AVATAR Blu-ray - 4/22/10
04-19-10, 01:12 PM
#352
DVD Talk Hero
Re: AVATAR Blu-ray - 4/22/10
I think I figured out why the dialogue sounds so weird to me. The dialogue sounds as if the vocals were processed in a similar manner that is done for pop singers for their albums. It's the best way to describe what I'm hearing.
04-19-10, 02:30 PM
#354
DVD Talk Legend
Re: AVATAR Blu-ray - 4/22/10
It's going to sell a lot, but I still they will glut the market with these and overestimate just how much it will sell.
I think there are still quite a few people out there who have not seen it. When they do see it outside of its 3D comfort zone, I think it won't be viewed as favorably. Just a personal opinion.
I'm willing to give it another shot when there's a different cut of the film, but suffice it to say this is the first Cameron movie that I didn't love.
I think there are still quite a few people out there who have not seen it. When they do see it outside of its 3D comfort zone, I think it won't be viewed as favorably. Just a personal opinion.
I'm willing to give it another shot when there's a different cut of the film, but suffice it to say this is the first Cameron movie that I didn't love.
04-19-10, 04:04 PM
#355
DVD Talk Hero
Re: AVATAR Blu-ray - 4/22/10
Anyhoo, my issues with the slightly off contrast and processed vocals aside, this would be a definite purchase as-is if it weren't barebones.
04-19-10, 06:28 PM
#357
DVD Talk Legend
Re: AVATAR Blu-ray - 4/22/10
I just rented Avatar and I'm not impressed.
It took me a while to figure out what was bothering me with the picture but then I realized it was the contrast. It's a touch off which makes the image slightly hazy. Not enough to say it's bad but enough to be noticeable (albeit faintly so).
As for the audio, although the sound effects are great, the dialogue is not. Voices sound artificial and as if they're kind of floating. The voices feel disconnected from the people who are speaking. It's worse when some vocals are panned to the side in an attempt to match the speakers location onscreen. I've heard plenty of sound mixes with similar panning but none that I recall with such a floating quality.
I'd say 4/5 for both PQ and AQ. It's good but not perfect or reference.
It took me a while to figure out what was bothering me with the picture but then I realized it was the contrast. It's a touch off which makes the image slightly hazy. Not enough to say it's bad but enough to be noticeable (albeit faintly so).
As for the audio, although the sound effects are great, the dialogue is not. Voices sound artificial and as if they're kind of floating. The voices feel disconnected from the people who are speaking. It's worse when some vocals are panned to the side in an attempt to match the speakers location onscreen. I've heard plenty of sound mixes with similar panning but none that I recall with such a floating quality.
I'd say 4/5 for both PQ and AQ. It's good but not perfect or reference.
04-19-10, 06:58 PM
#359
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Re: AVATAR Blu-ray - 4/22/10
Don't you need a Blu-ray capable computer for that?
If I had it early I couldn't take screencaps because my computer is too primitive for Blu-ray.
I don't think taking photos of the TV screen would help either. I doubt that everyone here has the means of taking screencaps from Blu-ray discs.
If I had it early I couldn't take screencaps because my computer is too primitive for Blu-ray.
I don't think taking photos of the TV screen would help either. I doubt that everyone here has the means of taking screencaps from Blu-ray discs.
Last edited by Nick Martin; 04-19-10 at 07:01 PM.
04-19-10, 07:07 PM
#360
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Re: AVATAR Blu-ray - 4/22/10
Don't you need a Blu-ray capable computer for that?
If I had it early I couldn't take screencaps because my computer is too primitive for Blu-ray.
I don't think taking photos of the TV screen would help either. I doubt that everyone here has the means of taking screencaps from Blu-ray discs.
If I had it early I couldn't take screencaps because my computer is too primitive for Blu-ray.
I don't think taking photos of the TV screen would help either. I doubt that everyone here has the means of taking screencaps from Blu-ray discs.
04-19-10, 07:25 PM
#362
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Re: AVATAR Blu-ray - 4/22/10
Blu-ray.com has a disclaimer on the bottom of their 1080p screencaps mentioning they're taken with "some special screenshot equipment".
What does that mean? There's actually a device that is made to do just that?
What does that mean? There's actually a device that is made to do just that?
