|
Originally Posted by Suprmallet
Batman Begins, Hot Fuzz
|
So I got an A2 today...first movie I tried was Transformers. Yep. I'm hooked. Just watching it uncalibrated, with lots of ambient light, through the TV speakers, my jaw dropped. The picture was stunning, and I couldn't believe how much better the sound was than regular DVD (or HDTV)! That's probably what I was most impressed with. I was expecting a wonderful picture, but that sound...damn. Now my only problem is after watching Transformers, it sounds like it might be downhill from here? :(
|
No, it's not downhill from there. Well, maybe audio wise. I wouldn't even put Transformers in the top 10 of picture quality from the discs I've seen. There's plenty of great discs. I think Universal is the best at putting out quality discs.
|
I'll second that as well.
Universal has some spectacular HD transfers. If you haven't already, pick up a copy of King Kong. Many (including myself) believe this to be one of the best examples in picture quality in high def. |
That's good to hear...I had just read so many people saying Transformers was a great reference movie, that I thought maybe it was considered "the best" and therefore nothing else would be as good just now. Good to hear otherwise.
|
I was watching a bit of The Aviator today. It is absolutely gorgeous. If there was ever an argument to be made that High Definition displays more colors than Standard Definition then The Aviator is the proof. The colors almost get in the way of watching the movie. You can't help but notice them in every scene.
|
Any word on the quality of the Oldboy Blu-Ray? I'm itching to pick this up and need someone to give the disc a thumbs up.:)
|
Originally Posted by Sweet Baby James
Any word on the quality of the Oldboy Blu-Ray? I'm itching to pick this up and need someone to give the disc a thumbs up.:)
|
Originally Posted by Sweet Baby James
Any word on the quality of the Oldboy Blu-Ray? I'm itching to pick this up and need someone to give the disc a thumbs up.:)
|
|
My wife and I watched Pride and Prejudice hd-dvd last night. Great movie btw.
The picture quality was just ok some time and not good at times. Detail was better than standard dvd, but overall, it didnt look much better than standard dvd. The TrueHD sound was very good, but obviously it rarely (rainy scenes only I think) used the surrounds. |
Originally Posted by RockStrongo
My wife and I watched Pride and Prejudice hd-dvd last night. Great movie btw.
The picture quality was just ok some time and not good at times. Detail was better than standard dvd, but overall, it didnt look much better than standard dvd. The TrueHD sound was very good, but obviously it rarely (rainy scenes only I think) used the surrounds. |
How is the picture quality of Superman The Movie (1978) on Blu-ray? It's a shame that all the extras have from the standard DVD was not ported over. Thanks!
|
Can anyone recommend Digital Video Essentials DVE for HD-DVD?
Should I pick it up to calibrate my HDTV? |
Buy 1 Get 1 Free Sale on HD DVDs.
|
|
Originally Posted by ziondog
Can anyone recommend Digital Video Essentials DVE for HD-DVD?
Should I pick it up to calibrate my HDTV? Basically, the HD version includes DVE on one side and then the reference material in HD on the other side (no instructional aspect on the HD side though). I found that when I calibrated with the standard dvd, I didnt tweak it at all with the HD material. |
Is there a 2007 best of list for audio commentary?
|
|
Quick question - I was in Best Buy and they had a Sony BluRay player connected to a 46" plasma HDTV. They were plaing a short scene from POTC: Dead Man's Chest, and the picture was so crystal clear that it didn't look like a movie, but instead a live stage play. Is this normal PQ with BD? I thought it crossed the line into looking too good and no longer being movie-like. Perhaps someone could explain it to me, as it just didn't have that "movie" feel to it.
|
You sure it wasn't one of the new Samsung 120Hz TV's?
|
I don't know, but the image was so clean and clear that it looked nothing like a movie, and that concerned me.
If it was on of the TVs you mention, is that an adjustable image quality? |
Just wanted to post my thought on 2 titles I recently watched.
Eyes Wide Shut - I assume this was shot intentionally soft. It was pretty much like watching an upconverted DVD. Pretty disappointing but I assume this is how it's supposed to look. Shoot 'Em Up - On the other end of the spectrum this film spared no one's pretty face. You could count the individual hairs on Giamatti's beard and see that Monica Bellucci really is that stunning. |
Originally Posted by achau9598
I don't know, but the image was so clean and clear that it looked nothing like a movie, and that concerned me.
If it was on of the TVs you mention, is that an adjustable image quality? |
What's the point of a 120Hz set if it won't do 5:5 pulldown?
|
I just watched The Graduate (French HD-DVD). I highly recommend this release. It looks and sounds fantastic for an older film.
Also, it's interesting that the menus are in English on the French HD-DVD. It's an extremely English-friendly release. |
Originally Posted by vcuram
I just watched The Graduate (French HD-DVD). I highly recommend this release. It looks and sounds fantastic for an older film.
