Back to the Future Trilogy 4K UHD (1985-1990)

[HDMan72]

Just finished Part 1 and it looked and sounded great. Yes, I would've liked a little more grain but it still looked great. Moving on too the rest over the next couple nights.

[GenPion]

Originally Posted by SmoothOperator

Watched Part 1 today, and as someone who watched the DVD set from Costco over and over as a kid (and watched the Blurays once), this is definitely a nice improvement. I wish it was grainer like many of us but other than that I was pleased. The HDR looked great to me.

I had an extremely small hiccup where the disc froze for a split second as Marty drives off from the clocktower at the climax but that was it. For those experiencing more severe playback issues, I would try wiping your disc down with a clean cotton shirt and maybe giving them a rinse under warm water. My discs seemed to have some residue on it I noticed when I cleaned mine (a part of buying new 4Ks for me since they're so damn sensitive).

Do you clean all new 4K discs by rinsing them? I have encountered some small hiccups here or there. Only with 4K. Usually resolves by making sure there are no smudges.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by Christian Muth

Smaller "pits" to pack in more data per layer (33 gigs per layer vs. 25 gigs on regular Blu-ray), plus the 100 gig discs are triple layer.

Chris

Just to add: They also spin faster as they're using a maximum bitrate that's almost three times as high as what BD can do, it all adds up to a lesser tolerance for errors than regular Blu.

[UnionJackMix]

So many people already saying "do I wish there was a little more grain? yes" translates to me as it looks like a cartoon.
I guess I can live with my oldie BD.

[hoejunter]

Originally Posted by UnionJackMix

So many people already saying "do I wish there was a little more grain? yes" translates to me as it looks like a cartoon.
I guess I can live with my oldie BD.

It looks nothing like a cartoon, what a weird comparison. You’re missing out!

[Swissangel4616]

Originally Posted by stratford

Swissangel4616 ref 'It looks like 4K is death' I hardly think so, just import like the rest of us. Back in Laser disc days, here in Europe it was import most titles or go with out

I can't import it - especially not from amazon as amazon doesn't send to switzerland - unless you go to 3rd parties who selling it for $$$$
thanks for this I lost my interest in 4K movies.

[UnionJackMix]

Sorry, I didn't want to spend time thinking of the right comparison and how you properly call a movie that's been wiped clean of grain.

Originally Posted by Swissangel4616

I can't import it - especially not from amazon as amazon doesn't send to switzerland - unless you go to 3rd parties who selling it for $$$$
thanks for this I lost my interest in 4K movies.

Not sure what item/version you are interested in, but DeepDiscount has been my blessed amazon replacement.

[SmoothOperator]

Originally Posted by GenPion

Do you clean all new 4K discs by rinsing them? I have encountered some small hiccups here or there. Only with 4K. Usually resolves by making sure there are no smudges.

I used to pop 4K discs in without checking them at all because that's what I did with Blurays and almost never had a problem. This resulted in me having freezes too often for comfort so I started looking into the issue. At first I thought it may be a player issue (X700) but I kept reading the same descriptions from various player owners. What struck me as strange was that the freezes tended to be towards the end of a movie and most common on BD 100 discs. Then I read that many 4Ks, especially from Warner and Lionsgate, often ship out with a nonstick residue still left on them from the manufacturing process which can mess with the laser, especially on the double or triple layer.

That's when I started checking my discs immediately at purchase. First off, my god, so many had fingerprints or smudges right out of the box. No wonder I may have been having issues. I also read that the non stick residue is invisible, at least as is, so I decided to make a quick rinse standard protocol followed by a wipe down and drying with a cotton shirt. With most discs, they wipe clean into a totally flawless surface even under the harshest light in my house, but sometimes I start seeing smudges even after a wash, at which point I do a second rinse. This time I use a dot of dish soap and work it in with a powder free latex glove, then wash it off until I'm totally sure the soap is gone, followed by the wipe down and drying.

Is that overkill? Maybe, but damn it I hate disc freezes and I haven't had any since I started doing this, and I actually fixed a couple that I used to run into like on Knives Out. Also this is only done once, after the initial cleaning I simply inspect the disc under light and do a dry wipe down as needed.

[GenPion]

Originally Posted by SmoothOperator

I used to pop 4K discs in without checking them at all because that's what I did with Blurays and almost never had a problem. This resulted in me having freezes too often for comfort so I started looking into the issue. At first I thought it may be a player issue (X700) but I kept reading the same descriptions from various player owners. What struck me as strange was that the freezes tended to be towards the end of a movie and most common on BD 100 discs. Then I read that many 4Ks, especially from Warner and Lionsgate, often ship out with a nonstick residue still left on them from the manufacturing process which can mess with the laser, especially on the double or triple layer.

