List of International BDs with Better PQ, AQ, and/or More Extras

[oliviergregoire]

Cube

FR - AVC 32847 kbps, DTS-HD MA 5.1 3432 kbps 24-bit, no English subs

[NLScavenger]

Super Mario Bros.
US - N/A
FR - AVC 36820 kbps, DTS-HD MA 2.0 1823 kbps 24-bit, fewer extras (Region B) Best PQ
AU - AVC 32968 kbps, DTS-HD MA 2.0 2095 kbps 24-bit, theatrical and SD upscaled workprint cuts, extras, English subs (Region free)
UK - AVC 30569 kbps, LPCM 2.0 1536 kbps 16-bit / DTS-HD MA 5.1 4386 kbps 24-bit, extras, English subs (Region B locked)
DE - AVC 35994 kbps, DTS-HD MA 2.0 1791 kbps 24-bit, no extras (Region B)

Screenshot comparison

[Mikezilla3k]

Originally Posted by NLScavenger

Super Mario Bros.
US - N/A
FR - AVC 36820 kbps, DTS-HD MA 2.0 1823 kbps 24-bit, fewer extras (Region B) Best PQ
AU - AVC 32968 kbps, DTS-HD MA 2.0 2095 kbps 24-bit, theatrical and SD upscaled workprint cuts, extras, English subs (Region free)
UK - AVC 30569 kbps, LPCM 2.0 1536 kbps 16-bit / DTS-HD MA 5.1 4386 kbps 24-bit, extras, English subs (Region B locked)
DE - AVC 35994 kbps, DTS-HD MA 2.0 1791 kbps 24-bit, no extras (Region B)

Screenshot comparison

Database says the FR release is region free.

[NLScavenger]

Originally Posted by Mikezilla3k

Database says the FR release is region free.

Back cover pictures say region ABC, but I don't know if that's actually the case. Pathé's recent release of One Piece Film Red also says region ABC on back cover, which is unusual for an anime release.

[HD Goofnut]

Originally Posted by NLScavenger

Super Mario Bros.
US - N/A
FR - AVC 36820 kbps, DTS-HD MA 2.0 1823 kbps 24-bit, fewer extras (Region B) Best PQ
AU - AVC 32968 kbps, DTS-HD MA 2.0 2095 kbps 24-bit, theatrical and SD upscaled workprint cuts, extras, English subs (Region free)
UK - AVC 30569 kbps, LPCM 2.0 1536 kbps 16-bit / DTS-HD MA 5.1 4386 kbps 24-bit, extras, English subs (Region B locked)
DE - AVC 35994 kbps, DTS-HD MA 2.0 1791 kbps 24-bit, no extras (Region B)

Screenshot comparison

Yep, no contest there.

[surfinhank]

New comparison for Miami Blues, what do you think HD Goofnut?

https://caps-a-holic.com/c.php?d1=18127&d2=5889&c=2397

[rmihai0]

Originally Posted by surfinhank

New comparison for Miami Blues, what do you think HD Goofnut?

https://caps-a-holic.com/c.php?d1=18127&d2=5889&c=2397

Radiance looks better,

[HD Goofnut]

Originally Posted by surfinhank

New comparison for Miami Blues, what do you think HD Goofnut?

https://caps-a-holic.com/c.php?d1=18127&d2=5889&c=2397

Yep, definitely the UK disc. I wonder how the US re-release stands up.

[MassiveMovieBuff]

Originally Posted by HD Goofnut

Yep, definitely the UK disc. I wonder how the US re-release stands up.

I'm very curious about this as well since I just bought the MVD release prior to the Radiance being released. From what I could tell the MVD release looked great though.

[Trekkie313]

Australian release of Career Opportunities have filmmaker commentary and new interviews. https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread...336327&page=20

[Hedrox]

Back in 2014, WB released Gone with the Wind with a new encode in some territories (Korea, Romania, Taiwan). It's AVC instead of VC-1 with a much bigger bitrate (24 mbps vs 18.3 mbps). However, they dropped the commentary, overture, intermission and exit music (220min. runtime on the AVC disc, 238min on the VC-1); so a release focused entirely on video bitrate.

