Framerate FAQ:60 fps vs 30 fps

[Breakpack]

I have an ATI TV wonder card that I record TV shows (mainly WWE wrestling).Ok,in the spec,it captures in 29.97 fps(I'll round it to 30 fps).I have some games that I record (and again WWE))that run 60 fps (again I'm rounding).When I capture and play it back,it still runs smooth @ 60 fps.Am I misunderstanding the specs for my card.I realize that the NTSC standard is 29.97,but some TV shows and games run at 60 fps.Someone please correct me if I figured this wrong.If I am wrong,then what makes the difference in smoother looking TV programs and games compared to others?If I am right,how can my capture card record at a higher framerate than is in the specs?Reason I ask is I've seen some encoded wrestling programs and they are not near as smooth as the original tv broadcast,yet when I record with my card and convert to DVD,I get that same smooth framerate as the TV.I'd just like to get framerate questions straighted out.Thanks for any helpful info.

[edDV]

Normal NTSC TV is 29.97 frames per second but interlaced with odd and even fields. Fields update at 59.94 rate and provide 60Hz equivalent motion resolution.

If you were to deinterlace through a blend or weave, the two fields are merged into one causing motion update to drop to 29.97 Hz.

A bob deinterlace expands each field into a frame through interpolation. The result is then 59.94 frames per second with 60 hz motion. The downside of a bob is flicker in still areas. For this reason a bob is usually combined with motion detection to turn it on or off.