Converting from NTSC DVD to PAL mp4

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jnyberg
Posts: 30
Joined: Sun Mar 22, 2009 2:01 pm

Converting from NTSC DVD to PAL mp4

Post by jnyberg »

Hi,

I live in the PAL area and thus most of my source material is in PAL format. When I convert normally I use the Apple TV preset, and setting my Apple TV to output 720p - 50Hz, they look amazing on my LCD. However, I do have some NTSC source DVD's that, when converted, looks jerky on my Apple TV. I know this is beacause of my setting the Apple TV to output 50Hz instead of 60Hz. If I set my Apple TV to output 60Hz, the image quality suffers for some reason, and also the picture becomes slightly jerky in both PAL and NTSC videos. So, to sum up: PAL looks very smooth and nice when outputting at 50Hz, but NTSC looks very jerky.
Is there any way to convert the NTSC sources to mp4 with a PAL framerate, resulting in a slightly sped-up video? If so, is the audio also sped up, or will it then become out of sync? The ultimate would be to have my Apple TV output at 50Hz but also having my converted NTSC DVD's look as smooth and amazing as my PAL DVD converts. Mind you, I only convert DVDs i own myself, so I am not violating any IPR laws
jamiemlaw
Veteran User
Posts: 536
Joined: Thu Sep 17, 2009 4:52 pm

Re: Converting from NTSC DVD to PAL mp4

Post by jamiemlaw »

This is something I've always wanted to be able to do too.

Someone recommended me a program called JES Deinterlacer. As the name suggests, it can deinterlace videos, but it can also do standards conversion, i.e. NTSC to PAL and vice versa. The downside is that it won't speed up the video: it will merge frame together to keep it at the same speed at the new framerate; but I found this out just now: you can choose a custom conversion, where you also have the option to specify the new movie speed (e.g.1.043 or whatever it needs to be), and that'll avoid the issue. It will also stretch the audio (it doesn't change its pitch) to fit.

You could have a play around and see if there are any settings that suit your fancy. Ideally you run the source through JES Deinterlacer and then encode it with HandBrake, rather than the other way round.
jnyberg
Posts: 30
Joined: Sun Mar 22, 2009 2:01 pm

Re: Converting from NTSC DVD to PAL mp4

Post by jnyberg »

Thanks! I'll have to try that out
luxuryliner

Re: Converting from NTSC DVD to PAL mp4

Post by luxuryliner »

jamiemlaw wrote:This is something I've always wanted to be able to do too.

... but I found this out just now: you can choose a custom conversion, where you also have the option to specify the new movie speed (e.g.1.043 or whatever it needs to be), and that'll avoid the issue. It will also stretch the audio (it doesn't change its pitch) to fit....
Do you mean I can start from an NTSC DVD which are normally NTSC FILM (23,976 fps) and set the playing speed to 1.0423 (25/23,976) This would be very interesting. It would be a 4%+ speed in playing back which shouldn't be perceivable.
'Till I haven't got this problem as my XBMC's Mplayer is really great and pays NTSC FILMs at 25 fps with no frame loss or gain (I believe it's using variable frame rate for playback) but if I'm not paying back with Mplayer, it's a problem.
luxuryliner

Re: Converting from NTSC DVD to PAL mp4

Post by luxuryliner »

You can also try with MpegStreamclip (http://www.squared5.it - or .com). You have the option "images fusion" (or "images blending") if the final frame rate doesn't match the original. Just a couple of things:
- I don't know if the result is fine
- it relies on Apple's codecs for decoding/encoding. I'm not sure they're better than ffMpeg inlcuded in HB (surely they're slower).

ALSO: you need Apple's Mpeg (de)codec for DVDs deconding (around 20$).
jnyberg
Posts: 30
Joined: Sun Mar 22, 2009 2:01 pm

Re: Converting from NTSC DVD to PAL mp4

Post by jnyberg »

I downloaded JES Deiterlacer, but it doesn't seem to accept dvd files as source.. back to square one :(
mduell
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Re: Converting from NTSC DVD to PAL mp4

Post by mduell »

jnyberg wrote:I live in the PAL area and thus most of my source material is in PAL format. When I convert normally I use the Apple TV preset, and setting my Apple TV to output 720p - 50Hz, they look amazing on my LCD. However, I do have some NTSC source DVD's that, when converted, looks jerky on my Apple TV. I know this is beacause of my setting the Apple TV to output 50Hz instead of 60Hz. If I set my Apple TV to output 60Hz, the image quality suffers for some reason, and also the picture becomes slightly jerky in both PAL and NTSC videos. So, to sum up: PAL looks very smooth and nice when outputting at 50Hz, but NTSC looks very jerky.
What's connected to the Apple TV? I'd be surprised if any reasonably modern TV didn't support 60Hz. Can you describe the image quality degradation?
jnyberg
Posts: 30
Joined: Sun Mar 22, 2009 2:01 pm

Re: Converting from NTSC DVD to PAL mp4

Post by jnyberg »

It does support 60Hz. It's a Sony KDL-32W4000. NTSC DVD's play fine on it. But for some reason, Apple TV at 60Hz doesn't look good. The picture seems soft and just slightly jerky, equally with NTSC and PAL video. But when outputting at 50Hz, PAL video looks sharp and clear and very smooth. NTSC video through 50Hz output looks terrible though. Very jerky.
jamiemlaw
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Re: Converting from NTSC DVD to PAL mp4

Post by jamiemlaw »

jnyberg wrote:I downloaded JES Deiterlacer, but it doesn't seem to accept dvd files as source.. back to square one :(
Strange. I've managed to get it to open VOB files from my hard drive without issue. And it worst comes to the worst, MPEGStreamclip can convert VOB to MPEG, which it can also open.
jnyberg
Posts: 30
Joined: Sun Mar 22, 2009 2:01 pm

Re: Converting from NTSC DVD to PAL mp4

Post by jnyberg »

jamiemlaw wrote:
jnyberg wrote:I downloaded JES Deiterlacer, but it doesn't seem to accept dvd files as source.. back to square one :(
Strange. I've managed to get it to open VOB files from my hard drive without issue. And it worst comes to the worst, MPEGStreamclip can convert VOB to MPEG, which it can also open.
Does MPEG streamclip convert VOB to MPEG without any compression/loss in image quality?
TedJ
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Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2008 11:25 pm

Re: Converting from NTSC DVD to PAL mp4

Post by TedJ »

VOB is an MPEG2 Program Stream by another name, so yes.
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