Adobe After Effects - Create NTSC MPEG2 from PAL

Author

Create NTSC MPEG2 from PAL

ChrisGannon

2005-06-02, 7:37 pm

Anyone know of a way to create an NTSC MPEG2 file from a PAL file? (the PAL
file is full-frame, original work).

I am sending our DVDs to the U.S. and, in case their DVD players won't play
PAL DVDs, I would like to provide an NTSC version as a backup but this is
proving to be quite difficult.

I have already stated that the client will receive the product as PAL (which
they are fine about) but I would like to pre-empt any technical difficulties
as I won't be there when the show is on.

Cheers :O)

Andrew_Yoole@adobeforums.com

2005-06-02, 7:37 pm

Don't rely on US DVD players and TVs to play PAL - most will not, despite the fact that most PAL countries can deal with NTSC these days. It's actually the TV that is generally the problem - most DVD players are multi-standard.

I do a lot of music DVDs for international release, so often have to make NTSC and PAL versions. Here's how I do it, but a word of warning - my material is always non-interlaced. Not sure if this formula will work if your PAL material has fields.

Import your PAL file in AE. Create a comp of equal duration, but use the NTSC DV preset. Put the PAL footage into it and scale to fit. Interpret upper or lower field order on the PAL source material, but render full frames in NTSC. This has the effect of
blending intermediate frames during the conversion to 29.97 fps. If you don't interpret fields on the PAL material you'll see a slight steppiness in the resulting NTSC material.

The results are excellent, but there are a number of third party NTSC conversion tools available to buy. Plus the new version of Final Cut's Compressor will do standards conversion as well.

ChrisGannon

2005-06-02, 7:37 pm

That is very helpful, thank you sooo much Andrew - it's rendering to NTSC as
I type :O)