Is the Best Buy Blu-ray demo disc enhanced?

[Man-Is-Obsolete]

Originally Posted by ryoohki

I'am in the projector world. I just gone from 720p and 1080p and thrust me it's worth it

I thrust you. just kidding.

[Maxell]

It looked great maybe because you were right in front of the 1080p screen. But normally people do not watch movies that close. Of course it also depends on your home tv. 720p looks great normally on 37" and less screens. Above 37" you should get 1080p

[onehothemi]

As a Bluray distributor and home theater specialist, I'd just like to let you know that some not all, but especially the sony kiosks with those demonstration disks, with clips, are uncompressed, 1080p/24p in 120hz, and are precalibrated for the optimal performance, on the PS3 units and TVs, and some stations actually use Monster Cables via HDMI for the hookup.

[mikenike]

Originally Posted by CptGreedle

When I look at the demo, I see compression, blown highlights, blocked shadows, and too much contrast.
They do that to make it "pop" more. The compression is minor but I see it.
These demos always use non-calbrated TVs, and pump up the contrast the saturation to make the image look more vibrant and "3D" to the customer.

I wholeheartedly agree with CptGreedle. Although I always stop by Sony's demo stand everytime I go to Best Buy, I only do so to marvel at the motion feature (and even then, motion enhancement still feels gimmicky). Look closely and one can tell the PQ has been compromised. Pirates of the Carribean: Dead Man's Chest is a title I own that is on the demo disc, and the full feature BD blows the entire demo disc out the water.

[weiland555]

Originally Posted by onehothemi

As a Bluray distributor and home theater specialist, I'd just like to let you know that some not all, but especially the sony kiosks with those demonstration disks, with clips, are uncompressed, 1080p/24p in 120hz, and are precalibrated for the optimal performance, on the PS3 units and TVs, and some stations actually use Monster Cables via HDMI for the hookup.

I knew it! - the uncompressed part anyway. The clips honestly look more like the special features portions of disks...the pure high-def look with very little post production and very little compression.

Now here's what I need to know...how can I get a copy of that demo disk? If the picture doesn't look nearly as good on my 720p Samsung DLP, I'll know it's time for an upgrade. If it's close, I'll know it's the disk.

Also, say the amazing PQ is really mostly due to the uncompressed nature of the video clips on the demo disk; isn't that really false advertising? You know, giving the impression that your movie at home will look that way when it really won't?

[bluskies]

Originally Posted by weiland555

Just got back from my local Best Buy. For fun I was watching one of the Blu-Ray demo disks on a Sony LCD. Anyway, the disk was obviously a promo thing for Blu-Ray, showing various movie clips and sound demo's.

What shocked me though was the clarity of the movie clips they showed, particularly from Spiderman 3 and Pirates 2. I've seen both of these movies on Blu-Ray on my PS3, but the differences between the full length features and these clips were remarkable. The details and color in these clips was almost overwhelming, better than any HD broadcast I've seen. Now my TV at home is only 720p but I didn't think the difference between 720p and 1080p was supposed to THAT drastic.

So my question is this: Is this Demo-disk using some uncompressed version of these films for the short demo clips? Will there be a format one day that allows regular blu-rays to have these uncompressed versions?

As others have mentioned, it is the thing called Motion Enhancer but it is only on Sony XBR4 and XBR5 models, and what it seems to do is add depth, making more objects/people/etc. more three dimensional. I know there are a few who don't like that look, as taking away the feeling of "film" but I happen to love it. If you get the right film, I feel like I am right there during the making of the movie. The ones who don't like it have a point in that it takes away from possibly what the directors intended, but I feel that because the people are more really there (almost like it was shot on video) I feel the characters are more real and I am right there with them in the story as an observer. A good film to see like this is "The Searchers" and "POTC: The Black Pearl."

However, you can only get it on the Sony XBR series (it could also be in some Samsung models because they co-produce the screen, I think). They have introduced Motionflow on some Sony models, which is in the XBR series, too, but I believe it is not the same as Motion Enhancer. Also the engine in the XBR4 and XBR5 is different than other Sony models and that makes a difference, too.

It is also likely the TV store has their models set to "Vivid," one of several screen settings on the XBR, which is the best way to see the depth; however, depending on the disc it can also make the colors garish. You would have to test different discs to see which are good and which aren't.

I have two Blu-ray players, the Sony S301 and the Panny 30. To get that almost three-dimensional, "being there" look, the Sony S300 is the one to get. The Panasonic model is great, but it doesn't achieve that likelike, being there image that the Sony S300 does when it used with the Sony XBR4 and XBR5 series but I couldn't tell you why. I've tried it on different movie titles, and the Sony S300 just has more depth when using the Sony XBR HDTV's Motion Enhancer. Please don't ask what it has inside the Sony model that the Panasonic model doesn't, because I am not sure, all I know is what I see. There's just an extra "oomph" that makes it a bit more three-dimensional.

