Coming up on their deadline to become a Blu-ray only production house, Universal has unveiled its plans for the audio it intends to use on the format. Ever since their defection from the HD-DVD camp, they've been working on a way to maximize the 50Gb worth of space available to them on BD-50 discs. When working for the HD-DVD group, Universal had slapped together some audio configurations ...
Read full articleOriginally posted by domie:LOL...
and they do give a $hit about Jurassic park Trilogy ?
damn ! There are more twelve year olds in here than I thought ! - Time for a paedophile alert Police scan of the Afterdawn forums to make it safer for them :P
Originally posted by nobrainer:I disagree with the DTS or the True HD. Not all films require lossless audio.
all video on blu-ray should be mpge4 with dts true HD audio, otherwise whats the point.
Quote:Originally posted by nobrainer:
all video on blu-ray should be mpge4 with dts true HD audio, otherwise whats the point.
I disagree with the DTS or the True HD. Not all films require lossless audio.
Example: An old catlog title like Casablanca (1942) or The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) - both released on HD DVD - do not require lossless audio since the originals were in mono. Low-key modern dramas or comedies where it's mostly dialogue (like The 40-Year Old Virgin and Michael Clayton) will also not benefit from a lossless soundtrack.
Action/adventure titles are different. Films like Independence Day, I Robot, and AVP:Requiem (all of which have DTS HD-MA) will benefit from lossless.
Originally posted by varnull:ok let's go back to vcr i can't see the difernce . ...... ....., get a decent system and u'll catch up the idea
And how many people will even notice the difference? Most peoples hearing is 20% down by age 30.
Just more BS from the studios who can't come up with anything actually worth watching any more. The last great film I saw was Van Helsing... since then just low production value spinoffs and remakes..
And then there are the releases of old goop like Casablanca.. grainy original film stock, mono clipped hissy soundtrack..... may as well watch it on a 25 year old vhs machine.
Sorry Universal.. you don't make films worth watching.. I can't even be bothered pirating them any more. Go on... go BR only by the end of the year. I'm sure total worldwide disk sales of a couple hundred thousand will really impress the shareholders.... I will enjoy watching you fizzle out within 12 months.. idiots.
Originally posted by varnull:
The last great film I saw was Van Helsing.
Originally posted by eatsushi:For those of us with the equipment (and the ears) to notice the difference, this is indeed excellent news.
On topic though, this announcement from Universal is excellent. I actually wouldn't mind replacing some of my Universal HD DVD's that have DD+ if they're re-released with DTS HD-MA.
Now give us the Unrated Extended Edition of American Gangster with DTS HD-MA.
Originally posted by eatsushi:so really old films that were shot in technicolor and in mono sound benefit the consumer from the blu-ray rehash how exactly then?
Originally posted by nobrainer:I disagree with the DTS or the True HD. Not all films require lossless audio.
all video on blu-ray should be mpge4 with dts true HD audio, otherwise whats the point.
Example: An old catlog title like Casablanca (1942) or The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) - both released on HD DVD - do not require lossless audio since the originals were in mono. Low-key modern dramas or comedies where it's mostly dialogue (like The 40-Year Old Virgin and Michael Clayton) will also not benefit from a lossless soundtrack.
Action/adventure titles are different. Films like Independence Day, I Robot, and AVP:Requiem (all of which have DTS HD-MA) will benefit from lossless.
Quote:Film is equivalent to about 4K resolution. So why so you think it would look better compressed down to 720, like it is on a DVD?Originally posted by eatsushi:so really old films that were shot in technicolor and in mono sound benefit the consumer from the blu-ray rehash how exactly then?
Originally posted by nobrainer:I disagree with the DTS or the True HD. Not all films require lossless audio.
all video on blu-ray should be mpge4 with dts true HD audio, otherwise whats the point.
Example: An old catlog title like Casablanca (1942) or The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) - both released on HD DVD - do not require lossless audio since the originals were in mono. Low-key modern
dramas or comedies where it's mostly dialogue (like The 40-Year Old Virgin and Michael Clayton) will also not benefit from a lossless soundtrack.
Action/adventure titles are different. Films like Independence Day, I Robot, and AVP:Requiem (all of which have DTS HD-MA) will benefit from lossless.
why not purchase it on dvd for £4 instead of lining the studios pockets by purchasing the £20 blu-ray, with media that is now in the public domain! BTW public domain = free and legal to download.
another fine example of the rip off corporations using a new medium to inflate prices because its new it most be better and obviously costs more regardless of the fact that the films being re-released can now be reduced in cost because they have already recouped their costs and made their profit for the studios.
