Ask questions to The Digital Bits team (Bill Hunt, Jeff Kleist et.al.)

[lgans316]

Universal usually encodes HD DVD from DI source which is the best method to obtain excellent results. However the final outcome is spoiled due to applying on heavy filtering, EE and DNR on select titles.

Some of the Universal titles that looked excellent are as follows

King Kong
Hot Fuzz
Children of Men
Shaun of the Dead
Fearless
Dawn of the Dead D.C
Seabiscuit
The Pianist
Pitch Black
Riddick (Good example of DI to video transfer)
The Kingdom
Tokyo Drift
Out of Sight
Knocked Up (Better than Superbad)
Hulk (dirt fest)
Bourne Identity
Bourne Supremacy
Bourne Ultimatum
The Thing
Eternal Sunshine
Smokin Aces
Heroes (Slight EE)

Titles that looked lackluster due to DNR/EE/DIRT/Speckles/upconvert quality

BSG
Traffic
Tremors
Mummy
Mummy Returns (Severe Black Crush and softness in dark scenes)
Casino (Yes. Plenty of dirt, Speckles)
Hulk (Plenty of dirt)
Fast and the Furious 1 & 2
The Game
Liar Liar
Nutty Professor

Let's also remember that Universal's catalog contains many quality movies which ain't the case with Fox/Sony.

[Scooby Blu]

How was the PQ and AQ on this CLASSIC movie ?

[lgans316]

The Thing on HD DVD boasted excellent PQ but SQ was horrible probably due to bad source. Good movie but not that horrific as expected.

[WickyWoo]

I think this is the question that needs to be asked IMO. Will Universal re-encode these releases or will they do like Warner and just do a "port". I think people would be happier if they knew if the titles were new encodes not jsut HD DVD ports.

It's a title by title basis from what I hear

Some will get it, some will not. A lot of the older catalog titles are more likely to get it. Last Starfighter, Tremors etc, since the masters used on them were borderline ancient (10 years+)

[Majoran]

Originally Posted by lgans316

Universal usually encodes HD DVD from DI source which is the best method to obtain excellent results. However the final outcome is spoiled due to applying on heavy filtering, EE and DNR on select titles.

Some of the Universal titles that looked excellent are as follows

King Kong
Hot Fuzz
Children of Men
Shaun of the Dead
Fearless
Dawn of the Dead D.C
Seabiscuit
The Pianist
Pitch Black
Riddick (Good example of DI to video transfer)
The Kingdom
Tokyo Drift
Out of Sight
Knocked Up (Better than Superbad)
Hulk (dirt fest)
Bourne Identity
Bourne Supremacy
Bourne Ultimatum
The Thing
Eternal Sunshine
Smokin Aces
Heroes (Slight EE)

Titles that looked lackluster due to DNR/EE/DIRT/Speckles/upconvert quality

BSG
Traffic
Tremors
Mummy
Mummy Returns (Severe Black Crush and softness in dark scenes)
Casino (Yes. Plenty of dirt, Speckles)
Hulk (Plenty of dirt)
Fast and the Furious 1 & 2
The Game
Liar Liar
Nutty Professor

Let's also remember that Universal's catalog contains many quality movies which ain't the case with Fox/Sony.

Would BSG really benefit from a new encode? From what the transfers that was on the HD DVDs were a step above the HD feeds which are still better then the DVD\SD version. I know many people complain on this title since there is a ton of grain, but since it was intended it makes that complaint moot. I would personally love to see BSG some out and was hoping for an announcement about the series . I am patient though so hopefully Universal gets them out this year.
I could of sworn the same discussion was had with regard to "The Game". Where the transfer showed what was intended from the source. I wasnt disapointed with it, but it "could" have been better. With that film though I wasnt sure if it was the source or the encode that was to blame.

Originally Posted by WickyWoo

It's a title by title basis from what I hear

Some will get it, some will not. A lot of the older catalog titles are more likely to get it. Last Starfighter, Tremors etc, since the masters used on them were borderline ancient (10 years+)

I had a feeling it was more of the older titles that would get it. I know warner is probably doing the same thing . Sometimes the money\time just doesn't justify a brad new encode for a movie. No worries here I am patient and can undestand that sometimes they have milked all that they can for what they are willing to spend to get it done. While I do agree that we should all hold studios to high standards, not every movie is going to be of the same quality so we have to judge on a film by film basis.

BTW thank you for the reply

[HDJK]

Bill, since you could confirm TrueHD on Perfect Storm despite a cover on the net saying otherwise, do you think you could find out what will happen to 'Batman - Gotham Night'? According to this post it's only DD.

Thank you very much.

[foots]

Originally Posted by neo_reloaded

Sorry to keep bringing this up, but any word or way to check if Sony is planning to bring Rescue Me season 4 to blu-ray? I ask because season 3 was already released on BD, and not releasing season 4 seems very odd, especially after all the headway BD has made in recent months.

