Help - NTSC/PAL Conversion

Pacman1854 · 11-04-2006, 11:07

I've just got married in Las Vegas, and the wedding chapel video'd the ceremony.

As expected, the video is in NTSC format but I have a complatible recorder so have no problem watching it.

Unfortunately I cannot duplicate it (want copies for parents, friends, and to copy to DVD via DVD Recorder) as, although the player reads the tape, the TV/Video combi it's fed into won't accept the NTSC signal coming in, recording the sound but not the picture.

Is there an inexpensive way of converting the NTSC video to a PAL video?

chrisjr · 11-04-2006, 12:02

This is on special offer from Maplin....

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?...967&doy=search

20 quid off - which rather unfortunately takes it under the free postage mark

webbie · 11-04-2006, 13:17

On the Maplin page it also says that recording of the output is not possible.
The last question on the faq page says:

Q) Does this convertor output pal 60 or pal 50? Hence does it allow recording of the output signal? - Russ
A) The recording of the output signal is not possible with this unit.

chrisjr · 11-04-2006, 14:20

But the second FAQ is...

Quote:

Q) I have a Panasonic digital camcorder that only records and plays back in NTSC. Will the converter allow me to play back through it to make PAL recordings on my PAL VCR? - A.S.Furneaux
A) This should be fine for that purpose.

So which is it

Praxidike · 11-04-2006, 14:30

Have you got a DVD writer on your PC? If you have, could you record (in NTSC) the video into your DVD-recorder onto a DVD (as opposed to the hard drive if it has one), then use a program (I think WinAVI does it) on your PC to convert from NTSC to PAL, then write to DVD?

Or maybe you could even link your PC to your DVD-recorder if you haven't got a DVD writer on your PC?

Pacman1854 · 11-04-2006, 16:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Praxidike

Have you got a DVD writer on your PC? If you have, could you record (in NTSC) the video into your DVD-recorder onto a DVD (as opposed to the hard drive if it has one), then use a program (I think WinAVI does it) on your PC to convert from NTSC to PAL, then write to DVD?

Or maybe you could even link your PC to your DVD-recorder if you haven't got a DVD writer on your PC?

Sorry. Only have CD Writer/DVD Reader on my PC.

Thanks for the suggestions so far, but it seems a shame to have to buy a piece of hardware for what is, hopefully, a one-off 'problem'.

Do any High Street names (Jessops?) do conversions?

Praxidike · 11-04-2006, 16:36

Has your PC got a TV out that you could connect your DVD recorder up to?

How much of the DVD has been used up, in GB? Maybe you could convert it so it's small enough to fit on a CD, if it's not too big?

raymogy · 11-04-2006, 22:17

why not play it on the ntsc device and copy onto a seperate video or dvd recorder.

I am married to a american and convert all my ntsc stuf , by playing on ntsc device and recording on another dvd recorder or video, then it is in pal.

raymogy · 11-04-2006, 22:20

send the dvd/video to me and i wil convert it for you

mongosito · 11-04-2006, 23:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by raymogy

why not play it on the ntsc device and copy onto a seperate video or dvd recorder.

I am married to a american and convert all my ntsc stuf , by playing on ntsc device and recording on another dvd recorder or video, then it is in pal.

Not quite right.
You can't play in NTSC and simply record in PAL.
Either your output device is converting to PAL or the recording device is converting it.
For VHS NTSC,best bet is to buy a Pioneer dvd recorder.This will accept the output of your UK VCR and create an NTSC dvd that you can copy easily on a PC.
Nero will convert NTSC to PAL but takes time.
Then the PAL dvd can be copied to VHS.
Alternatively buy a cheap DVD player and ensure it has PAL 50 output,many cheapies do.
Then the dvd will copy straight to VHS.
My nephew got married (and lives) in Las Vegas over 2 years ago,and they supplied the ceremony on dvd.
Why not see if they can supply you with dvd of yours?
DVD is far easier than VHS for copying/converting etc and its better quality

2Bdecided · 12-04-2006, 10:20

Some people will have trouble playing an "NTSC" DVD in the UK, either because they're DVD player won't convert to PAL, or their TV won't display NTSC.

For these, you need a "PAL" DVD.

However, lots of people can play an "NTSC" DVD in the UK - either because their DVD player does convert, or their TV can display NTSC.

I mention this because the original NTSC version will look much better than the converted (PAL) version. Depending on the converter, the result can look somewhere between mediocre and dire. (When you watch USA TV shows, they've been through standards conversion units costing thousands or tens of thousands of pounds - and they can still look a bit crappy if they are from video rather than film!).

If you can play the VHS as NTSC, record it as "NTSC" to DVD, and then make PAL copies of that where required, then that's the best option. Keep the NTSC VHS and "NTSC" DVD dub as archive copies though - the PAL version will always be inferior.

Cheers,
David.

P.S. you can create video CDs (VCD = yucky quality) or super-video-CDs (SVCD = OK quality) on your PC with a CD-R drive. Most (but not all!) DVD players play these OK, so you don't need a DVD writer. NTSC>PAL conversion still applies.

mongosito · 12-04-2006, 22:03

If you play the NTSC VHS on a UK VCR it will output as PAL 60.
A Philips or Pioneer dvd recorder will record it as NTSC and the quality is not like a conversion.
Unless you have a US VHS player,finding one that plays NTSC as NTSC and not PAL 60 will be hard.