Originally posted by nobrainer:Define what you mean by MPEG4? You do know there is many ways the name "MPEG4" can be used, don't you?
all video on blu-ray should be mpge4 with dts true HD audio, otherwise whats the point.
Originally posted by ghoti:Actually NTSC DVD's have 480 lines of resolution. It's a common misunderstanding as it's the horizontal resolution that is 720... SD (DVD): 720 x 480, HD (720p): 1280 x 720, Full HD (1080p): 1920 x 1080.
Film is equivalent to about 4K resolution. So why so you think it would look better compressed down to 720, like it is on a DVD?
Also just because the audio is mono doesn’t mean you won't notice a difference in sound quality.
Compression is the enemy.
Originally posted by nobrainer:Even old films find new life when released in 1080p.
so really old films that were shot in technicolor and in mono sound benefit the consumer from the blu-ray rehash how exactly then?
Quote:
This HD DVD release of 'Casablanca' follows a painstaking, grade-A remaster standard def DVD reissue back in 2003. The results were glorious then, and they are glorious now -- this is the way we dream our favorite classics will look when they come to home video. It is also a transfer so superior that even if I could find anything to remotely nitpick about, it would be pretty useless.
'Casablanca' is presented in 1080p/VC-1 video and appropriately pillarboxed to the film's original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.33:1. The black and white image is wonderful. The source material has been meticulously cleaned up, and good luck finding a speck of dirt, dropouts or inconsistencies in contrast or black levels. The film has a nice, deep and rich look, with excellent smoothness across the entire grayscale. Sharpness is perhaps slightly "soft" by today's standards, but terrific for a film from 1942. I continue to marvel at how deep and detailed this film looks. Fine textures throughout are clearly visible -- I could make out indentations on the spine of a book, or see slight creases in the clean whites of Humphrey Bogart's tuxedo. I am also grateful Warner didn't over-tweak this one -- whites never bloom and at no point is the image overly contrasted in an effort to make the film look "newer" or "glossier." Instead, 'Casablanca' maintains a very natural, film-like look throughout. Without a doubt this is the finest black and white transfer I've seen on high-def, period, and up there with the best remasters ever created for the home theater environment.
Quote:ah Casablanca would that be another film that is in the public domain and is FREE to download?Originally posted by nobrainer:Even old films find new life when released in 1080p.
so really old films that were shot in technicolor and in mono sound benefit the consumer from the blu-ray rehash how exactly then?
Let's take the HD DVD release of Casablanca for example:
http://hddvd.highdefdigest.com/498/casablanca.html
Picture Quality: 5/5 stars
Quote:
This HD DVD release of 'Casablanca' follows a painstaking, grade-A remaster standard def DVD reissue back in 2003. The results were glorious then, and they are glorious now -- this is the way we dream our favorite classics will look when they come to home video. It is also a transfer so superior that even if I could find anything to remotely nitpick about, it would be pretty useless.
'Casablanca' is presented in 1080p/VC-1 video and appropriately pillarboxed to the film's original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.33:1. The black and white image is wonderful. The source material has been meticulously cleaned up, and good luck finding a speck of dirt, dropouts or inconsistencies in contrast or black levels. The film has a nice, deep and rich look, with excellent smoothness across the entire grayscale. Sharpness is perhaps slightly "soft" by today's standards, but terrific for a film from 1942. I continue to marvel at how deep and detailed this film looks. Fine textures throughout are clearly visible -- I could make out indentations on the spine of a book, or see slight creases in the clean whites of Humphrey Bogart's tuxedo. I am also grateful Warner didn't over-tweak this one -- whites never bloom and at no point is the image overly contrasted in an effort to make the film look "newer" or "glossier." Instead, 'Casablanca' maintains a very natural, film-like look throughout. Without a doubt this is the finest black and white transfer I've seen on high-def, period, and up there with the best remasters ever created for the home theater environment.
Originally posted by nobrainer:I believe it's still distributed by Warner Bros.
ah Casablanca would that be another film that is in the public domain and is FREE to download?
Originally posted by juankerr:
Originally posted by nobrainer:I believe it's still distributed by Warner Bros.
ah Casablanca would that be another film that is in the public domain and is FREE to download?
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0034583/companycredits
Quote:Originally posted by nobrainer:Define what you mean by MPEG4? You do know there is many ways the name "MPEG4" can be used, don't you?
all video on blu-ray should be mpge4 with dts true HD audio, otherwise whats the point.
