• From: Ogden, UT
  • Registered: 2010-11-04
  • Posts: 59

Topic: Frames per Second

Down in Front crew and other commentators,

We at the InsideOutcast have recently started doing our own film commentaries (ALIENS and a handful of horror films for October) and since we have man British listeners I upload two separate files. One is for NTSC format (23.976 Frames per Second) and the other is for PAL format (25 Frames per Second). After recording the commentary I use Audacity to change the tempo by %4.271.

I'm wondering if perhaps changing the tempo might increase the number of listeners in Europe. It's a bit more work but is a considerate gesture for any listeners across the pond. Granted not everyone actually watches the film with the commentary, but for those that do it would be nice to have the discussion sync with what is on screen at the time.

One issue with this, though, is Blu-ray. Now Blu-Rays in the states claim they are 24p. The question is is this true 24 fps or a shortcut way of referring to the 23.976 fps? With our purchasing more films on Blu-ray this will affect how we do commentaries in future.

Last edited by insideoutcast (2012-01-08 21:40:05)

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  • From: Bristol. Again.
  • Registered: 2010-06-17
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Re: Frames per Second

When DiF first started I sent Teague a couple of PAL conversions and Holden started doing some for the main site but the consensus was it needed to be a slightly different percentage for each film and more often then not fell out of sync.

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  • Teague
  • Teague
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  • Registered: 2009-11-07
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Re: Frames per Second

I'm gonna direct Matt to this thread, he had a whole system worked out.

Teague Chrystie

I have a tendency to fix your typos.

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  • From: Florida
  • Registered: 2009-12-01
  • Posts: 703
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Re: Frames per Second

DIF has done Blu-ray commentaries; I'm not certain, but I'm pretty sure that NTSC requires that the final output be at 23.976 fps.

At any rate, the magic number I worked out was 4.289%.  I just took the NTSC commentary into Audacity, and used ChangeTempo to make it 4.289% faster.

I just set up a chain (action, preset; Audacity calls them chains) in Audacity to change the tempo and then export it as a new mp3.  Saves an extra step, and stores the correct number.

Never heard any complaints about sync-up, but I sort of fell out of doing them a while ago and no one has raised a fuss about not getting them, so.

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  • From: Liverpool, UK
  • Registered: 2011-05-01
  • Posts: 944
  • User Karma: 365

Re: Frames per Second

Coming from PAL-land, I usually just pause every now and then so I can keep sort of in sync. I wouldn't mind seeing more 'PAL conversions' though.

I watched The Hurt Locker blu-ray with DIF commentary today though and it synced up perfectly, considering the format allows for 24p. Maybe it'd be a good idea to have a little note in the description on what format you guys watched the movie on?

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