Hope this helps.

[Musashi]

Where could I get my own copy of the demo disc?

[tron3]

Originally Posted by Musashi

Where could I get my own copy of the demo disc?

Any consumer with this disc likely swiped it. Not saying you should do so. Otherwise, they probably know someone who works at the store and got them the disk.

[MyBoyBlu]

The TV is just that good! With the Motion Enhancer set on High or Standard, movies look out of this world!

Before I bought my 52XBR4 from Best Buy, I insisted that they show me an off-the-shelf Blu-Ray movie. The salesperson put in Black Hawk Down and Pan's Labyrinth. Both looked just as good as the demo disc, if not better. The demo system is not juiced.

My home player is a PS3 and the PQ is even better in my home!

Buy the XBR4, you will not be disappointed! Simply incredible machine!

[DefTechPioElite]

Originally Posted by weiland555

Just got back from my local Best Buy. For fun I was watching one of the Blu-Ray demo disks on a Sony LCD. Anyway, the disk was obviously a promo thing for Blu-Ray, showing various movie clips and sound demo's.

What shocked me though was the clarity of the movie clips they showed, particularly from Spiderman 3 and Pirates 2. I've seen both of these movies on Blu-Ray on my PS3, but the differences between the full length features and these clips were remarkable. The details and color in these clips was almost overwhelming, better than any HD broadcast I've seen. Now my TV at home is only 720p but I didn't think the difference between 720p and 1080p was supposed to THAT drastic.

So my question is this: Is this Demo-disk using some uncompressed version of these films for the short demo clips? Will there be a format one day that allows regular blu-rays to have these uncompressed versions?

hey guess what, it's a 360 line difference. That's even bigger than the difference between SD(480p) and basic HD(720p) which is only 240 lines, so yeah it is that big of a difference.

[weiland555]

Originally Posted by DefTechPioElite

hey guess what, it's a 360 line difference. That's even bigger than the difference between SD(480p) and basic HD(720p) which is only 240 lines, so yeah it is that big of a difference.

Of course I understand the math of the whole thing. It's just that most write-ups in mainstream home theatre magazines claim the difference between 720p and 1080p is only noticeable at certain distances, and even then not to everyone.

[DefTechPioElite]

Originally Posted by weiland555

Of course I understand the math of the whole thing. It's just that most write-ups in mainstream home theatre magazines claim the difference between 720p and 1080p is only noticeable at certain distances, and even then not to everyone.

well, were you not right in front of the display? At 1-3 feet it's definitley going to be noticed

[CptGreedle]

Here is the thing I think some people misunderstand.
Demo systems are not usually "calibrated" for home theater use. They are tweaked to boost the "pop" of the image. This means that they will boost the contrast, boost the saturation, and sometimes add a slight color tint (standard on all TVs from the factory... ever notice the "cool" or "sports" or "movie" setting on your TV? those are color tints and image adjustments).
I am not saying you can not get your tv to do the same thing. If you want, you can boost the contrast and the saturation to get a similar effect. I suggest, though, that you do not do it nearly as much as the demo systems.
Every demo system I have seen has overblown highlights and blocky shadows. This means that the brightest parts of the image bleed into the tones that are not as bright, making them just as bright, and you loose detail in the highlights of the image.. or that the black levels are boosted causing the darker shades to go completely black and you loose shadow details. This is very common as it "boosts" the "pop" of an image. Also, they love to boost the saturation to make the color pop too, which leads to bleeding and unnatural colors.
For a demo, this is great, for a home theater, it is not that good.

If you want a very snappy image, one with the pop and 3D feel as the demo, I suggest a few things. First, buy a tv with very dark blacks and bright whites, the higher the contrast ratio the better. Plasmas are great, but OLEDs are the best but WAY to expensive and small right now (they are new but will drop in price). Second, calibrate your tv. If you can afford to have it done professionally, do it! They do a much better job than anything you can do (they can access menus you can't and change settings you can't see and have special equipment). Finally, you will want to go into the settings, and boost the contrast slightly. This will give more of that 3D feel. You can also slightly boost the sharpness but be careful on this cause you can get weird effects if it is too sharp. Now you should have an image with that 3D feel that pops like the demo without loosing all the quality they demos loose.

[Blu Haze]

Same goes for the SXRD. I love Motion Flow.

[Kayne314]

Are the discs adjusted for the store demo?

Yup!

Detail has been stripped away, and blacks made much darker, as well as whites have been overblown.

My experience has been that when I watch one of these demo BDs at home, on my calibrated 1080p Plasma, they look like crap.

