Convert a Pal DVD to NTSC DVD

[bjpiper]

I want to convert a couple PAL DVD purchased on a trip to Russia to
NTSC DVD's to play in the USA. I have both decoded using DVD Decrypter, can I use Adobe Premiere Elements 7 to make a NTSC DVD? If not can you suggest what I can use?

[ATR]

Your mention of DVD Decrypter leads me to believe that you are planning on ripping protected VOBs from your purchased PAL DVD-VIDEO for use in your own NTSC DVD-VIDEO version. Correct me if I am wrong. I cannot encourage you in a pursuit which involves protected video. The conversion PAL to NTSC is another matter.

So, I will address the issue of PAL and NTSC VOBs in Premiere Elements 7.
1. Premiere Elements 7 will not rip/process protected VOBs, so you cannot use the Premiere Elements 7 Media Downloader to rip the VOBs from its DVD-VIDEO.
2. There are several online How To articles on “PAL DVD’s to NTSC and vice versa” using software other than Premiere Elements 7


http://www.digital-digest.com/articles/Convert_PAL_NTSC_DVD_page1.html


http://www.videohelp.com/forum/archive/best-method-convert-pal-vobs-to-ntsc-t371043.html (http://www.digital-digest.com/articles/Convert_PAL_NTSC_DVD_page1.html)

(http://www.digital-digest.com/articles/Convert_PAL_NTSC_DVD_page1.html)
The above link has a lot of background information that may prove helpful in selecting your method of choice.

The PAL VOBs that you bring to the Premiere Elements Timeline could be from a standard (4:3) or widescreen (16:9) DVD-VIDEO. So, when you open Premiere Elements 7, select the appropriate project preset (New Project Dialog) for NTSC DV Standard or NTSC DV Widescreen. Then bring your VOBs from their hard drive save location into Premiere Elements with Get Media/Files & Folders and then to the Timeline. VOB quality is good for this import for some, but not for others. If you are one of those with poor quality VOBs from the import process, you may have to convert the VOBs on the hard drive to DV AVI with MPEG Streamclip and then bring the DV AVI version to the Premiere Elements Timeline.
http://www.squared5.com/
After editing and Create Menus, you can generate your NTSC DVD-VIDEO via Share/Disc/Disc with the preset of NTSC_Standard DVD (audio will be Dolby Digital/Stereo). Of course, make sure your computer has resources to support the task and that the DVD disc has the capacity for your Timeline content, giving you high quality video, not that where the bitrate is lowered/quality lowered to fit the content to disc.

Possible problem areas:
1. Quality of the VOBs impacted by their ripping from the original DVD-VIDEO
2. Quality of the VOBs when they are imported into the Premiere Elements 7 Timeline
3. Inherent problems in converting from PAL DV 720 x 576 frame size 25 frames per second to NTSC DV 720 x 480 frame size 30 frames per second.
4. Maybe additional considerations if original PAL DVD was widescreen instead of standard…maybe have to bring in the Interpret Footage feature of Premiere Elements.

If you cannot obtain good quality in the first place with your ripping procedure then disregard the above.

ATR

[bjpiper]

No, I am not planning on using any of these videos for use in making my own productions .
They are not copyrighted material. they seem to be homemade DVD's that were sold by the makers to tourists saying they would play in the USA but turned out to be PAL. I only want to be able to play them on my TV. They do play on my computer but I would rather view them on a larger screen.
Betty

[ATR]

Betty,

Thanks for the clarification.

If they are not protected video, I would look into ripping the VOBs from the DVD by:
a. placing the DVD-VIDEO disc in the DVD Burner tray, opening Premiere Elements (project preset in New Project Dialog = NTSC DV Standard or Widescreen), and then using the Premiere Elements Media Downloader to bring the VOBs into the Premiere Elements Media/Timeline. Try it and see what quality you get.

However, I suspect that you would get the best quality results converting the DVD-VIDEO's VOBs to DV AVI with MPEG Streamclip and then bringing the DV AVI version into Premiere Elements Media/Timeline via Premiere Elements' Get Media/Files & Folders.
http://www.squared5.com/

We still need to address any issues with frame size and frame rate, but let us see what the above looks like. Do mini run before the grand project.

I will be watching for your progress.

Please check out all your options and the proceed.

ATR

[bjpiper]

I downloaded the files into PSE 7. They appeared in my Organizer and I pulled them down into the time line. They play with choppy pixel edges. I cannot tell audio because it is in Russian or Ukranian but music seems to go with movements. (I think) I have attached a screen shot of PSE 7.

They would no doubt be better as DV AVI files. I have had problems converting files to DV AVI. I have a JVC camcorder that records .mod files (mpeg 2's). It is pretty new and I just recorded 9 hours (it has a 30g hard drive) and need to convert to DV AVI if I produce in PSE 7. I also have Cyberlink Power Director that came with the camcorder and uses the .mod files. But I like productions in PSE 7 better, but more work for me to convert clips.

I have tried to use MPEG Streamclip before but it wanted me to delete my Quicktime player and I have the one that I can save movies with and hate to delete it and loose that feature. Is there a way around having to delete the old Quicktime player?

I have used Photoshop Elements for years but very new to Premier Elements. Lots to learn.

Thanks so much for all the help you are giving me.
Betty

[ATR]

Betty,

Sounds like progress on your side.

First, the workaround for JVC .mod files and Premiere Elements:
a. non re-coding way, right click the file on the hard drive and then select Rename and rename just the file extension from .mod to .mpg or .avi.
b. MPEG Streamclip...as you found out, you have two choices. First one, download MPEG Streamclip + Quicktime Alternative which the required MPEG2 Playback Component Free, but you do have to uninstall the regular Quicktime
OR download MPEG Streamclip and purchase the MPEG2 Playback Component from Apple
http://www.apple.com/quicktime/mpeg2/
for approximately $20 USA dollars.
c. another point of view that I have not tried
http://forums.adobe.com/thread/428054?tstart=0

I noticed something very interesting in your screen shot. I did not see any audio on audio track 1. By any chance did your video and audio insist on going to video audio tracks 4 instead of 1? If so, you probably have MPEG2 video (VOBs) and 5.1 channel sound. Premiere Elements 7 has a unique way handling the placement of 5.1 channel sound. If you had AVCHD video with 5.1 channel sound and used the project preset of PAL AVCHD Full or non Full HD1080i, the video audio would go to video audio tracks 1. If my assumption is correct, keep away from the Sceneline view and stay with the Timeline view.

Also, do not forget to add Rendering the Timeline (by pressing Enter key of computer main keyboard) in your workflow to get the best possible Monitor preview of what the end product should look like. Rendering can be time consuming but worthwhile.

I will await your further details and results.

ATR