Slight PQ issue with "Dark City" - Blu-ray Forum

skatalite · 09-17-2009, 02:33 AM

So, I got "Dark City" in from Amazon and just finished watching it. It's a favorite sci-fi of mine, and this is the first I've owned it on any "modern" media. I own it on VHS.

But during some parts of the movie the black bars at the top and the bottom of the screen brighten a tad, then darken back to their original shade of black. It happens here and there through the movie, and I've gone back to see if it's in the same spots or if it's truly sporadic. It's always in the same spots.

One spot in particular is when Emma Murdoch (Jennifer Connelly) is getting out of Inspector Frank Bumstead's (William Hurt) police vehicle, about 1/4 through the film. As she's getting out, the bars brighten (and it seems the entire screen brightens, but it could just be my eyes), then darken back to their normal shade.

Has anyone else experienced this problem? I watched "A Bug's Life" earlier today and had no issues, and I've had no issues with my new TV (Samsung plasma, PN50B650) or new Blu-ray player (PS3 Slim) since getting them a couple weeks ago. Basically: Every other movie I've watched has been flawless.

Sure, it could be a defective disc, or it could be something to do with the transfer. Just wondering if anyone's experienced this?

Thanks!

skatalite · 09-17-2009, 05:20 AM

Alright, so, I'm adding to this with new findings:

I just calibrated my TV using the THX calibration run-through found on "A Bug's Life," and then I watched the scene in "Dark City" that gave me the anomoly. I no longer have the anomoly.

At first, I was wondering if my Samsung's Cinema Smooth function was the culprit, but it wasn't. But this was after the mini calibration. So maybe the simple tweaks fixed the anomoly. Unsure.

But I'm still sure it was a disc error in a way, because it happened in the same spots each time I reviewed them before the mini calibration.

Oh, well.

retablo · 09-17-2009, 06:04 AM

Naw, the only problem I have with the disc is all the DNR.

RocShemp · 09-17-2009, 06:21 AM

Yeah, DNR on the theatrical footage is the only problem I have. It's really irritating when the extended footage shows just how detailed the whole movie could have looked.

YodasFootPowder · 09-17-2009, 09:42 AM

I thought the whole movie looked phenomenal, extended scenes and normal scenes.

AikonEnt · 09-17-2009, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YodasFootPowder

I thought the whole movie looked phenomenal, extended scenes and normal scenes.

Me too! Melissa George looked particularly fine in HD

Elvis · 09-17-2009, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by retablo

Naw, the only problem I have with the disc is all the DNR.

Run it's the DNR police!

SquidPuppet · 09-17-2009, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skatalite

Alright, so, I'm adding to this with new findings:

I just calibrated my TV using the THX calibration run-through found on "A Bug's Life," and then I watched the scene in "Dark City" that gave me the anomoly. I no longer have the anomoly.

At first, I was wondering if my Samsung's Cinema Smooth function was the culprit, but it wasn't. But this was after the mini calibration. So maybe the simple tweaks fixed the anomoly. Unsure.

But I'm still sure it was a disc error in a way, because it happened in the same spots each time I reviewed them before the mini calibration.

Oh, well.

Do you have any sort of "auto-dim" feature on the TV?

skatalite · 09-17-2009, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Do you have any sort of "auto-dim" feature on the TV?

Nope. Dynamic Contrast is off, too. Maybe I ought to check the disc? Perhaps I smudged it, who knows.

aramis109 · 09-17-2009, 04:08 PM

Dynamic contrast was my suggestion as well.

I own it, I love the movie, but I'll agree- the title's got pretty bad DNR and EE. Doesn't stop me from still enjoying it but maybe someday they'll put out a new copy.

deangrazy · 09-17-2009, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YodasFootPowder

I thought the whole movie looked phenomenal, extended scenes and normal scenes.

You thought or you still do, The movie is really good and I have no known problems with it.

YodasFootPowder · 09-18-2009, 06:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deangrazy

You thought or you still do, The movie is really good and I have no known problems with it.

I still think it looks great! LOL! Obviously most of our user-base does as well.

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Dark-...r-Reviews/806/

09-17-2009, 02:33 AM	#1
skatalite Banned Member since:Mar 2009 Location:Norman, Okla. Blu-ray reviews:1 Trading Score:12	Slight PQ issue with "Dark City" So, I got "Dark City" in from Amazon and just finished watching it. It's a favorite sci-fi of mine, and this is the first I've owned it on any "modern" media. I own it on VHS. But during some parts of the movie the black bars at the top and the bottom of the screen brighten a tad, then darken back to their original shade of black. It happens here and there through the movie, and I've gone back to see if it's in the same spots or if it's truly sporadic. It's always in the same spots. One spot in particular is when Emma Murdoch (Jennifer Connelly) is getting out of Inspector Frank Bumstead's (William Hurt) police vehicle, about 1/4 through the film. As she's getting out, the bars brighten (and it seems the entire screen brightens, but it could just be my eyes), then darken back to their normal shade. Has anyone else experienced this problem? I watched "A Bug's Life" earlier today and had no issues, and I've had no issues with my new TV (Samsung plasma, PN50B650) or new Blu-ray player (PS3 Slim) since getting them a couple weeks ago. Basically: Every other movie I've watched has been flawless. Sure, it could be a defective disc, or it could be something to do with the transfer. Just wondering if anyone's experienced this? Thanks!

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09-17-2009, 05:20 AM	#2
skatalite Banned Member since:Mar 2009 Location:Norman, Okla. Blu-ray reviews:1 Trading Score:12	Alright, so, I'm adding to this with new findings: I just calibrated my TV using the THX calibration run-through found on "A Bug's Life," and then I watched the scene in "Dark City" that gave me the anomoly. I no longer have the anomoly. At first, I was wondering if my Samsung's Cinema Smooth function was the culprit, but it wasn't. But this was after the mini calibration. So maybe the simple tweaks fixed the anomoly. Unsure. But I'm still sure it was a disc error in a way, because it happened in the same spots each time I reviewed them before the mini calibration. Oh, well.

09-17-2009, 06:04 AM	#3
retablo Banned Member since:Jul 2007 Location:Hollywood Blu-ray collection:1307 Trading Score:1	Naw, the only problem I have with the disc is all the DNR.

09-17-2009, 06:21 AM	#4
RocShemp Blu-ray Ninja Member since:Jul 2009 Blu-ray reviews:2	Yeah, DNR on the theatrical footage is the only problem I have. It's really irritating when the extended footage shows just how detailed the whole movie could have looked.

09-17-2009, 09:42 AM	#5
YodasFootPowder Blu-ray Guru Top ranked HT gallery Top contributor Member since:Jan 2009 Location:Twin Cities, MN Home Theater Gallery:40 4K collection:154 Blu-ray collection:565 Blu-ray reviews: 4 Trading Score:3	I thought the whole movie looked phenomenal, extended scenes and normal scenes.

09-17-2009, 04:08 PM	#10
aramis109 Blu-ray Ninja Member since:Mar 2008 Location:Milwaukee, WI Home Theater Gallery:10 4K collection:4 Blu-ray collection:360 Trading Score:18	Dynamic contrast was my suggestion as well. I own it, I love the movie, but I'll agree- the title's got pretty bad DNR and EE. Doesn't stop me from still enjoying it but maybe someday they'll put out a new copy.

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