Invader Zim - Complete Series SD - Blu-ray Forum

RdCrestdBreegull · 08-23-2017, 08:55 PM

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Invad...lu-ray/177985/

Just found out about this. Anyone know if it plays in region A? Seems like it has an English 2.0 track.

Cvalda · 08-24-2017, 12:23 AM

Apparently it's Region B locked. I ordered a copy just the other day, funnily enough. Should be here in a week or two. I'm very curious to see what it's like.

RdCrestdBreegull · 08-24-2017, 12:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cvalda

Apparently it's Region B locked. I ordered a copy just the other day, funnily enough. Should be here in a week or two. I'm very curious to see what it's like.

Let us know what it's like! I'm wondering if there's any benefit to owning it over the DVD versions besides shelf space. Also wondering if it includes the special features from Disc 4 (probably not).

Cvalda · 08-24-2017, 12:38 AM

It includes these features:

Audiocomments (English, without subtitle)
Interviews with the producers, authors and speakers (English, optional German subtitle)
Uncut version of "The Most Horrible X-Mas Ever" (English, optional German subtitle)
Invader ZIM Sounddesign (English, optional German subtitle)
Unpublished audio material (7 episodes) (English, optional German subtitle)
Original pilot sequence (English, optional German subtitle)
Animated storyboards for almost all episodes

So it has quite a bit of stuff, including the unproduced episode audio, which I've never heard before since I never bought that ridiculous house DVD set, so that should be fun.

The only thing I'm worried about is if the onscreen text in the episode credits and things will be in German, which would be mildly annoying--but then this is a German release probably using the German broadcast master, so I only have myself to blame if so, ha.

hockeyshark91 · 08-24-2017, 02:13 PM

Please also provide your thoughts on audio and picture quality. Thanks!

Cvalda · 08-28-2017, 04:28 PM

It arrived. I haven't watched in depth, but I had a look at the first episode. First, it's what I thought--these are the German broadcast versions, so when the title comes up at the start of the episode, it's translated into German (the other credits, like "Created by Jhonen Vasquez" are untouched). The transfers are standard def PAL derived, of course, and while I didn't notice any ghosting, there is quite a bit of noticeable macroblocking. All the features seem to be present, so for $20 shipped from Amazon.de it's a decent deal, but hopefully the US will get something better to coincide with the release of the new movie. I didn't check if it's Region Free, will do that tonight.

RdCrestdBreegull · 08-29-2017, 12:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cvalda

It arrived. I haven't watched in depth, but I had a look at the first episode. First, it's what I thought--these are the German broadcast versions, so when the title comes up at the start of the episode, it's translated into German (the other credits, like "Created by Jhonen Vasquez" are untouched). The transfers are standard def PAL derived, of course, and while I didn't notice any ghosting, there is quite a bit of noticeable macroblocking. All the features seem to be present, so for $20 shipped from Amazon.de it's a decent deal, but hopefully the US will get something better to coincide with the release of the new movie. I didn't check if it's Region Free, will do that tonight.

Do you think it's possible the macroblocking effect is due to your display's handling of the 480p content, or something else in the chain processing the signal?

LRSVDR · 08-29-2017, 09:25 PM

Had a conversation about this with Cvalda recently and I thought I'd throw in what I anecdotally remember.
When the first DVD release was prepared with Media Blasters they where well in touch with the fan community on roomwithamoose about 2003-2004ish and I was around there too.
Take this with a grain of salt, I do not remember things exactly and some stuff might be false memories or things I heard somewhere else, so please don't hold me accountable for any of this. Maybe things are still readable over at roomwithamoose, dunno.

From what I remember Nickelodeon gave Zim away relatively cheap to Media Blasters and what they provided was broadcasting tapes (NTSC I assume). Nothing else.
All the bonus stuff, artwork, commentaries, interviews, music, etc. probably went through Media Blasters and all the involved cast and artists directly, no Nick involvement at all, as far as I know.
I think that's how the censored broadcasting versions of some episodes ended up on the initial release.

The German DVD and Blu-Ray sets stem from the German broadcasting tapes or files as I have heard somewhere.
And as far as I know the German broadcasting is converted from the same NTSC broadcasting tapes that must have have been provided to Media Blasters.
So I assume that the German versions are one generation down from the NTSC broadcasting version. (No idea how they handled the text on the title cards though.)

Zim must have been composed and rendered in SD digitally. At least all the production art and elements I ever saw where just SD.
So I think Nickelodeon must have stored or archived these original renders somewhere before they where put on final broadcasting tapes.
Those where the files that we would want on any future Blu-Ray release!
Until recently Nick probably didn't care enough to go down the archive lane.
But with Zim having second life in comics and the upcoming movie I really really hope they consider going there.

turbine · 01-10-2018, 07:19 AM

It's been quite a time since the product was created, so don't remember the sources. I just checked our archival HDD and the episodes have title cards by VSI, a large chain for dubbing etc.

