Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga 4K UHD (1977-2019)

[Poya]

steel_breeze, you’re insane. DV is the way to go for TLJ.

[steel_breeze]

Originally Posted by Poya

steel_breeze, you’re insane. DV is the way to go for TLJ.

Did you not read my post? DV is NOT the way to go for my limited system: Oppo 203 down-converting to 1080p SDR projector. It was clearly described -- in detail -- in my post... but oh yeah, you didn't even read that, did you?

Look, I know I'm the ONLY one on here who benefits from HDR10 over DV, but it's indisputably better for my olde timey set-up; no question. It's not a matter of sanity or insanity, lol... it's fact. And oh yeah... go back and READ THE POST.

[Poya]

Originally Posted by steel_breeze

Did you not read my post? DV is NOT the way to go for my limited system: Oppo 203 down-converting to 1080p SDR projector. It was clearly described -- in detail -- in my post... but oh yeah, you didn't even read that, did you?

Look, I know I'm the ONLY one on here who benefits from HDR10 over DV, but it's indisputably better for my olde timey set-up; no question. It's not a matter of sanity or insanity, lol... it's fact. And oh yeah... go back and READ THE POST.

I mean, it’s worth it the day you do upgrade.

[steel_breeze]

Originally Posted by Poya

I mean, it’s worth it the day you do upgrade.

That I agree with! I've kept my DolbyVision version, as well!

[KRW1]

Originally Posted by steel_breeze

Did you not read my post? DV is NOT the way to go for my limited system: Oppo 203 down-converting to 1080p SDR projector. It was clearly described -- in detail -- in my post... but oh yeah, you didn't even read that, did you?

Look, I know I'm the ONLY one on here who benefits from HDR10 over DV, but it's indisputably better for my olde timey set-up; no question. It's not a matter of sanity or insanity, lol... it's fact. And oh yeah... go back and READ THE POST.

No, there is another, I do the same for projecting. And my current TV doesn't have DV either!

Last I looked, Dolby Vision wasn't much of a thing for projectors, esp in my price range, so I suspect I'll be happy with my box set for quite a while. Though I'm tempted to get one of the Epson fake 4k PJs this year. Pretty sure there's no DV there either.

I'm also going through my box set at a considerably slower pace than you, I'm only on ROTJ, which I hope I like more this time than the last time I watched it!

[steel_breeze]

Originally Posted by KRW1

I'm also going through my box set at a considerably slower pace than you, I'm only on ROTJ, which I hope I like more this time than the last time I watched it!

Nice! Going slowly through this box has been really fun. I've been on a three-day movie rotation since this Best Buy set arrived on March 31st: I've been continuing a "chronological journey" through my whole BD/UHD/DVD collection that started back in November (with the Lumiere Bros from 1895), then the next day I'll do a STAR WARS movie, and then the third day will be a Criterion Channel streaming movie. It's been a blast and has added some much-needed structure to these crazy times! I have to finish the STAR WARS flicks, though, 'cuz my "chronological journey" is up to the 60's and I want the 1977 STAR WARS to feel fresh again when I get there in about two-to-three months.

Even the STAR WARS flicks themselves have taken a little longer than they "should have" just because I started with RISE OF SKYWALKER, then I watched-and-rewatched a couple along the way (PHANTOM MENACE, FORCE AWAKENS) while fine-tuning my HDR-to-SDR settings... and then hilariously, after watching the gorgeous new 4K disc of A NEW HOPE, I felt I had to purge my brain of the Special Edition nonsense, so I watched my holy grail 4K77 v1.4 as the remedy. So with all eleven live action features plus these rewatches, plus my three-day movie cycle described above... this has taken awhile. But not as long as you, apparently! Hope you enjoy ROTJ!

[Geoff D]

So I've been checking the new 1080p Blu-rays of the prequels and they're not the exact same transfers as before just given a new encode, nope. They now have the slightly cinched-in AR as per the UHD discs and they also have the increased distortion at the edges that the 4K transfers do, though I defy anyone to watch them and actually spot that there's anything weird going on at the periphery. Phantom Menace also has the adjusted shot of Anakin's magnetic grabber doohickey. Clones' SDR grade looks damned near identical to the old SDR but Menace's is slightly different, the contrast is now less intense and the colour is marginally less saturated. It's also softer with less prominent EE and aliasing, as per the UHD master.

