Dear forum,
I have now assembled my basic DV kit: XL1S PAL camera, tripod, mattebox, sound, editing suite, monitor, and I have a few productions lined up already.

However, I have a few questions:
I want to produce both documentaries and short dv films. My question is that I have a PAL camera, and most of the documentaries and short films needs to be submitted to a TV networks in NTSC (master tape).

Here is what I have been thinking about:

I could shoot the documentaries and short films in PAL and then convert it either using a Samsung One World VCR or using the Canopus DV bridge to convert from PAL to NTSC.
But I doubt the quality will be 'broadcast' quality, but would probably be OK for previews. Has anyone one used any of these options?

I could have a post-house to convert the PAL master tape into a NTSC master tape. This option would be pretty expensive though.

My last option would be simply to sell my PAL camera and buy a NTSC model.

Any PAL users living in a NTSC country have any input? How do you tackle this format issue?

Best regards,
Tom

There's 2 Samsung converting VCRs. The Aiwa MX100 is better than both of them. (This is what I use.) And the Panasonic and Sony higher end converting VCRs are even better. However, we are talking VHS here. There are SVHS converting VCRs available, for about the same price of the higher end Sony VHS model.

I don't know which is the best digital converter. You have a few options here. Might I suggest that you first convert to NTSC before you begin your editing, or simply rent a NTSC cam for NTSC bound video.

if you are ever thinking of selling you PAL XL1s, let me know. I'll take it off yer hands. ;)

Adrian

If you edit in an NLE you can output to pal or ntsc, and create 2 masters, it is that simple!

kermie

I wouldnt touch NTSC for the world.

The conversions I've seen done through a NLE would not be considered broadcast quality in my opinion. If your work is for personal entertainment, or non-commercial use it may be acceptable. Your going to lose quality by converting everything you shoot. The quality loss and cost of professional conversions would have me looking to sell the camera. I would only use PAL if all my work was going to film.

Jeff

Has anybody tries these to convert PAL<->NTSC

TR-1000Pro PAL NTSC SECAM Multisystem Professional
Video converter from tenlabs. Its ~$1500. Cheaper models
available.
visit http://www.tenlab.com/tr1000.htm


DV Film Atalntis software
http://www.dvfilm.com/atlantis/


Any reviews of these products will be valuable.

I am just curious what kind of equipment pro post-houses have, anyone?

http://www.teranex.com/platform/index.html

Why did you buy the PAL camera if most of your work was for NTSC submission---for the 25fps---I dont get it.

The main reason that I bought the PAL version was that I was most likely to go back home to Europe within 6-8 months. However, it now looks that I can extend my contract for an additional 2 years, which complicates a bit.

When I owned my post house we used Snell & Wilcox http://www.snellwilcox.com/productguide/index.html Great company , great service.

Jeff

My personal opinion is that you can almost never convert PAL
to NTSC or viceversa very good. Ofcourse with the rigt tools and
much time you can make it quite good. But it will never be as good
as if you shot it in that format originally, this might be only me
thinking that though....