So it's correct that we used the German PAL masters which were produced for TV; I do not know about censorship or versions used. Keep in mind that for e.g. REN & STIMPY, German masters were almost uncut (although of lower quality because of NTSC -> PAL conversions done in the early 1990s; this is why we, where appropriate, used the NTSC masters directly) and not identical to the US masters prepped for syndication.

I checked the masters and they definitely look like NTSC -> PAL conversions, but they look pretty good (and I usually complain about such conversions, so they are ok, really).

And yes, to my knowledge the source format of the DI is SD, NTSC (525 60i that is).

insomniac013 · 10-15-2019, 11:52 AM

I really hope Shout Factory or someone picks it up for a proper hd release!!!

But in case this never happens, this the best version to get? Better than DVD? At least this sd blu ray has all the extras

BuraddoRun · 10-16-2019, 03:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by insomniac013

I really hope Shout Factory or someone picks it up for a proper hd release!!!

But in case this never happens, this the best version to get? Better than DVD? At least this sd blu ray has all the extras

Was it recorded in a format that allows for an HD release? I'd settle for a domestic SD release with all the extras. Maybe now that the new movie is out we'll get something in the near future. I still need to watch that, actually...

knifethrower · 10-16-2019, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by insomniac013

I really hope Shout Factory or someone picks it up for a proper hd release!!!

But in case this never happens, this the best version to get? Better than DVD? At least this sd blu ray has all the extras

Honestly if Discotek could do an SD-BD release like the Turbine edition but at the original NTSC frame rate I think I could live with that.

DawnShadow · 10-18-2019, 03:03 AM

Yeah, if an NTSC Blu-ray were to come out, regardless of being SD, I'd jump on it. No interest in the German Blu-ray due to the PAL format. It's a Blu-ray so it should be presented at the correct framerate, no excuses.

Kyle15 · 10-23-2019, 04:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BuraddoRun

Was it recorded in a format that allows for an HD release? I'd settle for a domestic SD release with all the extras. Maybe now that the new movie is out we'll get something in the near future. I still need to watch that, actually...

It was animated in SD, but a Bluray release would be preferable as it'd be truer to source than any other home video release. Provided Nick allows access to the original masters. The dream transfer would obviously be recomposites instead of upscaling, but since that might be unlikely to happen a SD set would be great and still true to source.

ShannaSpamb · 11-05-2019, 12:09 PM

Nice beats guys. Really liked the overall groove of the Zim track. Cyril gets my vote for offering up a bit more variation. Well done fam

08-23-2017, 08:55 PM	#1
RdCrestdBreegull Active Member Top contributor Member since:Feb 2009 Location:California 4K collection:503 Blu-ray collection:1423 DVD collection:97 MA collection:234 Digital collection:139 iTunes collection:97	Invader Zim - Complete Series SD https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Invad...lu-ray/177985/ Just found out about this. Anyone know if it plays in region A? Seems like it has an English 2.0 track.

08-24-2017, 12:38 AM	#4
Cvalda Special Member Top contributor Member since:Jul 2011 Location:Hollyweird, CA 4K collection:121 Blu-ray collection:315 DVD collection:31 iTunes collection:1 Prime collection:4	It includes these features: Audiocomments (English, without subtitle) Interviews with the producers, authors and speakers (English, optional German subtitle) Uncut version of "The Most Horrible X-Mas Ever" (English, optional German subtitle) Invader ZIM Sounddesign (English, optional German subtitle) Unpublished audio material (7 episodes) (English, optional German subtitle) Original pilot sequence (English, optional German subtitle) Animated storyboards for almost all episodes So it has quite a bit of stuff, including the unproduced episode audio, which I've never heard before since I never bought that ridiculous house DVD set, so that should be fun. The only thing I'm worried about is if the onscreen text in the episode credits and things will be in German, which would be mildly annoying--but then this is a German release probably using the German broadcast master, so I only have myself to blame if so, ha.

11-05-2019, 12:09 PM	#15
ShannaSpamb Banned Member since:Sep 2019 Location:Egypt	Invader Zim Complete Series SD Nice beats guys. Really liked the overall groove of the Zim track. Cyril gets my vote for offering up a bit more variation. Well done fam

08-24-2017, 12:23 AM	#2
Cvalda Special Member Top contributor Member since:Jul 2011 Location:Hollyweird, CA 4K collection:121 Blu-ray collection:315 DVD collection:31 iTunes collection:1 Prime collection:4	Apparently it's Region B locked. I ordered a copy just the other day, funnily enough. Should be here in a week or two. I'm very curious to see what it's like.

