Convert PAL to NTSC

[deagz]

I have some PAL DVD's that I would like to watch on my NTSC tv. Is there any program that I could use to convert PAL to NTSC?

 

[n7]

It's really not gonna be worth the hassle.

Just get a DVD player that's region-free & that plays both.

 

[deagz]

The problem isn't the region. PAL video simply will not play on north american tv's.

 

[Peter]

DVDs do not contain a region specific color encoding (PAL, NTSC). Your _player_ creates that from the raw image data.

What breaks playing "PAL" DVDs on NTSC gear is the fact that these DVDs are mastered for 50 Hz; your player will either not do that at all, or create NTSC with 50 Hz frame timing. Your TV possibly isn't going to like that.

 

[ZimZum]

There are man DVD players that will play Pal disks and output an NTSC signal and vice versa. Or You can re-encode the DVD video and convert it to NTSC using Tmpgenc (or another encoder) then you have to re-author the DVD using re-authoring prog (and hope you don't run into audio sync problems you will) its a lot of work, especially if you don't know your way around video editing software. Its far easier to get a cheap multi region multi format player that will auto convert such as This One

 

[Peter]

Like I just said: These players do not "convert", since the original material is NOT encoded in a particular TV color format. (The "region" thing is nothing to do with that.)

From an NTSC player, the output color format is going to be NTSC, no matter where the DVD came from. The difference is in the number of lines and frame rate - and no DVD player is going to change that. Result: NTSC colors with 50 Hz frame rate. If your TV syncs up to that, you're fine. If it doesn't, you're not.

We have the same thing over here - PAL at 60 Hz is something often supported in TV units and even TV cards for PCs.

 

[TheRyuu]

Couldn't you just use somthing like DVD Decrypter to make it region free, then burn a backup copy thats region free itself, instead of buy a player for that purpose (cheaper too?).

 

[Peter]

Once more: Region locking is nothing to do with the mastering format (60 Hz 480 lines vs. 50 Hz 576 lines). Even with the region locking removed, your DVD from abroad will still be 50 Hz 576 lines.

 

[JRW]

My NTSC Xbox360 plays both NTSC & PAL dvd movies no problem on my Sony hdtv, you just have to find a player that convert's pal to ntsc, my brother has a Philips DVP-642 player which plays both as well on his standard ntsc 32" Sony tv.

 

[Steve]

As Peter said, it's not so much about the player as it is the TV.

 

[n7]

Originally posted by: deagz
The problem isn't the region. PAL video simply will not play on north american tv's.

Oh really?

Try telling the zillions of people who do play them on TVs here that.

And yes, i'm one of those people.

 

[Peter]

Guys, it's about time you get the point here:

* The color format is given by your DVD player unit.

THERE IS NO "CONVERTING" GOING ON. Advertizing players as "pal/ntsc converting" is plain marketing bull, adding a feature bullet to the praise that looks good but is flat out meaningless.

* The image format and framerate is given by the DVD media.

Playability of any given DVD media depends on the latter part ONLY - if your TV unit can handle the "foreign" line count and frame rate, you'll be fine.

 

[JAG87]

Originally posted by: Peter
Guys, it's about time you get the point here:

* The color format is given by your DVD player unit.

THERE IS NO "CONVERTING" GOING ON. Advertizing players as "pal/ntsc converting" is plain marketing bull, adding a feature bullet to the praise that looks good but is flat out meaningless.

* The image format and framerate is given by the DVD media.

Playability of any given DVD media depends on the latter part ONLY - if your TV unit can handle the "foreign" line count and frame rate, you'll be fine.

honestly, you should just keep your mouth shut if you dont know what your talking about. I am for one owner of over 400 PAL dvds, and a master of converting PAL dvds to NTSC (for obvious purposes since I live in canada). Any TV set rated NTSC will not display a PAL signal when it is sent to it. This does not apply to plasmas and LCDs, which are insensitive to the difference in refresh rate and line difference. So you cant say that it depends on the TV set if it will display or not. The OP is talking about an NTSC or north american tv, so were all assuming it has fixed resolution and refresh.

Lets take a CRT television as the test display (since a lot of people still use this). If you send a PAL signal to an NTSC CRT TV, the signal will be black and white, and will roll up and down. If you take one of these "marketing bulls" as you call them, and you put a PAL dvd into them, and set the output to NTSC... MAGIC, the signal diplays perfectly... Oh my, I guess there is nothing in the player that changes the signal to 480 lines and 60 hz, it just happens magically in the component cable huh...

So open your ears, listen and try to learn something: there is no such thing as color format in DVDs. The only difference between NTSC and PAL is the resolution (480 vs 576) and the framerate (29.97 vs 25). The color format is given by the mpeg2 standard.

So if you have a diplay that handles both NTSC and PAL, thats great, if you have a CRT screen, which as a FIXED number of lines (either 480 or 576), and a fixed refresh rate (60 or 50), you need either a player that converts the output, or you need an external converter (of which I have not found one with component, but only s-video).

 

[Peter]

The first half of your text is missing the point. When you put a 576 line DVD into a US DVD player, it's going to output an NTSC color signal nonetheless - but with non-NTSC timings.

This is of course totally unlike plugging a PAL _device_ to an NTSC TV.

Oddly enough, the second half of your post repeats EXACTLY what I said above, several posts further up, multiple times in fact, which you seem to have missed. The problem lies in the IMAGE FORMAT, not the COLOR ENCODING.

Thank you for proving my point.

So open your ears, listen and try to learn something: Read threads from the beginning, then post.

 

[JAG87]

the main concept of my rebuttal to you was that you stand by the point that the converters in DVD players are bull. They are not, you need some sort of chip that rescales and pulldowns to get NTSC out of PAL. So no its not marketing.




edit
and also, drop the color format crap about NTSC. There is no such thing as a color format in DVDs. What you are referring to is different color sampling between NTSC and PAL for broadcasting. DVDs all have the same color format, that is the main profile main level mpeg2 standard 4:2:0

 

[Peter]

Hello? I said RIGHT FROM THE START that there is no color encoding on a DVD. My first sentence in my first post in this thread reads:

DVDs do not contain a region specific color encoding (PAL, NTSC).

Are you saying those $50 DVD players contain rescaling and pulldown engines to get 480/30 from 576/25 (not NTSC from PAL, I thought we're dropping the color format crap!)? I don't think so.

 

[ZimZum]

Originally posted by: JAG87

Originally posted by: Peter
Guys, it's about time you get the point here:

* The color format is given by your DVD player unit.

THERE IS NO "CONVERTING" GOING ON. Advertizing players as "pal/ntsc converting" is plain marketing bull, adding a feature bullet to the praise that looks good but is flat out meaningless.

* The image format and framerate is given by the DVD media.

Playability of any given DVD media depends on the latter part ONLY - if your TV unit can handle the "foreign" line count and frame rate, you'll be fine.

honestly, you should just keep your mouth shut if you dont know what your talking about. I am for one owner of over 400 PAL dvds, and a master of converting PAL dvds to NTSC (for obvious purposes since I live in canada). Any TV set rated NTSC will not display a PAL signal when it is sent to it. This does not apply to plasmas and LCDs, which are insensitive to the difference in refresh rate and line difference. So you cant say that it depends on the TV set if it will display or not. The OP is talking about an NTSC or north american tv, so were all assuming it has fixed resolution and refresh.

Lets take a CRT television as the test display (since a lot of people still use this). If you send a PAL signal to an NTSC CRT TV, the signal will be black and white, and will roll up and down. If you take one of these "marketing bulls" as you call them, and you put a PAL dvd into them, and set the output to NTSC... MAGIC, the signal diplays perfectly... Oh my, I guess there is nothing in the player that changes the signal to 480 lines and 60 hz, it just happens magically in the component cable huh...

