New Restorations to iTunes? - Blu-ray Forum

Jcratigan · 09-07-2018, 12:30 PM

Apologies if this question has already been addressed in this forum, but can you expect iTunes to have the best master/transfer/restoration of a film? The obvious answer is "it depends", but how can you tell the difference other than the new 4k tags?

Example. Today, The Apartment is on sale for $4.99. If it's the Arrow transfer, I may be interested in buying an upgrade, but if it isn't, I have the blu-ray already. Then there are older films like His Girl Friday or Lady Eve. Is the former going to be the same as the Criterion restoration and will the latter be upgraded once there's a restoration of that film?

jgo435 · 09-07-2018, 01:04 PM

I would say it depends on which studio put the release on iTunes. The one on sale is from MGM, not Arrow (that's not to say that it isn't the same transfer). For example, I bought the Arrow release of the Japanese movie Pulse (which is no longer available for purchase). The one available on iTunes now is from Magnolia. It's my understanding that they are different transfers. I personally don't know that this is true since I haven't and probably won't repurchase it. There is a like a second or two difference in the running time, but this is probably from each studio adding their logo to the opening credits.

So, in short, I don't think there's really any way of knowing without buying it.

Mierzwiak · 09-07-2018, 02:15 PM

Exactly, it depends.

I don't kno how it is in US, but - for example - The Ring (2002) in Europe is from the old master, not Blu-ray one, and doesn't even look like 1080p, more like 720p. Maybe it is 1080p but the compression is hideous.

SpaceBlackKnight · 09-08-2018, 03:00 AM

ITunes clarifications:

The Apartment is definitely MGM's BD transfer and not the Arrow one.

Pulse is the exact same transfer as Magnolia's DVD and Arrow's BD, in which both are really an old HD master provided by the Japanese rights holder.

Lady Eve seems to be an older Universal master (possibly the one used on the Criterion DVD but in native HD).

The thing with His Girl Friday is that that the recent Criterion BD used a 2k restoration performed in association with Sony. The ITunes version uses an older Sony HD transfer likely stemming back to the one used on their DVD.

Jcratigan · 09-08-2018, 06:20 AM

How does one find that information?

kingconan09 · 09-11-2018, 01:12 AM

I would also be interested in a list/DB that tracks which transfers are used for different movies. Also, if you're playing back in 2k of a movie that's available in 4k/HDR will the new/current 4k transfer be used? Take Predator for example. I do not have any 4k TVs yet. If I had an Apple 4k TV hooked up to a 2k/SDR set will I get 2k/SDR downconvert of the new 4k/HDR that Predator has or will it serve me the awful "Ultimate Hunter" transfer? And is it safe to assume that Vudu/Google or whoever do the same?

Jcratigan · 06-18-2019, 04:18 PM

Anyone else have an idea of how to get this without buying and checking oneself?

-Gonzo- · 06-18-2019, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jcratigan

Anyone else have an idea of how to get this without buying and checking oneself?

Renting

mastadge · 06-18-2019, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kingconan09

I would also be interested in a list/DB that tracks which transfers are used for different movies. Also, if you're playing back in 2k of a movie that's available in 4k/HDR will the new/current 4k transfer be used? Take Predator for example. I do not have any 4k TVs yet. If I had an Apple 4k TV hooked up to a 2k/SDR set will I get 2k/SDR downconvert of the new 4k/HDR that Predator has or will it serve me the awful "Ultimate Hunter" transfer? And is it safe to assume that Vudu/Google or whoever do the same?

I'm pretty sure that when they get new transfers, the HD files are downconverted from the new SHD edition.

09-07-2018, 12:30 PM	#1
Jcratigan Banned Member since:Dec 2014 Blu-ray reviews:7 Trading Score:19	New Restorations to iTunes? Apologies if this question has already been addressed in this forum, but can you expect iTunes to have the best master/transfer/restoration of a film? The obvious answer is "it depends", but how can you tell the difference other than the new 4k tags? Example. Today, The Apartment is on sale for $4.99. If it's the Arrow transfer, I may be interested in buying an upgrade, but if it isn't, I have the blu-ray already. Then there are older films like His Girl Friday or Lady Eve. Is the former going to be the same as the Criterion restoration and will the latter be upgraded once there's a restoration of that film?

09-07-2018, 02:15 PM	#3
Mierzwiak Blu-ray Ninja Top contributor Member since:Feb 2015 4K collection:244 Blu-ray collection:528 Digital collection:3	Exactly, it depends. I don't kno how it is in US, but - for example - The Ring (2002) in Europe is from the old master, not Blu-ray one, and doesn't even look like 1080p, more like 720p. Maybe it is 1080p but the compression is hideous. Last edited by Mierzwiak; 09-08-2018 at 03:30 AM.

09-07-2018, 01:04 PM	#2
jgo435 Active Member Top contributor Member since:Aug 2010 Blu-ray collection:844 DVD collection:48 iTunes collection:147 Trading Score:70	I would say it depends on which studio put the release on iTunes. The one on sale is from MGM, not Arrow (that's not to say that it isn't the same transfer). For example, I bought the Arrow release of the Japanese movie Pulse (which is no longer available for purchase). The one available on iTunes now is from Magnolia. It's my understanding that they are different transfers. I personally don't know that this is true since I haven't and probably won't repurchase it. There is a like a second or two difference in the running time, but this is probably from each studio adding their logo to the opening credits. So, in short, I don't think there's really any way of knowing without buying it.

09-08-2018, 03:00 AM	#4
SpaceBlackKnight Blu-ray Samurai Member since:Jul 2018 4K collection:25 Blu-ray collection:346 Digital collection:20	ITunes clarifications: The Apartment is definitely MGM's BD transfer and not the Arrow one. Pulse is the exact same transfer as Magnolia's DVD and Arrow's BD, in which both are really an old HD master provided by the Japanese rights holder. Lady Eve seems to be an older Universal master (possibly the one used on the Criterion DVD but in native HD). The thing with His Girl Friday is that that the recent Criterion BD used a 2k restoration performed in association with Sony. The ITunes version uses an older Sony HD transfer likely stemming back to the one used on their DVD.

09-08-2018, 06:20 AM	#5
Jcratigan Banned Member since:Dec 2014 Blu-ray reviews:7 Trading Score:19	How does one find that information?

09-11-2018, 01:12 AM	#6
kingconan09 New Member Member since:May 2009 Blu-ray collection:322	I would also be interested in a list/DB that tracks which transfers are used for different movies. Also, if you're playing back in 2k of a movie that's available in 4k/HDR will the new/current 4k transfer be used? Take Predator for example. I do not have any 4k TVs yet. If I had an Apple 4k TV hooked up to a 2k/SDR set will I get 2k/SDR downconvert of the new 4k/HDR that Predator has or will it serve me the awful "Ultimate Hunter" transfer? And is it safe to assume that Vudu/Google or whoever do the same?

06-18-2019, 04:18 PM	#7
Jcratigan Banned Member since:Dec 2014 Blu-ray reviews:7 Trading Score:19	Anyone else have an idea of how to get this without buying and checking oneself?

Best iTunes Movie Deals