In the store though, on an uncalibrated display, they really pop. It is meant to attract your attention, no to accurately represent a Blu-ray image. The demo discs look fine in the store, but don't hold up as well at home.

An accurately calibrated display will crush even what you are seeing in the store, by a country mile. Believe it or not, Blu-ray can even be more amazing than what you are seeing in the store...

Way better!

[mikenike]

Originally Posted by onehothemi

As a Bluray distributor and home theater specialist, I'd just like to let you know that some not all, but especially the sony kiosks with those demonstration disks, with clips, are uncompressed, 1080p/24p in 120hz, and are precalibrated for the optimal performance, on the PS3 units and TVs, and some stations actually use Monster Cables via HDMI for the hookup.

Those kiosks' TVs haven't been calibrated for optimal viewing. The settings used are to wow customers who are not knowledged in how optimal settings should look. Overblown highlights, crushed details, and color bleeding are not optimal.

The general rule for HDMI cables is if it works, it works. Sure, there is that upgrade with 1.3a, but you don't need Monster for that.

[jizaref1]

Originally Posted by mikenike

Those kiosks' TVs haven't been calibrated for optimal viewing. The settings used are to wow customers who are not knowledged in how optimal settings should look. Overblown highlights, crushed details, and color bleeding are not optimal.

The general rule for HDMI cables is if it works, it works. Sure, there is that upgrade with 1.3a, but you don't need Monster for that.

I think it is a combination of overblown settings but also the disc is engineered differently. At home I use a PS3 to play blu rays to a 1080p XBR2 and I cannot get the images to look like the Best Buy demo. I can turn contrast up but blacks crust, I can turn sharpness up but it doesn't match the store. Some things look amazing, but I think the demo is artificial.

[julisimo]

You know guys, if the disc at Bestbuy turns out to be enhanced in some way, that means that we are being sold something that is not what they are promoting....

Class action suite, anybody ?????

[Beta Man]

Originally Posted by julisimo

You know guys, if the disc at Bestbuy turns out to be enhanced in some way, that means that we are being sold something that is not what they are promoting....

Class action suite, anybody ?????

is right.....

[kingofgrills]

Originally Posted by CptGreedle

Here is the thing I think some people misunderstand.
Demo systems are not usually "calibrated" for home theater use. They are tweaked to boost the "pop" of the image. This means that they will boost the contrast, boost the saturation, and sometimes add a slight color tint (standard on all TVs from the factory... ever notice the "cool" or "sports" or "movie" setting on your TV? those are color tints and image adjustments).
I am not saying you can not get your tv to do the same thing. If you want, you can boost the contrast and the saturation to get a similar effect. I suggest, though, that you do not do it nearly as much as the demo systems.
Every demo system I have seen has overblown highlights and blocky shadows. This means that the brightest parts of the image bleed into the tones that are not as bright, making them just as bright, and you loose detail in the highlights of the image.. or that the black levels are boosted causing the darker shades to go completely black and you loose shadow details. This is very common as it "boosts" the "pop" of an image. Also, they love to boost the saturation to make the color pop too, which leads to bleeding and unnatural colors.
For a demo, this is great, for a home theater, it is not that good.

If you want a very snappy image, one with the pop and 3D feel as the demo, I suggest a few things. First, buy a tv with very dark blacks and bright whites, the higher the contrast ratio the better. Plasmas are great, but OLEDs are the best but WAY to expensive and small right now (they are new but will drop in price). Second, calibrate your tv. If you can afford to have it done professionally, do it! They do a much better job than anything you can do (they can access menus you can't and change settings you can't see and have special equipment). Finally, you will want to go into the settings, and boost the contrast slightly. This will give more of that 3D feel. You can also slightly boost the sharpness but be careful on this cause you can get weird effects if it is too sharp. Now you should have an image with that 3D feel that pops like the demo without loosing all the quality they demos loose.

I fully agree. In store demos I've seen have oversaturation of color coupled with extreme contrast and black levels. My calibrated SXRD set blows the doors off the Blu-ray demo disk images compared to the Best Buy setups. Those setups are designed to draw your eye away from the wall of flat panels dancing around behind it. It's not designed for long-term viewing, and you'd probably suffer eye fatigue from watching a full-length movie on it.

Also, I have both a 720p (1080i) LCD, as well as my 50" Sony SXRD 1080p. Just be careful making the blanket statement that there's a huge difference between the picture on a 720p native TV vs 1080p display. Screen size can be one of many factors that can influence a comparison. In some cases my 720p LCD, which is only 32" offers better picture detail than my 50" SXRD at 1080p. Now, if you're talking apples to apples, meaning the same size screen, then yeah, there will probably be a noticeable difference going from 720p to 1080p. Especially when you're looking at a 42" or bigger screen.