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

[HD Goofnut]

Originally Posted by wesslan

Jagten aka The Hunt
US - No release yet
UK - AVC 29,4 Mbps 1080i/50, DTS-HD MA 5.1 3304 kbps 24-bit, BD50 (Region free) (UK audio is slightly filtered)
FR - AVC 18,9 Mbps 24fps, DTS-HD MA 5.1 16-bit, BD50

Done.

[Early Memphis]

HD, I think these two got lost in the flow:

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider
US - MPEG-2; DTS 5.1 (English), Dolby Digital 5.1 (English, French, Spanish) (Region A)
DE - VC-1, DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (English/German) (Region Free) Best AQ/PQ

Please see original post for extensive notes which may lead you to change this. The extras differences are plus & minus and I'm not sure if or how you'd want them listed (plus there's the whole Cradle Of Life question).


The Grifters
US - AVC, DTS-HD MA 2.0, AR 1.78:1
UK - AVC, DTS-HD MA 5.1/LPCM 2.0, OAR : 1.85:1 (Region B?)
IT - AVC, DTS HD-MA 5.1/Dolby Digital 2.0), English Audio DD 2.0

Please see original post for more info which may lead you to change this.

[HD Goofnut]

Originally Posted by Early Memphis

HD, I think these two got lost in the flow:

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider
US - MPEG-2; DTS 5.1 (English), Dolby Digital 5.1 (English, French, Spanish) (Region A)
DE - VC-1, DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (English/German) (Region Free) Best AQ/PQ

Please see original post for extensive notes which may lead you to change this. The extras differences are plus & minus and I'm not sure if or how you'd want them listed (plus there's the whole Cradle Of Life question).


The Grifters
US - AVC, DTS-HD MA 2.0, AR 1.78:1
UK - AVC, DTS-HD MA 5.1/LPCM 2.0, OAR : 1.85:1 (Region B?)
IT - AVC, DTS HD-MA 5.1/Dolby Digital 2.0), English Audio DD 2.0

Please see original post for more info which may lead you to change this.

So the 2 pack is the way to go on the German release of Cradle of Life?

[Early Memphis]

Originally Posted by HD Goofnut

So the 2 pack is the way to go on the German release of Cradle of Life?

I emailed Cevolution a while ago to double-check on whether there is any difference as far as extras go (apparently he owns both the single & the double), haven't heard back yet. Unless there are way more extras (doubtful), given that the price for the double (€9.99) is so much less than the price for the two singles (€20.99 & €13.35), yeah, absolutely, you gotta go with the 2-pak.

[Taikero]

Children of Dune has a recent release in Germany. I'm not sure of the region coding (Would really like if it was Region A-capable) or the overall picture/audio quality (or subtitle information), but the price is great. I've contacted the only member of blu-ray.com who actually owns this Blu-ray to try to figure out some more information about it.

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Child...Blu-ray/60544/

Language: German (DTS-HD 5.1), English (DTS-HD 5.1)

[Cevolution]

Originally Posted by Early Memphis

I emailed Cevolution a while ago to double-check on whether there is any difference as far as extras go (apparently he owns both the single & the double), haven't heard back yet. Unless there are way more extras (doubtful), given that the price for the double (€9.99) is so much less than the price for the two singles (€20.99 & €13.35), yeah, absolutely, you gotta go with the 2-pak.

Only the disc from the double pack contains extra features, the individual version is a barebones release.

The extra features are:

Audio commentaries
Featurettes
Deleted scenes
Screen test with Gerald Butler
Music videos
Trailer
Program tips

[wormraper]

does the tomb raider double feature include DTS-HD MA for the english track now??? the old single disc release of cradle of life that I had from them was only DTS lossy for the english track and DTS-HD for the german track. last but not least is it region free ?? for $15.53 shipped that is NOT a bad deal.

