HD DVD / Blu-ray Reviews and Recommendations - Page 6

Suprmallet · 10-13-06, 08:32 PM

Thanks for the comments, guys. I took out the 16x9 bit, and turned "The DVD" into "The HD DVD." Although technically an HD DVD is still a DVD, it's just a different type.

Thanks again for the input!

lizard · 10-14-06, 11:43 AM

^The reason for the quibble about The HD DVD was that the combination of the header The DVD and the "enhanced for 16:9" stuff had me wondering whether it was actually a SD DVD review. I think the new header adds clarity.

Suprmallet · 10-14-06, 08:02 PM

You're absolutely right. I was just being a smartass.

Suprmallet · 10-23-06, 03:18 AM

My review of the New Orleans concert is up, as well as Josh's review of The Adventures of Robin Hood.

Mr. Cinema · 10-23-06, 08:57 AM

I got Adam to change this to a review thread for both formats. I now own both formats, so I want to hear some voices from the BD group. I should hopefully be getting my player this week, but would like to get some feedback from the better looking BD discs.

Josh Z · 10-23-06, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Cinema

I got Adam to change this to a review thread for both formats. I now own both formats, so I want to hear some voices from the BD group. I should hopefully be getting my player this week, but would like to get some feedback from the better looking BD discs.

Warner Bros. and Paramount seem to be consistently putting out the best Blu-rays. You know, the stuff they already released on HD DVD first.

Mr. Cinema · 10-23-06, 11:27 AM

Any idea what codec Fox will be using: MPEG-2, VC-1, or AVC?

wewantflair · 10-23-06, 11:31 AM

Some titles are confirmed Mpeg-2, while others are AVC.

Mr. Cinema · 10-23-06, 11:37 AM

I'm sure, under 2 hours: MPEG2, over: AVC?

wewantflair · 10-23-06, 12:09 PM

If I'm not mistaken, Kingom of Heaven, which is reportedly a BD50, is Mpeg-2.

Suprmallet · 10-23-06, 03:14 PM

That New Orleans Concert I reviewed was MPEG-2. Looked like a cable TV broadcast. Interestingly, all the stuff that the A1 does with DVD but does not do with HD DVDs (OSD, resume after stop) were enabled on this disc. Also, it had no pop-up interactive menu.

Kocheese99 · 10-23-06, 05:33 PM

Anybody got a early reveiw of Spartacus or Slither? I'm debating on picking these up, but would like an idea of how they are first.

Suprmallet · 10-24-06, 01:56 AM

I think Adam is getting Slither, and I'm hoping to get Spartacus, but it could go to any one of us.

MrChaos · 10-24-06, 05:13 PM

FYI, many are reporting that Spartacus is the worst Universal HD-DVD to date. Very soft picture barely a step above the Criterion. Plus ZERO extra's

digitalfreaknyc · 10-24-06, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrChaos

FYI, many are reporting that Spartacus is the worst Universal HD-DVD to date. Very soft picture barely a step above the Criterion. Plus ZERO extra's

Many? I only saw one. On AVS.

Kocheese99 · 10-24-06, 05:33 PM

I've seen two reviews over on AVS. One under just Spartacus Thoughts?? and the other says Picked up Spartacus and the THing. They both weren't too positive.

digitalfreaknyc · 10-24-06, 05:47 PM

Enh. ANd then Gary will come in and say it's the best transfer ever.

I'd wait till we get reliable reviewers taking a look at it.

Kocheese99 · 10-24-06, 05:55 PM

If it starts getting good reviews i'll be sure to pick it up.

Mr. Cinema · 10-24-06, 06:10 PM

I don't agree with alot of the "reviews" at AVS. Some brag on stuff way too much and some are too critical.

The Edit King · 10-24-06, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DthRdrX

Good job Suprmallet!

I STRONGLY second that emotion, although I was a bit disappointed that I didn't get a mention in your Bio.

