The Anime Blu-ray Video Quality Thread

[kevers7290]

Originally Posted by NLScavenger

Sorry, I don't own the Bandai US disc.

I do, lol. I downloaded makemkv, so I can post data if someone can guide me (a total idiot) through the process. For starters, do I just use the backup function?

EDIT: OK, not sure if this helps as I've not used these programs before.

[NLScavenger]

Originally Posted by kevers7290

I do, lol. I downloaded makemkv, so I can post data if someone can guide me (a total idiot) through the process. For starters, do I just use the backup function?

EDIT: OK, not sure if this helps as I've not used these programs before.

[Show spoiler]

If you want to make screenshots, I recommend MPC-HC with madVR v0.90.24. There's one caveat: it usually takes screenshots of the next frame, but if you keep that in mind it's not very hard to use.

Later version of madVR, at least on my setup, apply some kind of undefeatable post processing, even when paused. So two screenshots of the exact same frame don't have the same file size. Maybe other people have better luck with later later versions of madVR.

I also losslessly optimize the PNG screenshots with optipng, just to decrease the upload and download time. It's a simple matter of dragging and dropping the PNG screenshots on optipng.exe.

[SeaFox]

Originally Posted by NLScavenger

Later version of madVR, at least on my setup, apply some kind of undefeatable post processing, even when paused. So two screenshots of the exact same frame don't have the same file size. Maybe other people have better luck with later later versions of madVR.

I heard If you use mpv and the "high quality" screenshot options the frame is taken direct from the demuxxer, so there is no way for the renderer, video card settings, or any filters to effect the resulting image. This would likely require using the capital "S" shortcut as lowercase "s" includes subtitles. Would probably need to do more research into this to confirm if other configuration changes are needed.

[NLScavenger]

Originally Posted by SeaFox

I heard If you use mpv and the "high quality" screenshot options the frame is taken direct from the demuxxer, so there is no way for the renderer, video card settings, or any filters to effect the resulting image. This would likely require using the capital "S" shortcut as lowercase "s" includes subtitles. Would probably need to do more research into this to confirm if other configuration changes are needed.

I've made screenshots with capital "S" shortcut: first with the default video settings and then with profile=gpu-hq + deband=no, but the screenshots are identical on both settings. Same file size, color info. Maybe I'm doing something wrong, but that wouldn't surprise me because MPV is a pain in the ass to set up.

I wonder which of the two (MPV or MPC-HC+madVR v0.90.24) produce more accurate screenshots, because there is a subtle difference between these two screenshots I've made. Notice the top left corner.

[SeaFox]

I'm not seeing the difference. But then I'm at work on a Dell monitor with fluorescent lights behind me, yadayada...

[professorwho]

I have a terrible monitor (16:10) that isn't even 1080p (1680x1050) and has a lot of dust on it because I'm lazy to clean it. Yeah, I can't tell a difference.... until I used the zoom tool on Chrome.

The first one has more compression artifacts (and I'm 400% in that top left hand corner) and I think it's ever so slightly brighter (like barely noticeable unless you zoom way in like me).

[SeaFox]

Okay, I'm home now and when I blow it up in size I can see the difference, too. It's really more the far upper-left corner of the room. There seems to be some difference in the shadows there. The mpv sceen shot is showing darker shadows, in the extreme crevice where the walls meet. There are pixels that are simply darker than what the other has. Being a tiny bit brighter, the MPC-HC+MadVR one shows a little more detail in those areas.

[Johndvs]

Hello everyone. I’m sorry if this has been asked before by other posters but I was wondering if anyone has any comparison shots of sword art online season 1 on dvd and the bluray. I’m going to buy the series but I would like to know if the bluray version from AoA is worth it over the dvd and as a collector I’d hate to have Ordinal Scale on BD and the series on dvd. I guess I’m looking for comparison shots to justify a potential BD purchase.

[professorwho]

If you’re region Free (and in America), then pick up the UK release. If you’re in Europe, just pick this release up, no problem. It has a lower bitrate, yes, but based on some shots I saw, it still looks good, and it has lossless audio for the dub (if you watch dubs).

SAO is HD native, so it’s gonna look better on Blu-ray regardless of what release you get.