Also, it's interesting that the menus are in English on the French HD-DVD. It's an extremely English-friendly release. Does the audio have the pitch problem? If it hasn't been done already, it'd be really nice if someone could put together a definitive list of which import discs have it and which don't. |
Originally Posted by applesandrice
Does the audio have the pitch problem? If it hasn't been done already, it'd be really nice if someone could put together a definitive list of which import discs have it and which don't.
|
Originally Posted by Hammer99
A few people reported pitch problems on this title, but I disagree & so does this review, it sounds right to me. :thumbsup:
That's good news, thanks! |
Yeah, I noticed the pitch problem right away on Mulholland Dr, but didn't on The Graduate. Simon and Garfunkel sounded exactly as they should!
|
Watched The Rock today and was very impressed by how good it looked. Very detailed. The PCM audio kicked ass, which is expected since this is a Michael Bay flick.
I briefly previewed Man on Fire and it also looks terrific. |
Originally Posted by vcuram
Yeah, I noticed the pitch problem right away on Mulholland Dr, but didn't on The Graduate. Simon and Garfunkel sounded exactly as they should!
|
I've only gotten through about 45 minutes of I, Robot, but damn is that a great transfer. I can only listen to the DTS "core" mix, but it also sounds great. This title has certainly moved up near the top of my demo list.
However, No Country for Old Men may now be the best transfer I've seen so far. It is flawless. A non-animated film or one that lacks CGI always impresses me a little more since you're dealing with real photography at all times. |
I got around to watching Predator last night. This is a gritty looking film, so the picture quality isn't amazing, but it is a step up above the dvd. There are plenty of scenes with heavy grain, but there are also several shots that contain quite a bit of detail. The scene where Mac is on watch at night is one of the better looking scenes. But in all, it's definitely a mixed bag.
|
I'm so angry with Fox right now I can barely unclench my fists to type. According to the highdefdigest review of the new "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" Blu-ray, not only has Fox dropped half the special features from the 2-disc DVD, the video quality sounds like absolute crap. What a slap in the face. That was going to be my first Fox Blu-ray purchase.
Anyway, here's the link to the review: http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/611/...ndancekid.html . . . and here's what they had to say about the PQ specifically: The Video: Sizing Up the Picture The early buzz on this first-ever Blu-ray release of 'Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid' has been dreadful. Based on an overseas high-def release, word was to expect the worst -- a feeling not entirely confirmed but hardly refuted by this actual 1080p/MPEG-2 transfer. It's not the completely unmitigated disaster I anticipated, but I certainly can't give it high marks. The problems are many. The source is poor. The inconsistent grain is not unexpected given the age of the material, but the print is often worn (with instances of dirt, dropouts, and even a few hairs on the film). Blacks are pretty atrocious, with obvious fading (especially on the bottom of the frame) and a washed-out, diffused look. To be fair, the film is flush with soft-focus filters, but compare this to a top-flight remaster of the same vintage such as, say, Universal's 'The Sting,' and the comparison is night and day. Colors are likewise on the faded side, with only a few midnight blues and some bright exteriors having any sparkle. Detail is generally middling, and depth is flat as a board. The MPEG-2 encode is also not a wise choice (even spread over a BD-50 dual-layer disc), with some noise and a few posterization artifacts noticeable. I did find 'Butch Cassidy' at least watchable, but that's faint praise indeed. |
The Orphanage had a nice, clean picture and the DTS HD-MA soundtrack was awesome! The story is also very good if you like ghost stories with a twist.
I highly recommend this one. |
I'm about 5 minutes into Rambo, and this is my reaction to the DTS HD MA track:
HOLY SHIT. The floor of my bedroom was literally shaking during the opening scene. I saw the film twice theatrically*, and this easily replicates the theatrical experience. I can't imagine how crazy my system will be at the end... :eek: * - I intentionally saw it the first time in the smaller, cheaper theater, not because of money, but because I wanted to feel more like I was watching an 80's action movie with a less-advanced theater. |
Just started digging into my Dirty Harry box yesterday and finished watching the original.
Video: 4/5...A startling restoration effort. Grain is appropriately placed, and there is clearly pop involved. Look for one shot late in the film of Harry at the Golden Gate Bridge, as well as many daytime scenes. Audio: 4.5/5...dialogue sounds appropriate for the period, but I'm completely, utterly speechless with how good the TrueHD track is. All of the sound effects and music are beautifully remastered to pristine condition. Watching the extras on the first one right now. I started cracking up upon seeing John Milius (who, if you don't know was the inspiration for Walter in The Big Lebowski) in the "Dirty Harry: The Original" featurette. |
Watched the newest Rambo on BD and loved it. I noticed that there is a BD boxset with the first three films but the newest one is left out. Am I overlooking a set with all 4 films on BD or is the 4th one by itself? (and why if that's the case)
There is a SD set with all 4 together. |
Originally Posted by Zen Peckinpah
Just started digging into my Dirty Harry box yesterday and finished watching the original.
Video: 4/5...A startling restoration effort. Grain is appropriately placed, and there is clearly pop involved. Look for one shot late in the film of Harry at the Golden Gate Bridge, as well as many daytime scenes. Audio: 4.5/5...dialogue sounds appropriate for the period, but I'm completely, utterly speechless with how good the TrueHD track is. All of the sound effects and music are beautifully remastered to pristine condition. Watching the extras on the first one right now. I started cracking up upon seeing John Milius (who, if you don't know was the inspiration for Walter in The Big Lebowski) in the "Dirty Harry: The Original" featurette. |
| All times are GMT -5. The time now is 11:21 AM. |
Copyright © 2026 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.