Suprmallet · 10-24-06, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Edit King

I STRONGLY second that emotion, although I was a bit disappointed that I didn't get a mention in your Bio.

Take a second look at that bio, my friend.

Edit: Woot! Looks like I'm going to review 12 Monkeys, LW2, and Out of Sight. Guess someone else got Spartacus.

Josh Z · 10-24-06, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by digitalfreaknyc

Enh. ANd then Gary will come in and say it's the best transfer ever.

He does have a habit of that, doesn't he?

Suprmallet · 10-24-06, 09:06 PM

He may do that a lot, but I still feel Sleepy Hollow is an excellent transfer that correctly conveys the director's intent for the movie.

MrChaos · 10-24-06, 09:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Suprmallet

Take a second look at that bio, my friend.

Edit: Woot! Looks like I'm going to review 12 Monkeys, LW2, and Out of Sight. Guess someone else got Spartacus.

Nice.. Out of Sight looks great so far.. My thoughts:

Presented in a 1080p, VC1 Encoded, 1:85:1 Widescreen Aspect Ratio, Out of Sight actually looks pretty good for a film that is 7-8 years old. Add in the fact that Soderbergh originally mastered this title for the original SD-DVD release in a high-definition (1080i) and you get quite the fine transfer.

With a setting in a city like Miami, the film boasts some spectacular full-range colors. Every scene, outside scenes at least, had a nice sense of completion in each color. Blacks were full and rich while colors like reds, greens, and the bright Miami skyline were all just as good. The fine use of colors also gave the film a sense of higher detail as items like flesh tones on the actor’s faces were nearly perfect with only a few scenes of blemish and pixilation. Take a look at Chapter 24 simply labeled ‘Detroit’ for a fine example, in this case the use of the color blue creating a nice tinting type effect to show the coldness of not only the city of Detroit (time wise in the film), but also what the men were doing.

Items like grain and edge enhancement were present in a few sequences, like in the opening sequence where Jack robs a bank. Otherwise from that, grain was never overly present to a point where it affected the transfer.

Not totally done with the video section as I'm still watching the film.

The Edit King · 10-24-06, 10:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Suprmallet

Take a second look at that bio, my friend.

WOW!!!

What can I say???

I am LITERALLY SPEECHLESS!!!

(...but that in no way has any effect on my fingers, and I will continue expressing my new found 'suprnatural glee' in print.)

I simply can't believe that anyone would go to so much trouble for widdle ol' me.

(Okay, I've seen it. You can remove it now.

)

I LOVE YOU...MAN!!!

-SUPRTHEEK!

10-13-06, 08:32 PM	#126
Suprmallet Moderator Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: USS Enterprise Posts: 21,741	Thanks for the comments, guys. I took out the 16x9 bit, and turned "The DVD" into "The HD DVD." Although technically an HD DVD is still a DVD, it's just a different type. Thanks again for the input! __________________ Living Dead: So what you're saying is... no one died in the middle of your store when you told them they couldn't have a $10 plasma TV? I find that a little hard to swallow.

10-14-06, 08:02 PM	#128
Suprmallet Moderator Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: USS Enterprise Posts: 21,741	You're absolutely right. I was just being a smartass. __________________ Living Dead: So what you're saying is... no one died in the middle of your store when you told them they couldn't have a $10 plasma TV? I find that a little hard to swallow.

10-23-06, 03:18 AM	#129
Suprmallet Moderator Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: USS Enterprise Posts: 21,741	My review of the New Orleans concert is up, as well as Josh's review of The Adventures of Robin Hood. __________________ Living Dead: So what you're saying is... no one died in the middle of your store when you told them they couldn't have a $10 plasma TV? I find that a little hard to swallow.

10-23-06, 03:14 PM	#136
Suprmallet Moderator Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: USS Enterprise Posts: 21,741	That New Orleans Concert I reviewed was MPEG-2. Looked like a cable TV broadcast. Interestingly, all the stuff that the A1 does with DVD but does not do with HD DVDs (OSD, resume after stop) were enabled on this disc. Also, it had no pop-up interactive menu. __________________ Living Dead: So what you're saying is... no one died in the middle of your store when you told them they couldn't have a $10 plasma TV? I find that a little hard to swallow.

