List of International BDs with Better PQ, AQ, and/or More Extras

[DawnShadow]

Originally Posted by thatguamguy

I'm not exactly the most tech savvy guy, but isn't AVC inherently better than MPEG-2 for blurays?

In this case though, the MPEG-2 has a much higher bitrate and the user has posted evidence (although looking at it quickly I'm not sure I agree it proves what they say it proves) that it looks better.

[Jason One]

Originally Posted by thatguamguy

I'm not exactly the most tech savvy guy, but isn't AVC inherently better than MPEG-2 for blurays?

Originally Posted by HD Goofnut

MPEG-2, VC-1, and AVC from worst to best.

Yes, but you can have bad AVC encodings and good MPEG-2 ones. This thread is full of examples.

Originally Posted by DawnShadow

In this case though, the MPEG-2 has a much higher bitrate and the user has posted evidence (although looking at it quickly I'm not sure I agree it proves what they say it proves) that it looks better.

What did you see that made you disagree?

[Superemail]

In Like Flynn - Swedish release by Studio S


Besökarna (The Visitor) - Swedish release by Studio S


Ingenjör Andrées luftfärd (The Flight of the Eagle) - Swedish release by Studio S


Creation Stories - Swedish release by Njuta Films

[HD Goofnut]

Added There Will Be Blood.

[DMRI2006]

Originally Posted by DawnShadow

In this case though, the MPEG-2 has a much higher bitrate and the user has posted evidence (although looking at it quickly I'm not sure I agree it proves what they say it proves) that it looks better.

MPEG-2 basically requires a higher bit-rate for it to look even halfway decent in the realm of 1080p. Using that, by itself, as evidence that it's superior against newer and far more efficient codecs like AVC or even VC-1 is not a good point of comparison.

[PeterTHX]

Originally Posted by DMRI2006

MPEG-2 basically requires a higher bit-rate for it to look even halfway decent in the realm of 1080p. Using that, by itself, as evidence that it's superior against newer and far more efficient codecs like AVC or even VC-1 is not a good point of comparison.

Same thing with DTS vs. DD sound wise.

Always annoyed me how DTS' lack of efficiency - I mean higher bitrate - made the fanboys think it was a superior codec.

[thatguamguy]

Reminds me of the old Shel Silverstein poem about the guy who gets a dollar from his father, and then trades it for two quarters, which he trades for three dimes, which he trades for four nickels, which he trades for five pennies.

[DawnShadow]

Originally Posted by DMRI2006

MPEG-2 basically requires a higher bit-rate for it to look even halfway decent in the realm of 1080p. Using that, by itself, as evidence that it's superior against newer and far more efficient codecs like AVC or even VC-1 is not a good point of comparison.

It wasn’t used by itself though so I don’t see the point of your post.

[casspir]

The "The Core" entry in the list needs to be updated. There is now a US release:
https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-Core-Blu-ray/307335/

[waxHead]

Originally Posted by HD Goofnut

Under the Skin
US - AVC 17987 kbps, DTS-HD MA 5.1 3150 kbps, 24-bit, extras, English subs (Region A locked)
DE - AVC 36000 kbps, DTS-HD MA 5.1 3145 kbps, 24-bit, more extras, no English subs (Region B locked)
UK - AVC 34930 kbps, LPCM 2.0 2304 kbps 24-bit, extras, English subs (Region B) Best PQ

Is the UK release actually the best one PQ-wise for Under the Skin? I don't see any updates in this thread regarding the UK release nor in any of the other threads, and there's no images for the UK release on CAH.

[HD Goofnut]

Originally Posted by waxHead

Is the UK release actually the best one PQ-wise for Under the Skin? I don't see any updates in this thread regarding the UK release nor in any of the other threads, and there's no images for the UK release on CAH.

I think the UK is still the best for PQ.

[waxHead]

Originally Posted by HD Goofnut

I think the UK is still the best for PQ.

OK, but how did you come to that conclusion? Do you own both releases? Is there a comparison somewhere else online?

[HD Goofnut]

Originally Posted by waxHead

OK, but how did you come to that conclusion? Do you own both releases? Is there a comparison somewhere else online?

I can't remember where I saw the comparison, but I do remember that the UK disc had better compression despite having a slightly lower bitrate when compared to the DE disc.

[waxHead]

Originally Posted by HD Goofnut

I can't remember where I saw the comparison, but I do remember that the UK disc had better compression despite having a slightly lower bitrate when compared to the DE disc.

Sounds good, thanks HD Goofnut.

[JimDiGriz]

Originally Posted by HD Goofnut

I can't remember where I saw the comparison, but I do remember that the UK disc had better compression despite having a slightly lower bitrate when compared to the DE disc.

I seem to remember ages ago people saying the DE disc was better for some reason, not just bitrate?

Anyway...I'm waiting for a 4K disc now. Its not a film that I clicked with but every now and then it creeps into my brain!

[casspir]

The "Murder on the Orient Express" (1974) entry in the list needs to be updated, there is now a US release:
https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Murde...Blu-ray/42642/

And there is a comparison on caps-a-holic:
https://caps-a-holic.com/c_list.php?c=4392

[Hedrox]

Originally Posted by HD Goofnut

I can't remember where I saw the comparison, but I do remember that the UK disc had better compression despite having a slightly lower bitrate when compared to the DE disc.

Seeing as it's StudioCanal I'm gonna press X to doubt on that one. Even the one review posted for it mentions banding and aliasing.

If we're going by "I remember something", I also remember a user named "Cvalda" getting all 3 editions and comparing them. Sadly the screencaps expired.

The UK transfer is plagued with aliasing, and the color timing is greener and more contrast-y. Whether the color is more accurate or not is up for debate, but now both the US and German transfers using the same source (which the German studio described as "the best available", to paraphrase) might indicate which is the proper one.

There is aliasing in almost every frame of the UK transfer, but it is subtle. I immediately noticed it, though, and some other posters did, too. The UK release also uses a different master than the US/DE, the contrast is punchier, the color is tinted slightly greener, and there are some other subtle differences, like the shot of the contracting alien iris at the beginning having what looks like a fake grain overlay not present on the US/DE.

You can read more of their thoughts here.

[HD Goofnut]

Added A Soldier's Story.

[HD Goofnut]

Added The Third Secret.

[Hedrox]

You're not going to add Highlander? The Eagle release has much better compression compared to the StudioCanal one (which shares the same encode with the US LG release).

Here's a scan of the US disc (same video and audio as SC):

DISC INFO:

Disc Title: HIGHLANDER
Disc Size: 47,529,499,546 bytes
Protection: AACS
BD-Java: No
BDInfo: 0.5.8

PLAYLIST REPORT:

Name: 00000.MPLS
Length: 1:56:38.041 (h:m:s.ms)
Size: 25,345,755,456 bytes
Total Bitrate: 28.97 Mbps

VIDEO:

Codec Bitrate Description
----- ------- -----------
MPEG-4 AVC Video 20000 kbps 1080p / 24 fps / 16:9 / High Profile 4.1

AUDIO:

Codec Language Bitrate Description
----- -------- ------- -----------
DTS-HD Master Audio English 1734 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1734 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 24-bit)
DTS-HD Master Audio English 3943 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 3943 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 24-bit)
DTS-HD Master Audio English 1551 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1551 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 24-bit)

SUBTITLES:

Codec Language Bitrate Description
----- -------- ------- -----------
Presentation Graphics English 20.538 kbps
Presentation Graphics Spanish 17.442 kbps