The Anime Blu-ray Video Quality Thread

[Footlong Shoe]

Originally Posted by Memade

I have been wondering about this for a while, hopefully someone can clarify this:

What script are the Funimation AOT blu-ray using?

Specifically, when the VA is original Japanese, are the subtitles based on the Japanese script or did they just reuse the English script?

They're based on the Japanese script.

[Dino-Killer 912]

Originally Posted by NLScavenger

Also, regarding Funimation BDs: I've mentioned issues with chroma in Yamato 2199 and Paranoia Agent, but seems other titles are affected as well, possibly their entire output from 2017+ and maybe titles from even before. Gundam IBO (2017), Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid (2018) and SSSS.Gridman (2020) have chroma that's shifted half a pixel to the right (but not super blurry af like Yamato 2199) https://slow.pics/c/lmX57fFh

Does this issue have a real impact on Paranoia Agent? I'm about to buy it.

[NLScavenger]

Ping Pong The Animation - Funimation BD vs Aniplex Japan BD

https://slow.pics/c/ndkCBD1c

Funimation BD is not bad overall. Colors are correct and chroma seems to be correctly positioned. However, the dither in darker colors is turned into a blotchy noise on the Funimation BD, but it's not a super distracting issue.

I noticed that the blue background in the logo screen has a checker pattern in Funimation BD that is missing on the Aniplex BD. I wonder if that checker pattern is supposed to be there (EDIT: not present in textless opening).

Funimation BD


Aniplex Japan BD


Aniplex BD has storyboard embedded in two subtitle tracks (one positioned in left-side, one in right-side)


Funimation BD - episode #1

AVG: 27019 kbps | MAX: 40998 kbps

Aniplex Japan BD - episode #1

AVG: 31666 kbps | MAX: 52270 kbps

Originally Posted by Dino-Killer 912

Does this issue have a real impact on Paranoia Agent? I'm about to buy it.

No, it's not noticeable unless you put it next to the JP BD. Maybe the upcoming Deltamac TW BD is better?

Still uncertain if English subs are included with TW BD, but Deltamac TW website does make mention of English subs https://www.homemovie.com.tw/Movie/C...1-8a469b9b573c

[Mangaranga]

Originally Posted by NLScavenger

I noticed that the blue background in the logo screen has a checker pattern in Funimation BD that is missing on the Aniplex BD. I wonder if that checker pattern is supposed to be there (EDIT: not present in textless opening).

I wonder if that's eliminated on the Japanese BD due to post processing. I've looked at releases previously where I've noticed similar things that are present in local BDs but not in the JP BDs (e.g. Viz's Megalobox, Madman's Promised Neverland - both in the EDs). In the case of Promised Neverland, there were also additional artifacts during the episodes that were removed prior to encoding on the Japanese side.

[Yuripa]

Fate/Grand Order Camelot Wandering Agateram JP Blu-ray.

Mediainfo:

[Show spoiler]

General
Unique ID : 300016447993034932703098077855564629442 (0xE1B510EBEB6E34BE37C6F436715F05C2)
Complete name : D:\Vidéo\劇場版 Fate_Grand Order -神聖円卓領域キャメロット- 前編 Wandering_ Agateram\劇場版 Fate_Grand Order -神聖円卓領域キャメロット- 前編 Wandering_ Agateram_t15.mkv
Format : Matroska
Format version : Version 2
File size : 28.3 GiB
Duration : 1h 29mn
Overall bit rate : 45.1 Mbps
Movie name : 劇場版 Fate/Grand Order -神聖円卓領域キャメロット- 前編 Wandering; Agateram


Video
ID : 1
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : High@L4.1
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames : 4 frames
Format settings, GOP : M=2, N=26
Codec ID : V_MPEG4/ISO/AVC
Duration : 1h 29mn
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 39.5 Mbps
Width : 1 920 pixels
Height : 1 080 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate : 23.976 fps
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.794
Stream size : 24.8 GiB (88%)
Language : English
DURATION : 01:29:48.216166666
NUMBER_OF_FRAMES : 129188
NUMBER_OF_BYTES : 25066607302
SOURCE_ID : 001011