Bill, I'd really like to know the answer to this as well.

My apologies if you've addressed this and I just missed it.

[Bullseye]

Originally Posted by HDJK

Bill, since you could confirm TrueHD on Perfect Storm despite a cover on the net saying otherwise, do you think you could find out what will happen to 'Batman - Gotham Night'? According to this post it's only DD.

Thank you very much.

I noticed that too. I hope this is not the case.

[blitz6speed]

*Sharpens stabbing knife for warner decision makers who dont include lossless*

[savage1984]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

^ ^ ^

Well, I’m not addressing you in particular but, since you brought this notion to the table, let me say that there is always several months from when the decision is made to do a new title and the street debut of that title.
Deciding upon….. and putting together the added value and/or interactivity is the real time-consuming piece of the puzzle for the high profile titles and that can delay the process even longer……..not to mention bean-counting considerations regarding the current user base.

It kinda amazes me that in regards to one essentially revolutionary [at least in terms of price-point] camera (the Red One) people on the forums and at the shows (NAB) are so willing and without reservation to accept the delays, weaknesses and outright missteps by one company trying to build a foundation for one camera……..whereas, when a large group of diverse studios and diverse consumer electronic companies try to do the same for a revolutionary format having a much higher degree of associated complexity and just coming out of a heated format war to boot…….some people have far less patience and understanding.

P.S.
Bill, please stick around for awhile as I’m just back from NAB and it will take me the rest of this week and all of next week just to catch back up with all my normal workload.

After reading it through about four times, I finally get it... yay me!

[WickyWoo]

http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Rescue-Season-4/9213

There's the best info anyone has on Rescue Me

[TauHeel05]

Originally Posted by HDJK

Bill, since you could confirm TrueHD on Perfect Storm despite a cover on the net saying otherwise, do you think you could find out what will happen to 'Batman - Gotham Night'? According to this post it's only DD.

Thank you very much.

Would also like to know if it has lossless. Thanks.

[mark antony]

I'm hoping that they do a better job of Spartacus. It's amazing how much the hd-dvd cocked up what should have been one of their better looking titles.

Hopefully they will go back to the 65mm sourced hi-def master that was colour-corrected by Robert Harris for Criterion, and also utilise that wide-6 track mix, put it on a bd-50 with uncompressed sound and it should look/sound as good as current elements allow.

It's not as if they need to re-transfer it, the master's sitting there...

M

[dialog_gvf]

Originally Posted by mark antony

I'm hoping that they do a better job of Spartacus. It's amazing how much the hd-dvd cocked up what should have been one of their better looking titles.

Hopefully they will go back to the 65mm sourced hi-def master that was colour-corrected by Robert Harris for Criterion, and also utilise that wide-6 track mix, put it on a bd-50 with uncompressed sound and it should look/sound as good as current elements allow.

It's not as if they need to re-transfer it, the master's sitting there...

M

It starts with respect.

Sony, Disney and (to a limit) Warner show respect for their classics. Hopefully the rest of the studios will start to show the respect their classic films deserve.

And, in the end, it's good business. They preserve a valuable product, and open up new markets for it.

Gary

[Woody]

Originally Posted by savage1984

After reading it through about four times, I finally get it... yay me!

I guess I don't get it..............

[BStecke]

Bill,

Wicky and Doby have both stated on numerous occasion that the PCM/TrueHD version of Superman Returns that was pressed for the Pioneer 94 player would be making its way into stores shortly. Is there anything official on this?

[JasonS]

Originally Posted by Bill Hunt

Better later than never, and they DID beat Paramount to the punch...

Which I find funny. All this talk about Paramount really trying to get back into the saving graces of consumers for screwing everyone on both sides of the format war in the past year, and yet they were the last studio to go to the winning format and the last studio to announce any titles. Their only hope at this point is to announce titles and release them the next week. Being last in everything and making an announcement to wait another 3 - 4 months for the first title again isn't going to cut it. It certainly isn't for me.

There's enough other top-notch incredible titles by Fox, Disney, etc. that Paramount doesn't need any of my money.

[Chaka]

Originally Posted by BStecke

Bill,

Wicky and Doby have both stated on numerous occasion that the PCM/TrueHD version of Superman Returns that was pressed for the Pioneer 94 player would be making its way into stores shortly. Is there anything official on this?

here is his quote yesterday I think.

Originally Posted by Bill Hunt

RE: Superman, I've heard that a running production change was made, and when future copies are distributed to retailers over time, they'll have the new TrueHD track.

[BStecke]

Ah, thank you thank you. Must have skimmed too fast.

[Chaka]

Originally Posted by BStecke

Ah, thank you thank you. Must have skimmed too fast.

I do that many times. I think its virtually impossible to find this in a retailer. I haven't been able to find the new T3 at stores either except for Warner store.