NTSC or Pal

[remmo]

Hi All,
Just wondered if anyone could answer a quick question?.
If i have a Xvid which came from a NTSC source. When i convert it back to dvd (using DvdSanta or Winavi), do i have to convert back to the original source or does Xvid do away with the frame rate difference and i can convert to either.
Cheeers.

[guns1inger]

Personally, I wouldn't use either of those POS rip-offs, but that's just me

Format conversion can be a tricky business. If the current framerate is 23.976, the best solution is to encode it at the same framerate, then add 2:3 pulldown afterwards. This tells the player to play it back at the correct framerate for NTSC TV. If you convert the framerate incorrectly, you will get extra frames being created that may give you jerky playback.

I would a) keep it NTSC. There is a high probability, given you are in the UK, that your player will play it back correctly, and b) use a better method. Have a look at this for starters http://members.dodo.com.au/~jimmalenko/AVI2DVD.htm

The results will be much better than anything DVD Santa or WinAVIpieceofmonkeycrap can produce.

[mats.hogberg]

Yes, basically, you have to stick to the same frame rate as the source file when reencoding to DVD, if not, you're in for some work!

/Mats

[remmo]

Cheers Guys,
I,ve been quite happy with the results from using santa, but i'll give this a go to check out what the end product looks like. Great instructions from jimmalenko.
Thanks again

[SCDVD]

Unless you have a specific need to do so, the less format conversion you do, the better. Formats such a MPEG and XVID are lossy formats; that is they compress the video to make the file size smaller. Each time a video is converted, quality is lost. You can see this with compressed images as well. For example, load a jpeg image (which is a compressed format). Resave it several times and notice what happens. Each time you save it, you lose resolution. Generally, the only reason to do a framerate conversion is if you have to. (For example, when you are going to play it on a TV that won't play NTSC and you have a PAL video or vice versa).

Of course there are a number of reasons that a conversion is necessary. The need to edit and recompose or the need to clean up a bad video are reasons to do so. But it's best to avoid unnecessary conversions.

[FulciLives]

NTSC will be 23.976fps or 29.970fps

If this XviD is 29.970fps then you pretty much have to convert it to a NTSC DVD but if it is 23.976fps then you can convert it to a PAL DVD.

Basically you change the frame rate from 23.976fps to 25fps and then you speed up the audio by approximately 4% since 23.976fps to 25fps is approximately a 4% increase in the running time. This is how film (which is 24fps) is converted to the PAL format. The running time is simply increased from 24fps to 25fps.

There are several ways to do this depending on the tools you will be using. There is a section in the guides on how to convert from NTSC <--> PAL and here is a link to those guides: CLICK HERE

I should point out that there is another method using a program called DGPulldown and the benefit of this method is that you do NOT need to adjust the length of the audio. This is a good thing when you have AC-3 audio. If the XviD AVI has MP3 audio I suggest using the first method instead of using DGPulldown.

Anyways it's not as hard as other's would make you believe AS LONG AS the NTSC is progressive 23.976fps and since all XviD files are progressive if it is 23.976fps then you are good to go.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[mats.hogberg]

Nitpicking: The running time is decreased. The PAL version is shorter.

/Mats

[FulciLives]

Nitpicking: The running time is decreased. The PAL version is shorter.

/Mats

Oops

Of course what I was trying to say is that the playback rate is increased but yes this does result in the PAL video having a shorter running time.

For instance a 90 minute movie in NTSC (23.976fps) will decrease in running time to 86 minutes (and some odd seconds) once the FPS is increased from 23.976fps to 25fps.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman