How to change default preferences correctly? Newbie

[Offul Duster]

Hi,

I have just started using Premiere Elements 15, and my third attempt highlighted new problems.

I think there may be a couple of reasons so I would value getting your experienced answer.

Sorry if I am running before I can walk, or asking a dumb question.

• I created a project and saved it. Exported it and created an mp4 which works fine.
• My aim is to produce a DVD -R which can be played back on either computers or Home DVD players.
• So I used the project and exported it to Disc.  (Not ISO?)
• This played back on my computer.

However...

1.     So far I have just used the DISC setting when burning my DVD from a project.

        I notice there is an option to burn as an ISO DVD.

        When and why would it I need to use this setting? 

2.     I discover that the DVD has been written as an NTSC region DVD.

        I am in the UK and the friends I am sending this to also are in the UK.

        It seems that (reading help) that I cannot change a project from the default NTSC to PAL. 

        When installing it a few days ago I must have missed selecting the Region, and it must have defaulted to NTSC

        Maybe I am wrong but that's how it seems.

        Am I correct that I cannot change my Project from NTSC to PAL (or vice versa)  and that I would have to start again from scratch?

        It sortofsounds 'wrong'.

3.    It seems that many of my friends, like me, have HD TV's and compatible DVD Players which are also able to show NTSC sourced material.

       But not all are. At least a couple still have UK 'non flat screen' TV's.

       So firstly, how do I change the default settings in PRE to UK PAL so I dont always accidentally produce new projects in NTSC, and to

       ensure exported media plays in the UK, or shows on UK TV's..

       The bottom line is I am trying to avoid having to change the settings each time I start a new project.

       I dont know enough to know - so what would be the important settings/entries to create video clips and DVD's in UK PAL format ?

4.   Finally, am I correct in thinking that 'somehow' copying an NTSC exported video file (e.g. exported as MP4 or DV), and

      then trying to convert it to PAL, would lose so much quality that it would be be secondrate and poor?

Thanks for any clarification

Pete

[Steve Grisetti]

I assume that, when you installed the program, you selected the option to install for PAL UK rather than NTSC. Is that right? The DVD should output int he format you set it up for when you installed the program.

The good news is that virtually all PAL DVD players are also capable of playing NTSC DVDs. So give it a try. It may not be a total loss, and there's no reason to take the extra step of ripping it back and then re-outputting it to a PAL disc.

Otherwise, you can uninstall the program and reinstall it without losing any work in progress.

The option to output an ISO file rather than burning directly to a disc allows you to save a copy of the disc's DVD files on the hard drive of your computer. This is my preferred way to work, in fact. That way I always have a library of my DVDs on my computer and, should I need a hard copy DVD, I can use a program like ImgBurn to output a fresh disc in about 10 minutes.

[Offul Duster]

Hi Steve,

Thanks for your comments.

I am puzzled.

I have tried running setup again (after signing out) and when re-installing 'clean', I cannot see where I choose a PAL install or NTSC install.  I hope I am being clear that this is during setup- and not after it is all installed.

Where is the selection please when I am installing - where do I look please?  I am using Premiere Elements 15

Also, is there a 'custom install ' option as well  - so I can choose the directories too at the time of install, because I changed the folders after installation so that as advised, the program was installed on my SSD drive, and other folders on my other HDD drive.

I would appreciate your help.

Pete

[Bill Sprague]

I only see the install screen every year or two.  A couple weeks ago, I upgraded to and installed version 15.  I don't recall an NTSC vs PAL choice at installation.  

When I start a new project, there is a screen with a "Change Setting" button and a "Force selected Project...." check box.  Under the Change Settings button there is a full list of both PAL and NTSC choices.  You could pick one or the other and "force" it to save. 

I've never done it with PAL footage, but I suspect that opening a project with the first clip being PAL, the program would automatically create the correct project settings.

You can control where your project files are.  Your source media clips will be where you put them. When you start a new project there is a "Save In" choice with a Browse button.  You can put the project anywhere.  Use Edit > Preferences > ScratchDisks to control where Premier Elements working files are.  All of those choices, except one, will "remember" from one project to the next.  I have them set to "Same as Project".  The one that does not remember the "Same as Project" is the Media Cache.  I created a folder on drive C for that and it will remember that. 

Most typical users have one big HDD.  The installation defaults are appropriate for that.  It is only when you have multiple drives and one is a speedy SSD, does it pay to fiddle with the storage settings. 

[Offul Duster]

Thanks whsprague!  I thought I was going blind.  🙂

I did some random Googling this afternoon and discovered the ntsc-pal issue apparently has been around for years with other people pointing out the difficulties of not being prompted for an NTSC - PAL choice.

I appreciate all the info.

Pete

[Ann Bens]

If you are in the UK make sure your project is PAL.

Dropping pal footage in a ntsc project produces duplicate frames.

[hoppy_p]

The department I work for has the same issue. Each time you create a new project NTSC is the default. Until recently we were using elements 10 which allowed you to remove the NTSC default so you only ever had pal as an option. This does not work now either. I know that when we installed the software the country was set to UK, so can't understand why this issue is happening.

Paul