The Anime Blu-ray Video Quality Thread

[Logan Jones]

We need more upscales like this. Not those filtered smear-fests that try to "look" HD.

[Mangaranga]

Originally Posted by Yuripa

For the audio, I don't know why they put a AC-3 track when they already put the superior PCM track, there is no difference in the track, it's not a commentary track or something else.
Anyway the PCM track is perfect.

Is the 5.1 THD track an upmix or something? I've always noticed that Funi's BD didn't have it, and it's uncommon to find said track on BDrips too.

[NormanicGrav]

Anime Limited are working with their UK authoring house to try and improve the video quality of their releases. For those who don't know this authoring team worked on Amanchu!, Castlevania Season 1, Code Geass Movie 1, and Silver Spoon.

They have a comparison for one scene and I figured you lot can help figure out which one is the best. I've already spotted #3 & #5 being the worst of the bunch.

[mp3dom]

Is this a joke?
Geez, gamma/brightness values are "tastes" when colorists and d.o.p. decides the colors of each scene in a product.
Here, we are in digital domain with masters already provided and already color graded following the vision of the directors. There's no "better" or "worst" decision, but only "the right" one.
Excluding compression artifacts and other problems related to how distribute the compressed bits, everything else is not a "taste".
Just to think that an authoring house can (in)voluntarely decide to change the brightness/gamma values makes me think that there is no knowledge on what it's doing... and if it change this on purpose, it's ever worse...
Here, at least a couple of shots are totally wrong, if this is made on purpose... well, it's not a good decision. If this is made accidentally... I would probably change the authoring house.
Again, there's only *1 choice*, the right one that have the *exact same values as the source*.

[NLScavenger]

Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms – Anime Limited UK/FR BD (Region B locked)

Anime Limited BD


Bandai Namco Arts BD (Source: Sensuifu)


Nozomi BD (Source: Sensuifu)



-Audio-
Japanese: DTS-HD MA 5.1 / 48 kHz / 3828 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
English: DTS-HD MA 5.1 / 48 kHz / 3861 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
French: DTS-HD MA 5.1 / 48 kHz / 3937 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)

-Subtitles-
English (locked)
English - signs & songs (locked)
French (locked)
French - signs (locked)

-Bitrate viewer report-

AVG: 25000 kbps | MAX: 44329 kbps

-BDinfo report-

DISC INFO:

Disc Title:     MAQUIA
Disc Label:     MAQUIA
Disc Size:      34,910,768,193 bytes
Protection:     AACS
Extras:         50Hz Content
BDInfo:         0.7.5.2

PLAYLIST REPORT:

Name:                   00000.MPLS
Length:                 1:54:29.000 (h:m:s.ms)
Size:                   33,535,506,432 bytes
Total Bitrate:          39.06 Mbps

VIDEO:

Codec                   Bitrate             Description     
-----                   -------             -----------     
MPEG-4 AVC Video        24997 kbps          1080p / 24 fps / 16:9 / High Profile 4.1

AUDIO:

Codec                           Language        Bitrate         Description     
-----                           --------        -------         -----------     
DTS-HD Master Audio             Japanese        3828 kbps       5.1 / 48 kHz /  3828 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz /  1509 kbps / 24-bit)
DTS-HD Master Audio             French          3937 kbps       5.1 / 48 kHz /  3937 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz /  1509 kbps / 24-bit)
DTS-HD Master Audio             English         3861 kbps       5.1 / 48 kHz /  3861 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz /  1509 kbps / 24-bit)

SUBTITLES:

Codec                           Language        Bitrate         Description     
-----                           --------        -------         -----------     
Presentation Graphics           French          22.111 kbps                     
Presentation Graphics           French          0.294 kbps                      
Presentation Graphics           English         21.651 kbps                     
Presentation Graphics           English         0.459 kbps                      

FILES:

