Terrible quality, sharpness problem?

[alehel]

I just purchased a Sony BD-ROM (don't have the model name at hand), put it inside an external enclosure and have connected to my Macbook Pro running Windows Vista and a copy of Cyberlink PowerDVD Ultra 8. I realise that a lot of Blu-Ray disks have grain, but I just purchased Downfall (for some reason it seems to have been released in Norway before UK) and the amount of grain makes it look like a bad quality youtube video. I refuse to believe that it's supposed to be like this. Could there be something wrong with my setup? Could my laptops screen be to sharp (don't really know how to change this on a mac). I've heard that over sharp screens can cause problems.

I've just compared the Blu-ray disk to a dvd version and without a doubt, the dvd looks better because of the noise.

Has anyone else purchased Downfall? Is this a hardware problem on my part or is it meant to be like this? When they are walking round in the bunkers I feel like I'm seeing more grain than anything else.

I was a bit dissapointed when I discovered that it only had a bitrate of 14 - 18 mb. Was expecting more from blu-ray.

[dadkins]

Not having that disc, I cannot comment on the transfer or what it's supposed to look like.

Blu-ray is very close to the original Master.
If that master is grainy, the BD will also be grainy.
Do you have any other disc to try?
Perhaps an animation/PIXAR/Disney?

All things given the benefit of the doubt, it may just be a grainy movie.
Welcome to Blu-ray BTW!

[alehel]

I just read a review of the disk in a magazine and it says "A fine level of grain washes over Oliver Hirschbiegel's gripping account of Hitler's last days...".

Apparently it's meant to be like that, but I personally can't stand it. It completely washes out all the details, and it certainly didn't look like that when I saw it for the first time.

[dadkins]

Some here will say to embrace the grain, or that it is a part of "films"(movies).

While it may be part of some/most *movies*, it still doesn't make the movie as appealing to many of us.

Either *WE* have better eyes, better displays(or both) or it's just that when *WE* want to see HD, we want what has been stated as "Pristine Picture"

pristine

adjective
1. completely free from dirt or contamination; "pristine mountain snow"
2. immaculately clean and unused; "handed her his pristine white handkerchief"

Ah well, I recommend PIXAR or Disney.
I, Robot is also pretty good.

[FIDDYPOP]

The first edition of Full metal Jacket is so grainy I can barely sit through it. Because Blu Ray is so clear if the master is not great then the Blu Ray will not look great.

[alehel]

I've now learnt to read reviews before purchasing more films. Just wish I'd saved my money and purchased the dvd edition of downfall instead.

[Villain2100]

Not sure if this will help but.........

I have a Blu-ray drive on my laptop and sometimes when i get new BD just to check them too see if they are alright i just pop them into my laptop save start my system up. Anyway i received my copy of usual suspects on BD and tried it on my laptop, the amount of noise/grain was horrendous, i thought i might not be able to sit through it on my big screen, i was really disappointed. When i got my HT setup up and running at a later date i thought i'd pop US in and give it a try, I’m glad i did as on proper setup there was only minimal grain/noise and considering the source found it to be a good transfer.

I have no experience with the movie you mentioned but if you hook your laptop upto a big screen HDTV you may see an improvement.

[richieb1971]

I wouldn't trust a computer screen. For a start they aren't 1080p native so you've got scaling going on. Then you have to rely on the software doing a good job. If anything it should look better on a small screen than a big one.

[Blaumann]

I have the UK Blu of Downfall and it is very grainy and also has many scenes that were shot with low details. After all it's a film about the last days of an evil regime and not ToyStory III, so the cinamatography reflects this.

Probably not a good disc to get started.

Btw i second the warning about computer monitors. my older 1600x1200 Dell screen couldn't handle grain at all, turned it into video noise. My laptop does the same thing. On my HT setup and my new 1080p Dell pc monitor it is fine, so imo there are huge differences in displays being able to properly reproduce grain. YMMV.

[RiseDarthVader]

Grain is not in anyway blocking out detail. You see if you want to remove grain with DNR problem is you lose detail. It's like taking pixels out of a digital image. Grain is what creates the detail and sometimes it can be artistic like most movies set in WWII use more grainy film to reflect that era.

