Backup PAL DVD to NTSC

[tomsaffell]

I struggled with PAL to NTSC DVD backup for a while. As a Brit living in the US, I have trouble watching my *legally bought* but *oh so easily scratched and ruined forever* DVDs here (region coding aside, my DVD play wont do PAL)

After much help from this site (and others) and several coasters made, I got it to work.
Here is the solution that worked for me for an episodic DVD (6 episodes from a comedy series).
No doubt there are simpler ways to do this, but it worked for me. (I found WInDVD Creator *nearly* did the whole thing for me, but ultimately was too buggy to be worth working with).

1. Rip DVD to HDD using DVD Decrypter

2. join together the VOB files that make-up the 6 episodes (they are not exactly one episode each, and belong to the same block). Do this using CMD prompt and typing "copy /b VTS_x_n + VT_x_n+1 + VTS_x_n+2 ... c:/newvob.vob

3. Convert newvob to NTSC using SUPER to reencode the VOB files to 720x480, 29.97 fps. Set the data rate to ensure it will all fit on one 4.7GB DVD (i used ~3200 kbs, but you could do a little more)

4. Using 'GUI for DVDAuthor' make a new project. Set the settings to NTSC. Add the NTSC vob file.

5. Add chapters to the project using the text editor. You can discover the time needed for each chapter by using IfoEdit to look at the timings in the original VTS_x.ifo file (that was ripped using DVD decrypter). Then put the chapters on the titleset menu. Then hit 'Make DVD'. This will make you a complete VIDEO_TS folder.

6. (optional) make an ISO file from the VIDEO_TS and AUDIO_TS folders using ImgBurn. Test the ISO file by mounting it using DAEMON tools, and playing it like a regular DVD on your PC.

7. Burn the ISO file (if you did 6) or the VIDEO_TS folder (if you skipped 6) to a DVD 4.7GB.

8. Enjoy

Tools used (all freeware)
====================

DVD Decrypter
'copy' command from CMD prompt
SUPER
GUI for DVDAuthor
Ifoedit
ImgBurn
Daemon tools lite (optional)


tom saffell

[tinker]

Do not get me wrong, I used to do this also, mean conversion.
There are DVD players on North American market for about $40 which will play PAL DVD on NTSC television. Some can be even region free or set that way later, but if, for backup, you use Decryptor, than region is not an issue.
You have an original copy, without all that extra work, but it is a good exercise.

[jman98]

It's good that you got this to work, but tinker is right. Unless this is a one shot thing, it's really not worth the time and trouble to do this kind of conversion when you can buy a cheap DVD player and spend no time converting. Then again, I value my spare time, but many do not.