[Naiera]

Yeah, the UK release is fine. And definitely better than the DVD.

[Johndvs]

Sadly I’m not Region free and I made peace with paying the price for AoA. Guess I’m a masochist for pain to my wallet. Thank you very much for the advice and looks like bluray version for SAO it is.

[Kyle15]

Originally Posted by Johndvs

Sadly I’m not Region free and I made peace with paying the price for AoA. Guess I’m a masochist for pain to my wallet. Thank you very much for the advice and looks like bluray version for SAO it is.

Going region free saves you money in the long run. Just saiyan.

[Gorgon]

Originally Posted by Kyle15

Going region free saves you money in the long run. Just saiyan.

Well, yes and no;
You can track down a better deal having the world open to you but you can also end up buying a lot more having that restriction lifted...

[NLScavenger]

Originally Posted by NLScavenger

I've made screenshots with capital "S" shortcut: first with the default video settings and then with profile=gpu-hq + deband=no, but the screenshots are identical on both settings. Same file size, color info. Maybe I'm doing something wrong, but that wouldn't surprise me because MPV is a pain in the ass to set up.

I wonder which of the two (MPV or MPC-HC+madVR v0.90.24) produce more accurate screenshots, because there is a subtle difference between these two screenshots I've made. Notice the top left corner.

I forgot that I hadn't updated MPV in a while, so I installed a newer version of MPV. The MPV and MPC-HC+madVR v0.90.24 screenshots still differ from each other, but the difference is significantly smaller: http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/114055

Far upper left corner (398x182) posterized, blown up to 200% size:

MPC-HC + madVR v0.90.24


MPV 2018-05-19 x64 build


MPV old

[Mangaranga]

Sad news for Re:Zero fans. The BD isn't very good at all with near constant banding, blocking and poor compression. Probably the worst Funimation BD I've seen since Psycho Pass Season 1. Given the licensor is Kadokawa I'm not sure whether the blame lies entirely with Funimation on this one though. To be absolutely sure on this one the comparison shots are from the Japanese BD, so the source files themselves are most definitely not the problem.

[professorwho]

Originally Posted by Mangaranga

Probably the worst Funimation BD I've seen since Psycho Pass Season 1.

How did you take those screenshots? Certain methods are better than others, but even something like VLC would still show how much banding is visible.

Wow... how do you f**k up a title people are excited for so badly? It doesn't help that the first 9 episodes are on Disc 1 (Episode 1 is 50 minutes long, so there's technically 10 episodes of content there- yuck.)

FUNi needs better video encoders. And I thought they were getting better. Escaflowne looks really good, and with Yamato 2199 on 2 BD-50s I hope that turns out fine.

[Girls With Guns]

Will the UK Re:Zero discs be Funi authored as well, or is there hope they might be better? I was planning on getting the UK CE over the Funi LE...

[professorwho]

Originally Posted by Girls With Guns

Will the UK Re:Zero discs be Funi authored as well, or is there hope they might be better? I was planning on getting the UK CE over the Funi LE...

If you looked at the comparison, it's the UK discs... yes, they're sadly the same.

[professorwho]

Also, heads up on Durarara X2:

Siren Visual really messed up the audio. Season 1 and X2 Part 1 had LPCM Stereo that mimicked the Aniplex sets, but for Parts 2 and 3 of X2, it's Dolby Digital. How do you do that... plus, it has an even lower bitrate than the DVD releases they made! (BD is about 200kbps; DVD is 324kbps)

Part 1 was authored by Justin Sevakis for both the UK and Australia, so expect great video and audio, sadly Siren Visual really messed up...

[kk1]

Originally Posted by Mangaranga

Sad news for Re:Zero fans. The BD isn't very good at all with near constant banding, blocking and poor compression. Probably the worst Funimation BD I've seen since Psycho Pass Season 1. Given the licensor is Kadokawa I'm not sure whether the blame lies entirely with Funimation on this one though. To be absolutely sure on this one the comparison shots are from the Japanese BD, so the source files themselves are most definitely not the problem.

Truly sad, how do you not hire someone who knows what they are doing or at least check their work or just send out a test disc to the online community and get some feedback...