MPEG4 part2 (SP/ASP): Is a video stream format utilising h263 quantization, eg: DivX, Xvid etc.
MPEG4 part 10 (AVC): Is a video stream format utilising h264 quantization. AVC is the acronym for Advanced Video Codec. This is one of the three mandatory video codecs that Blu-ray/HD-DVD players support (I am guessing this is the format you are referring to).
MPEG4 part 3 (AAC): This is the audio sibling to AVC. AAC is the acronym for Advanced Audio Codec. A common extension for this format is M4A.
MPEG4 part 14 (mp4): Is a container format that supports multiple audio tracks and subtitles etc. This container supports a variety of video and audio streams, some of those being... Video: MPEG4 SP/ASP, AVC, MPEG2. Audio: AAC, MP3, MP2 etc.
On that note, what is wrong with VC-1? In my opinion VC-1 seems to offer comparable quality to AVC (h264). Whilst I agree that MPEG2 video is not as efficient as these newer formats. I personally stay away from MPEG2 encoded Blu-ray discs.
I'm sorry to bring this up again but I can never forget the discussion we had about DivX HD on stand alone players and you tryed to say that I don't know what I am talking about. I have been encoding/authoring etc. Audio/Video media for many years now... And your experience is?... Well, you don't need to say as it clearly shows. :-P
Also, what is DTS TrueHD? Did you mean Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD or both?
Originally posted by ghoti:Actually NTSC DVD's have 480 lines of resolution. It's a common misunderstanding as it's the horizontal resolution that is 720... SD (DVD): 720 x 480, HD (720p): 1280 x 720, Full HD (1080p): 1920 x 1080.
Film is equivalent to about 4K resolution. So why so you think it would look better compressed down to 720, like it is on a DVD?
Also just because the audio is mono doesn’t mean you won't notice a difference in sound quality.
Compression is the enemy.
However, yes I agree. With the marvels of remastering using the technology available today, an old classic film can certainly be given a new lease of life.
eatsushi's point on the audio was referring to the fact that an older film originally recorded in mono doesn't really need a lossless track (Dolby TrueHD/DTS-HD). Sure the audio could be remastered and simulate a surround sound environment, but for this a regular Dolby Digital or DTS audio track would suffice.
PS: LOL!@error5... I didn't think much of Van Helsing either.
Quote:Painful to read but these pretty much sum up the sentiments of most critics.
This moronic abomination is not a movie. It's just a noisy, nasty and repulsive video game-slash- theme-park haunted-house ride designed to appeal to the offspring of warlocks and trolls.
Rex Reed
New York Observer
This is what happens when you spend pots of money on special effects but don't give a fig about storytelling.
Stephanie Zacharek
Salon.com
Van Helsing is one excruciatingly loud set piece of CGI hooey after another, and when a character or a plot twist does manage to make you laugh, you're not sure whether it's camp or ineptitude. Ty Burr
Boston Globe
Originally posted by varnull:Far be it from you to criticize others' tastes then.
Hey losers.. I'm as entitled to my opinion of a film as anybody else.
Originally posted by error5:Exactly. I thought van Helsing and Transformers were cut from the very same mold - 99% CGI effects and 1% story and plot.
Van Helsing reviews from rottentomatoes:
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/van_helsing/?critic=creamcrop
Quote:Painful to read but these pretty much sum up the sentiments of most critics.
This moronic abomination is not a movie. It's just a noisy, nasty and repulsive video game-slash- theme-park haunted-house ride designed to appeal to the offspring of warlocks and trolls.
Rex Reed
New York Observer
This is what happens when you spend pots of money on special effects but don't give a fig about storytelling.
Stephanie Zacharek
Salon.com
Van Helsing is one excruciatingly loud set piece of CGI hooey after another, and when a character or a plot twist does manage to make you laugh, you're not sure whether it's camp or ineptitude. Ty Burr
Boston Globe
Originally posted by varnull:Far be it from you to criticize others' tastes then.
Hey losers.. I'm as entitled to my opinion of a film as anybody else.
Originally posted by juankerr:Exactly right. Casablanca looked pristine and very impressive on my 1080p front projector setup. The HD DVD release really brought it back to life.
Even old films find new life when released in 1080p.
Let's take the HD DVD release of Casablanca for example:
Originally posted by eatsushi:that's tru, but as soon as the ict (Image Constraint Token) is switched on around 2010 we will lose that ability.
The other good thing about DTS-HD MA for those without HDMI or advanced codec receivers - you can still take advantage of the Core DTS soundtrack which is at an impressive 1.5Mbps thru optical or digital coax.
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