Blog Archives

There’s been some debate about authoring NTSC DVDs in DVD Studio Pro (with having all of the region codes selected) and their playback in PAL countries.

Converting between NTSC and PAL video is tricky because they have different image sizes, frame rates, and pixel aspect ratios. Ideally, if you need PAL, shoot PAL. If you need NTSC and PAL, shoot PAL because it’s easier to move from PAL to NTSC, than the other way around. However, if you need to go from NTSC to PAL, this explains how.

If you’ve ever had to convert a 16:9 sequence into a 4:3 letterbox video, this explains how to do it.

Whenever you trash or delete Final Cut preference files, FCP will reset back to NTSC DV 48kHz audio. This reset happens whenever your preferences get trashed. I don’t think Final Cut inherently thinks NTSC, but that when things reset, FCP resets to its default settings which is NTSC.

A reader asks how to create a PAL DVD. In this article, I provide a reference for file conversion, then talk about the Compressor setting you can use to compress your files. (I also include a link to lots more training on DVD creation.)

Here’s a quick tip on how to create still images so they can display in a PAL 16:9 sequence.

Over the last four months I’ve had a long email chat about video formats and the best ways to convert between them. If you are moving files from NTSC to PAL or back, and trying to integrate HD material, this article covers what you need to know.

Ripping a DVD, which means to convert it into something that Final Cut Pro can edit, can be done a number of ways. However, not all of them yield the best quality. This article explains what you need to know to convert your DVD footage into something that can be edited, while still looking good.

“Interlacing” is a term that confuses many people. This article explains what it is, how to work with it, and how to remove it in both video and stills.

Interlacing, deinterlacing, progressive — three very confusing terms to many people. This article explains what they are, when you use them, what to do when you see them, and why you should care — not, in many case, not care at all.

Unlike NTSC, which requires frequent monitor calibration, PAL color is pretty stable. However, for those situations where you need to make sure your PAL monitor is showing colors accurately, this article will tell you what you need to know.