That's when I started checking my discs immediately at purchase. First off, my god, so many had fingerprints or smudges right out of the box. No wonder I may have been having issues. I also read that the non stick residue is invisible, at least as is, so I decided to make a quick rinse standard protocol followed by a wipe down and drying with a cotton shirt. With most discs, they wipe clean into a totally flawless surface even under the harshest light in my house, but sometimes I start seeing smudges even after a wash, at which point I do a second rinse. This time I use a dot of dish soap and work it in with a powder free latex glove, then wash it off until I'm totally sure the soap is gone, followed by the wipe down and drying.

Is that overkill? Maybe, but damn it I hate disc freezes and I haven't had any since I started doing this, and I actually fixed a couple that I used to run into like on Knives Out. Also this is only done once, after the initial cleaning I simply inspect the disc under light and do a dry wipe down as needed.

Thanks for the tip. I might start rinsing them off. 4K discs are way more sensitive.

Maybe what we all need is for Oppo to come back in to the game and produce a 4K UHD Blu-ray player with an even "stronger" laser?

Since so many 4K players exhibit these similar issues, if we got a company to produce a player with an even stronger laser point, it could read through the issues on 4K discs easier.

[thomas_corhern]

Decided to send my first copy back and get a replacement. No issues at all this time around. Man, that picture is amazing -- best these films have looked by a longshot.

[GenPion]

Another possibility: the sleeve-style packaging might cause these to smudge easier (in addition to left over manufacturing residue) and can affect playback. So anyone who encounters playback errors (however slight) should make sure to check the bottom of the discs for slight smudges.

I'll be adding my 4K discs for the Back to the Future trilogy to steelbook packaging some time soon.

[Moe UK]

Originally Posted by Liquid_Swords

why are these discs so sensitive when blus were not?

There is a little bit of film left over after the manufacturing process, I have found any of these that give an issue cleaning them usually resolves all problems. Spray some 99% cleaning alcohol let it dry and then get a really nice fibre cloth and buff the life out of the disc (middle to edge never side to side).

[SmoothOperator]

Originally Posted by GenPion

Thanks for the tip. I might start rinsing them off. 4K discs are way more sensitive.

Maybe what we all need is for Oppo to come back in to the game and produce a 4K UHD Blu-ray player with an even "stronger" laser?

Since so many 4K players exhibit these similar issues, if we got a company to produce a player with an even stronger laser point, it could read through the issues on 4K discs easier.

With time I imagine players will get better at compensating for disc errors just like they did with CD and DVD drives. I remember when you couldn't walk around in a room with a CD player or the vibrations would cause the disc to skip.

Honestly though it's ridiculous that we have to do this cleaning at all. Is it too much to ask for new discs to not be unfinished?

[Akoutroubas]

Originally Posted by tacotrucks

I really don't understand the disdain for 2 and 3, the writing is incredibly clever, especially in 2.

Maybe because in part II Marty and Doc dumped Jennifer in a back alley.

[dallywhitty]

Originally Posted by Akoutroubas

Maybe because in part II they bring Jennifer to the future than put her to sleep and leave her in an ally???? WTF.

Ya gotta do what ya gotta do.

[Akoutroubas]

Did anyone notice some ghosting/smudging when Marty is walking back to his backyard (with the locked gate) right after Doc drops him off in 1985-A.

[FilmFreakosaurus]

Originally Posted by Akoutroubas

Maybe because in part II they bring Jennifer to the future than put her to sleep and leave her in an ally???? WTF.

Part of it had to do with the dramatic switcheroo from one actress to another. There may have been some rejiggering with the story line to lessen Jennifer's involvement.

[Akoutroubas]

Originally Posted by tacotrucks

I really don't understand the disdain for 2 and 3, the writing is incredibly clever, especially in 2.

Originally Posted by FilmFreakosaurus

Part of it had to do with the dramatic switcheroo from one actress to another. There may have been some rejiggering with the story line to lessen Jennifer's involvement.

Then what did you bring her for!?

[FilmFreakosaurus]

Originally Posted by Akoutroubas

Then what did you bring her for!?

That's my point. If they shaved Jennifer out of most of the story in rewrites, then it would make sense that bringing her along made little to no sense.


Besides, Elizabeth played Jennifer like a ditzy airhead whereas the original actress played her straight, which always aggravated me with the actress switch.

[Bluyoda]

Watched Part III yesterday. Detail is easily the best of the three, and it's super clean, but I couldn't shake the feeling that it had been managed, as it simply doesn't look natural in many scenes. Either way, it's has been managed very professionally, and very rarely looks artificial per se.
Film: 4/5
PQ: 4,5/5
AQ: 4,5/5

All in all, this release is miles above the terrible BD release from years ago, and I, for one, am quite pleased with the results, even though less DNR and a more natural look would have been most welcome.

Part II is pretty awful, because it's just over the top annoying, with a Trump-like Biff. It's just shrill and unpleasant. Also, the actress replacement is horrible.
I love Part III, as it's bascially a beautiful love story between Doc Brown, and the lovely Clara C..