[MOONPHASE]

once you watch the Disney/Pixar movie Cars you will then find out what it means to have perfect PQ

[lch]

the grainest blu i got is Tomb Raider

[richieb1971]

Why do people say that grain reflects an era?

So your saying in 1942 the world looked grainy? This is one of the most bizarre things i've heard. Even directors which choose to do this on purpose, its so bizarre I can't get my head round it. I think what really happened is the director thought it looked like shite, so then decided to come up with some excuse like "it reflects the era". The guy probably wasn't even alive in 1940's.


What a load of old cods wallop.

[RiseDarthVader]

It reflects the quality of films. Back then the grain was much coarser like if you watch Pearl Harbor and when it shows old news reels notice how it is very grainy. And the grain is much larger. It's trying to make you feel like your watching the movie from someone filming the battle back then with lower quality film and much coarser grain.

[Blaumann]

Originally Posted by richieb1971

Why do people say that grain reflects an era?

So your saying in 1942 the world looked grainy? This is one of the most bizarre things i've heard. Even directors which choose to do this on purpose, its so bizarre I can't get my head round it. I think what really happened is the director thought it looked like shite, so then decided to come up with some excuse like "it reflects the era". The guy probably wasn't even alive in 1940's.


What a load of old cods wallop.

Why so serious? Using strong grain can be an artistic expression, giving the picture a rough (in this case very rough) texture. In this case reflecting the hard times of imminent doom. The movie also has many scenes with muted colors, with grey/brown colors dominating.

[dadkins]

Originally Posted by richieb1971

I wouldn't trust a computer screen. For a start they aren't 1080p native so you've got scaling going on. Then you have to rely on the software doing a good job. If anything it should look better on a small screen than a big one.

This computer(laptop) display is 1920x1200 native and will display a 1080 image *AS* 1080 with the unused screen as black bars.
No scaling or stretching unless I tell it to - and I don't!
Computer monitors can be found with way higher native res than HDTVs.
Computer monitors are usually better than HDTVs, given like resolutions - where do you think movies are edited? On a HDTV?
Uhm, no.

Again we are falling into the viewing distance.
If you are at the proper distance from *ANY* semi-decent 1920x1080 capable display, barring "Motion Flow" or any other "enhancements", the image will be the same as the disc is delivering on any other capable display.

Try it some time.
http://www.myhometheater.homestead.c...alculator.html

I sit 5.5 - 6 feet from my 42" 1080p TV.
Image looks the same as it does when displayed on my 17" Full HD 1080 laptop @ 22 inches(~1.9 feet) viewing distance.
Clear is clear - grain is grain.

Too far away, detail gets lost.
Nearly everyone here will tell you that grain = detail.
Ok, so if too much distance causes detail to get lost - aka grain - then too far from your HDTV will make "bad" grain less visible.

We WON'T tell anyone to turn on the set's DNR...
That's a bad idea no matter what you think about grain.

[Toptube]

You might have your sharpness up too high. If you've got a way to do it, try viewing some pictures that you are familiar with on your TV. Pictures of people are especially good to detect whether or not your current settings are making things look unnatural or exaggerated. My own TV gets RIDICULOUSLY sharp. It doesn't start to look crisp and natural until you start hitting negative numbers on the sharpness setting. For me, - 11 is the perfect spot. I know that sounds low, but it really isn't. Higher than that is just too damn much sharpness and stuff starts to look cracked, dried out, and over emphasizes small details like body hair and noise/grain.

[VHS4Ever]

I have a similar problem too.

[supersix4]

Originally Posted by richieb1971

I wouldn't trust a computer screen. For a start they aren't 1080p native so you've got scaling going on. Then you have to rely on the software doing a good job. If anything it should look better on a small screen than a big one.

yeah I think mac books are 1440x900 I know my new one from dec. is, so its scaling it for sure. Check to see if the 9600gt is running and its not in power save 9400 mode, even tho I think the 9400 could do blu-ray.