The Anime Blu-ray Video Quality Thread

[kevers7290]

^Awesome, exactly what I'm looking for: Japanese quality for a fraction of the cost. Thanks again Naiera!

[kevers7290]

Some quick follow up questions. What's the best place for ordering HK Blu-ray discs? I used to import from dddhouse and buyoyo, but it's been a while since I've used either. Are both still reliable for overseas shipping? Is one preferable to the other?

[Naiera]

DDDHouse and Buyoyo are both still fine.

I actually got a cheap TW Wind Rises on eBay a couple of months ago, but they don’t seem to have any more

[kevers7290]

Originally Posted by Naiera

DDDHouse and Buyoyo are both still fine.

I actually got a cheap TW Wind Rises on eBay a couple of months ago, but they don’t seem to have any more

Would you mind sharing the eBay seller so I can monitor for a restock? I'm not in a rush to buy so I can wait if it will save me a little more coin (you can send via PM if you like).

[Naiera]

Pretty sure it was "daniel_in_taiwan". I wouldn't bet on it getting re-stocked though; the selection seems almost completely random.

[Naiera]

It was. This was the item page. That's an embarrassingly good deal

[StuPod]

I've been watching the remastered version of Legend of the Galactic Heroes recently and it's such a weird beast
Most of the time it's a plain (admittedly very nice looking) upscale, but then you get some scenes which seem to have been digitally re-composited from original freeze-frames, or cels, or something
Then you get the re-animated scenes (which I honestly don't think look too bad) thrown into the mix, and occasionally you even get some shots which are a combination of original and re-animated elements
Then there are a very few shots which seem to just be straight upscales from the original laserdisc master, no re-compositing or remastering

I've never heard of any other anime with quite this same mix of elements

[kk1]

Originally Posted by StuPod

I've been watching the remastered version of Legend of the Galactic Heroes recently and it's such a weird beast
Most of the time it's a plain (admittedly very nice looking) upscale, but then you get some scenes which seem to have been digitally re-composited from original freeze-frames, or cels, or something
Then you get the re-animated scenes (which I honestly don't think look too bad) thrown into the mix, and occasionally you even get some shots which are a combination of original and re-animated elements
Then there are a very few shots which seem to just be straight upscales from the original laserdisc master, no re-compositing or remastering

I've never heard of any other anime with quite this same mix of elements

Yeah professorwho explained all this in the Legend Of Galactic Heroes thread, which for some reason I can't find...hmm what happened to it?

[professorwho]

Originally Posted by kk1

Yeah professorwho explained all this in the Legend Of Galactic Heroes thread, which for some reason I can't find...hmm what happened to it?

I think I may have explained it here a while back, too.

[NLScavenger]

Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt: Bandit Flower - US/AU/UK BD

AU/UK BD is kind of region free, but the disc will skip to the movie on region A & C players. Main menu is inaccessible on region A & C. Subtitles are optional, but the lyric translations are burnt in.

Screenshots [Alternate link]


Menu


Pop-up menu

DISC INFO:

Disc Title:     Thunderbolt Bandit Flower BD
Disc Label:     GUNDAM_BANDIT_FLOWER
Disc Size:      28,778,531,318 bytes
Protection:     AACS
BDInfo:         0.7.5.5

PLAYLIST REPORT:

Name:                   00000.MPLS
Length:                 1:29:35.370 (h:m:s.ms)
Size:                   25,624,510,848 bytes
Total Bitrate:          38.14 Mbps

VIDEO:

Codec                   Bitrate             Description     
-----                   -------             -----------     
MPEG-4 AVC Video        32917 kbps          1080p / 23.976 fps / 16:9 / High Profile 4.1

AUDIO:

Codec                           Language        Bitrate         Description     
-----                           --------        -------         -----------     
LPCM Audio                      Japanese        1536 kbps       2.0 / 48 kHz /  1536 kbps / 16-bit
LPCM Audio                      English         1536 kbps       2.0 / 48 kHz /  1536 kbps / 16-bit

SUBTITLES:

Codec                           Language        Bitrate         Description     
-----                           --------        -------         -----------     
Presentation Graphics           English         25.236 kbps                     
Presentation Graphics           English         0.386 kbps

[LexInHD]

I'm watching War In The Pocket right now. Quality is on par with the older Gundam Blu-Ray releases of the same period. Video and stereo audio are both acceptable and the faux-5.1 mixes are garbage.

[chronoclast]

Can anyone here confirm if Funi's Tatami Galaxy BDs are indeed 1080i?

[Naiera]

I haven't as much as glanced at the bitrate, let alone ripped anything, but I'd like to add that Sakura Quest from FUNimation looks really good to me. I don't know if the gamma is in order, but it seems like it is. The whole thing just looks right. Great release for a pretty great show.

[FeelsBDMan]

Originally Posted by Naiera

I haven't as much as glanced at the bitrate, let alone ripped anything, but I'd like to add that Sakura Quest from FUNimation looks really good to me. I don't know if the gamma is in order, but it seems like it is. The whole thing just looks right. Great release for a pretty great show.

Can confirm this.

Definitely one of their better releases.

[Footlong Shoe]

Originally Posted by chronoclast

Can anyone here confirm if Funi's Tatami Galaxy BDs are indeed 1080i?

It is indeed interlaced, but I watched it for a little while and if I didn't already know I doubt I would've ever realized it. Probably says more about me than the Blu-ray though.

[Naiera]

1080i isn't some automatic death sentence for video quality.

[chronoclast]

Originally Posted by Footlong Shoe

It is indeed interlaced, but I watched it for a little while and if I didn't already know I doubt I would've ever realized it. Probably says more about me than the Blu-ray though.

Thank you for confirming that.

Originally Posted by Naiera

1080i isn't some automatic death sentence for video quality.

I agree with you but the Japanese and UK BDs are 1080p24. There's no good reason for Funi's release to be interlaced.

I wonder if there was some weird requirement with the licensor considering it took so many years for Funi to release it.

[professorwho]

Sometimes if the frame rate of a work is higher than 24, presenting an interlaced image is the best way to do it other than chopping frames to fit a 23.97 fps for BD. That said, you can do some cool tricks to achieve a progressive image in it- if the work was 25 fps PAL, you can encode it at 50i to have 25 progressive frames inside a 50i encode, and while I can’t confirm for certain, I think you can do the same with NTSC 30 fps content in a 60i encode. Then there’s silent films where sometimes the frame rate isn’t optimal at 24, so lowering it to 20 is best (though some do hold up when increased 24, like Passion of Joan of Arc).

[Footlong Shoe]

Originally Posted by Footlong Shoe

It is indeed interlaced, but I watched it for a little while and if I didn't already know I doubt I would've ever realized it. Probably says more about me than the Blu-ray though.

I take this back. I'm watching it again and the interlacing is sticking out a lot. Going to do screencaps/bitrate soon.

[professorwho]

Originally Posted by Footlong Shoe

I take this back. I'm watching it again and the interlacing is sticking out a lot. Going to do screencaps/bitrate soon.

Thanks. Here's the UK stats (from Scavenger).