Audio #1
ID : 2
Format : DTS
Format/Info : Digital Theater Systems
Format profile : MA / Core
Codec ID : A_DTS
Duration : 1h 29mn
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 1 561 Kbps / 1 510 Kbps
Channel(s) : 6 channels
Channel positions : Front: L C R, Side: L R, LFE
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Bit depth : 24 bits
Compression mode : Lossless / Lossy
Title : Surround 5.1
Language : Japanese
DURATION : 01:29:48.234666666
NUMBER_OF_FRAMES : 505147
NUMBER_OF_BYTES : 2446850752


Audio #2
ID : 3
Format : DTS
Format/Info : Digital Theater Systems
Codec ID : A_DTS
Duration : 1h 29mn
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 1 510 Kbps
Channel(s) : 6 channels
Channel positions : Front: L C R, Side: L R, LFE
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Bit depth : 24 bits
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 970 MiB (3%)
Title : Surround 5.1
Language : Japanese
DURATION : 01:29:48.234666666
NUMBER_OF_FRAMES : 505147
NUMBER_OF_BYTES : 1016355764


Audio #3
ID : 4
Format : DTS
Format/Info : Digital Theater Systems
Format profile : MA / Core
Codec ID : A_DTS
Duration : 1h 29mn
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 803 Kbps / 755 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel positions : Front: L R
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Bit depth : 24 bits
Compression mode : Lossless / Lossy
Title : Stéréo
Language : Japanese
DURATION : 01:29:48.234666666
NUMBER_OF_FRAMES : 505147
NUMBER_OF_BYTES : 1160670700
SOURCE_ID : 001101


Audio #4
ID : 5
Format : DTS
Format/Info : Digital Theater Systems
Codec ID : A_DTS
Duration : 1h 29mn
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 755 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel positions : Front: L R
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Bit depth : 24 bits
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 485 MiB (2%)
Title : Stéréo
Language : Japanese
DURATION : 01:29:48.234666666
NUMBER_OF_FRAMES : 505147
NUMBER_OF_BYTES : 517270528
SOURCE_ID : 001101


Text
ID : 6
Format : PGS
Codec ID : S_HDMV/PGS
Codec ID/Info : The same subtitle format used on BDs/HD-DVDs
Language : Japanese
DURATION : 01:29:35.307437500
NUMBER_OF_FRAMES : 6760
NUMBER_OF_BYTES : 153855766
SOURCE_ID : 001200


Menu
00:00:00.000 : ja:Chapitre 01
00:06:18.586 : ja:Chapitre 02
00:14:07.847 : ja:Chapitre 03
00:23:44.673 : ja:Chapitre 04
00:34:37.617 : ja:Chapitre 05
00:45:10.124 : ja:Chapitre 06
00:52:41.741 : ja:Chapitre 07
01:02:38.254 : ja:Chapitre 08
01:12:12.995 : ja:Chapitre 09
01:24:06.041 : ja:Chapitre 10
01:28:48.990 : ja:Chapitre 11
01:29:47.173 : ja:Chapitre 12

Screengrabs
MPC-HC + MadVR.

https://postimg.cc/gallery/C0Z6C2w/aec51f96

[SpazeBlue]

Clannad
2017 Complete Collection

Following NLScavenger and professorwho's guides, I made screenshots to match the ones in the site review for the 2012 set. Seeing as, for some reason, he only used caps from the first four episodes, it made getting them relatively easy. (Seriously, there were 4 caps that were taken within the same 30 seconds.) Looks pretty good to me.












Subtitle Examples (Taken with VLC):



Bitrate:
Episode 1

[Show spoiler]

Average: 18989 kbps
Peak: 35604 kbps

Episode 2

[Show spoiler]

Average: 18987 kbps
Peak: 35788 kbps

Episode 9

[Show spoiler]

Average: 18992 kbps
Peak: 35777 kbps

Let me know how I did.

[Mangaranga]

Dunno if it’s been mentioned here yet, but the complete UK BD of Clannad that Funimation put out in the last week is a reauthor of the 2011/2012 Sentai BDs, rather than the updated 2017/2020 discs. So that means incorrect gamma, big aliased subtitles, compression artifacts and banding.

[BigOnAnime]

The packaging is nicer than anything we got here (a SteelBook with stacked discs), but worse than 2 subsequent releases that had more care put into them? Yikes.

[NLScavenger]

Originally Posted by SpazeBlue

Clannad
2017 Complete Collection

Let me know how I did.