[Cevolution]

Originally Posted by wormraper

does the tomb raider double feature include DTS-HD MA for the english track now??? the old single disc release of cradle of life that I had from them was only DTS lossy for the english track and DTS-HD for the german track. last but not least is it region free ?? for $15.53 shipped that is NOT a bad deal.

The double pack disc has a DTS HD MA 5.1 English track, however the individual release does not despite it being listed in the audio menu as such, it is lossy DTS 5.1.

[wormraper]

Originally Posted by Cevolution

The double pack disc has a DTS HD MA 5.1 English track, however the individual release does not despite it being listed in the audio menu as such, it is lossy DTS 5.1.

sweet!!!!!!!!!, will totally be picking it up. and I know the individual releases were region free but is the double feature region free??? if so It's being ordered NOW!!!

[Cevolution]

Originally Posted by wormraper

sweet!!!!!!!!!, will totally be picking it up. and I know the individual releases were region free but is the double feature region free??? if so It's being ordered NOW!!!

Yeah both discs in the double feature pack are region free.

[Early Memphis]

Originally Posted by wormraper

sweet!!!!!!!!!, will totally be picking it up. and I know the individual releases were region free but is the double feature region free??? if so It's being ordered NOW!!!

I know it's good for Region A as I just played both movies on my Oppo Region A player.

[wormraper]

Originally Posted by Cevolution

Yeah both discs in the double feature pack are region free.

done, ordered, thanks so much

[Early Memphis]

Tomb Raider
US - MPEG-2 18190 kbps 2.35:1, DD 5.1 640 kbps/DTS 5.1 1509 kbps 24-bit, BD25 (Region free)
UK/SE - AVC 31884 kbps 2.35:1, DD 5.1 640 kbps/DTS 5.1 1509 kbps 24-bit, BD50 (Region free)
DE - VC-1 18009 kbps 2.40:1, DTS-HD MA 5.1 2364 kbps 16-bit, no eng subs, BD25 (Region free)

Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life
US - No release
DE - VC-1 16488 kbps 2.35:1, DTS-HD MA 5.1 2344 kbps 16-bit, no eng subs, BD25 (Region free)

So I'm wondering why the German Tomb Raider lost its bolded Best rating before rushing out and ordering the UK version. I'd love anything I can learn from anyone. On "paper", it looks like a real mixed bag:

The German version has the original OAR of 2.39:1 (which has been changed to 2.40:1?) and the best sound codec DTS-HD MA 5.1 (which should sound better, right?).

However, the UK/SE editions have AVC (a better visual codec), more room on the disc (50GB vs. 25GB, implying less compression), 24 bits (vs. 16 bits) and English subtitles. No word on differences in the extras (key being the missing "beheading" scene on the German version, although all of its extras are SD WS).

So, like I said, I'm just trying to figure this out before spending even more money. Has anyone out there seen both the UK & the German Tomb Raider (apparently Cradle Of Life is only available from Germany)? If not, could AVC and a 50 GB disc overcome the slight (?) difference in aspect ratio and not having lossless sound? Again, just trying to learn anything I can here.

[steve_dave]

Originally Posted by Early Memphis

So I'm wondering why the German Tomb Raider lost its bolded Best rating before rushing out and ordering the UK version. I'd love anything I can learn from anyone. On "paper", it looks like a real mixed bag:

The German version has the original OAR of 2.39:1 (which has been changed to 2.40:1?) and the best sound codec DTS-HD MA 5.1 (which should sound better, right?).

However, the UK/SE editions have AVC (a better visual codec), more room on the disc (50GB vs. 25GB, implying less compression), 24 bits (vs. 16 bits) and English subtitles. No word on differences in the extras (key being the missing "beheading" scene on the German version, although all of its extras are SD WS).

So, like I said, I'm just trying to figure this out before spending even more money. Has anyone out there seen both the UK & the German Tomb Raider (apparently Cradle Of Life is only available from Germany)? If not, could AVC and a 50 GB disc overcome the slight (?) difference in aspect ratio and not having lossless sound? Again, just trying to learn anything I can here.

