PAL DVD

[Rafael Amador]

The only problem you can have reading a DVD in your Mac is if the DVD has being format with a different region than your Mac DVD driver.
I would suggest you to use MPGStreamclip to convert the MPG2 in QT mov’s, Export at least as DVCPro50 (DV50) , as 8b Unc, better. I read in the forum of some people that use the same application to convert PAL to NTSC or the opposite with good results.
Other suggestion is the Nattress Standard Conversor, a plugin for FC from which I read the best critics about. Very good quality and much faster than SHAKE or Compressor.
Cheers,
Rafael

[John Woods]

Rafael, thanks. So once I get the video_TS file into the computer then the Nattress standards converter can take it from there?

John

John Woods
WOODS Productions
Clifton Park, NY, USA

[Peter Dewit]

As they are the Video_Ts files are pretty useless. DVDs are encoded in such a way most software doesn’t know what to make of the files.

You want to get a prgoram called MPEG Streamclip. Google it. It’s a great free utility that lets you rip the files off of DVDs in a useful fashion. It lets you demux them to MPEG2 files or convert the DVD files into any type of QT video. If you can I’d simply demux the files and try to convert the MPEG2’s as it would be one less generation

[John Woods]

Thanks Peterd. I will look into MPEG streamclip.

John Woods
WOODS Productions
Clifton Park, NY, USA

[Rafael Amador]

Hi John,
If you have the Video_TS folder in your HD, open MPGStreamclip. Then go to FILES>OPEN and select the .VOBs from the Video_TS ( the application offers you to open one by one or all toguether). Then you can export all the film or the clips that you can select in the viewer. If you go to edit the film im FC and convert it to NTSC you should export as a QT movie (.mov). You can choose the codec that better suits you (I would do it in 8b Unc or DVCPro50 to keep the best from the MPG2). Then you can convert this PAL.mov with SHAKE or Compressor to get a NTSC.mov to edit in aFC in a NTSC sequence. Or you drop the the PAL.mov in a NTSC time-line and applie the Nattress Standar-conversor like anyother effect.
Cheers,
Rafael
PS: I’ve used SHAKE and Compressor for very short clips but if now I wold need to convert a few minutes movie, I would get me the Nattress SC rightaway.

[John Woods]

Thanks, Rafael:

So, I just put the PAL DVD in my superdrive and then open the VIDEO_TS file with MPEG Streamconvert. I guess the only things that could go wrong then are problems with the region code on the DVD or some copy protection issue. A library in Wales, UK will send me the DVD for incorporation into my production so I presume (hope) that neither of these would be a problem.

Best,
John

John Woods
WOODS Productions
Clifton Park, NY, USA

[Rafael Amador]

You better copy the Video_TS in your HD so MPGSTreamclip will have less problem to read the file(.VOBs). If the DVD is protected you will need MacTheRipper (look in Google) to copy the Video_TS. The region shouldn’t be a problem. With a different region you can not play the DVD, but you can copy the Video_TS folder.
If you got any problem post in this thread and I will try to help you.
Cheers,
rafael