waste.
#
# NOTE: These are only applicable to PROGRESSIVE material
# do not attempt to use these for interlaced material as
# you will end up with a big mess.
#
# If you input is -- 4:3 -- and you are going to ....
# NTSC and a format of
#1 VCD
#bicubicresize(352,240)
#2 SVCD
#bicubicresize(480,480)
# PAL and a format of
#3 VCD
#bicubicresize(352,288)
#4 SVCD
#bicubicresize(480,576)
#
# If you input is -- 16:9 -- and you are going to ....
# NTSC and a format of
#5 VCD
#bicubicresize(352,176).addborders(0,32,0,32)
#6 SVCD
#bicubicresize(480,352).addborders(0,64,0,64)
# PAL and a format of
#7 VCD
#bicubicresize(352,208).addborders(0,40,0,40)
#8 SVCD
#bicubicresize(480,432).addborders(0,72,0,72)
#
# If you input is -- 2.35:1 -- and you are going to ....
# NTSC and a format of
#9 VCD
#bicubicresize(352,144).addborders(0,48,0,48)
#10 SVCD
#bicubicresize(480,272).addborders(0,104,0,104)
# PAL and a format of
#11 VCD
#bicubicresize(352,160).addborders(0,64,0,64)
#12 SVCD
#bicubicresize(480,320).addborders(0,128,0,128)
#
################################################## ########
#
# Misc functions
#
#1 Clean up head noise or other garbage at top and bottom
# of the video frame by adding black borders VCD only
#letterbox(8,8)
#2 Clean up head noise SVCD
#letterbox(16,16)
#3 If you get a technicolor mess as your mpeg output, this option
# may be necessary. If you have YUY2 or huffyuv as source and
# going to CCE you will probably need this option.
#ConvertToRGB()
#4 PC -> TV brightness correction
#levels(0,1,255,16,239)
#5 Audio rate correction. If your audio is not already 44,100
# many encoders will complain, use this to correct
#resampleaudio(44100)
#6 Fix for broken codecs that decompress upside-down
#FlipVertical()
#
################################################## #######
#
# Frame rate converion ( if necessary )
#
# Uncomment one of the assumefps or change fps lines if
# frame rate conversion is necessary. If you video is
# already in one of the three following 23,976,25,29,97
# and not chaning it's format you do not need to use
# one of the following lines.
#
# First three add and drop frames, last two speed/slow
# video and audio to proper FPS ( 1.0b3 only ) it's a
# better method, but is only applicable to two specific
# conversion senarios.
#
#1 Irregualr FPS converison to NTSC film rate
# use this for 10,15,20 -> NTSC film conversion
#ChangeFPS(23.976)
#2 Irregualr FPS -> NTSC frame rate
# use for 10,15,20 -> NTSC conversion
#ChangeFPS(29.76)
#3 Irregular FPS to PAL frame rate
#ChangeFPS(25)
#4 NTSC film 23.976 -> PAL 25
#assumeFPS(25,sync_audio=true)
#5 PAL 25 -> NTSC film 23.976
#assumeFPS(23.976,sync_audio=true)
#
#
# Thats all folks, assuming you have everything installed properly
# You can now open this file in TMPGenc, CCE, MP, and most other video
# applications.
#
# END OF SCRIPT