Editing PAL on an NTSC system

avgeek wrote on 1/16/2005, 9:07 PM
Here's the scoop: A buddy of mine is tying the knoose in London in about 18 months. I voluteered to shoot the wedding for him and edit it if needed. He can get me a camera over there and I'm guessing it'll be a DV unit, but I'll want to capture and edit back here in the States. I'm aware of broadcast standards differences,but not sure how they will manifest themselves in the digital realm. I've got Vegas 5 and DVD Arch 2 on my laptop. He can handle an NTSC DVD, but I"m guessing that region coding isn't a problem with DVDR's since I can't seem to find a setting in DVD Arch for this.
I'd be grateful for any advice you kind folks might have to pass along.

thanx
-D

Comments

Spot|DSE wrote on 1/16/2005, 9:24 PM
You can shoot in PAL or NTSC, and edit as such, or mix/match them, or convert PAL to NTSC, or NTSC to PAL. You're best off if you shoot in PAL and move to NTSC than if you go the other way, but you'll overall be very happy transcoding w/Vegas.
rmack350 wrote on 1/16/2005, 9:39 PM
Does he need a final disk as PAL or NTSC? That kind of affects what he'll need to do.

My impression was that the disk would be PAL from start to finish. I could be very, very wrong.

Rob Mack
PeterWright wrote on 1/16/2005, 10:23 PM
One thing - you'll need a PAL camera or deck at capture time if that's how you shoot it. Once it's on HD you can output either way as has been stated.
rmack350 wrote on 1/16/2005, 10:30 PM
Peter and Spot,

If D edits his PAL footage here in NTSC land, how does this affect using an external monitor to check his footage?

Rob Mack
PeterWright wrote on 1/16/2005, 10:35 PM
Good point, Rob - I'd guess that ext NTSC monitor would not work with PAL footage, unless the monitor had dual capability.
farss wrote on 1/16/2005, 10:56 PM
Most pro monitors will do both, one I just got even handles SECAM.
Certainly going PAL -> NTSC is better than NTSC -> PAL as the former is going from a higher res down. Pretty well everything in PAL land though will play NSTC. If you do shoot PAL capturing when you get back to the USA could be an issue, look for a DSR-11, it'll handle PAL and NTSC, record and playback.

Bob.
avgeek wrote on 1/17/2005, 11:07 AM
I can get my hands on a DSR 11 pretty easily I think. A buddy of mine owns a production house. I take it I'll edit in PAL and let DVD Arch take it to NTSC, or can I stay PAL all the way through?
Also, monitoring shouldn't be a huge deal. I can use the preview on my laptop screen.
thanx
-D
Spot|DSE wrote on 1/17/2005, 11:10 AM
If you shoot PAL, I'd drop the PAL tracks into an NTSC timeline, (assuming you need an NTSC delivery) and edit as NTSC so you know everything is pan/cropped, etc correctly. Then render as NTSC. If your final output is PAL, I'd edit in PAL and deliver as such. In other words, work the project in the format you'll be delivering in.
avgeek wrote on 1/18/2005, 9:06 PM
Thanks. I'll keep that in mind. I was talking to the groom to be today and he actually was wondering if I could output to both formats. From what I've read, this shouldn't be an issue, other than not being able to test the PAL DVD before I send it.

I'm actually looking forward to the learning experience. Thanks to all!
-D
pb wrote on 1/18/2005, 9:18 PM
My 2 year old 70$ Costco Koss DVD player plays PAL and NTSC and all recent Sony PVM and L series monitors play NTSC/PAL/SECAM. Also the Pioneer V7400 Industrial is multistandard playback.