PAL to NTSC Questions

[hantanbl]

Hi, I used a Sony PAL video camera and transfered the video to PC in raw AVI format using Microsoft Movie Maker 2. The 1 hour video is about 12GB in size. I want the final video to be in NTSC DVD format and thinking of using CCE or TMPEGEnc Plus2.x. I have a few questions below

1) Does it means the 12GB raw AVI video is in PAL format (25 FPS)?
2) For CCE, how do I select between NTSC and PAL?
3) For TmpegEnc Plus2.x, do I use the NTSC DVD Template to encode, is that all I need and so straight forward? If not, what should be the correct procedures?
4) How can I verify the MPEG2 is indeed NTSC format?

I am from Asia that is using PAL system and the DVD is meant for a friend in the States. Thank you.

[Barnabas]

Hi, I used a Sony PAL video camera and transfered the video to PC in raw AVI format using Microsoft Movie Maker 2. The 1 hour video is about 12GB in size. I want the final video to be in NTSC DVD format and thinking of using CCE or TMPEGEnc Plus2.x. I have a few questions below

1) Does it means the 12GB raw AVI video is in PAL format (25 FPS)?
2) For CCE, how do I select between NTSC and PAL?
3) For TmpegEnc Plus2.x, do I use the NTSC DVD Template to encode, is that all I need and so straight forward? If not, what should be the correct procedures?
4) How can I verify the MPEG2 is indeed NTSC format?

I am from Asia that is using PAL system and the DVD is meant for a friend in the States. Thank you.

1) Yes
2) Edit the registry
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Custom Technology\Cinema Craft Encoder Basic\template]
"Force NTSC"=dword:00000001 // When you need NTSC output
"Force PAL"=dword:00000001 // When you need PAL output
3) Yes
4) Play it

You can do it more complicated ways, but the above method will work ok.

[jagabo]

For #3, If your source is interlaced make sure that TMPGEnc identifies it as such and has the field order right.

The output NTSC MPEG file should be 29.97 fps and one of the valid DVD resolutions: 720x480, 704x480, 352x480, or 352x240.

[hantanbl]

"Force NTSC"=dword:00000001 // When you need NTSC output
"Force PAL"=dword:00000001 // When you need PAL output [/color]
I can't find ''Force NTSC" & "Force PAL" in the Registry. All I can see is "Video Format" where the "Value data=2"

Now, I plan to use CCE with AVISynth with the below script

avisource("R:foodfestival_final2.avi")
BiCubicResize(720,480)
ConvertToYUY2

Should I also define frame rate to be 29FPS in the script?

After CCE encoding, what else do I need to do before authoring?

[guns1inger]

I would encode it at 25 fps at 720 x 480 using CCE, the us DGPulldown and the 25 fps -> 29.970 fps option to allow for NTSC playback. You can then use the original audio without having to re-encode.

[hantanbl]

I have got the file encoded with CCE but when the MPV file was opened by Media player the video looks like it had been squeezed from the top and bottom but when I checked the properties the aspect ratio was 4:3 and video size is 720 x 576. Any idea why the top n bottom
behaves like that and the video size is 720 X 576 although the AVISynth script was 720 X 480

[manono]

...the video size is 720 X 576 although the AVISynth script was 720 X 480

Maybe because you have the "For DVD" box checked and CCE, seeing that 25fps is ticked, thinking it's for PAL, kindly resizes it for you?

I don't understand your Aspect Ratio problem, so I won't hazard a guess.

I never heard of editing the registry to choose between PAL and NTSC. And you're supposed to do that every time it changes? Your AviSynth script and CCE settings will handle it for you. If you do it right.