POTC: Dead Man's Chest... WTF?

[Blu Falcon]

Okay, I was straddling the fence for the longest, and this is the movie that finally pushed me over the edge. When I walked into Circuit City or Best Buy and saw this movie being used as a demo on the display monitors I was totally blown away. I mean, the picture quality was unreal. I really felt like I could reach out and touch the tentacles when the Kraken was attacking the ship. The motion was buttery smooth and fluid, and the surreal image looked like it was shot in HD live and was broadcast right there in front of me. Needless to say I had to add this disc to my collection when I finally broke down and went blu. However, when viewing it at home it doesn't quite have that same effect I just described. I'm viewing it at full 1080 using a PS3 and 42" Regza. Now before you go bashing my HDTV because it's a Toshiba let me say that movies like Cars and Casino Royale look absolutely incredible. So which leads me back to the film. I know this movie is absolutely incredible in high def, but for some reason it just seems a bit... flat? It's not really that surreal high definition 3-D effect I witnessed when I saw it playing on display that made me fall in love with HD. Any ideas?

[elwaylite]

What display was it on, they usually show those on the high dollar Sony XBR's.

The Toshiba is a good set, but if its 1080p and the in store set was blowing it away, I imagine its one of the higher end sets.

My RPLCD looks great on BD at 720p, but not like the high contrast 1080p LCD's in CCity. Which is why Im buying one this summer

[PeechCobblerPie]

every tv's different. the one you saw may have had a movie mode that smooths action shots, and the lighting conditions in those stores are perfect. It could just be an all around better TV or have theres calibrated perfectly to get as many sales as possible

[mystiksuicide]

Our Best But is showing that same demo in a Sony XBR 5. The Regza is a good TV but by no means is it a Sony XBR 5

[elwaylite]

Originally Posted by mystiksuicide

Our Best But is showing that same demo in a Sony XBR 5. The Regza is a good TV but by no means is it a Sony XBR 5

Exactamundo!

Im going to get the Sony LCD thats the middle, the XBR is a little more than I want to spend. The middle one has great contrast and is a damn fine tv.

[canonbomb1987]

usually on demo discs the companies use the best sceens from a movie. they pick the ones with the best frame rates, the best lighting, and the best sound. thats why the clips are only 15-30 secs long. the tv's that are used aswell are high end.

[blu-backer]

I believe you were watching it on a 120Hz-capable HDTV. Those sets can provide almost 3D-looking images with HD material.

[elwaylite]

Originally Posted by blu-backer

I believe you were watching it on a 120Hz-capable HDTV. Those sets can provide almost 3D-looking images with HD material.

Im gonna be looking hard for one, Might wait for black friday to ensure I get one.

[Blu Falcon]

Yeah, you guys are probably right. My Toshiba probably sucks monkey nuts, or at least just pales in comparison to the Sony. The picture on my Regza still "wows" our friends and guests, but I know I've seen better. Too bad I can't really afford one of those Sony XBRs at the moment. Come to think of it, I was in Best Buy today and they had a demo clip showing a scene from Brothers Grimm that totally knocked my socks off. I mean, it was just mind numbing.

[elwaylite]

Once again, it does not suck. If they did not make high dollar tv's with a step up PQ, they couldnt sell them to us suckers.

[Blu Falcon]

Originally Posted by PeechCobblerPie

every tv's different. the one you saw may have had a movie mode that smooths action shots, and the lighting conditions in those stores are perfect. It could just be an all around better TV or have theres calibrated perfectly to get as many sales as possible

Yeah, that's what it looked like. So silky smooth... like a baby's butt.

[aristotles]

Originally Posted by Blu Falcon

Yeah, you guys are probably right. My Toshiba probably sucks monkey nuts, or at least just pales in comparison to the Sony. The picture on my Regza still "wows" our friends and guests, but I know I've seen better. Too bad I can't really afford one of those Sony XBRs at the moment. Come to think of it, I was in Best Buy today and they had a demo clip showing a scene from Brothers Grimm that totally knocked my socks off. I mean, it was just mind numbing.

Do you have several presets to play with? Try a few of them out and tweak the settings to see if you can get something a little better out of your existing display.

A lot of stores use a setting called "vivid" on Sony Bravias that really makes things "pop" in the poor lighting conditions of your typical store.

[blu-backer]

Originally Posted by elwaylite

Im gonna be looking hard for one, Might wait for black friday to ensure I get one.

They had a Sammy 120Hz LCD at Fry's showing Transformers on HD-DVD. It looked so unlike the film. I suppose you could get used to it, but it seemed unnerving at times. I believe that's the de-juddering doing its job, but again, not really my bag. It was impressive, but when my wife saw it, she told me that it looked weird.

[Blu Falcon]

Originally Posted by elwaylite

Once again, it does not suck. If they did not make high dollar tv's with a step up PQ, they couldnt sell them to us suckers.

LOL My wife is really happy with it and easily pleased, so it wasn't a bad investment. I beats the dog snot out of our old 55" Rear Projection we just got rid of. The movie does look really good. Just not really, really, really good.

[sonicbox]

I personally don't like the motion enhancer stuff, even on the XBR4/5. The good part? It can be turned off an on. (Don't confuse 120hz with Motion Enhancement. They are not the same.) It alters the look/feel too much. It is obvious some must love it, or they couldn't sell it at their premium prices.

[Blu Falcon]

Originally Posted by aristotles

Do you have several presets to play with? Try a few of them out and tweak the settings to see if you can get something a little better out of your existing display.

A lot of stores use a setting called "vivid" that really makes things "pop" in the poor lighting conditions of your typical store.

Yeah, I tried the different presets and tried tweaking the parameters a bit. I think I got it as good as it's going to get. I'm still really not that HD savvy just yet. So much to learn. But I'm quite sure you guys are right about the high-end 120Hz HDTVs I'm seeing.

[elwaylite]

Is the only 120hz Sony the XBR?

I think the entry and middle lcd are both 60. There is not a big price difference between the middle and XBR, I may just be better suited waiting for Black Friday and getting a XBR.

[Blu Falcon]

Originally Posted by sonicbox

I personally don't like the motion enhancer stuff, even on the XBR4/5. The good part? It can be turned off an on. (Don't confuse 120hz with Motion Enhancement. They are not the same.) It alters the look/feel too much. It is obvious some must love it, or they couldn't sell it at their premium prices.

Motion enhancement. Interesting. That probably be it, mate.

[ckenisell]

Originally Posted by elwaylite

Is the only 120hz Sony the XBR?

I think the entry and middle lcd are both 60. There is not a big price difference between the middle and XBR, I may just be better suited waiting for Black Friday and getting a XBR.

Are you referring to Black Friday in Novemeber? That's a long time to wait just to see if this unit goes on sale. Am I missing something?

If I remember correctly, there were no sales on this unit on Black Friday of '07.

[elwaylite]

well, im torn between that and a plasma. ill wait till summer anyways