08-24-2017, 02:13 PM	#5
hockeyshark91 Blu-ray Ninja Top contributor Member since:Nov 2013 Location:South Bay CA 4K collection:320 Blu-ray collection:3053 DVD collection:8 Blu-ray reviews:4 Trading Score:80	Please also provide your thoughts on audio and picture quality. Thanks!

08-28-2017, 04:28 PM	#6
Cvalda Special Member Top contributor Member since:Jul 2011 Location:Hollyweird, CA 4K collection:121 Blu-ray collection:315 DVD collection:31 iTunes collection:1 Prime collection:4	It arrived. I haven't watched in depth, but I had a look at the first episode. First, it's what I thought--these are the German broadcast versions, so when the title comes up at the start of the episode, it's translated into German (the other credits, like "Created by Jhonen Vasquez" are untouched). The transfers are standard def PAL derived, of course, and while I didn't notice any ghosting, there is quite a bit of noticeable macroblocking. All the features seem to be present, so for $20 shipped from Amazon.de it's a decent deal, but hopefully the US will get something better to coincide with the release of the new movie. I didn't check if it's Region Free, will do that tonight.

08-29-2017, 09:25 PM	#8
LRSVDR Active Member Top contributor Member since:Dec 2014 4K collection:4 Blu-ray collection:273 DVD collection:191	Had a conversation about this with Cvalda recently and I thought I'd throw in what I anecdotally remember. When the first DVD release was prepared with Media Blasters they where well in touch with the fan community on roomwithamoose about 2003-2004ish and I was around there too. Take this with a grain of salt, I do not remember things exactly and some stuff might be false memories or things I heard somewhere else, so please don't hold me accountable for any of this. Maybe things are still readable over at roomwithamoose, dunno. From what I remember Nickelodeon gave Zim away relatively cheap to Media Blasters and what they provided was broadcasting tapes (NTSC I assume). Nothing else. All the bonus stuff, artwork, commentaries, interviews, music, etc. probably went through Media Blasters and all the involved cast and artists directly, no Nick involvement at all, as far as I know. I think that's how the censored broadcasting versions of some episodes ended up on the initial release. The German DVD and Blu-Ray sets stem from the German broadcasting tapes or files as I have heard somewhere. And as far as I know the German broadcasting is converted from the same NTSC broadcasting tapes that must have have been provided to Media Blasters. So I assume that the German versions are one generation down from the NTSC broadcasting version. (No idea how they handled the text on the title cards though.) Zim must have been composed and rendered in SD digitally. At least all the production art and elements I ever saw where just SD. So I think Nickelodeon must have stored or archived these original renders somewhere before they where put on final broadcasting tapes. Those where the files that we would want on any future Blu-Ray release! Until recently Nick probably didn't care enough to go down the archive lane. But with Zim having second life in comics and the upcoming movie I really really hope they consider going there.

01-10-2018, 07:19 AM	#9
turbine Active Member Member since:Jun 2016	It's been quite a time since the product was created, so don't remember the sources. I just checked our archival HDD and the episodes have title cards by VSI, a large chain for dubbing etc. So it's correct that we used the German PAL masters which were produced for TV; I do not know about censorship or versions used. Keep in mind that for e.g. REN & STIMPY, German masters were almost uncut (although of lower quality because of NTSC -> PAL conversions done in the early 1990s; this is why we, where appropriate, used the NTSC masters directly) and not identical to the US masters prepped for syndication. I checked the masters and they definitely look like NTSC -> PAL conversions, but they look pretty good (and I usually complain about such conversions, so they are ok, really). And yes, to my knowledge the source format of the DI is SD, NTSC (525 60i that is).

10-15-2019, 11:52 AM	#10
insomniac013 Blu-ray Samurai Top contributor Member since:Feb 2010 Location:Gravity Falls Blu-ray reviews:1 Trading Score:1	I really hope Shout Factory or someone picks it up for a proper hd release!!! But in case this never happens, this the best version to get? Better than DVD? At least this sd blu ray has all the extras

10-18-2019, 03:03 AM	#13
DawnShadow Blu-ray Ninja Member since:Aug 2014 4K collection:103 Blu-ray collection:851 DVD collection:181 Blu-ray reviews:1 Trading Score:223	Yeah, if an NTSC Blu-ray were to come out, regardless of being SD, I'd jump on it. No interest in the German Blu-ray due to the PAL format. It's a Blu-ray so it should be presented at the correct framerate, no excuses.

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