Olympics DVDs 13 of them

[edew]

Sabreur sent me 13 DVDs of the 2004 Olympics. Unfortunately, none of them are viewable. There is something possibly wrong with the mastering process. I have sent him a more detailed private message about that.

But more to the point, the DVDs are in PAL format. Once the disks are viewable, there should be no problems viewing PAL format video on computers. Set-top DVD machines would also have no problems playing PAL formatted disks (much like VCRs would have no problems playing PAL formatted videotapes). However, the output to a television screen will then be unwatchable as there will be rolling and flickering.

To convert PAL->NTSC will cost $150/disk. For 13 disks, that's $1950. I'm not in any position or desire to shell out that kind of money to do the formatting change. It might be possible to play the disks on a computer, capture the output and remaster on NTSC format. I don't know if that's possible.

In any case, it's going to take a bit of work to get things out. (That's the main problem with digital: an incompatible format makes the whole thing impossible to deal with, as opposed to analog, which only has degradation problems.)

Anyone with any bright ideas?

[esskreemr]

To convert PAL->NTSC will cost $150/disk. For 13 disks, that's $1950. I'm not in any position or desire to shell out that kind of money to do the formatting change. It might be possible to play the disks on a computer, capture the output and remaster on NTSC format. I don't know if that's possible.

In any case, it's going to take a bit of work to get things out. (That's the main problem with digital: an incompatible format makes the whole thing impossible to deal with, as opposed to analog, which only has degradation problems.)

Anyone with any bright ideas?

Not sure if it would work but a DVD-Recorder from WalMart (Less than $200.00) would probably accept PAL and would be able to burn to ntsc format. Should say on the box.

In addition, there are freeware programs that will convert PAL to NTSC. I've played with video conversion. It takes a little tweaking sometimes, especially with the freeware. Since the conversion from PAL to NTSC is mostly a resolution issue (going down from PAL), it really depends on the quality of the footage.

I'd be willing to buy PAL editions. Not sure if I need 13 disks though...

[whtouche]

What is on these DVDs, out of curiousity?

[R. Exnicios]

The DVDs are playable on DVD players? Why do they need to be converted?

Am I missing something?

Lost in translation

[swordsen]

the player will play them but your TV won't show them.

[JEC]

Eric,
I also received a DVD from the other side of the pond. I was able to convert it into NTSC by inserting images using professional editing software with appropriate codecs. I am not completely satisfied for TV, but I have excellent results for computer. Are the files *.asf ? If your Men's Epee files are of better quality than I have, it will take me some time, but I would convert them for free. I need to know the frame size, video bitration rate, format (images/sec and type), duration of recording and file size.
JEC

[vegan]

Hiya,
I'll take them as they are, how muc is it too just copy them . . . . they should play on the computer in any case weather they are pal or ntsc, plus I know someone who could convert for free as well.
Thanks
B.
Ps. how much to copy them?
PPS. I'm not sure I want edited copies, I'd prefer the raw stuff myself, not to edit, but just to have everything (I collect jazz video the same way!).
Cheers!

[edew]

At the moment, I can't even access the disk, much less determine whether they're asf or any other type of file. When I (or the duplicating house) put the disc into a set-top box, it won't read at all. The DVD player will say, "disk is not readable". When I (...) put the disc into a computer, it's not even recognized. Click on Drive D and it says it's empty. On a Mac, it doesn't even see it. And after many attempts at searching for it, it sees it as a blank disc. Given that there's the tell-tale burn indicators (the clear side has a reflective and not-so-reflective portion), we know the disc has been burned into.

Further claim is that european DVDs usually use the DVD+R/+RW whereas the US primarily use DVD-R or DVD+R (no RW). But that's not enough of a reason.

Doesn't read on either a PC or a Mac.

So, I can't even make copies of the files for others to try. There's no files found on the DVD. Yet. I'm sending them to more knowledgeable folks.

[Artisan]

Edew:
Check the documentation of your DVD device. DVD's and DVD players / burners are "regionalized." Meaning they have a firmware encoding for part of the world you are in. You may be able to change the encoding of your player, but be careful, and read the instruction manual, you may not be able to change it back. I doubt you can change a disc once it has been burned.

I discovered this when I installed a DVD burner in my PC. Its manual states that the first DVD inserted in it will set the regional flag to the origin of the disc - so be sure to use a domestic disc. This flag can be reset up to five times, after that the DVD burner will only play discs from the last region it was set to. I have friends that travel abroad frequently who have had their portable clamshell-type DVD players rendered useless by this "feature"

....globalization....

[wpotere]

I'll see Sabreur tonight and ask him about it. Perhaps I can play with them before we do the shipping thing again to make sure that they work...

[Faggot the Hutt]

To convert PAL->NTSC will cost $150/disk. For 13 disks, that's $1950. I'm not in any position or desire to shell out that kind of money to do the formatting change.

You're being ripped off. There is software to convert the DVD's into an NTSC viewable format... which I have. PM me if you're interested.

[edew]

Edew:
Check the documentation of your DVD device. DVD's and DVD players / burners are "regionalized." Meaning they have a firmware encoding for part of the world you are in. You may be able to change the encoding of your player, but be careful, and read the instruction manual, you may not be able to change it back. I doubt you can change a disc once it has been burned.

I discovered this when I installed a DVD burner in my PC. Its manual states that the first DVD inserted in it will set the regional flag to the origin of the disc - so be sure to use a domestic disc. This flag can be reset up to five times, after that the DVD burner will only play discs from the last region it was set to. I have friends that travel abroad frequently who have had their portable clamshell-type DVD players rendered useless by this "feature"

....globalization....

It's at a lower level than that. Computers can't even recognize that there's a DVD in the CD-ROM drive. As for DVD players, they can't see it either.

[JyJy]

HI all!

Are these DVDs from internet feed or satellite (tv) feed ? I got
3 DVDs of TV feed from those nice fencers in Oulu. The set is almost complete, but does anyone have everything ?

(Oh, at least in Finland both DVD+/- RW+/- are used, the burner in my laptop is DVD-)

JyJy

[wpotere]

It's at a lower level than that. Computers can't even recognize that there's a DVD in the CD-ROM drive. As for DVD players, they can't see it either.

It sounds like the session wasn't closed before he sent them to you. This means that only he can view them.

[sabreur]

It sounds like the session wasn't closed before he sent them to you. This means that only he can view them.

I'm going to try to copy them again, using DVD-R disks, and checking them in my DVD player.

I'm sick this week, so I have plenty of time to fool with it--won't be at training tonight, Will.

MR

[esskreemr]

That's only an issue for commercial disks. Shouldn't affect a homemade disk.

[wpotere]

I'm going to try to copy them again, using DVD-R disks, and checking them in my DVD player.

I'm sick this week, so I have plenty of time to fool with it--won't be at training tonight, Will.

MR

Bummer, get well soon!

If you want to burn them, I can take look at them and see before we start shipping them around. I am a computer geek you know...

[fencerontheline]

I have a friend that'll be able to convert them. Eric- if you can get me a copy of the disks (in perhaps Atlanta) I can convert them and ship them with little trouble.

[edew]

It sounds like the session wasn't closed before he sent them to you. This means that only he can view them.

That's what the duplicating folks say: the person who mastered them didn't finalize or close the session. So it's like a file with no ending or something.

[edew]

I'm going to try to copy them again, using DVD-R disks, and checking them in my DVD player.

I'm sick this week, so I have plenty of time to fool with it--won't be at training tonight, Will.

MR

How does one plan to get sick for a whole week? Is it a european thing?