PAL to NTSC Conversion

[benbryant]

OK, I can see why you get that problem.

Please go back to the guide and look at Step 3. When you open the "unlock.mcf" template and click at the Setting. In the MPEG Setting window, you are supposed to chnage the size from PAL resolution 720x576 to NTSC 720x480 BUT keep 25 fps so you can aplly the 3:2 pulldown with DGPulldown later. I understand that you have to follow so many steps. But gain experience along the way. After doing only a few time, you'll master it. So please don't get frustrated

Regards

[Gillou]

All of my original PAL movies have no subtitles and in fact I haven't tried converting PAL to NTSC including subtitle before. I hope blutach and our forum excellent mods and members can give you a hand with it. IMHO, I have to tell you first that the following procedure to save the subtitle from the original movie and insert it to the new movie is what I think and imagine because I don't have any PAL movie with subtitle totest for you. I don't know for sure it will work for you or not. Here is what I would do if I were you:

1- Use PgcDemux to demux (separate) your original PAL movie into video, audio, and subtitle. Make sure that you have the Demux video stream, Demux all audio streams, and Demux all subpic streams options checked

2- Use PgcDemux to demux your PAL to NTSC movie. Make sure that you have the Demux video stream, Demux all audio streams, and Demux all subpic streams options checked

3- Run the Muxman, add the demuxed video and audio files in step 2 and subtitle file in step 1. The Muxman will rejoin the files together for you

You can download the PgcDemux and Muxman from here:

http://jsoto.posunplugged.com/dvdtools.htm

http://www.mpucoder.com/Muxman/

Hope that they will work for you

Regards

Hi Ben,

Im very interested in learning how to retain the subtitles. Is there any way that I can send u a PAL DVD with subtitles. This would allow you to create a more detailed guide for working with subtitles.
Thank you,

Gillou

[burcs]

Great guide. Worked like a charm.

Only problem I ran in to is I had to use DVDshrink to get it back to a size under 5gb again. Even tho my original files were under 5gb, I ended up with a VIDEO_TS folder almost 6gb. The .mp2 file was only 300mb so I don't think that's where I got my increase.

I also lost my chapters, too. Probably something I just overlooked in the process somewhere between encoding and authoring, I'm sure.

[benbryant]

The increase in file size can be caused by converting from originally MP2, MP3, or AC3 to LPCM audio. For inserting chapters, please download and use Chapter Edit 1.1 (post #1) with the included guide from the thread below:

http://forum.digital-digest.com/showthread.php?t=60724

Regards

[Cletus_Van_Damm]

I'm confused over the TMPGEnc settings displayed in this screen capture:



The only settings described are for "Size" [video resolution] and "Encode mode". The remaining default settings on my copy of TMPGEnc are substantially different from those shown in the screen capture. Should I adjust the rest of my settings to mimic those in the screen capture?

Under the "Motion search precision" setting, the timer in TMPGEnc shows that it will take over 24 hours to run the analysis on the DVD I am trying to convert using the "High quality (slow)" setting. So far it is 16% finished after four hours, so that is about right. Is 24 hours a reasonable amount of time for the process, or is there something wrong?

FYI the disk I am working on is "A Plane Is Born" http://www.i2itelevision.com/programmes/aplaneisborn/ which has, regrettably, only been released in PAL and only in the UK.

[benbryant]

Hi Cletus_Van_Damm,

Some of the important settings are:

1- Size: You want to change from 720x576 (PAL) to 720x480 (NTSC)
2- Keep the Frame Rate to be 25 fps (Please remember to apply the pulldown flag to 29.97 with DGPulldown later as shown in the guide)
3- Change the Encode mode from Interlace to Progressive

Although High Quality (slow) setting for the Motion search precision will take a longer time to complete, you will have a nicer result. Also the time needed for encoding your movie basically depends on the speed of your PC, memory,...24 hours is absolutely normal for the highest quality encoding

Regards

[Cletus_Van_Damm]

So just ignore all other settings besides those three?

[blutach]

Depending on the aspect ratio of your original, you may want that to be 16:9

Regards

[burcs]

Sounds a little slow to me. I did a +3 hour movie on VBR 2 pass @ Highest Quality - very slow and it only took about 13 hours. But hey, I'm new to this, too.

P4 2.4
1gb ddr400

As blutach said, I'd play around on the advanced tab and try a few different "Source aspect ratio" settings. That may be what's slowing you down, if it's having to drastically change that. Whatever's closest to the original aspect should encode the fastest.

Granted, you can't really judge it from the preview window, so I just let it encode for about 5 minutes and then stop it, and check the .mpg to see how it looks. Then just go with whichever one looks the best, regardless of how long it takes.

[mcash007]

PAL to NTSC Conversion

This process seems to work great! I've got one problem and it's driving me crazy. After I put the entire DVD into DGIndex it works. But after that step when it is in TMPGEnc I only have about 1/4 of the movie and I can't figure out why. I've keep all the files in order?

Any help would be great.

[benbryant]

Please check to be sure that you've select all the files needed by pressing F5 in DGIndex for previewing them

Regards

[mcash007]

PAL to NTSC Conversion

Thanks for the reply. That did the trick I wasn't getting the whole file in DGIndex. It works now. The movie turned out very well. COOL

[benbryant]

Glad that it worked for you and thanks for using the guide and letting us know the result

Regards

[RFBurns]

Hello everyone. Im new here and new to working with dvd's. This conversion process being discussed here, has anyone tried flaskmpg in dvd mode to convert pal vobs to ntsc? I did a little experimenting and simple file extension renaming and was able to convert a sample pal vob to ntsc ok, retaining the aspect ratio and ac3 5.1 audio. Ran a small test burn to verify playback compatiabilty, and wala, works great! Just thought I would post this tidbit of info as a shortcut method. It might not work for everyone, or be a viable way to do conversion for every scenario. Great forum! Salutes to everyone!

[fredhammersmith]

Problem...
With TMPGEnc, i cannot select the d2v file generatedf by DG Index...
Do i need some encoder lacking from the evaluation download?

EDIT: SORRY! Forget about that, it was answered previously (the SEARCH THIS THREAD feat did not find it!)