I've compared some caps and the compression is visibly better than the VC-1 release, but it's also slightly brighter for some reason (not super obvious unless you look at them side by side). I took some screencaps. I could do some direct comparisons if there's an interest.

Here's a BDinfo scan of the AVC disc:

Disc Title: Gone with the Wind - The Movie
Disc Size: 46.852.750.655 bytes
Protection: AACS
BD-Java: No
BDInfo: 0.7.3.3

PLAYLIST REPORT:

Name: 00001.MPLS
Length: 3:40:47.692 (h:m:s.ms)
Size: 46.674.210.816 bytes
Total Bitrate: 28,19 Mbps

VIDEO:

Codec Bitrate Description
----- ------- -----------
MPEG-4 AVC Video 24000 kbps 1080p / 23,976 fps / 16:9 / High Profile 4.1

AUDIO:

Codec Language Bitrate Description
----- -------- ------- -----------
DTS-HD Master Audio English 2110 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 2110 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit)
Dolby Digital Audio English 384 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 384 kbps

SUBTITLES:

Codec Language Bitrate Description
----- -------- ------- -----------
Presentation Graphics English 46,905 kbps
Presentation Graphics Chinese 45,401 kbps
Presentation Graphics Korean 33,882 kbps
Presentation Graphics Romanian 43,846 kbps

[Hedrox]

Screenshot comparison on Gone with the Wind VC-1 encode vs. the newer AVC one.

As you can see, the AVC encode squeezes out a bit more detail from that master (most noticeable on clothes), but it's undermined by the inexplicable gamma shift. The compression isn't amazing either (see comparison 7). One step forward and one step back, which makes you wonder why Warner bothered with a new encode if they couldn't even get it right.

[HD Goofnut]

Originally Posted by Hedrox

Screenshot comparison on Gone with the Wind VC-1 encode vs. the newer AVC one.

As you can see, the AVC encode squeezes out a bit more detail from that master (most noticeable on clothes), but it's undermined by the inexplicable gamma shift. The compression isn't amazing either (see comparison 7). One step forward and one step back, which makes you wonder why Warner bothered with a new encode if they couldn't even get it right.

Yeah, I'll stick with the VC-1 as the go to until a proper UHD is done. I'm still not quite sure why Warner is still sitting on this one. Maybe they're waiting for the anniversary next year.

[Hedrox]

Originally Posted by HD Goofnut

Yeah, I'll stick with the VC-1 as the go to until a proper UHD is done. I'm still not quite sure why Warner is still sitting on this one. Maybe they're waiting for the anniversary next year.

Feels like they've been intentionally avoiding it these last few years. They haven't done a new release since 2014, and this is WB we're talking about, the kings of re-releases.

[HD Goofnut]

Originally Posted by Hedrox

Feels like they've been intentionally avoiding it these last few years. They haven't done a new release since 2014, and this is WB we're talking about, the kings of re-releases.

If we don't see it by the end of next year I doubt we'll see it at all.

[scififan73]

Originally Posted by HD Goofnut

If we don't see it by the end of next year I doubt we'll see it at all.

Maybe a new release by Warner has been “Tom and Jerried” , so to speak.
In today’s world, big brother is going to decide for us what’s acceptable.

[HD Goofnut]

Updates made.

[toratora]

Is Hard Boiled HK version release any better than the US release?

[casspir]

Originally Posted by toratora

Is Hard Boiled HK version release any better than the US release?

Hey, toratora, I have just seen your post, I see that it is now more than one month old. If you read this, I have both editions of "Hard Boiled", the HK and the US one. I am not an expert, so I can not give you an expert opinion on which one is better, but if you would like, I can make screenshots and you can compare them. The US edition certainly has much higher video bitrate, but you already know this, I guess.

[casspir]

Hey, Goofnut,

Dou you have a comparison on the 2013 vs. the new 2024 Arrow edition of the "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" (1978)? Which one has the better picture quality?
Arrow (2013):
https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Invas...Blu-ray/80402/

Arrow (2024 Limited Edition):
https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Invas...lu-ray/349937/

Thanks if you have info on this.
Cheers:
casspir