Blu-ray.com screenshots

[Alex_DeLarge]

Not that I'm a newbie here, but just thought this was the best place to post the question.
It's bugged me for some time now... Could a Mod or someone in the know tell me PLEASE what equipment is used for the screenshots shown on the site.

[sodapop]

I'm surprised everyone seems to have dismissed your question. I was wondering the same and I'm starting to suspect that the screenshots are being captured from a computer monitor as opposed to an actual TV screen.

[kiskiboy97]

"explanation is no good. You have to let them figure it out for themselves"

[MichaelR]

Originally Posted by sodapop

. . . and I'm starting to suspect that the screenshots are being captured from a computer monitor as opposed to an actual TV screen.

I'm not sure what distinction you're trying to draw, but with any decent capture equipment, the type of monitor is irrelevant.

[sodapop]

Irrelevant? A screen capture of 1080p image on a 15" computer monitor is a fair representation of what the image is going to look like on a 60" TV?

[iceman]

Originally Posted by sodapop

Irrelevant? A screen capture of 1080p image on a 15" computer monitor is a fair representation of what the image is going to look like on a 60" TV?

The size of the screen is irrelevant as long as the actual resolution is 1080p or greater and you aren't using a camera or similar to capture the image

[sodapop]

Originally Posted by iceman

The size of the screen is irrelevant as long as the actual resolution is 1080p or greater and you aren't using a camera or similar to capture the image

Actually that is not true but now I have a decent idea of how the screenshots are being created and that is what's relevant.

[chip75]

Originally Posted by sodapop

A screen capture of 1080p image on a 15" computer monitor is a fair representation of what the image is going to look like on a 60" TV?

The video going into both devices would be identical. The devices may be calibrated differently but the captured image would be identical. If the screens were identical, calibrated to the same standards then the image would be identical on a 15'', 32'' and 60'' display.

[madlost1]

Originally Posted by sodapop

Actually that is not true but now I have a decent idea of how the screenshots are being created and that is what's relevant.

Yes it is true. The only way to capture a true 1080p screenshot that is identical to the quality of watching the film on a larger screen is to go through the process on a PC with a blu ray drive. You can't sit down in front of a TV with a camera and take pictures and expect to get a perfect screenshot. Also you can't use something such as a capture card as HDCP restrictions will not allow you to record any footage from a movie. If I had to guess the way the sites reviewers handle their reviews it would be a process similar to this:

1) Sit down and watch the film on their main home theater setup. This can happen multiple times.

2) While they're watching make note of the quality of the audio track and take actual notes to any flubs in the video presentation.

3) Put the disc into a PC with a Blu ray drive and the appropriate software to grab the screenshots.

4) Write out their review and make sure everything is correct.

5) Upload both their review and screenshots to the site.

[Icemouth]

Originally Posted by sodapop

Irrelevant? A screen capture of 1080p image on a 15" computer monitor is a fair representation of what the image is going to look like on a 60" TV?

.....what? Following this (wrong) train of thought, you're suggesting they take screenshots on every size screen available, in order for you to view an identical looking picture on....whatever size you're using. Which makes horrendously little sense in any way

[sodapop]

Originally Posted by Icemouth

.....what? Following this (wrong) train of thought, you're suggesting they take screenshots on every size screen available, in order for you to view an identical looking picture on....whatever size you're using. Which makes horrendously little sense in any way

Uh, those are you're words not mine. But it would be nice to disclose what size screen was used to create the screen shots so folks have a point of reference.

[rdodolak]

Originally Posted by sodapop

Uh, those are you're words not mine. But it would be nice to disclose what size screen was used to create the screen shots so folks have a point of reference.

The size of the screen is independent and thus irrelevant. The images are 1920 x1080 pixels which has nothing to do with screen size. They're not using a camera to take a picture of the monitor or TV screen.

[madlost1]

Originally Posted by sodapop

Uh, those are you're words not mine. But it would be nice to disclose what size screen was used to create the screen shots so folks have a point of reference.

Read my post in this thread again. The size of the screen used to grab the screenshot is completely irrelevant. As long as the image can be grabbed in its native resolution from the disc you can use a 4" screen or a 400" screen and it won't make one lick of a difference.

[Deciazulado]

No screens were harmed in the making of these screenshots.

[atvs]

Originally Posted by sodapop

Uh, those are you're words not mine. But it would be nice to disclose what size screen was used to create the screen shots so folks have a point of reference.

Originally Posted by sodapop

Irrelevant? A screen capture of 1080p image on a 15" computer monitor is a fair representation of what the image is going to look like on a 60" TV?

I'm not sure what you're thinking, but you can use software to grab an exact copy of a video frame, like it's 1:1 with the disc, you don't even need a monitor/screen to grab a screen shot, just auto-run software and a blu-ray drive.

[tenia]

Screenshots are actually screen captures.
It matters almost as much how they were done than how you watched them.

I personnally do them through Total Media Theatre, where you can do screencaps at native resolution with close to no loss.
However, and this might be the case here, I know that you can also do screencaps by using softs (I think FRAPS can do it).

In both cases, what matters is to stay the closest as to what's on the disc. It means you need to ensure native resolution, but also no additionnal compression, and more important, no hardware interferences (I've seen some having issues each time they update their graphic card pilot, for instance).

Anyway, don't mix up screencaps and actual viewing / testing conditions !

[FLskydiver]

Originally Posted by tenia

Screenshots are actually screen captures.

Nope. Screen shots do not capture what is displayed on your screen. They capture what is sent to your screen (the 1's and 0's) to be displayed by it.

How any specific screen device renders those 1's and 0's is irrelevant -- the capture happens first. It's all digital, and technically no monitor is required (though use of the capture software's GUI is definitely aided by the connection of SOME type of monitor). It need not actually be a 1080p monitor. It could have many more pixels (4K), or many less (VGA). It's irrelevant to the actual capture.

[FLskydiver]

Sorry. Haven't taken my OCD meds tonight.