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n00b ???: DVI mp4=NTSC?/PAL?/(n)either?

idea_hamster

idea_hamster

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jul 11, 2003
1,096
1
NYC, or thereabouts
So here's a question to prove just how little I know about what really goes on between the CPU and the screen :rolleyes: --

I have video that I've compressed using Handbrake into an .mp4 file that I keep in iTunes as a movie. It was originally NTSC and since I live in the US, I assume that the DVI-out on my MacBook is NTSC-compatible.

Question: If I visit relatives in the UK, can I connect the DVI-out to their PAL television to view the video?

Follow-up: I compressed the file using "original framerate," i.e., 29.98 fps. Would it help to re-run the compression to generate a 25-fps mp4 file? (I realize that I could probably have done this anyway to save some HD space.)

Any help welcome!
 
Really?

No one? :eek:

Come one, folks. I have full confidence that someone on MR knows whether this will work....

Don't be like that -- I'm flying tonight! :)
 
Ahhh, I think you're missing something basic. Only standard definition TV output via composite cables or a coax or maybe via s-video is different for PAL and NTSC. As far as I know, once you step up to component, VGA, DVI, or HDMI, this becomes irrelevant. Just like modern computers have the same resolutions in PAL locales and in NTSC locales (remember, they didn't use to back in the day), the resolution is just the resolution. If they have a TV that can accept a DVI signal, the issue of PAL/NTSC is irrelevant.
 
mkrishnan said:
Ahhh, I think you're missing something basic. Only standard definition TV output via composite cables or a coax or maybe via s-video is different for PAL and NTSC. As far as I know, once you step up to component, VGA, DVI, or HDMI, this becomes irrelevant. Just like modern computers have the same resolutions in PAL locales and in NTSC locales (remember, they didn't use to back in the day), the resolution is just the resolution. If they have a TV that can accept a DVI signal, the issue of PAL/NTSC is irrelevant.
Click to expand...

Except for frame-rate. PAL countries still like that 25/50 action instead of 30/60 used in NTSC lands. At least, that's my understanding. However, connecting to a DVI input should allow you to choose whatever refresh rate you like that the TV supports, and the machine will just play the file in 23.976fps as it should (and hopefully v-sync to avoid tearing).
 
mkrishnan said:
Oh, really? I didn't know that! :eek: So... when you have 1080i broadcasts in the UK, do they have a different framerate than 1080i in the US?
Click to expand...
I believe so, yes. This is mostly to preserve compatibility with the existing standard definition systems—shoot something in 1080i50 or 720p25 and you can easily downscale to PAL 50i.
 
Ahh...thankyouthankyouthankyou :)

See? I knew you guys would come through! :D

So I recompressed the video in Handbrake using 25 fps (saving 300MB!) and I'm bringing my miniDVI-to-composite/S-video adapter.

Hopefully, we should all be able to enjoy some home movies!

Thx!
 
BTW, you will have to set the output of your macbook to PAL. But if your videos were all NTSC & you play them out through the video out or s-video NTSC it should work, most TVs in the you can deal with PAL & NTSC through the video inputs.
Also if you make an NTSC DVD most UK (to be honest virtually all) DVD players & TV can play them.

A client of mine produces all their promotional DVD as NTSC, I asked why because most of the original was PAL, and they replied because we only have to make 1 run of DVD in NTSC, if they did PAL they would still have to to NTSC as well.

hope this helps
 
I could tell you about compressor, which is part
Final Cut Studio, which can convert one video standard to another as well as converting codecs too, but FCStudio is very expensive.

Or i could encourage you to buy the much cheaper Quicktime pro (a must for anyone serious about video) and do an approximate conversion so that at least will play.

Or make an NTSC DVD of your video, and hope they have a modern telly (UK speak for a TV) and DVD player(sending video via SCART in RGB) and you should have absolutely no problems at all!
 
Results!

So here are the results:

No surprise, both versions (29.97 and 25 fps) of the video footage played fine through the mini-DVI to S-video hook-up, with no doctoring at all.

Now this could be due to DVI universality or NTSC-saavy Euro-teles. I don't think this one experiment give the answer.

However, since the NTSC resolution is slightly lower, the image did not span the full screen -- it was centered with a moderate (but acceptable) black border on all sides.
 
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