--- Forwarded Message from Derek Roff <[log in to unmask]> ---

>Date: Thu, 17 May 2001 17:07:51 -0600
>From: Derek Roff <[log in to unmask]>
>To: LLTI-Editor <[log in to unmask]>,        Mary Fetherston <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Re: #6133 mini-DV PAL to NTSC (was Final Cut Pro)
>In-Reply-To: <[log in to unmask]>

Final Cut may be useful, but it isn't sufficient.  If the professor 
has PAL mini-DV tapes and doesn't have a PAL mini-DV VCR or camcorder 
to play them with, then there is no easy way to get the video into 
the computer for Final Cut to work with.  I'm guessing you have this 
covered.

If you can get the PAL video into the computer, Final Cut can do the 
conversion.  I have not done this, but I saw it done at a workshop, 
and the quality looked good.  I would recommend installing QuickTime 
5 before doing the conversion, because it has a new DV codec, which 
has gotten good reviews.  Every frame of video must be rendered, so 
this will take a while, even on a fast Mac.  This rendering could be 
a long process, and in addition, each tape must be imported and later 
exported in real-time.

After using Final Cut to convert to NTSC, another firewire-equipped 
camcorder or VCR is needed, this one capable of recording NTSC.  Is 
the goal to record onto NTSC mini-DV tapes, or is the professor 
looking for NTSC VHS tapes for easy viewing here in the US?

If the latter, it might be simpler to use the analog outputs from the 
PAL camcorder or VCR, and run those through a PAL-to-NTSC converter, 
of which there are various choices, starting around $200.  We use an 
old Panasonic AG-W1 VCR for our PAL/NTSC/SECAM conversions.  It 
handles analog composite video conversions.

Derek

>> From: Mary Fetherston <[log in to unmask]>

> One of the profs here has PAL mini-DV tapes and needs them in NTSC.
> Has anyone tried using Final Cut Pro to convert DV (or mini-DV)
> from PAL to NTSC?  (FCP has an export function where the user can
> select the desired video standard.)


Derek Roff
Language Learning Center, Ortega Hall Rm 129, University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131  505/277-7368 fax 505/277-3885
Internet: [log in to unmask]