NTSC To PAL

[d121]

Hi,

I got some avi files in NTSC format. My plan is to produce an edited PAL avi and then I could output to my DV camera which is in PAL format.

Can you advise how I can make format conversion from NTSC to Pal without losing quality?


Fred

[easy2Bcheesy]

Are the files interlaced? If so you're going to have problems.

If not, simply resizing the file into PAL resolution, changing the frame rate to 25fps (using Virtual Dub) and and then using After Effects to make the footage (which will now be longer) the same length as your audio will do the trick. If you can't have After Effects, Premiere can do the job too.

The final stage of this procedure will drop frames (there's your quality loss) although AE can attempt to compensate with frame-blending. You will lose a little quality but it's the best you can hope for short of getting the files converted by a professional production house.

[whosithis]

There was a function called NTSC2PAL using simple AviSynth functions that did a decent conversion from interlaced 60 fields/sec NTSC to PAL on the AviSynth web page.

http://www.math.berkeley.edu/~benrg/avisynth-beta.html

function NTSC2PAL(clip c) {
# Fairly good NTSC->PAL conversion. Would be better with Smart Bob. :-)
Assert(c.height == 480, "NTSC2PAL: input clip must have 480 scan lines")
Bob(c, height=576)
ChangeFPS(50)
SeparateFields().SelectEvery(4,0,3)
return Weave()
}

I remember seeing an improved version using decomb or smartbob, but couldn't find it just now. You may still have to change the length of your audio.