11-04-2006, 11:07	#1
Pacman1854 Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Bradford Posts: 1,327	Help - NTSC/PAL Conversion I've just got married in Las Vegas, and the wedding chapel video'd the ceremony. As expected, the video is in NTSC format but I have a complatible recorder so have no problem watching it. Unfortunately I cannot duplicate it (want copies for parents, friends, and to copy to DVD via DVD Recorder) as, although the player reads the tape, the TV/Video combi it's fed into won't accept the NTSC signal coming in, recording the sound but not the picture. Is there an inexpensive way of converting the NTSC video to a PAL video?

11-04-2006, 12:02	#2
chrisjr Forum Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Reading Posts: 27,916	This is on special offer from Maplin.... http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?...967&doy=search 20 quid off - which rather unfortunately takes it under the free postage mark

11-04-2006, 13:17	#3
webbie Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: North Devon Posts: 1,568	On the Maplin page it also says that recording of the output is not possible. The last question on the faq page says: Q) Does this convertor output pal 60 or pal 50? Hence does it allow recording of the output signal? - Russ A) The recording of the output signal is not possible with this unit.

11-04-2006, 14:20	#4
chrisjr Forum Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Reading Posts: 27,916	But the second FAQ is... Quote: Q) I have a Panasonic digital camcorder that only records and plays back in NTSC. Will the converter allow me to play back through it to make PAL recordings on my PAL VCR? - A.S.Furneaux A) This should be fine for that purpose. So which is it

11-04-2006, 14:30	#5
Praxidike Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 9,103	Have you got a DVD writer on your PC? If you have, could you record (in NTSC) the video into your DVD-recorder onto a DVD (as opposed to the hard drive if it has one), then use a program (I think WinAVI does it) on your PC to convert from NTSC to PAL, then write to DVD? Or maybe you could even link your PC to your DVD-recorder if you haven't got a DVD writer on your PC?

11-04-2006, 16:16	#6
Pacman1854 Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Bradford Posts: 1,327	Quote: Originally Posted by Praxidike Have you got a DVD writer on your PC? If you have, could you record (in NTSC) the video into your DVD-recorder onto a DVD (as opposed to the hard drive if it has one), then use a program (I think WinAVI does it) on your PC to convert from NTSC to PAL, then write to DVD? Or maybe you could even link your PC to your DVD-recorder if you haven't got a DVD writer on your PC? Sorry. Only have CD Writer/DVD Reader on my PC. Thanks for the suggestions so far, but it seems a shame to have to buy a piece of hardware for what is, hopefully, a one-off 'problem'. Do any High Street names (Jessops?) do conversions?

11-04-2006, 16:36	#7
Praxidike Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 9,103	Has your PC got a TV out that you could connect your DVD recorder up to? How much of the DVD has been used up, in GB? Maybe you could convert it so it's small enough to fit on a CD, if it's not too big?

11-04-2006, 22:17	#8
raymogy Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Grimsby, N.E.Lincs Posts: 3,949	why not play it on the ntsc device and copy onto a seperate video or dvd recorder. I am married to a american and convert all my ntsc stuf , by playing on ntsc device and recording on another dvd recorder or video, then it is in pal.

11-04-2006, 22:20	#9
raymogy Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Grimsby, N.E.Lincs Posts: 3,949	send the dvd/video to me and i wil convert it for you

11-04-2006, 23:15	#10
mongosito Banned User Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 2,307	Quote: Originally Posted by raymogy why not play it on the ntsc device and copy onto a seperate video or dvd recorder. I am married to a american and convert all my ntsc stuf , by playing on ntsc device and recording on another dvd recorder or video, then it is in pal. Not quite right. You can't play in NTSC and simply record in PAL. Either your output device is converting to PAL or the recording device is converting it. For VHS NTSC,best bet is to buy a Pioneer dvd recorder.This will accept the output of your UK VCR and create an NTSC dvd that you can copy easily on a PC. Nero will convert NTSC to PAL but takes time. Then the PAL dvd can be copied to VHS. Alternatively buy a cheap DVD player and ensure it has PAL 50 output,many cheapies do. Then the dvd will copy straight to VHS. My nephew got married (and lives) in Las Vegas over 2 years ago,and they supplied the ceremony on dvd. Why not see if they can supply you with dvd of yours? DVD is far easier than VHS for copying/converting etc and its better quality

12-04-2006, 10:20	#11
2Bdecided Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Yorkshire Posts: 4,391	Some people will have trouble playing an "NTSC" DVD in the UK, either because they're DVD player won't convert to PAL, or their TV won't display NTSC. For these, you need a "PAL" DVD. However, lots of people can play an "NTSC" DVD in the UK - either because their DVD player does convert, or their TV can display NTSC. I mention this because the original NTSC version will look much better than the converted (PAL) version. Depending on the converter, the result can look somewhere between mediocre and dire. (When you watch USA TV shows, they've been through standards conversion units costing thousands or tens of thousands of pounds - and they can still look a bit crappy if they are from video rather than film!). If you can play the VHS as NTSC, record it as "NTSC" to DVD, and then make PAL copies of that where required, then that's the best option. Keep the NTSC VHS and "NTSC" DVD dub as archive copies though - the PAL version will always be inferior. Cheers, David. P.S. you can create video CDs (VCD = yucky quality) or super-video-CDs (SVCD = OK quality) on your PC with a CD-R drive. Most (but not all!) DVD players play these OK, so you don't need a DVD writer. NTSC>PAL conversion still applies.

12-04-2006, 22:03	#12
mongosito Banned User Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 2,307	If you play the NTSC VHS on a UK VCR it will output as PAL 60. A Philips or Pioneer dvd recorder will record it as NTSC and the quality is not like a conversion. Unless you have a US VHS player,finding one that plays NTSC as NTSC and not PAL 60 will be hard.

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Help - NTSC/PAL Conversion