Merging PAL & NTSC DVDs onto 1 DL DVD-R

[dastott]

Hi guys. I'm using DVDReMakePro to merge 2 DVDs but 1 is PAL and 1 is NTSC. Will this work? Will I simply make a coaster? I was planning to burn with DVD Decrypter. Thanks for any help...

[guns1inger]

Theoretically it can be done. I have done it myself with DVD Lab Pro. However it is not compliant, and is way outside DVD specs. You may or may not be able to play it in any given player. PAL players will probably be more forgiving than NTSC players. It is just in their nature to be this way. Each format must be in it's own VTS to have any hope of working.

[thegeeman]

Actually merging together seamlessly or simply both DVDs on one disc with a selectable menu for each DVD???

Give DVDPatcher a try for the later-that will work. Remember to 'convert' one back to original format after.

[dastott]

Thanks for the idea. Will check it out. I was hoping to have 2 separate discs on one DVD but I haven't used DVDReMakePro before...

[thegeeman]

Not familiar with DVDRemakePro either. I use the much simpler process with TDA.

Suggest you start with 'patching' one of the files first to same format as the other. Then follow this guide for DVDRemake Pro

http://www.dimadsoft.com/dvdremakepro/ht_merge_full.php

and then 'patching' changed file back. It works with TDA but like i say i am not familiar with DVDremakePro so not sure how it will turn out. Worth a try i suppose.

[dastott]

What do you mean patching it back? When using TDA when should I do this? Before burning? After burning?

[thegeeman]

Follow this:

https://www.videohelp.com/forum/userguides/187390.php

and then author with TDA. Once ouputted from TDA you need to 'patch' the changed file back to its original format (i.e. change PAL back to NTSC or vice versa). Now you can burn to disc.

[dastott]

Thanks for your help. I am dealing with pre-authored .vob files and when I patch the whole file I get the error in TDA that video framerate 29.97fps cannot be used with resolution 720x576...

Have you done this patching with vob files before? Should I choose jutst patch "first header only?

[thegeeman]

Its because fps 29.97 is NTSC and AR 720x576 is PAL. Check out 'What is DVD' on the left for your desired aspect ratio.

With VOB files you must patch each VOB indidually and then load into TDA. Once done, patch each VOB back. Its essentially only the header that needs changing for the authoring app to allow a 'mixed' DVD. This sounds all complexed but as the guide says-it should only take you literally a second to patch each VOB; approx 20 mins to author and then a second to patch each VOB back.

It does work!!!

[dastott]

Nice one. I actually didn't see the setting in DVDPatcher to change the framerate! Takes about 1 hour to author this dual layer DVD but that is mostly due to the new 'animated' I included for it. Fingers crossed!

[thegeeman]

Excellent. Don't forget to patch the VOB's back to original format once authored. Should be perfect after that.

Be good if you could post back on this thread if all turns out successful-just so it may help others.

Thanks

[dastott]

Hi. Thanks for all the help, it almost worked. The DVD can see the files but won't play the patched files. It does play the unpatched files however. I used TDA and made a two track DVD (1 original PAL and 1 NTSC patched to PAL). They had separate menus but you can choose either track from the "main menu". I wonder if this was the problem? Finally, I didn't use the animated menu but changed to a simpler one.

I patched back the vob files in the TDA authored "volume 1" DVD file structure, not the original vobs. I wonder if this is the problem?

This was also the first time burning a DL DVD-R (Mitsubishi Kakaku Media aka Verbatim) so that could be the problem. The patched files are on a different layer. I used PGCEdit and ImgBurn to burn.