Convert NTSC to PAL

A forum to share ideas and opinions on the equipment and technical aspects of film, video and AV making.
Post Reply
Jill Lampert
Posts: 114
Joined: Tue Apr 26, 2011 8:04 pm

Convert NTSC to PAL

Post by Jill Lampert »

Is it possible to convert video which has been taken at 30fps to 25fps? And if so, how? A friend has a little camcorder on which he's taken some lovely 30fps footage, but it seems he can't use it with his PAL footage from his main camcorder. I don't want him to throw it away!
Jill
tom hardwick
Posts: 920
Joined: Mon Jan 29, 2007 9:59 am

Re: Convert NTSC to PAL

Post by tom hardwick »

It can be converted using one of the many free programs available on the web, but has he tried simply pulling the footage to his timeline alongside the PAL footage? Many NLE systems these days won't bat an eyelid at this request.
col lamb
Posts: 680
Joined: Tue Oct 16, 2007 9:51 pm
Location: Preston, Lancashire

Re: Convert NTSC to PAL

Post by col lamb »

Jill

It is possible but the results will depend upon the source format ie SD or HD

It would be useful to know what editing software is available
Col Lamb
Preston, Lancashire.
FCPX, Edius6.02, and Premiere CS 5.5 user.
Find me on Facebook, Colin Lamb
Jill Lampert
Posts: 114
Joined: Tue Apr 26, 2011 8:04 pm

Re: Convert NTSC to PAL

Post by Jill Lampert »

Tom, I'm not sure what his editing software is, but he has tried putting the NTSC footage and PAL together, and the result was jerky NTSC footage.

Col, it is all HD.

Jill
tom hardwick
Posts: 920
Joined: Mon Jan 29, 2007 9:59 am

Re: Convert NTSC to PAL

Post by tom hardwick »

If it's all HD then presumably he's using a fairly modern NLE program. It might be that his pc isn't up to it, and it might just require rendering to play back smoothly.
Jill Lampert
Posts: 114
Joined: Tue Apr 26, 2011 8:04 pm

Re: Convert NTSC to PAL

Post by Jill Lampert »

OK, a few more facts. The computer is dual core 3.2ghz with 4gig of ram & Nvidia GeForce 8400 512mhz ram. The software is Avid Studio. It is absolutely fine editing films which are entirely NTSC. What it cannot handle is a mixture of PAL and NTSC. It appears to drop frames to make the 30fps match the 25fps.

Any suggestions?

Jill
col lamb
Posts: 680
Joined: Tue Oct 16, 2007 9:51 pm
Location: Preston, Lancashire

Re: Convert NTSC to PAL

Post by col lamb »

Jill

Why not put the footage on your Edius timeline and export it as a 25p MP4 file

I have just changed the settings on my Canon 7D to make a HD 30p video then used Edius to make a 25p file and all was OK
Col Lamb
Preston, Lancashire.
FCPX, Edius6.02, and Premiere CS 5.5 user.
Find me on Facebook, Colin Lamb
Jill Lampert
Posts: 114
Joined: Tue Apr 26, 2011 8:04 pm

Re: Convert NTSC to PAL

Post by Jill Lampert »

Thanks for the suggestion, Col. I'll try that and let you know how I get on.
Jill
John C
Posts: 83
Joined: Mon Mar 30, 2009 3:48 pm

Re: Convert NTSC to PAL

Post by John C »

Try converting it to an .avi file then importing it and then splitting it back into frames.

John C
Post Reply