Best way to convert PAL DVD -> NTSC DVD

[BizUser]

I've done this successfully using dvd2svcd in the past, when VCD/SVCD was my output. I used a custom Avisynth script to do frame rate conversion (actually, assumeFPS), and a modified BeSweet command to adjust the pitch of the audio to match. Encode in TMPG, mux with bbMPEG (or even TMPG), define chapters and burn with VCDEasy.

Now that I have a DVD burner, I'm looking for the best way to do the same for DVD output. I've read all the guides, and already got a methodology that works - using a similar process to the one above (avisynth, beSweet, and TMPG to encode and mpx).

So I have a 'perfect' MPEG 2 file that I need to write to the DVD. My Sony DVD burner came with Sonic myDVD and it will burn the mpg file directly - but will NOT let me set chapter markers. So I'm looking for a program that will let me define chapters every, say, 2 minutes. Don't need fancy visual menus.

I've read about IFO Edit and how it can mux and burn a DVD - sounds like the tool for me; however, I have one added complication - my DVDs are 'episodes' (UK comedy, actually), and consist of roughly 6 30 minute shows. Somehow, I need to set chapter points for each of the output IFO/VOB sets. I'm just not clear on how to do this and can't find a guide (most instructions seem focused on converting 'one' main movie stream). Any insight? Thanks!

[gooki]

Try DVDMasetro, works a treat.

[BizUser]

Well, if I could find it (DVDMaestro) I'd try it ...

In the meantime, I downloaded TMPGEnc DVD Author and it does exactly what I want, it seems - at least, a quick test worked with just one episode - I was able to go through and pick my own chapter points, and it builds them into a menu structure with pictures and everything - more than I needed for now.

I haven't seen much about TMPGEnc DVD Author; is it new, or is it ignored due to lack of features, or bugs? Just curious ...!

UPDATE - I just used TMPGEnc DVD Author to burn 6 separate episodes to DVD; each episode gets it's own 'title' page entry, and I can set any number of chapter points per title, each with it's own 'menu' entry. I can choose the image to go with the title and chapter entries. So far, I'm very happy with this program!

[avs8111]

Hi, Biz
I have searched for a couple of months already and found your post about PAL to NTSC conversion to be the best. Here is the post, it's quite old, however if you can help me out I would really appreciate it.
http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=41769
Anyway, when I tried to create .bat files it worked somehow, however everything modified gives me errors.
The first one is in madplay_log "error: frame 0: lost synchronization". Could you please let me know if you modified your .bat files since the last post?
Thanks.

[BizUser]

avs8111 - I can't quite understand what's going wrong at your end - Anyway, when I tried to create .bat files it worked somehow, however everything modified gives me errors.

What 'worked somehow', and what is 'everything modified'?

I've moved onto DVDs now, having bought a burner, but I've just got done converting a bunch of UK DVDs to US format, so this is fresh in my mind. I don't use DVD2SVCD, or any 'master' program; I simply do this:

1. Use DVDDecrypter to decrypt the VOBs
2. Use DVD2AVI to demux the audio to ac3 file, and create d2v file
3. Run the following bat file to process the audio:

"d:\DVD2SVCD\BeSweet\BeSweet.exe"
–core( -input "myDVD2AVI AC3 T01 2_0ch 192Kbps DELAY 0ms.ac3"
-output "beSweet_output.MP2" -logfile "BeSweet.log" )
-azid( -n1 -s surround -c normal -g max -L -3db )
-ota( -r 25000 23976 -d 0 ) -2lame( -m s -b 192 -e )

(adjust delay to match delay in ac3 file name, adjust filenames as appropriate). NOTE ALSO - I think the above 'must' be all on one line - no hard returns in the 'bat' file - I broke it up for this post only.

4. Use this avs file:

LoadPlugin("D:\DVD2SVCD\MPEG2Dec\mpeg2dec.dll")
mpeg2source("myDVD2AVI.d2v")
###############SmartDeinterlace(2,10,True,False,True)
BicubicResize(720,480,0.0,0.6)
assumefps(23.976)

The particular source I used for this conversion did not require deinterlacing

5. Use TMPG to process the avs file, and mpx with the audio mp2 file.

set 3:2 pulldown when playback, 23.976 (internally 29.97).

That's about it. I've used CBR 3kbps and got good results, but also tried VBR, and also gone up to 7kbps - all depends on how much I want to get on the output disk.

I've also taken a completely different approach, bypassing the need to modify the audio at all.

My avs file looks like this:

BicubicResize(720,480,0.0,0.6)
changeFPS(59.94)
SeparateFields()
#SelectEvery(4, 0, 3) # for DVD, -- looked aweful on TV!!
SelectEvery(4, 1, 2) # for DV
Weave()


Note - for me, the '4,0,3' syntax should have worked but didn't - try both.

I demux the audio as above, process the video only (elemental stream) in TMPG (straight to 29.976, no pulldown), then mux the AC3 and elemental stream in TMPG Video Author program.

The 'assumeFPS' approach is better looking, but does slow the pitch of the audio down. The second approach has better sound, but is not as 'clean' visually - but - works just fine in practice.

Send me a Private Message if you have more questions.

Good Luck (all the above was learned from others, by the way - mainly one 'xesdeeni' on this forum).