Nature's Journey - BD with 37Mbps VC-1 Encode 96kHz/24bit DTS-HD Master Audio - Oct 9

[DaViD Boulet]

Hey Nick,

viewed at my friend's house running 1080i 60 out of a PS3 (60gig) into a Lumigen processer for deinterlacing to 1080p60 to feed the native 1080p60 JVC HD2K projector head.

The lumigen processor typically does a *great* job deinterlacing native 1080i to 1080p, so if it looks "soft" to me, it's really soft!

dave

p.s. I agree with your comments. espeically the point that static images are not the proper images to use for bit-rate comparisons since they compress well at low bit-rates anyway. Screen-grabs from motion sequences, as frustrating as they would be to view in still-frame, would be better still.

Of course, what's the point of "transparency" to a native 1080i60 source that *requires* additional interpolation/processing on almost every panel/chip-based display on the market? I think that Nature's Journey is a nice idea, but not a high-fedlity execution in regards for video presentation given the native interlacing and low-detail image capture/processing.

[welwynnick]

Originally Posted by DaViD Boulet

Hey Nick,

viewed at my friend's house running 1080i 60 out of a PS3 (60gig) into a Lumigen processer for deinterlacing to 1080p60 to feed the native 1080p60 JVC HD2K projector head.

The lumigen processor typically does a *great* job deinterlacing native 1080i to 1080p, so if it looks "soft" to me, it's really soft!

dave

Hi Dave,

That's very revealling. I'll assume the Lumagen is an HDP or HDQ, which are popular with JVC owners, and not just a Vision or Radiance.

Lumagen lead the World with SD & HD film cadence detection and SD scaling. However, they are behind the bleeding edge with processing of video sources. Specifically, they do not have diagonal correlation de-interlacing like the latest HQV, VRS or VXP technologies (though the new Radiance does).

That sort of technology generates new data that simply wasn't there in the first place with interlaced video, and does it intelligently. With it, pictures can look brilliant, but without it, a processor will simply bob, weave or scale, and suffer the consequences with softness and/or artifacts. The HDP/Q fall into the latter category. Note that all this doesn't apply to film at all.

I haven't seen a PS3 play video yet, but I hear it works very well with the more recent software loads. In fact it ought to make a very good source with all discs, BD & DVD, video and film, and the Lumagen might not add much apart from switching and colour management. So I would suggest connecting the PS3 directly to the PJ if you get the chance, and set it to 1080p60 output.

I know people usually go on about how good film is, but much of the benefit is lost when it's digitised and converted to video. And you still have to suffer the low frame rate. I reckon there's a lot to be said for video capture - there's no grain, great dynamic range, inky blacks and a faster vertical refresh rate. Granted it's interlaced, but the latest and greatest processors can do a spectacular job with it, and I think you can actually get a better suspension of disbelief.

Sorry for rambling, but hope that's food for thought.

Nick

[DaViD Boulet]

I'd be fine with video capture if it was progressive. 1080p60. That would work for me!

dave

[gand41f]

Originally Posted by DaViD Boulet

I'd be fine with video capture if it was progressive. 1080p60. That would work for me!

dave

The Blu-ray spec doesn't include 1080p60.

The best you can do is 1080p30 encoded as 1080i60. (I believe that's what they did with the NIN disc.)

enjoy
gandalf

[DaViD Boulet]

Yes, the lack of 1080p60 in the BD spec was a SERIOUS oversight IMO. Seems far off today, but in a few short years I'm sure we'll have native 1080p60 camera capture for live events. Too bad our HD specs don't allow for its storage (redundant data would allow it to compress easily and not consume twice the space of a 1080i60 signal).

[BTBuck1]

Natures journey is my new naptime disc.

Whenever I watch it i get so relaxed I never make it through the whole way.

I keep fallng asleep!

It's weird, I'd hate to watch this while under the influence of a controlled substance, good thing I dont that sort of thing.

The PQ on this disc goes from Awesome to meh several times. I don't know why they left in the soft scenes. It doesn't match up with some of the others that look

Sound is great, it's awesome to see what my 5 without the .1 can do on their own.

This is a great disc to unwind to, put on while you are doing chores around the house, show of your tv's PQ etc.

[gandley]

my real complaint was the intentional blurring around the edge of the image, and the OH SO TACKY artistic touches.

it was way too soft for too much of the running time. Audio was fine if thats your thing, but i found this release truly uninspiring. yes it had good moments, the audio at the thunderstorm bit was actually brilliant.

Maybe its me, but if i buy a disc to see nature in HD, then thats what i want to see.

Section, THE FALL was a wasted opportunity to really show hidef in stunning colour and clarity. a few blurry branches that lacked any vivid fall colours just had me so underwelmed and frankly just dosent cut it as a quality HiDef release..

Some potential, but overall avoid or rent.

[DaViD Boulet]

Want stunning Nature in HD?

Galapagos on BD... WOW. Review up soon (dvdfile)...

[gandley]

Originally Posted by DaViD Boulet

Want stunning Nature in HD?

Galapagos on BD... WOW. Review up soon (dvdfile)...

Thanks David, will keep an eye out for the review.

[Deciazulado]

Originally Posted by DaViD Boulet

Want stunning Nature in HD?

Galapagos on BD... WOW. Review up soon (dvdfile)...

Galápagos disc is also 1080i60 (actually it's converted from a 50Hz source so it's less temporal resolution than 60i)

What I found great on the Nature's Journey video quality was the smoothnes of the movement seemed so natural. I guess that's where the 60 fields per second and high bit-rates came into play, which may be difficult to show on a still capture. As a poster mentioned earlier, at the begining I was not blown away but I noticed after a while watching it and listening to it made me feel real relaxed and peaceful, like as if I was on vacation on those places (similar to listening to a true audiophile recording, at first you might not think it sounds exciting but then you notice everything sounds right)