5 Replies Latest reply: May 10, 2013 9:45 AM by Neil Wilkes RSS

    PAL to NTSC - dear God please tell me it can be done...

    Rory85 Community Member

      Hi..

       

       

      I've got a series of 6 dvds, all around the 2 hour mark with, with menus built in encore, usually about 6 pages full of chapter links on each menu..   (In other words,  a fairly big project - it's taken years)..

      It's all finished now, with many thanks due to a couple of forum members who's help has been absolutely crucial to me being able to do this job..

       

       

      Anyway,  here's a fairly big question, for me, I guess..

       

       

      Originally the plan was that this would be for the Australian market. It's training materials.   But now there is a very real possibility that it could be taken to the States.  Problem being, it's been filmed and edited in PAL.

       

       

      I've read that I can convert the PAL footage to NTSC, and I've seen a few different ways to go about it..     They seem fairly straight forward. The trouble is,    any of those methods would mean I'd have to re-create the projects, re-edit the training dvds, and create all the menus in encore again, all in NTSC format.

      Seeing as this has taken a VERY long time to create, I hate that idea. It makes me feel ill actually.

       

       

      Here's some background info so you know how to approach the answer to my question..

       

       

      Footage shot on a Sony HVRa1p 1440x1080 25fps PAL

      Edited using Adobe Premiere CS5

      DYNAMIC LINK TO ENCORE

       

       

       

       

      My question (and I have a feeling I already know the answer) is:

       

       

       

       

      A. CAN I go into the encore projects I've created, and tell Encore to write the DVD in NTSC format?  

       

       

      If 'yes' - how?

       

       

      If 'No':

       

       

      B. CAN I start the dynamic link again, re-build my menus in NTSC format, and burn NTSC dvds (once again, ENCORE would be doing the conversion).

       

       

      I'm basically trying to weigh up whether it's worth going through the trouble of converting all of the current footage and re-editing (if need be),   or whether I should just re-shoot it on a better camera in NTSC format..

      OR, for now,  just make it available online only (with subscription) to places that use NTSC.

       

       

      Cheers,

       

       

      Rory

        • 1. Re: PAL to NTSC - dear God please tell me it can be done...
          Stan Jones CommunityMVP

          The problem is that Encore sets PAL vs NTSC when the project is created. You cannot change an  Encore project from one to the other.

           

          I hope someone who has done this has some words of wisdom.

           

          But here is what I think is the worst case:

           

          Make careful notes (may be screen shots of the flowchart etc would help) of the current project. Write down the time code for each chapter mark, and especially poster times if they are different. If you are not using poster frames, you may not need to worray about this: Premiere will handle with the dynamic link.

           

           

          Create the new project as NTSC, add blank or template menus (they will be NTSC size and par), but I "think" you can copy paste the buttons etc. Try it with one.

           

          Yes, all the actual linking etc must be done manually.

          • 2. Re: PAL to NTSC - dear God please tell me it can be done...
            Rory85 Community Member

            Ok cool, thanks Stan.
            Re-doing the Encore stuff, as much as that would/will suck,   it's not my worst fear.. the thing that scares me the most is the thought of re-doing all of the Premiere work again..   If an NTSC Encore project can convert a PAL Premiere working file to a NTSC DVD, I can live with re-working the Encore stuff.. And yea, Dynamic link takes care of all of the chapter markers,   so that wouldn't be a big issue - it'd just be a matter of re-building the menus..

             

            But yea, if anyone has a definite yes or no answer on whether or not Encore can turn a PAL Premiere project into a NTSC DVD, I'd love to know..     The person I'm doing the work for doesn't want to spend thousands of dollars getting PAL dvds printed etc unless we absolutely know it's going to be a complete re-start to get it to NTSC..

             

            Thanks again,

             

            Rory

            • 3. Re: PAL to NTSC - dear God please tell me it can be done...
              John T Smith CommunityMVP

              As far as I know, neither Premiere Pro or Encore will convert between formats

               

              Convert NTSC <--> PAL http://forums.adobe.com/thread/995779

              • 4. Re: PAL to NTSC - dear God please tell me it can be done...
                JSS1138 CommunityMVP

                I should just re-shoot it on a better camera in NTSC format..

                 

                I'd go that route.  Shoot in 24p, which can be delivered to DVD, Blu-ray, web, devices, NTSC, PAL. etc. with ease.

                • 5. Re: PAL to NTSC - dear God please tell me it can be done...
                  Neil Wilkes CommunityMVP

                  Rory85 wrote:

                   

                  Ok cool, thanks Stan.
                  Re-doing the Encore stuff, as much as that would/will suck,   it's not my worst fear.. the thing that scares me the most is the thought of re-doing all of the Premiere work again..   If an NTSC Encore project can convert a PAL Premiere working file to a NTSC DVD, I can live with re-working the Encore stuff.. And yea, Dynamic link takes care of all of the chapter markers,   so that wouldn't be a big issue - it'd just be a matter of re-building the menus..

                   

                  But yea, if anyone has a definite yes or no answer on whether or not Encore can turn a PAL Premiere project into a NTSC DVD, I'd love to know..     The person I'm doing the work for doesn't want to spend thousands of dollars getting PAL dvds printed etc unless we absolutely know it's going to be a complete re-start to get it to NTSC..

                   

                  Thanks again,

                   

                  Rory

                  Hi Rory.

                   

                  It's not possible in Encore or Premiere.

                  The conversion process is a complex one & consists of changing the actual resolution from 720x576 to 720x480, which gives a very different shaped pixel as well.

                  Then it also changes the frame rate of the footage from 25 to 29.97.

                  The easiest way to do this with Adobe tools is to use Atter Effects, making sure that the AE render is locked to the duration of the composition - this is critical, or you will end up with footage at the wrong speed. All menus will need to be rebuilt.

                   

                  Sorry I cannot give you better news.

                  As a general rule of thumb, if in doiubt - create & author in NTSC as there are almost no PAL setups that cannot output either pure NTSC or PAL-60, yet there are very few that can go the other way.....