Here's the thing: I want to buy the DVDs of two of my favourite series ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Veronica Mars"), but I'm not sure whether to get the Region 1 (NTSC) or the Region 2 (PAL) versions. I know of the 4% speedup issue with PAL (and that's a drawback), but on the other hand they do have higher vertical resolution (576 vs 480 lines).

Or do they really? I often wonder if the production companies simply take the NTSC version, and upscale it + speed it up to produce the PAL version, instead of generating both from the same higher resolution digital master. In the former case there really is no advantage to the PAL version.

I realise that answering this question requires some inside knowledge into how DVDs are mastered, but I was hoping someone in this forum would know about this stuff.

Thanks for your help!!
Jean

Here's the thing: I want to buy the DVDs of two of my favourite series ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Veronica Mars"), but I'm not sure whether to get the Region 1 (NTSC) or the Region 2 (PAL) versions. I know of the 4% speedup issue with PAL (and that's a drawback), but on the other hand they do have higher vertical resolution (576 vs 480 lines).

Or do they really? I often wonder if the production companies simply take the NTSC version, and upscale it + speed it up to produce the PAL version, instead of generating both from the same higher resolution digital master. In the former case there really is no advantage to the PAL version.

I realise that answering this question requires some inside knowledge into how DVDs are mastered, but I was hoping someone in this forum would know about this stuff.

Thanks for your help!!
Jean

I'm sure DVDs produced in PAL counties are from PAL originals, not NTSC.

That said, in the few PAL discs I own I haven't noticed the extra vertical resolution providing dramatically better picture quality. Other mastering factors must predominate.

-Bill

Converting an NTSC source to PAL will not result in speedup. Speedup occurs when transferring directly from film (24fps) to PAL video (25 fps). If the content has already been transferred from film to NTSC (30fps) with 3:2 pulldown, the conversion process to 25fps PAL utilizes its own pulldown method to maintain constant speed.

Conversely, if a movie was first transferred from film to PAL, then speedup is "baked in" to the transfer, so to speak. Converting that PAL transfer to NTSC will retain the speedup artifacts.

I have the Buffy DVD sets from both Region 1 and Region 2. The R2 discs are true PAL transfers with speedup and slightly higher resolution. As wmcclain mentioned, the resolution increase from NTSC to PAL is marginal at best, and is not really worth the tradeoff. Other mastering issues will have a much greater impact on picture quality.

With Buffy specifically, however, the R2 sets do have the advantage of being presented in anamorphic 16:9 widescreen from Season 4 onward, whereas the R1 sets are all 4:3 full screen. Joss Whedon claims that the show was only composed for 4:3, but to my eye most episodes look better framed at 16:9.

Thanks for the information! So I guess that in Buffy's case the choice is really between correct speed and widescreen for seasons 4+5 (because even in R1 season 6+7 are 16:9, right?). Decisions, decisions...

Thanks for the information! So I guess that in Buffy's case the choice is really between correct speed and widescreen for seasons 4+5 (because even in R1 season 6+7 are 16:9, right?). Decisions, decisions...

The show is 4:3 for all 7 seasons in Region 1, except the episode 'Once More With Feeling', which is the only one Whedon claims was deliberately composed for 16:9. However, the copy of that episode in the R1 box set for Season 6 is non-anamorphic letterbox, whereas the R2 edition is anamorphically enhanced.

But yes, the decision is between correct playback speed vs. widescreen transfers. Again, 4:3 is the official and authorized ratio for all 7 seaons, so a purist will probably want to stick with the R1 box sets. The 16:9 transfers are more of a nice-to-have. I keep both copies on hand.

The main reasons to buy Region 2 discs:

1) Title isn't available on Region 1
2) Title has more extras than the comparable Region 1. British shows, for instance, may have better bonus features or better aspect ratio than the same show being released in the US.
3) Buying Region 2 discs of French or Asian films often come with an English subtitle selection that the Region 3 or other region discs do not.

For me, the main reason I buy PAL and other region discs is that they just aren't available for Region 1. Lots of discs I have bought were subsequently released later on Region 1, so I tried to pick foreign TV shows and movies that I think won't come out here for a while. Mainly for resell purposes, so when I'm done with the discs, it's an easier time selling Region 1's on ebay or Amazon.

Some good British TV sets you probably won't ever see for US Region 1:
Whistleblowers
New Tricks
Sea of Souls
Minder