NTSC AVI --> MPEG2 (DVD)

[SaSi]

When it comes to NTSC, I feel and I am a super newbie !!!

I am trying to re-encode an NTSC movie ripped from a DVD into NTSC MPEG-2 again to author for DVD.

I keep the audio intact (the original AC3 stream).

I re-encoded the demuxed MPEG2 video with Mainconcept into a lower bitrate stream (all this in the name of quality and the need to translate subtitles).

I am using the 720x480 frame size and 29,97fps. Strangely, the 3:2 pulldown flag is disabled as an option.

When authoring the DVD, the audio and subpictures are in sync, however the video runs at a different rate. Slower. At the end of the video, there is no audio left.

I know this is a frame rate difference problem, but I've never encoded NTSC before, so I would be grateful for any suggestions as to how to encode this, either with Mainconcept or Tmpgenc or CCE.

Thanks

[nelson133]

Well. there are any number of programs that will automatically do what you want without all the hassle. DVDSHRINK is a good free one and there are many others rangibg upward in price. If you are doing it for the fun of it, okay, but why reinvent the wheel just to get a condensed dvd?
Nyah Levi

[SaSi]

Well. there are any number of programs that will automatically do what you want without all the hassle. DVDSHRINK is a good free one and there are many others rangibg upward in price. If you are doing it for the fun of it, okay, but why reinvent the wheel just to get a condensed dvd?
Nyah Levi

Like I said, I need to translate the subtitles .

[vmesquita287]

You can try my tool DIKO:

http://kvcd.net/forum/viewforum.php?f=79

It's aimed exactly to automate AVI to DVD conversions and it can even burn the DVD for you with a simple menu if you want.

[SaSi]

Vmesquita, I had a look at the kvcd forum. Interesting tool for converting DVDs, but it's far more complicated than what I need. And I don't start with what is needed for the whole process.

I just have the elementary video and audio streams. I want to leave the audio intact, re-encode the video, use a different subpicture stream and author a single movie DVD with Scenarist.

One option would be to re-encode the whole stuff with DVDShrink and cut the video size down, then strip video and audio as ES and use that to author.

However, I am a bit of a stubborn guy and want to understand NTSC encoding. That's where the fun is.

Tried an NTSC movie I got from the US and it worked fine. TV shows don't. I wonder where the difference is and I guess it has to do with film being film and TV being TV (i.e. film being 24fps slowed down to 23.97 and then *magic* pulldown flags or something while TV being native 29.97 fps). Am I correct, at least in this?

[Skynet107]

Mainconcept does not support 23.976 frame rates which is what your video file is. (at least I can't find a way to use such a frame rate)

Use TMPGEnc and custom select the frame rate (do a search on this forum there are some good helpful tips).

Or better still use AVISynth with CCE to get the best possible re-code.

NTSC "FILM" is 23.976 fps with a "pulldown" flag which tells the DVD player to do the conversion to 29.97 in hardware. This is done to preserve the frame rate of film but still making it properly viewable on an NTSC system.

Your confusion comes in the fact that NTSC is ALWAYS 29.97 fps BUT there can be video that is 23.976 which with the pulldown flag is played back in the NTSC specifications.