Name            Time In         Length          Size            Total Bitrate   
----            -------         ------          ----            -------------   
00000.M2TS      0:00:00.000     1:54:28.000     33,535,481,856  39,063          
00004.M2TS      1:54:28.000     0:00:01.000     24,576          197             

CHAPTERS:

Number          Time In         Length          Avg Video Rate  Max 1-Sec Rate  Max 1-Sec Time  Max 5-Sec Rate  Max 5-Sec Time  Max 10Sec Rate  Max 10Sec Time  Avg Frame Size  Max Frame Size  Max Frame Time  
------          -------         ------          --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  
1               0:00:00.000     0:12:19.833     25,456 kbps     43,095 kbps     00:00:02.958    34,944 kbps     00:06:47.458    32,306 kbps     00:06:41.041    132,578 bytes   894,986 bytes   00:02:40.333    
2               0:12:19.833     0:10:55.541     24,964 kbps     41,334 kbps     00:14:21.000    35,246 kbps     00:14:21.000    32,387 kbps     00:20:13.041    130,020 bytes   927,722 bytes   00:22:33.458    
3               0:23:15.375     0:11:36.916     25,052 kbps     36,686 kbps     00:26:16.874    30,516 kbps     00:23:16.750    29,527 kbps     00:26:15.374    130,478 bytes   845,224 bytes   00:23:27.416    
4               0:34:52.291     0:08:43.833     25,206 kbps     43,423 kbps     00:34:56.250    35,026 kbps     00:34:56.250    32,598 kbps     00:43:06.083    131,282 bytes   759,961 bytes   00:34:56.291    
5               0:43:36.125     0:08:43.250     25,273 kbps     38,746 kbps     00:49:11.208    34,205 kbps     00:49:09.666    32,848 kbps     00:49:08.208    131,631 bytes   757,822 bytes   00:43:49.875    
6               0:52:19.375     0:07:33.333     24,755 kbps     57,144 kbps     00:57:47.500    32,602 kbps     00:57:47.500    30,549 kbps     00:54:22.458    128,932 bytes   849,132 bytes   00:57:47.541    
7               0:59:52.708     0:10:25.458     24,110 kbps     37,757 kbps     01:05:27.875    33,826 kbps     01:05:26.291    32,613 kbps     01:05:24.875    125,573 bytes   798,776 bytes   01:06:10.625    
8               1:10:18.166     0:09:14.875     24,710 kbps     36,899 kbps     01:18:20.125    33,229 kbps     01:18:16.125    31,892 kbps     01:18:12.625    128,700 bytes   807,744 bytes   01:14:20.000    
9               1:19:33.041     0:09:52.916     23,814 kbps     39,774 kbps     01:25:20.833    30,548 kbps     01:25:20.833    29,955 kbps     01:25:20.833    124,032 bytes   696,806 bytes   01:23:35.791    
10              1:29:25.958     0:10:02.000     25,473 kbps     47,566 kbps     01:31:57.291    35,386 kbps     01:29:29.416    31,988 kbps     01:29:29.333    132,672 bytes   726,547 bytes   01:34:22.875    
11              1:39:27.958     0:10:12.708     25,630 kbps     40,528 kbps     01:45:30.916    35,069 kbps     01:45:28.166    31,998 kbps     01:45:28.416    133,491 bytes   967,863 bytes   01:45:28.458    
12              1:49:40.666     0:04:48.333     25,822 kbps     37,490 kbps     01:54:15.291    32,713 kbps     01:54:15.708    31,937 kbps     01:54:10.666    134,509 bytes   796,559 bytes   01:54:20.333    

STREAM DIAGNOSTICS:

File            PID             Type            Codec           Language                Seconds                 Bitrate                 Bytes           Packets         
----            ---             ----            -----           --------                --------------          --------------          -------------   -----           
00000.M2TS      4113 (0x1011)   0x1B            AVC                                     6867.833                25,001                  21,462,797,731  116,741,982     
00000.M2TS      4352 (0x1100)   0x86            DTS-HD MA       jpn (Japanese)          6867.833                3,829                   3,286,981,516   18,934,941      
00000.M2TS      4353 (0x1101)   0x86            DTS-HD MA       fra (French)            6867.833                3,937                   3,380,230,708   19,442,964      
00000.M2TS      4354 (0x1102)   0x86            DTS-HD MA       eng (English)           6867.833                3,861                   3,314,976,820   19,087,904      
00000.M2TS      4608 (0x1200)   0x90            PGS             fra (French)            6867.833                22                      18,985,406      112,174         
00000.M2TS      4609 (0x1201)   0x90            PGS             fra (French)            6867.833                0                       252,346         1,443           
00000.M2TS      4610 (0x1202)   0x90            PGS             eng (English)           6867.833                22                      18,590,169      110,175         
00000.M2TS      4611 (0x1203)   0x90            PGS             eng (English)           6867.833                0                       394,224         2,287           
00004.M2TS      4113 (0x1011)   0x1B            AVC                                     0.875                   108                     11,785          72

[Yuripa]

Also : authoring house : Com'On screen (french authoring house).

So, more banding than the US/JP version and also slightly wrong color level but nothing at the catastrophic level of Amachu, Geass, etc.
Not perfect, the weakest of the 3 but it's not "OhmygoditsbadlikeRe-zero" level.
Also looks like there is more Artifact/blocking in the AL release, noise reduction filter?

For 15€ it's a "decent" deal, but if you can the US is better.

Also lol at @animeLTD for their... "survey" jesus, why just not telling the encoder to keep the freaking original color level? It's so stupid.

[pikagreg]

Anyone happen to check any of the more recent SDBD releases from Sentai to see if they fixed their interlacing issues? (or whatever was wrong with them)

[SpaceDandy]

Originally Posted by NLScavenger

Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms – Anime Limited UK/FR BD (Region B locked)

(…)

Why is AL picture zoomed in compared to the others? This seems to be only of about 2 pixels on each side but why?

[pikagreg]

So JP > Nozomi > UK > Shout?

[NLScavenger]

Originally Posted by pikagreg

So JP > Nozomi > UK > Shout?

You be the judge of that.

pikagreg's Shout BD (Japanese audio) screenshots:


Anime Limited BD screenshots

[PissedOffPeoN]

Silver spoon is not region locked on my panasonic 820, it goes to screensaver then you can top menu it and it works.

[professorwho]

Sorry for having single-handedly ruined the UK anime industry.

[StefaanD]

Shame on you ... oh wait no, don’t even think for a minute you have that kind of power.

[NLScavenger]

Originally Posted by professorwho

Sorry for having single-handedly ruined the UK anime industry.

But in all seriousness, like StefaanD said, you don't have that power.

[professorwho]

I don’t have any power, you are both correct. That was me making a bad attempt at a joke to lighten tension.

I was acting immature under stress from having many delays in returning from my trip in Japan. As of writing this now, I am not even home yet. Please understand. People can loose their sanity when pushed to extremes they have never dealt with before.

I truly am sorry.

[Dailyan]

[professorwho]

Once I’m back in America, I’ll be back to analyzing things I bought in Japan.

[professorwho]

I have returned from Japan and am ripping The IdolM@ster Volume 1 as I type this. Will post stats and screencaps in a day or two.

[BoscoTheMan82]

Originally Posted by PissedOffPeoN

Silver spoon is not region locked on my panasonic 820, it goes to screensaver then you can top menu it and it works.

The top menu trick seems to work on Anime Limited and Manga UK releases since their only region locking their discs and not using the country code along with it

[sagadego]

Originally Posted by BoscoTheMan82

The top menu trick seems to work on Anime Limited and Manga UK releases since their only region locking their discs and not using the country code along with it

all blu ray players? like i use a sony based one