An idea for the guy who needs to convert PAL to NTSC:

I offer a golden star to "having fun" for his solution to the PAL/NTSC DVD issue involving subtitles and menu retention.

I tried it and it works ! After 3 years in pursuit of an answer, I think I have one now. Whether the results hold up is a different matter. For now, I'm happy.

It played flawlessly with subtitles in my cpu. In my standalone dvd player it played also. I did notice some trouble with my remote and the menus -trying to highlight a choice and enter-like choosing subtitles- don't exactly line up-like the choices are shadowed.

More later

 

There are 2 solutions to the PAL to NTSC problems that work for me. Both are listed in this thread. I have already commented on using VOBBLANKER and IFOEDIT. Yesterday, tried the NERO VISION EXPRESS method and it worked for me also.
I did not use either on a commercial dvd. My 2 files came from a camcorder and they were sent to me from England. They had attempted to convert the files to NTSC, but were only partly successful. NERO told me there were more PAL portions in the file than NTSC and asked which format I wanted to use to write to disk. NTSC of course, and it worked perfectly.

Just my comments ...

Don

 

Precisely ! I've been using nerovision to convert but it only does the main movie-try an entire movie and it hangs up.

 

dondds,
Were the files you receveived from England in a *.VOB format or in a single movie file format like *.AVI or *.MPG. I can use NERO to convert any of those files to NTSC and get the message you related. I have not tried NERO on a full DVD movie yet.

 

Nosredneh ... the files are in *.VOB format. For Nero, I used Nero Vision Express (Nero v6.6.***). Followed the above instructions. When I went to the 'more' selection, NTSC was already selected as the format. Said yes and then Nero told me there were more PAL components than NTSC and asked if I was sure I wanted to continue in NTSC. Yes.... When it was finished, played the disk on the only DVD Player I have, - Sony DVP-NS975V - an up-converting player, it was fine and the audio was in sync all the way to the end.
So I have had success with 2 ways of converting PAL to NTSC, but the files I have to work with may be why ... I have no other contact with any PAL files and don't plan to, but nice to know I have a solution.
Spent days and many disks the first time around last year and really have forgotten exactly how I did it, now takes less than 30 minutes - - not counting burn time (maybe 2 minutes with Nero).

Hope this helps,
Don

 

i cant find the site for VOBblanker can anyone give me a link

 

alright i found a link and when i went to convert PAL to NTSC i got an error message that said

i dont no what to do at this point i tried doing it the way it was pressing yes and when i burned in nero, nero said that the video files were NTSC and when i played it in my dvd player it came up with the lines like a PAL dvd. any suggestions

 

To all who have responded to my doubtful entries in the past:
Dondds gave me the information on using Nero Burning Rom software to convert from PAL to NTSC. This works well but only when using a program like DVD Decrypter to rip the main movie. Nero does not work very well with the whole DVD when converting the Menu and the movie. Anyway, I thank all who gave me input in the past and I am well pleased with Nero and the quality results. I am using the most recen t version available.

 

I've been trying for a while to convert a DVD from PAL to NTSC. I followed the steps described in this thread. However, when I try to load the files into DVD Shrink, I get a message: "DVD Shrink has encountered an error." It won't open the IFO files. Anyone know what the problem is?

 

fadedhour..TRY A PROGRAM CALLED IfoEdit to remake your ifo files.But that won't help in converting a DVD from PAL to NTSC.U might try a small,free program DivxtoDVD.JUST IMPORT all your VOB files in this order,hold down the shift key then select VOB_7,6,5,4,3,2,1.This little program works well & quality is great

 

It seems that there is no fool-proof way to convert PAL to NTSC and keep the menus, so I thought I would suggest buying a region-free DVD player which will play both PAL and NTSC, such as the Toshiba SD-3990. It is region-free and will play both PAL and NTSC, in addition to Divx, XviD, VCD, SVCD and MP3 and it retails for only $75 at amazon.com. Just think of how much it costs for all the programs mentioned here plus blank DVDs which may or may not turn out to be coasters. I don't have a DVD player like this so I can't vouch for it, but I plan to buy one soon.

 

I agree-there is no software method that I know of-the menus are like the skeleton-once you mess with it others things don't work, unless you remove the menus, and then painstakingly reconstruct them-too much work for me.

 

i have a couple pal dvds that i'm going to try. i will use vob blanker and nero and see what works best .will be back to let you all know

 

I just came across this thread... I ordered a copy of "The Game: Special Edition" from Amazon's UK site. I'm trying to back it up, so I can send a NTSC version of to my fiance in Canada.

Anyhow, I used VOB blanker and switched all the files to NTSC, processed them, and was given a no errors message.

I burned the disc to DVD and unfortunately the video was still in PAL. I confirmed his by playing it in a R1 NTSC DVD player. Also confirmed it in WinDVD and was given told the video source is PAL.

Vob Blanker seemed to do it's think, but the end result was still PAL.

I did try tinkering with Nero Recode and Nero Vision which I use to convert AVI's into DVD's, but in doing so I loose my menu's and all that good stuff.

It seems that Vob Blanker will do the job, but for some reason it didn't spit out an NTSC version even though it was chose for all the titles.

Any ideas?

 

GEK..Maybe your friend has a region free player?A little program called VSO DIVXtoDVD will convert.But unfortunately it will only convert the VOB's,you will lose the menu capabilities.I use it all the time,as I'm only interested in the movie.Give it a try..Hold down the shift key & start with the last VOB [VOB_7,VOB_6,VOB_5,etc].I think IfoEdit will recreate a DVD/W Menus after U convert to NTSC vob's

 

This worked for me as well. I converted my PAL dvd to an NTSC dvd, including all the menus and chapters.

only problem is that the links are out of order. seems as they still are PAL? is that possible?

 

Rick,

I use ConvertXtoDivX (that's what it's called now) when Nero fails me. I am fully aware of the loss of special features when it comes to ConvertXtoDivX. Theoretically I could just rip all the titles and re-author the disc, but that would be a pain in the ass. I'm too lazy to do that. Plus I want to retain the menu for the "cool" factor.

The idea was to send my friend a copy of the disc with all the special features in tact as she hasn't seen the movie in years. She loved the flick and this was my first chance to get the Special Edition only available at Amazon's UK site.

I'll probably just keep tinkering. As for her DVD player she has a crappy Toshiba player that is a few years old. I'm surprised it plays burned DVD's at all as the older Toshiba's were very anal about what they played and didn't.

 

GEK...NO ConvertXtoDivX is by the same people,but U have too buy it.VSO DIVXtoDVD is the free version.But anyway good luck.JUST a thought when U convert your PAL to NTSC & it stills refers to it as PAL DID THE FRAME RATE change ? Thats really what is important

 

Yes the frame rate changed, but it was still in PAL.

 

GEK..Well to my thinking if it changed frm PAL 23. TO PAL 29.
Then it should be NTSC it changed to the proper frame rate just not the proper name..I'm pretty sure DVD PLAYERS GO BY FRAMES[23pal29ntsc] NOT NAMEA[pal,ntsc] for regions..Don't take this as gospel..it just sound senseable too me