Converting homemade PAL to NTSC

[Kernos]

I get homemade PAL dual layer DVDs sent to me from England. What is the easiest way to convert these to NTSC without re-compressing the video.

I have tried ffmpegX on the VIDEO_TS folder, but it always ends up as a smaller compressed format with lots of mpeg artifact added (the jpeg like squares in solid color areas).

Is there anyway to directly convert VIDEO_TS PAL to VIDEO_TS NTSC? I have tried using Toast 8 with NTSC checked in the preferences, but the DL DVDs will only play on my PAL player (or my Mac). So, I assume they are still in PAL format.

As an aside, is there a quick way to tell if a homemade DVD is PAL or NTSC?

Besides ffmpegX, I have Handbreak and Toast 7 and 8, iMovie and FC Pro

TIA,

Bill

[pepegot1]

Use ConvertxtoDVD - it works for me PAL to NTSC

[Case]

What is the easiest way to convert PAL to NTSC without re-compressing the video.

Can't be done without re-encoding.

I have tried ffmpegX on the VIDEO_TS folder, but it always ends up as a smaller compressed format with lots of mpeg artifact added.

Try a higher bitrate and setting other quality enhancing options.

I have tried using Toast 8 with NTSC checked in the preferences, but the DL DVDs will only play on my PAL player (or my Mac). So, I assume they are still in PAL format.

Extract the title(s) by using the Media Browser, then use the extracted MPEGs for input. Then they can be re-encoded to NTSC.

As an aside, is there a quick way to tell if a homemade DVD is PAL or NTSC?

Drop a VIDEO_TS folder onto ffmpegX. If it says "mpeg-2, 720x480, 29.97 fps" then it is NTSC. If it says "mpeg-2, 720x576, 25 fps" then it is PAL.

Besides ffmpegX, I have Handbreak and Toast 7 and 8, iMovie and FC Pro

Handbreak, iMovie and FCP will use an intermediate format, so that requires two conversions, which you don't want for quality reasons.

[SERBIAN]

DVD PAL <-> NTSC conversion using MPEG2 Works 4...

[Kernos]

That's a Windows program.

BB

[SERBIAN]

???

MPEG2 Works 4 is Mac-only application..

[ArtemisG3]

???

MPEG2 Works 4 is Mac-only application..

I believe he was referring to ConvertxtoDVD recommended by pepegot1

[classfour]

ConvertXtoDVD can do it for certain. Just did a three-hour plus DVD to NTSC with no problems. I only had to reauthor.

[SERBIAN]

???

MPEG2 Works 4 is Mac-only application..

I believe he was referring to ConvertxtoDVD recommended by pepegot1

Ooo..
My bad..sorry..

[Kernos]

???

MPEG2 Works 4 is Mac-only application..

I believe he was referring to ConvertxtoDVD recommended by pepegot1

Yes indeed. Sorry for the confusion. MPEG2 Works 4 is an amazing program for us who find adding a 3rd dimension to images very confusing.

Kernos

[Herve]

What is the easiest way to convert these to NTSC without re-compressing the video.

not possible:
- different size
- different framerate
you must re-encode

JES deinterlacer does a good job (free) http://www.xs4all.nl/~jeschot/home.html
(mine too, see signature, but not free )

both works with frame interpollation (no drop or duplication like other soft) and respect fields (no comb's effects on TV).

bye

[Kernos]

What is the easiest way to convert these to NTSC without re-compressing the video.

not possible:
- different size
- different framerate
you must re-encode

Yeh. I guess I mean how to you maintain or optimize the quality of the original? A VOB eg, is 1 meg. It seems that if I use ffmpeg to convert it to NTSC 29.97 fps and use the bit rate given for the original, the resultant file is a third to half the size of the original.

It would also be great if the entire VIDEO_TS folder could be done in one batch, maintaining the menus.

Bill

[Herve]

It would also be great if the entire VIDEO_TS folder could be done in one batch, maintaining the menus.

not with my soft but I think that the one from Serbian does a full DVD conversion (if you just want that).

I guess I mean how to you maintain or optimize the quality of the original? [...] the resultant file is a third to half the size of the original.

size does not matter (hey, seems a spam for pharmacetics )
Quality depends on preservation of fields (if they are present) and a good framerate conversion:

you cannot just rescale your input stream (except if it's not interlaced) and duplicate frames (you'll obtains jerks), that's ugly. You must re-create picture to keep quality.

Shameless Advertising begins:
the soft in my sign does it, try it (but convert each VOB one by one and lose your menus)
Shameless Advertising ends

About ffmpeg (the unix video library), ffmpeg doesn't manipulate fields (only progressive streams) or framerate (just duplicates or drops). But with some parameters, its behavior as encoder is:
"I try to not compress picture, if I succeed I won't add extra informations(=bitrate), if I fails I'll compress more..."
DVD encoders mainly use fixed bitrate, ffmepg has the most VariableBitRate, so size of the output file can be smaller than the input file "without losing quality" (PS: it's another encoding, you always lose a little)

bye