[bferr1972]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Phantom Menace also has the adjusted shot of Anakin's magnetic grabber doohickey.

For a kid with latent Force potential, I never understood why a large magnet device was needed in this scene.

How has the shot been adjusted from earlier versions?

[steel_breeze]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

So I've been checking the new 1080p Blu-rays of the prequels and they're not the exact same transfers as before just given a new encode

Yeah, figures. I didn't do a thorough A/B test of the Blu-rays, but I did verify a lonnnng time ago that all three new prequel BDs were sporting the new 20th Century Fox and Lucasfilm logos at the beginning, and I can't imagine a scenario where they would've attached the new logos to the old transfers.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by bferr1972

For a kid with latent Force potential, I never understood why a large magnet device was needed in this scene.

How has the shot been adjusted from earlier versions?

In the centre of the grabbing stick there's now some sort of device, the digital bits posted a pic:

Originally Posted by steel_breeze

Yeah, figures. I didn't do a thorough A/B test of the Blu-rays, but I did verify a lonnnng time ago that all three new prequel BDs were sporting the new 20th Century Fox and Lucasfilm logos at the beginning, and I can't imagine a scenario where they would've attached the new logos to the old transfers.

I know you did, just wanted to verify that these were more than just a revised logo tacked on to the old master. This being Lucasfilm I'm amazed that they didn't do that!

[Blu Cider]

The increase in both frozen grain and other forms of tinkering when going from A New Hope straight into Empire is quite jarring...

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by Blu Cider

The increase in both frozen grain and other forms of tinkering when going from A New Hope straight into Empire is quite jarring...

I've gotta say, I'm not looking forward to Empire and then Jedi.

[KRW1]

Originally Posted by steel_breeze

Nice! Going slowly through this box has been really fun. I've been on a three-day movie rotation since this Best Buy set arrived on March 31st: I've been continuing a "chronological journey" through my whole BD/UHD/DVD collection that started back in November (with the Lumiere Bros from 1895), then the next day I'll do a STAR WARS movie, and then the third day will be a Criterion Channel streaming movie. It's been a blast and has added some much-needed structure to these crazy times! I have to finish the STAR WARS flicks, though, 'cuz my "chronological journey" is up to the 60's and I want the 1977 STAR WARS to feel fresh again when I get there in about two-to-three months.

Even the STAR WARS flicks themselves have taken a little longer than they "should have" just because I started with RISE OF SKYWALKER, then I watched-and-rewatched a couple along the way (PHANTOM MENACE, FORCE AWAKENS) while fine-tuning my HDR-to-SDR settings... and then hilariously, after watching the gorgeous new 4K disc of A NEW HOPE, I felt I had to purge my brain of the Special Edition nonsense, so I watched my holy grail 4K77 v1.4 as the remedy. So with all eleven live action features plus these rewatches, plus my three-day movie cycle described above... this has taken awhile. But not as long as you, apparently! Hope you enjoy ROTJ!

It's taken me a long while, I project them first, then watch again in 4k on the small telly and for the first time since the DVDs I've watched some of the special features. Having a blast! I'm saving my Rise of Skywalker to see how it stands up as a finale to all 9.

As far as tinkering goes, I really noticed it in Jedi. I managed not too, so much with Empire thanks to my highly evasive skills and the fact that Empire towers above Jedi as a movie I just sort of of got lost in it all. Jedi keeps jarring me back to reality though with all the clunky bits. So many clunky bits but redeemed by the end.

One thing I noticed this time around, was little guys outside the death star doing little construction type things. Are those guys new? Really noticeable in the opening sequence when Vader's ship arrives.

[SmittysGelato]

I'm wondering how long I am going to have to wait for Disney to re-release these as separate trilogy sets. My guess is 6 months to 2 years. I hope for the former.

[steel_breeze]

Originally Posted by KRW1

As far as tinkering goes, I really noticed it in Jedi. I managed not too, so much with Empire thanks to my highly evasive skills and the fact that Empire towers above Jedi as a movie I just sort of of got lost in it all. Jedi keeps jarring me back to reality though with all the clunky bits. So many clunky bits but redeemed by the end.

One thing I noticed this time around, was little guys outside the death star doing little construction type things. Are those guys new? Really noticeable in the opening sequence when Vader's ship arrives.