10-23-06, 05:33 PM	#137
Kocheese99 DVD Talk Special Edition Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 1,292	Anybody got a early reveiw of Spartacus or Slither? I'm debating on picking these up, but would like an idea of how they are first. __________________ My ever growing collection

10-14-06, 11:43 AM	#127
lizard DVD Talk Limited Edition Join Date: May 2000 Location: the Western Slope, Colorado Posts: 5,840	^The reason for the quibble about The HD DVD was that the combination of the header The DVD and the "enhanced for 16:9" stuff had me wondering whether it was actually a SD DVD review. I think the new header adds clarity.

10-23-06, 08:57 AM	#130
Mr. Cinema Guest Join Date: Oct 1999 Posts: 11,950	I got Adam to change this to a review thread for both formats. I now own both formats, so I want to hear some voices from the BD group. I should hopefully be getting my player this week, but would like to get some feedback from the better looking BD discs.

10-23-06, 11:27 AM	#132
Mr. Cinema Guest Join Date: Oct 1999 Posts: 11,950	Any idea what codec Fox will be using: MPEG-2, VC-1, or AVC?

10-23-06, 11:31 AM	#133
wewantflair DVD Talk Special Edition Join Date: May 2004 Location: Mastic, NY Posts: 1,811	Some titles are confirmed Mpeg-2, while others are AVC.

10-23-06, 11:37 AM	#134
Mr. Cinema Guest Join Date: Oct 1999 Posts: 11,950	I'm sure, under 2 hours: MPEG2, over: AVC?

10-23-06, 12:09 PM	#135
wewantflair DVD Talk Special Edition Join Date: May 2004 Location: Mastic, NY Posts: 1,811	If I'm not mistaken, Kingom of Heaven, which is reportedly a BD50, is Mpeg-2.

10-24-06, 01:56 AM	#138
Suprmallet Moderator Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: USS Enterprise Posts: 21,741	I think Adam is getting Slither, and I'm hoping to get Spartacus, but it could go to any one of us. __________________ Living Dead: So what you're saying is... no one died in the middle of your store when you told them they couldn't have a $10 plasma TV? I find that a little hard to swallow.

10-24-06, 05:13 PM	#139
MrChaos Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Acushnet, Massachusetts Posts: 366	FYI, many are reporting that Spartacus is the worst Universal HD-DVD to date. Very soft picture barely a step above the Criterion. Plus ZERO extra's __________________ The NEW Obession

10-24-06, 05:33 PM	#141
Kocheese99 DVD Talk Special Edition Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 1,292	I've seen two reviews over on AVS. One under just Spartacus Thoughts?? and the other says Picked up Spartacus and the THing. They both weren't too positive. __________________ My ever growing collection

10-24-06, 05:47 PM	#142
digitalfreaknyc Banned Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: NYC Posts: 15,959	Enh. ANd then Gary will come in and say it's the best transfer ever. I'd wait till we get reliable reviewers taking a look at it.

10-24-06, 05:55 PM	#143
Kocheese99 DVD Talk Special Edition Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 1,292	If it starts getting good reviews i'll be sure to pick it up. __________________ My ever growing collection

10-24-06, 06:10 PM	#144
Mr. Cinema Guest Join Date: Oct 1999 Posts: 11,950	I don't agree with alot of the "reviews" at AVS. Some brag on stuff way too much and some are too critical.

10-24-06, 09:06 PM	#148
Suprmallet Moderator Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: USS Enterprise Posts: 21,741	He may do that a lot, but I still feel Sleepy Hollow is an excellent transfer that correctly conveys the director's intent for the movie. __________________ Living Dead: So what you're saying is... no one died in the middle of your store when you told them they couldn't have a $10 plasma TV? I find that a little hard to swallow.