Nagging Thought About Paramount/Universal's Switch...

[JJ]

Quick thought. Now that Paramount and Universal are all for Blu-Ray, are we to expect their first Blu-Rays's released to be HD-DVD ports? Not that I have anything wrong with the quality of Paramount releases, some of their former Blu-Ray transfers were top notch - but am I wrong in thinking that they would remaster the video and audio (audio, especially) for the Blu-Ray releases?

And not the Blu-Rays that Paramount already has made, as the News article has said. I am talking about the ones they made solely under HD-DVD; unless they somehow secretly made Blu-Rays along with them but stashed them a la final scene of Indiana Jones.

[spam.curitiba]

Originally Posted by JJxiv1215

Quick thought. Now that Paramount and Universal are all for Blu-Ray, are we to expect their first Blu-Rays's released to be HD-DVD ports? Not that I have anything wrong with the quality of Paramount releases, some of their former Blu-Ray transfers were top notch - but am I wrong in thinking that they would remaster the video and audio (audio, especially) for the Blu-Ray releases?

And not the Blu-Rays that Paramount already has made, as the News article has said. I am talking about the ones they made solely under HD-DVD; unless they somehow secretly made Blu-Rays along with them but stashed them a la final scene of Indiana Jones.

I think that if they were to start releasing new movies right now I am sure the first couple would be ports..

[BruceWayne]

As long as they do lossless audio I will be ok, I am happy with the Paramount movies I have as far as video, so hopefully Universal would be up there in quality. I will be pissed if it is all DD though.

[Horhay]

Originally Posted by BruceWayne

As long as they do lossless audio I will be ok, I am happy with the Paramount movies I have as far as video, so hopefully Universal would be up there in quality. I will be pissed if it is all DD though.

+1

[Sonny]

You would like to think they would but I doubt it . It has been said that Uni will have to 're-do' some of there's & I know why the quality is very bad... But they will all be AVC lossless ONE day so no worries

[JJ]

Originally Posted by Sonny

You would like to think they would but I doubt it . It has been said that Uni will have to 're-do' some of there's & I know why the quality is very bad...

I've never seen an HD-DVD outside of Transformers at Costco and Batman Begins at Best Buy - Paramount and Warner - how are Universal's HD DVDs? As far as picture quality goes, anyway? I'm not sure what to expect of the inevitably upcoming ports.

[MrXpress]

Originally Posted by JJxiv1215

I've never seen an HD-DVD outside of Transformers at Costco and Batman Begins at Best Buy - Paramount and Warner - how are Universal's HD DVDs? As far as picture quality goes, anyway? I'm not sure what to expect of the inevitably upcoming ports.

They're... uh, alright. Depends on the movie; I've noticed with their catalog releases and non-blockbuster stuff they tend to be way too high on the contrast and edge enhancement. King Kong and Hot Fuzz, for example, look fantastic, while stuff like Big Lebowski and 40-Year Old Virgin look only slightly better than standard DVD.

In other words, just hope they rework some of the encodes and such because the PQ is pretty 'meh' on the whole, at least with the titles that I have.

[JJ]

Originally Posted by MrXpress

They're... uh, alright. Depends on the movie; I've noticed with their catalog releases and non-blockbuster stuff they tend to be way too high on the contrast and edge enhancement. King Kong and Hot Fuzz, for example, look fantastic, while stuff like Big Lebowski and 40-Year Old Virgin look only slightly better than standard DVD.

In other words, just hope they rework some of the encodes and such because the PQ is pretty 'meh' on the whole, at least with the titles that I have.

For real? Shame. Although I don't know how many of their current titles I'd pick up were they to be released on Blu-Ray; i.e., the Bourne movies I'd snap up in an instant - King Kong and Hot Fuzz too. I need to have a look see at all the HD-DVD movies available so I know what to expect as ports.

[Sonny]

Originally Posted by JJxiv1215

I've never seen an HD-DVD outside of Transformers at Costco and Batman Begins at Best Buy - Paramount and Warner - how are Universal's HD DVDs? As far as picture quality goes, anyway? I'm not sure what to expect of the inevitably upcoming ports.

2 of my favorite movies are "Fear & Loathing" & "Casino" & they could look allot better . Fear & Loathing has a 13+sec part that has a line down the middle on the screen , its for the hole shot Para is good because they are using AVC Uni is the VC-1 Queen... New releases like Knocked up Smokin aces look good, but allot of the catalog titles look like crud do to rushing & just poor transfers. They can not all be blamed on BAD source material...

[MrXpress]

Originally Posted by Sonny

New releases like Knocked up Smokin aces look good, but allot of the catalog titles look like crud do to rushing & just poor transfers. They can not all be blamed on BAD source material...

Yep, just a piss-poor job on the transfers. My moment of realization for that was an hour or two after watching 40 Year Old Virgin on HD DVD, I turned on my cable box and was flipping through channels and saw 40 y/o Virgin on HBOHD, so I switched to that channel and.. wouldn't you know it, the HBO version looked a lot cleaner and just plain better. I think Uni was just trying to amp up the transfers a little too much to try and impress (a 'showroom floor' transfer, if you will).

[BStecke]

It's already been confirmed that Transformers has a totally separate Blu-ray release ready to go with AVC/PCM, and Blades of Glory, which was already pressed has PCM and I think an AVC encode should be out there already, as it was yanked with about a week's notice. As far as the others . . . Paramount WAS doing separate encodes for HD DVD/Blu-ray before their switch, so hopefully that will continue. Worst case though, Paramount only put out like 12 discs that were HD DVD exclusive.

I'm not holding out a lot of hope for Universal, other than the hope that they'll overhaul everything.

Edit: I think the Jack Ryan collection may have also been finished for Blu-ray as well.

[Prometheus59650]

Originally Posted by JJxiv1215

Quick thought. Now that Paramount and Universal are all for Blu-Ray, are we to expect their first Blu-Rays's released to be HD-DVD ports? Not that I have anything wrong with the quality of Paramount releases, some of their former Blu-Ray transfers were top notch - but am I wrong in thinking that they would remaster the video and audio (audio, especially) for the Blu-Ray releases?

And not the Blu-Rays that Paramount already has made, as the News article has said. I am talking about the ones they made solely under HD-DVD; unless they somehow secretly made Blu-Rays along with them but stashed them a la final scene of Indiana Jones.

The first few no doubt will be, especially from Uni.