Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens 4K UHD (2015)

[Pieter V]

Disc Size: 65,922,832,298 bytes
Protection: AACS2
Extras: Ultra HD, BD-Java
BDInfo: 0.7.5.8

PLAYLIST REPORT:

Name: 00800.MPLS
Length: 2:18:06.569 (h:m:s.ms)
Size: 62,335,500,288 bytes
Total Bitrate: 60.18 Mbps

VIDEO:

Codec Bitrate Description
----- ------- -----------
MPEG-H HEVC Video 47993 kbps 2160p / 23.976 fps / 16:9 / Main 10 @ Level 5.1 @ High / 4:2:0 / 10 bits / 1000nits / HDR10 / BT.2020

AUDIO:

Codec Language Bitrate Description
----- -------- ------- -----------
Dolby TrueHD/Atmos Audio English 4790 kbps 7.1 / 48 kHz / 4150 kbps / 24-bit (AC3 Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 640 kbps)
Dolby Digital Audio English 320 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 320 kbps / Dolby Surround
Dolby Digital Plus Audio French 1024 kbps 7.1 / 48 kHz / 1024 kbps (AC3 Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 576 kbps ( Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 576 kbps))
Dolby Digital Plus Audio Spanish 1024 kbps 7.1 / 48 kHz / 1024 kbps (AC3 Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 576 kbps ( Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 576 kbps))
Dolby Digital Plus Audio Japanese 1024 kbps 7.1 / 48 kHz / 1024 kbps (AC3 Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 576 kbps ( Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 576 kbps))

SUBTITLES:

Codec Language Bitrate Description
----- -------- ------- -----------
Presentation Graphics English 31.453 kbps
Presentation Graphics French 23.122 kbps
Presentation Graphics Spanish 22.855 kbps
Presentation Graphics Japanese 16.573 kbps
Presentation Graphics French 0.466 kbps
Presentation Graphics Spanish 0.135 kbps
Presentation Graphics Japanese 0.126 kbps

[morphinapg]

If this is anything like the Disney+ release, you guys are going to absolutely love this one. It's gorgeous demo level HDR throughout. Probably will top a lot of people's favorite HDR presentations.

[klitzkrieg]

Originally Posted by morphinapg

If this is anything like the Disney+ release, you guys are going to absolutely love this one. It's gorgeous demo level HDR throughout. Probably will top a lot of people's favorite HDR presentations.

Curious to read reviews with technical assessment, but just finished and had to squint a few times. Especially at the first firing of the Starkiller. Even small explosions and lasers gave that burn in the back of the eyes feeling. Brightest highlights I remember seeing and used to great effect.

Halfway through the last Jedi didn’t get the same feeling yet. Excited for Rise next!

[Purploros]

How’s the Dolby Atmos track on this?

[KMFDMvsEnya]

I have watched the film till after the Millennium Falcon escape from Jakku and it sounded fantastic with just a standard 5.1 configuration, so can't speak about the overhead effects.

Included at the link are pictures of the waveforms and dynamic range stats for both the original DTSMA release and the ATMOS release found on the 4K disc.

The Atmos track actually has more dynamic range, whereas the DTSMA has most likely had additional peak normalization applied to it resulting in both less dynamic range and higher average loudness.

In the Atmos track at the 1 Hour and 12 Minutes mark there is a massive peak in the waveform that is an outlier to the rest of the track. If that had been tamed a bit more then the average volume could have been bumped up a bit.

Whereas the since the DTSMA peaks have been more aggressively normalized that outlier does not occur but the trade-off being is that mix is more compressed in the dynamic so things are not as nuanced.

There is likely not additional bass information in the DTSMA track but due to the additional processing it may sound louder but it is not as smooth and as nuanced. This also also happens across the spectrum.

Quick example: Kylo Ren's vox effects sound smoother in the Atmos mix, still modulated but sounds cleaner, whereas with the DTSMA track it is more peakish.

I wonder if the Atmos mix is closer to the original intended mix rather than the DTS version. That outlier peak certainly is an interesting.

Just crank up the Atmos tack, it sounds fantastic.


https://imgur.com/a/gj2h6lA

[morphinapg]

Originally Posted by klitzkrieg

Curious to read reviews with technical assessment, but just finished and had to squint a few times. Especially at the first firing of the Starkiller. Even small explosions and lasers gave that burn in the back of the eyes feeling. Brightest highlights I remember seeing and used to great effect.