So open your ears, listen and try to learn something: there is no such thing as color format in DVDs. The only difference between NTSC and PAL is the resolution (480 vs 576) and the framerate (29.97 vs 25). The color format is given by the mpeg2 standard.

So if you have a diplay that handles both NTSC and PAL, thats great, if you have a CRT screen, which as a FIXED number of lines (either 480 or 576), and a fixed refresh rate (60 or 50), you need either a player that converts the output, or you need an external converter (of which I have not found one with component, but only s-video).

QFT

Its obvious he doesn't know what hes talking about. Let him ramble on, he reminds me of Cliff Claven from Cheers.

 

[rbV5]

Originally posted by: deagz
The problem isn't the region. PAL video simply will not play on north american tv's.

He states:

Just get a DVD player that's region-free & that plays both.

His post is the correct answer. You "can" convert with software with iffy results, but it's "smarter" to simply buy the appropriate DVD player if your time is worth anything at all. Appropriate equipment is linked in the thread. Don't let the rest of the nonsense in this thread confuse you

 

[JAG87]

Originally posted by: Peter
Hello? I said RIGHT FROM THE START that there is no color encoding on a DVD. My first sentence in my first post in this thread reads:

DVDs do not contain a region specific color encoding (PAL, NTSC).

Are you saying those $50 DVD players contain rescaling and pulldown engines to get 480/30 from 576/25 (not NTSC from PAL, I thought we're dropping the color format crap!)? I don't think so.

get one of those if you want your DVD to looks like a tape. If you care about quality, then you have to spend money my friend.

http://www.avdeals.com/dvdplayer/dvdv5000.htm


I own this one, which is not produced anymore (I think they figured it was too good of a player, just take a look at the features). I paid almost 500 shipped.

http://www.avdeals.com/malatan996.htm

so yea, those $50 dollar players... dvds looks like 240 line VHS. I watch my movies on a 58 inch Pioneer Elite projection television, I assure you there is not a better standard definition 480p display on the market. I almost feel bad having to let it go when I upgrade my theater to play 1080p. The difference between a 50 dollar player, and the malata is BLATANT. the malata renders the same image quality (I swear sometimes I think its better) as my 1500 dollar Pioneer Elite DV-37 player.

 

[n7]

Wow.
You guys should really take your nitpicking BS to PMs, as it in no way whatsoever helped the OP.

If you have a very high end high definition TV, then the cheap region-free NTSC/PAL players might not be very ideal.

But for a normal TV, it looks perfectly fine.
Yes, my $40 CND DVD player that plays NTSC & PAL does quite fine with a normal TV.

 

[deagz]

thanks for the help guys. I've tried using nero utils to convert but thats hell and a half. I might just jump for a cheapo dvd player. mpeg4 capability would be nice too.

 

[Peter]

All you need is a region-free player plus a TV that syncs to 50 Hz input signal. Both may be NTSC-only and will still get the job done. End of.

For readers outside the US: The exact same thing applies to the reverse situation. For replay of a DVD from the US, you need a region-free DVD player and a TV that syncs to a 60 Hz signal.

 

[rbV5]

Originally posted by: Peter
All you need is a region-free player plus a TV that syncs to 50 Hz input signal. Both may be NTSC-only and will still get the job done. End of.

For readers outside the US: The exact same thing applies to the reverse situation. For replay of a DVD from the US, you need a region-free DVD player and a TV that syncs to a 60 Hz signal.

All you need is the player linked in the thread(or similar, they are as cheap as <$50) and any TV used in North America ever, forget the TV that sync's to 50HZ, why even mention it at all?...any TV your grandma or grandpa had or have, or you are likely to have now.

 

[JAG87]

i wish i could express my carlos mencia exactly accent

 

[gizbug]

AGAIN. back to the topic. WHAT SOFTWARE will convert easily, PAL format to NTSC format, prior to burning?