So I've created an NTSC DVD for my clients, using FCP 5.1.4 and DVD SP 4, and they've got some relatives overseas who need a PAL version. (I've tried to tell them that 90 percent of the players in Europe play NTSC but they insist they need PAL).

Has anyone ever taken a DVD SP NTSC project and converted it to PAL?

From my research it looks like I'll need to first convert my video assets to PAL, either by using a Nattress filter, or by using Compressor 2. I'm guessing the latter will take quite a while, perhaps the Nattress method is faster?

Once I've created PAL mpegs, can I then open my NTSC project in DVD SP, switch the standard to PAL, import the PAL assets and proceed as usual? Will my NTSC menus and chapter points be preserved as PAL menus, or will I have to recreate everything?

Thanks.

There's no need to buy a third-party converter when Compressor does an excellent job.

Yes, you'd first need to re-encode your finished files into the PAL spec using Compressor. If you select "best" for motion estimation and for frame-rate conversion it will take much longer than if you don't, but the results will be fantastic.

The online help for DVDSP4 outlines the correct process for converting NTSC to PAL.