Those little welding guys have always been there in ROTJ. Just easier to see now with the increased resolution.

Luckily, these movies didn't need a whole lot of HDR-to-SDR tinkering for my 1080p SDR projector; my settings fell into place pretty easily... just tinkered through PHANTOM MENACE 'cuz it was the first I was watching of the "more suble HDR" titles, I-VI & VIII (which all fell in with the same settings)... and then FORCE AWAKENS and RISE OF SKYWALKER needed their own setting, since their HDR is so comparatively intense.

One thing I've definitely noticed throughout these 4K discs... similar to your observation of the little welding guys in ROTJ... I can follow fast and chaotic action scenes better than ever before -- and I've seen these movies a thousand times, from theaters to VHS to LaserDisc to DVD to Blu-ray. Sounds strange, and might just be a placebo effect of being so excited about having all these in 4K, but I've noticed it in every major battle scene; I'm really able to "see" everything happening, even when a thousand ships are flyin' around. Good stuff.

[KRW1]

Originally Posted by steel_breeze

Those little welding guys have always been there in ROTJ. Just easier to see now with the increased resolution.

Luckily, these movies didn't need a whole lot of HDR-to-SDR tinkering for my 1080p SDR projector; my settings fell into place pretty easily... just tinkered through PHANTOM MENACE 'cuz it was the first I was watching of the "more suble HDR" titles, I-VI & VIII (which all fell in with the same settings)... and then FORCE AWAKENS and RISE OF SKYWALKER needed their own setting, since their HDR is so comparatively intense.

One thing I've definitely noticed throughout these 4K discs... similar to your observation of the little welding guys in ROTJ... I can follow fast and chaotic action scenes better than ever before -- and I've seen these movies a thousand times, from theaters to VHS to LaserDisc to DVD to Blu-ray. Sounds strange, and might just be a placebo effect of being so excited about having all these in 4K, but I've noticed it in every major battle scene; I'm really able to "see" everything happening, even when a thousand ships are flyin' around. Good stuff.

Even down scaled to 1080p, the lack of compression makes these a joy and is probably why I only just noticed the little guys and why fast moving shots are easier to take in. It's probably why i was so enthralled in Empire, it was like seeing it again new on the big screen for the first time in 40 years.

I'm working my way towards a very controversial rating of these movies in my head. To give some idea, I enjoyed Phantom Menace possibly a little more than the messed up Star Wars (ANH) as presented in this box.

[cminer72]

Anyone get a brief audio drop out after the opening crawl? Just got a new Q90T and I'm getting this with the 4K disc while using the tv speakers. The new regular disc also uses 7.1 and does not drop out on this TV. Sometimes it's right when the blockade runner appears and sometimes a few seconds later when the star destroyer is going over. Using a Sony 700 player. I also get the drop out when watching Ghostbusters 2016 4k disc. Specifically when they threw the grenades late in the movie.

[RodChester]

Originally Posted by SmittysGelato

I'm wondering how long I am going to have to wait for Disney to re-release these as separate trilogy sets. My guess is 6 months to 2 years. I hope for the former.

If you don’t want all the movies, just buy the individual releases of the ones you do want. There’s no good reason to wait.

[steel_breeze]

Originally Posted by cminer72

Anyone get a brief audio drop out after the opening crawl? Just got a new Q90T and I'm getting this with the 4K disc while using the tv speakers. The new regular disc also uses 7.1 and does not drop out on this TV. Sometimes it's right when the blockade runner appears and sometimes a few seconds later when the star destroyer is going over. Using a Sony 700 player. I also get the drop out when watching Ghostbusters 2016 4k disc. Specifically when they threw the grenades late in the movie.

I didn't get any audio dropouts in A NEW HOPE or any of the other 4K STAR WARS discs, EXCEPT... I strangely got several dropouts in ROTJ, so when watching that one flick I simply switch my player (Oppo 203) to outputting LPCM instead of Bitstream, and all audio dropouts go away. I don't have Atmos.

[Pgcmoore]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

I've gotta say, I'm not looking forward to Empire and then Jedi.

i'd like to hear your thoughts on jedi, it's always been my favorite and think you will enjoy this presentation although being so flawed as others claim. the dialog between ford and fisher outside the shield generator shows how great and how so-so it truly is. extremely fine to soft and out of focus