Halfway through the last Jedi didn’t get the same feeling yet. Excited for Rise next!

The Last Jedi barely uses any kind of HDR imo. In some ways I'd say it's worse than the SDR (though the 4K sharpness is good).

Rise of Skywalker isn't quite as impressive as Force Awakens, but it does look good.

[Schism213]

For those with the individuals. Do you also have foil like star wars logos on the spine for Eps. 1-6, but not TFA?

[gates70]

RIP Andrew Jack....died of COVID 19

[PeterTHX]

Originally Posted by KMFDMvsEnya

I wonder if the Atmos mix is closer to the original intended mix rather than the DTS version. That outlier peak certainly is an interesting.

While the usual HT tweak was done (and it is more or less a tweak, not a wholesale remix like some people imply) the movie was natively Atmos mixed.

[The Great Owl]

I've been writing long new reviews for the Original Trilogy and the Prequel Trilogy films this week after revisiting them by way of the new 4K UHD Blu-rays, but I'm now at the point where I have already written reviews for the rest of the Star Wars entries, having done so after my theatrical viewings in recent years.

Here is my review for Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens.
I should probably write another one, since, having written this one upon returning home from the theater on opening night, I was walking on eggshells to keep from divulging any semblance of spoilers. I'd rather not write another one, though. I'm just going to plow through the rest of these movies this weekend without stopping to review in between.

Short take: I think that this is a wildly fun movie, and a visually spectacular movie that brings home the best of digital technology and practical effects alike. I wish that the screenwriters had gone with a clear road map for how to finish the rest of the Sequel Trilogy, but The Force Awakens at least graces us with a terrific buildup. It's so great to see Han Solo and Chewbacca on the screen again. The story leans a little too heavily on fan nostalgia, but not detrimentally so like The Rise of Skywalker does.

What do I think about the 4K UHD Blu-ray?

This 4K disc is pretty much beyond reproach in my eyes, as I was expecting. They've got no excuse to flub this one up, and they did not. The HDR adds to the proceedings, and gives us a neatly filmic look. This is the way that The Force Awakens should be seen.

Unlike the Original Trilogy and the Prequel Trilogy, this 4K transfer does not seem darker than the standard definition transfer to me. I can make out even the nighttime scenes in my living room in broad daylight with sun coming through the windows and faint glare on the television set.

[punisher]

It would be better with DV.

[Troy73]

Originally Posted by punisher

It would be better with DV.

Last Jedi wasn’t.

[gates70]

Originally Posted by punisher

It would be better with DV.

DV is only good if you're set has tone mapping issues, otherwise its no better than HRD 10. People still drink this koolaid?

[punisher]

yes.... and at 90+ mgbps vs 40+ DV is the winner

Perhaps you prefer pro logic over dd digital too..lol

[gates70]

Originally Posted by punisher

yes.... and at 90+ mgbps vs 40+ DV is the winner

Perhaps you prefer pro logic over dd digital too..lol

Again, showing you don't know what you're talking about and just regurgitating hyperbole and koolaid. There's a lot more to it than that.

[Troy73]

Originally Posted by punisher

yes.... and at 90+ mgbps vs 40+ DV is the winner

Perhaps you prefer pro logic over dd digital too..lol

I don’t read the bits meter. I watch the film. HDR 10 vs DV to the human eye is indistinguishable.

[punisher]

I prefer every DV disc I have to HDR only ones. I don't drink Koolaid..Sam Adams..lol. On my OLED tv's, C7 and E8 they DO look better. We can agree to disagree but please stop the insulting posts.

[Troy73]

No one is insulting you anymore than you did them. Or did you forget you posted this comment......

Originally Posted by punisher

Perhaps you prefer pro logic over dd digital too..lol

[gates70]

Originally Posted by Troy73

No one is insulting you anymore than you did them. Or did you forget you posted this comment......

Yeah, seriously. I just want misinformation to end. There's a reason DV isn't widely used anymore (and it's not just the fees) and even dropped from releases (last Jedi being an example). There's been tons of problems reported when using it as well.

[Troy73]

Originally Posted by gates70

Yeah, seriously. I just want misinformation to end. There's a reason DV isn't widely used anymore (and it's not just the fees) and even dropped from releases (last Jedi being an example). There's been tons of problems reported when using it as well.

Exactly, the HDR standard is all over the place with no clear overall winner.