Edge Enhancement Explained

[VenomXR8]

Hi all,
I read a lot of blu ray reviews to help me decide what to buy, and in these reviews a few terms get used frequently.One of those terms is "edge enhancement" and how it can ruin the pq of a movie.Not knowing what was meant by the term I did a bit of research and found this http://www.videophile.info/Guide_EE/Page_01.htm
Its a great explanation and Im sharing it with everyone to hopefully help anyone who was wondering the same thing.

[Kayne314]

Thank you for that. I knew edge enhancement caused a line or halo around objects, but I never heard it explained so clearly. I previously thought it had more to do with contrast settings than sharpness.

A very good and educational read.

My only fear, is now I'll be seeing it everywhere, now that I know what I'm looking for.

Wait a minute. I should take back my thank-you. I'll be seeing EE all the time now. You've ruined movies for me. DAMN YOU!

Just kidding! thanks for the link.

[TheRealBob]

Originally Posted by Kayne314

Wait a minute. I should take back my thank-you. I'll be seeing EE all the time now. You've ruined movies for me. DAMN YOU!

Just kidding! thanks for the link.

Years ago when the LAME MP3 encoder group did extensive listening tests, quite a few of the testers later lamented that after being taught how to listen for audio artifacts they now could not stand to listen to many MP3s that they'd previously enjoyed.

[whippersnapper]

I see dead people --- with edge enhancement!

Thanks for the link -- it was educational

[Mobe1969]

Edge enhancement has ruined so many DVDs it isn't funny. I'd seriously like to smack in the face any transfer tech responsible for it. It is inexcusable. Thank god it doesn't seem to be tolerated in HD

[Clark Kent]

The guy who wrote that piece, Bjoern Roy, is a world class videophile and audiophile. He's been around forever seeking the best possible video reproduction of movies.

[jkcheng122]

Originally Posted by Clark Kent

The guy who wrote that piece, Bjoern Roy, is a world class videophile and audiophile. He's been around forever seeking the best possible video reproduction of movies.

does he have any thoughts/opinions on Blu-ray/HD DVD?

[Flomaster]

great post. I have mine turned on with my TV I thought it was to make the edges of my screen brighter to match the rest of it. I have noticed with my DLP the top corners are not are bright or detailed as the sides or middle.
I shall turn off edge enhancement asap when I get home from work.

[Clark Kent]

Originally Posted by jkcheng122

does he have any thoughts/opinions on Blu-ray/HD DVD?

Honestly I'm not sure. His website hasn't been updated in a couple of years and I haven't noticed him on any of the usual websites the last couple of years. Knowing his obsessive pursuit of video perfection I would have to speculate and say he went Blu-ray as all right thinking men do.

[chriharr]

I am confused, so on our Blu-ray players such as our PS3, do we turn edge enhancement to 0 -1 -2 or +1 +2 which one keeps it off.

I'm guessing 0 but just need to make sure.



I know that when my DVD's get upscaled, most of the picture is de-ghosted in other words the edge enhancement (softening) is decreased.

[LennDawg]

Wow, I'm turning the Edge Enhancement off on my XBR. What about the Sharpness level, should i put that to 0 or keep it at 50? And I didn't know the PS3 had this feature, gotta check it out on there too. Thanks for the read!

[DeeChizzle]

Great link OP. I'm sure it will still confuse people though. This thread along with that link should be a sticky.

[Kratos3]

Originally Posted by LennDawg

Wow, I'm turning the Edge Enhancement off on my XBR. What about the Sharpness level, should i put that to 0 or keep it at 50? And I didn't know the PS3 had this feature, gotta check it out on there too. Thanks for the read!

Most reviews for TVs and such start off with a paragraph or so about the setup they're using. 99% of them say they turn EE and sharpness all the way off. As a side note, they usually put the Color Temp the Warm, as well. Just thought I'd mention that, because most TVs aren't set this way as the default.

I don't think the PS3 has an EE level. I know you can adjust noise fliters, such as Frame and Block Noise. I only have these on for DVDs. I set mine on 1 for Frame Noise, and 0 for Block Noise. Block reduction generally makes the overall picture softer and Frame reduction, I believe, is for finer noise reduction often called "mosquito noise." Someone correct me if this is wrong.

[CptGreedle]

Very interesting read. I am very very very familiar with EE, as an Imaging Technician I have to deal with this stuff everyday and it sticks out to me like a sore thumb.
It is great to see the actual examples and why I did not notice it so much before (used to use a very small TV at a distance, but with my new set up it is a problem).

So what is the word on EE in BDs?

[LennDawg]

Originally Posted by Kratos3

Most reviews for TVs and such start off with a paragraph or so about the setup they're using. 99% of them say they turn EE and sharpness all the way off. As a side note, they usually put the Color Temp the Warm, as well. Just thought I'd mention that, because most TVs aren't set this way as the default.

I don't think the PS3 has an EE level. I know you can adjust noise fliters, such as Frame and Block Noise. I only have these on for DVDs. I set mine on 1 for Frame Noise, and 0 for Block Noise. Block reduction generally makes the overall picture softer and Frame reduction, I believe, is for finer noise reduction often called "mosquito noise." Someone correct me if this is wrong.

Thanks! I'm going to go put my Sharpness to 0 now too.

[AlexCruz]

Originally Posted by LennDawg

Thanks! I'm going to go put my Sharpness to 0 now too.

I don't think you're supposed to put it at 0 either. I think I read somewhere that ideal amount of sharpness should be placed between 15 and 25.

[Clark Kent]

Originally Posted by CptGreedle

So what is the word on EE in BDs?

While Edge Enhancement still exists on Blu-ray, so far it has been less of a problem than with dvd. Die Hard 3 for example looked hideous on dvd because of EE but the Blu-ray version has very little of it. It's really all about the guy processing the master and the studios know that most of the BD owners are early adopters where heavy EE might be a concern. Usually the less EE the better the picture.

[ranma]

Originally Posted by AlexCruz

I don't think you're supposed to put it at 0 either. I think I read somewhere that ideal amount of sharpness should be placed between 15 and 25.

It all depends on your personal experience.

For those love detailed, smoothed video looking movies, it should be put on lowest setting.

Most of people don't care about that, and might prefer sharp, contrast looking, they can put whatever level they want.

[Bobby Henderson]

I've always thought of "edge enhancement" as a filter process similar to the Unsharp Mask and other Sharpen filters in Adobe Photoshop. Move the adjustment sliders too far and you will see halos and other problems.

Lots of consumer level digital cameras have serious problems putting halos, mosquito noise, blocking and other quantizing artifacts into the highly compressed images. Add chromatic abberation if the lenses aren't worth a hoot.

[TevesLovesBlu]

wow, great read, thanks OP