It's not bad, though the method I posted is outdated and not without problems. VD2 uses bilinear for chroma upscaling which can be noticeable with reds and VD2 also doesn't dither, so rounding errors can pop up sometimes. In this case it doesn't make a whole lot of a difference probably, but you should use something like MPC-HC or MPC-BE, both with madVR renderer installed (madVR has better chroma upscaling options).

[ShiroNek0]

Originally Posted by Mangaranga

Dunno if it’s been mentioned here yet, but the complete UK BD of Clannad that Funimation put out in the last week is a reauthor of the 2011/2012 Sentai BDs, rather than the updated 2017/2020 discs. So that means incorrect gamma, big aliased subtitles, compression artifacts and banding.

Wow, I'm feeling buyer remorse already...

How do you know about this release info? I try to check but haven't found anything like yours.

[Mangaranga]

Originally Posted by ShiroNek0

Wow, I'm feeling buyer remorse already...

How do you know about this release info? I try to check but haven't found anything like yours.

Someone posted pictures of the subtitles almost a week ago.
I strongly suspected it would be the old discs as Funimation used the exact same master for their streams here in the UK too.
It'll be the same problem again with the K-On discs - again, they used the old Bandai/Sentai materials for streaming and the disc count reflects that. The funny thing also being that the UK streams for K-On have Japanese audio encoded at 253kbps... when the Bandai BD's tracks are 192kbps... So a lossy encode of a lower quality lossy source...

[SpazeBlue]

Originally Posted by NLScavenger

It's not bad, though the method I posted is outdated and not without problems. VD2 uses bilinear for chroma upscaling which can be noticeable with reds and VD2 also doesn't dither, so rounding errors can pop up sometimes. In this case it doesn't make a whole lot of a difference probably, but you should use something like MPC-HC or MPC-BE, both with madVR renderer installed (madVR has better chroma upscaling options).

I was originally looking at the MPC/madVR, but there was something about a glitch on later versions that I'm not sure is fixed yet or not. And if not, I wasn't sure which version to get. Then I came across the other alternative, and went with that instead.

[Kyle15]

Is the UK Bakemonogatari set just a clone of Aniplex USA's set but region B? I got access to one at a good price and want to know before I pull the trigger.

[professorwho]

Originally Posted by Kyle15

Is the UK Bakemonogatari set just a clone of Aniplex USA's set but region B? I got access to one at a good price and want to know before I pull the trigger.

Nope. Only the Kizu films are clones. Bake at least was an Australian encoded disc ported over for the UK.

[NormanicGrav]

Originally Posted by Kyle15

Is the UK Bakemonogatari set just a clone of Aniplex USA's set but region B? I got access to one at a good price and want to know before I pull the trigger.

A majority of the UK Monogatari releases use the Hanabee discs. Kizumonogatari Trilogy, Koyomimonogatari, Owarimonogatari Part 3, and Zoku Owarimonogatari are MVM authored but using Aniplex encodes I believe (someone can correct me on that).

[NLScavenger]

Originally Posted by SpazeBlue

I was originally looking at the MPC/madVR, but there was something about a glitch on later versions that I'm not sure is fixed yet or not.

I thought there was a glitch, but in hindsight it's not. Later madVR versions always dither screenshots which is better since it prevents rounding errors (does mean that screenshots will always have some nearly invisible noise).

Originally Posted by Kyle15

Is the UK Bakemonogatari set just a clone of Aniplex USA's set but region B? I got access to one at a good price and want to know before I pull the trigger.

No, it's not a clone. UK BD has a lot more banding https://slow.pics/c/nYvQCer4

[Kyle15]

Ahh okay, thanks y'all! Well that's an impulse purchase saved. I'll just wait on it.

[kk1]

Originally Posted by Kyle15

Ahh okay, thanks y'all! Well that's an impulse purchase saved. I'll just wait on it.

It's not like it's not worth it, you pay a discount for less than Aniplex quality.

[SpaceDandy]

If you want something slightly cheaper, the series is also available in Germany and France, with better encodes than UK/AU discs.

[professorwho]

I'll be getting the French Monogatari releases myself, as they're very well encoded and cheap. (ViCklatereur sent me an episode to look at, and they're very good for the price) However, I'll be getting everything except FR Bake and Nise, as those have burned in subtitles for on-screen text in French. They're the "burned into the video and not the forced subtitle track" kind of subs. The other releases do not have burned in subtitles.

Not sure how the German release compares...