04-19-10, 07:49 PM
#364
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Re: AVATAR Blu-ray - 4/22/10
For what it's worth, AVSforum seems to be drooling over this Blu-ray. Since they're normally the pickiest ones of the bunch when it comes to video quality, sounds good enough for me...
04-19-10, 07:52 PM
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04-19-10, 09:07 PM
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04-19-10, 10:01 PM
#368
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Re: AVATAR Blu-ray - 4/22/10
There's another version coming on May 11th but I don't know what this is?
http://www.amazon.com/Avatar-Blu-ray.../dp/B003H8F46C
http://www.amazon.com/Avatar-Blu-ray.../dp/B003H8F46C
04-19-10, 10:19 PM
#369
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Re: AVATAR Blu-ray - 4/22/10
There's another version coming on May 11th but I don't know what this is?
http://www.amazon.com/Avatar-Blu-ray.../dp/B003H8F46C
http://www.amazon.com/Avatar-Blu-ray.../dp/B003H8F46C
04-19-10, 11:07 PM
#371
DVD Talk Hero
Re: AVATAR Blu-ray - 4/22/10
It must take up a lot of space cose the video bitrate is high. When I briefly brought up the OSD on my PS3, I saw the video bitrate reach 39.7.
Like I said, the image just seems a touch off. It has gorgeous detail but the contrast just seems only slightly off.
As for the dialogue audio, the best (or rather worst) example of what I've heard both times I watched the movie occurs from 00:09:53 to 00:10:08. Listen to the guy on the right who isn't Dileep Rao. Also, when Sigourney Weever speaks in the scene directly following that one, her voice has a similar odd tonal quality (though not as pronounced as the previous example).
But, as I said, everything else is fine. It's an excellent presentation overall. Just not the greatest looking/sounding BD of all time. But it sure is close and does reach those dizzying heights when the sound design takes over like when Jake is lost at night in Pandora.
EDIT: Looking back, my use of the phrase "not impressed" is hyperbole given I was obviously impressed with the overall presentation to be so bothered by very minor nitpicks.
As for the dialogue audio, the best (or rather worst) example of what I've heard both times I watched the movie occurs from 00:09:53 to 00:10:08. Listen to the guy on the right who isn't Dileep Rao. Also, when Sigourney Weever speaks in the scene directly following that one, her voice has a similar odd tonal quality (though not as pronounced as the previous example).
But, as I said, everything else is fine. It's an excellent presentation overall. Just not the greatest looking/sounding BD of all time. But it sure is close and does reach those dizzying heights when the sound design takes over like when Jake is lost at night in Pandora.
EDIT: Looking back, my use of the phrase "not impressed" is hyperbole given I was obviously impressed with the overall presentation to be so bothered by very minor nitpicks.
Last edited by RocShemp; 04-19-10 at 11:40 PM.
04-19-10, 11:29 PM
#372
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04-19-10, 11:42 PM
#373
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Re: AVATAR Blu-ray - 4/22/10
According to some of the posts on AVSforum, this disc has some new copyright protection scheme that is making it difficult for people to take screencaps.
04-19-10, 11:42 PM
#374
DVD Talk Hero
Re: AVATAR Blu-ray - 4/22/10
BTW, anybody check out the THX intro after the end credits roll? It's the same one at the beginning of Indy 4 but upgraded to lossless 6.1 audio. 
04-19-10, 11:59 PM
#375
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Re: AVATAR Blu-ray - 4/22/10
Producer Jon Landau said the audio was remixed for this release:
http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=65324
http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=65324
CS: We're talking a lot about visuals, what about the audio?
Landau: The audio, we did a special mix for the home entertainment with our same mixers, Chris Boyes and the folks from Skywalker came in and Jim supervised it and we did it for home theater systems and made it work. There was some adjusting that needed to happen, but look, I think that a movie is no one thing. A movie is not just visuals. A movie is not just this. It's the whole. In fact, sound is a very important aspect of that, so they spent a lot of time doing that.
Landau: The audio, we did a special mix for the home entertainment with our same mixers, Chris Boyes and the folks from Skywalker came in and Jim supervised it and we did it for home theater systems and made it work. There was some adjusting that needed to happen, but look, I think that a movie is no one thing. A movie is not just visuals. A movie is not just this. It's the whole. In fact, sound is a very important aspect of that, so they spent a lot of time doing that.