What's the best HD-transfer?
05-31-07, 05:23 PM
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What's the best HD-transfer?
I am planning on picking up V for Vendetta, The Matrix trilogy, and King Kong when I get my Toshiba HD player this weekend. What do you think is the best HD-transfer? Also what would you say is the worst? Obivously a bad film is just a bad film no matter how pretty it looks. It is just that right now I want to pick up a few HD DVDs that will showcase the awe and power of the format itself.
05-31-07, 05:33 PM
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I believe the DVD Review forum says POTC2 has the best transfer to date, in their opinion.
I've been reviewing these high definition formats for a while now, and have been watching HD programs even longer. And it isn't a lie, nor hyperbole, when I say that Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest's 2.35:1 AVC transfer has the best image quality of any HD content I have seen to date. The transfer was taken from the original digital sources, and color corrected for home video color space without any adjustments to the image. The opening scenes alone are so rich with vivid detail and bold colors that it looks as if you're simply watching the scene unfold outside your window. I know that such a description has been used for HD before, but this one really gets everything right. You can see stubble on Will's face, engravings on straps, the fine gold filigree in the sword commissioned for Commodore Norrington. Even better, the transfer lets you soak in all the hard work that went into the creature effects. Normally CGI effects look glaringly out of place in HD, but Davy Jones and his crew at times actually look like they were really there on the set looking exactly as they do in the shot. And the Kraken has to be seen to be believed. I could detect no forms of edge enhancement, polarization, or other artifacts. This is, simply put, a perfect transfer. It's the best of the best, and the disc is worth a purchase for the image alone.
I've been reviewing these high definition formats for a while now, and have been watching HD programs even longer. And it isn't a lie, nor hyperbole, when I say that Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest's 2.35:1 AVC transfer has the best image quality of any HD content I have seen to date. The transfer was taken from the original digital sources, and color corrected for home video color space without any adjustments to the image. The opening scenes alone are so rich with vivid detail and bold colors that it looks as if you're simply watching the scene unfold outside your window. I know that such a description has been used for HD before, but this one really gets everything right. You can see stubble on Will's face, engravings on straps, the fine gold filigree in the sword commissioned for Commodore Norrington. Even better, the transfer lets you soak in all the hard work that went into the creature effects. Normally CGI effects look glaringly out of place in HD, but Davy Jones and his crew at times actually look like they were really there on the set looking exactly as they do in the shot. And the Kraken has to be seen to be believed. I could detect no forms of edge enhancement, polarization, or other artifacts. This is, simply put, a perfect transfer. It's the best of the best, and the disc is worth a purchase for the image alone.
05-31-07, 05:53 PM
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Originally Posted by Michaell625
I am planning on picking up V for Vendetta, The Matrix trilogy, and King Kong when I get my Toshiba HD player this weekend. What do you think is the best HD-transfer? Also what would you say is the worst? Obivously a bad film is just a bad film no matter how pretty it looks. It is just that right now I want to pick up a few HD DVDs that will showcase the awe and power of the format itself.
AVS has a pretty good tier system ranking too:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=705387
05-31-07, 08:32 PM
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Originally Posted by Michaell625
I am planning on picking up V for Vendetta, The Matrix trilogy, and King Kong when I get my Toshiba HD player this weekend. What do you think is the best HD-transfer? Also what would you say is the worst? Obivously a bad film is just a bad film no matter how pretty it looks. It is just that right now I want to pick up a few HD DVDs that will showcase the awe and power of the format itself.
06-02-07, 02:08 AM
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Originally Posted by Shannon Nutt
I'd say it's Planet Earth, but King Kong is pretty good, too. 
As for best titles I think it's safe to say we have reached amazing quality on quite a few titles now so I personally can't think of just one that stands out above the crowd. I watched Accepted on HD-dvd last night and was floored at how great it looked. The night before I thought Beerfest looked awesome as well. During one scene in Smoking Aces they showed a close up on Ryan Reynold's face and I thought I was actually watching a 35mm print for a second.
06-02-07, 05:38 PM
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the mag: Perfect Vision also raved that 'Hulk' was a stellar transfer - too bad the film has been trashed by critics and fans, I can't even stomach seeing it.
06-15-07, 08:51 AM
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Of the ones I've seen. Planet Earth, Matrix collection and 40 Year Old Virgin. Grand Prix was also amazing given the age of the film. The racing scenes are great!
06-15-07, 08:51 AM
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Originally Posted by fryinpan1
Corpse Bride, Chronicles of Riddick, Hulk, Kong, Matrix, and Planet Earth are all great.
AVS has a pretty good tier system ranking too:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=705387
AVS has a pretty good tier system ranking too:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=705387
06-15-07, 09:06 AM
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Originally Posted by Overpar
Of the ones I've seen. Planet Earth, Matrix collection and 40 Year Old Virgin. Grand Prix was also amazing given the age of the film. The racing scenes are great!
My picks for BEST picture quality are:
Pirates 1/2
Apocalypto
and Kingdom Of Heaven
They are all gorgeous beautiful transfers and all have lossless audio as well. Cant go wrong with any of them.
06-15-07, 09:17 AM
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Originally Posted by QuePaso
40 year old virgin is one of the worst HD titles picture quality wise released yet. They went overboard on it and it looks like a cartoon. Check out all the reviews for it as well, it looks awful (ive watched it myself).
My picks for BEST picture quality are:
Pirates 1/2
Apocalypto
and Kingdom Of Heaven
They are all gorgeous beautiful transfers and all have lossless audio as well. Cant go wrong with any of them.
My picks for BEST picture quality are:
Pirates 1/2
Apocalypto
and Kingdom Of Heaven
They are all gorgeous beautiful transfers and all have lossless audio as well. Cant go wrong with any of them.
06-15-07, 09:36 AM
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Originally Posted by Hammer99
The OP asked for HD DVD, but if you're talking about overall HD best transfer, I agree 100% that Apocalypto is the king of them all, followed by POTC 2. POTC 1 is up there, but Kingdom wouldn't make my top 10 list. Also agree that 40 Year Old Virgin is putrid.
06-15-07, 02:34 PM
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Originally Posted by Bill Geiger
Link is dead!
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=856119