You get the best picture and audio quality with the German double feature of Tomb Raider but the extras are 576i/p. You can enjoy the commentaries just fine but most US/Can players and all US/Can PS3s can not play back the other special features. The burned-in subtitles are also in German rather than English.

The UK, which is Paramount, has the extras in 480i/p so they can be played on any player without issue but you have to deal with lossy audio: 1.5mbs DTS or 640kbs DD. The burned-in subtitles are in English.

I say decide which is more important: lossless audio or extras and then make your purchase from there.

[secretsquirrel]

Originally Posted by steve_dave

You get the best picture and audio quality with the German double feature of Tomb Raider but the extras are 576i/p. You can enjoy the commentaries just fine but most US/Can players and all US/Can PS3s can not play back the other special features. The burned-in subtitles are also in German rather than English.

The UK, which is Paramount, has the extras in 480i/p so they can be played on any player without issue but you have to deal with lossy audio: 1.5mbs DTS or 640kbs DD. The burned-in subtitles are in English.

I say decide which is more important: lossless audio or extras and then make your purchase from there.

Can the region free hackable Insignias convert that 576i/p?

I have the DE two pack (so I can check) but it may be useful for others to know, too, since I don't know when I will do it So I thought I'd ask.

[wormraper]

Originally Posted by steve_dave

You get the best picture and audio quality with the German double feature of Tomb Raider but the extras are 576i/p. You can enjoy the commentaries just fine but most US/Can players and all US/Can PS3s can not play back the other special features. The burned-in subtitles are also in German rather than English.

The UK, which is Paramount, has the extras in 480i/p so they can be played on any player without issue but you have to deal with lossy audio: 1.5mbs DTS or 640kbs DD. The burned-in subtitles are in English.

I say decide which is more important: lossless audio or extras and then make your purchase from there.

whoa whoa whoa!!!! the german version of the double feature has burned in german subtitles that can't be turned off??? if that's true it's an instant cancel

[Cevolution]

Originally Posted by wormraper

whoa whoa whoa!!!! the german version of the double feature has burned in german subtitles that can't be turned off??? if that's true it's an instant cancel

The discs in the double pack do not have burnt in subs when the English DTS HD MA 5.1 track is selected. I'd say the member that you responded to was referring to the audio commentaries? I have never selected those to check.

[Early Memphis]

Originally Posted by wormraper

whoa whoa whoa!!!! the german version of the double feature has burned in german subtitles that can't be turned off??? if that's true it's an instant cancel

Originally Posted by Cevolution

The discs in the double pack do not have burnt in subs when the English DTS HD MA 5.1 track is selected. I'd say the member that you responded to was referring to the audio commentaries? I have never selected those to check.

None of the subs are "burned in" - even during the Simon West (English) commentary track. They can be turned off via your remote. Only the non-English "native tongue" subs are burned in (3-6 instances) - and, unfortunately, they're in German.

[steve_dave]

Originally Posted by secretsquirrel

Can the region free hackable Insignias convert that 576i/p?

I have the DE two pack (so I can check) but it may be useful for others to know, too, since I don't know when I will do it So I thought I'd ask.

Insignias can handle and display 576i/p as well as convert to 480i/p.

Originally Posted by wormraper

whoa whoa whoa!!!! the german version of the double feature has burned in german subtitles that can't be turned off??? if that's true it's an instant cancel

I'm referring to the non English portions and location cues. It doesn't distract from the movie but expect it in a few scenes.

[wormraper]

Originally Posted by steve_dave

Insignias can handle and display 576i/p as well as convert to 480i/p.



I'm referring to the non English portions and location cues. It doesn't distract from the movie but expect it in a few scenes.

ahhh, gotcha, whew, scared me for a moment. that I can live with.