Columbia TriStar: What happened? (1 Viewer)

[Rob Tomlin]

I watch at 32" (16x9 capable) from about seven feet away, no SVM, Avia calibrated, and easily see edge enhancement on titles such as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (Superbit)

Ok. So, I assume then that you agree that there is room for Columbia to improve their transfers!?

Come on Bill, you can admit this without being considered "anti-Columbia"

 

[Bill Burns]

There's nothing for me to admit, Rob. I said it in just as many words earlier. I didn't, however, call them names ("imbecile," etc.), as earlier posters have, and I've pointed out their excellence in many other regards.

You're quibbling, which really isn't constructive. "Air mail postage size," if it makes you happier. "Trading card size." "Decal size." It makes no difference. Much smaller than a television screen, of course, is the point, and EE is nonetheless very visible in those captures, and well described by the text accompanying them.

 

[Aaron Cohen]

Bill, I don't think it is being harsh to point out the absolutely unnaceptable audio problems on recent Columbia/Tristar releases such as Tears of the Sun, Identity, and Anger Management that somehow COMPLETELY eluded reviewers who said that these audio tracks sounded clear. On all three of these titles there are horrible crackling (described as "farting" noises in one thread here) noises throughout the film. It sounds AWFUL. They are having a big problem with this. Though I have in the past been indifferent to Columbia/Tristar due to the excessive EE and Superbit silliness, they have now been grouped next to Universal in my book in the CRAP category.

 

[James L White]

part of it has to do with outting out a rediculous number of DVDs of the same movie, ie Men In Black , so instead ofconcentarting on quality they worry about quantity

I mean we can't even get a WS version of The Karate Kid

CTS is the worst DVD studio IMO

 

[Andy_MT]

i'm 100% with Aaron.

and why are there so few people on these forums that have noticed this flaw ? reading these threads, i'm given the impression that many who are very quality conscience. with that in mind, how a fault as BIG as this goes past unnoticed is absolutely beyond me. i don't know whether to be disappointed, ashamed or just plain frustrated. and when it is brought up, everyone ignores it. i'm guessing they just don't care. but WHY don't you ???? even if you don't notice it ... you might one day when you change your equipment. you've got a major studio here releasing what appears to be most of their new releases with faulty audio, and no one bats an eyelid. i give up, i really do !!!!!

 

[Rob Tomlin]

Much smaller than a television screen, of course, is the point, and EE is nonetheless very visible in those captures, and well described by the text accompanying them.

Obviously Bill. That's why I made reference to Bjoern's posts earlier in this thread!

As far as comparing screen captures to viewing a movie on a television, these are not the same thing for numerous reasons that should be obvious, including the fact that most people sit less than two feet from their computer monitor. I can only assume they do not sit that close to their television!

 

[BruceKimmel]

Well, gee, I don't know - the reviewers didn't point out any sound problems, hmmm. I ran Anger Management and didn't have any sound problems, hmmm. The only problem I had with Anger Management was its incredible ineptitude as a motion picture.

 

[Bill Burns]

Rob wrote:

As far as comparing screen captures to viewing a movie on a television, these are not the same thing for numerous reasons that should be obvious, including the fact that most people sit less than two feet from their computer monitor.

Exactly two feet in my case, which is precisely the screen size-to-distance ratio recommended for home theatre viewing (1.5x). It's much too far away for viewing those thumbnails, which don't fill the screen. And EE remains blatant (the close-up extracts from larger images must, of course, be compared with similar close-ups of EE-free titles, and ideally a reader's previous experience with edge halos, to get a clear sense of how the EE will affect the entire image from a proper viewing distance, but I thought this should be self-evident; the close-ups serve to establish its presence or absence, and the intensity of the halo or edge, not to capture the impression it will make in viewing the entire image; DVDFile's reviews often incorporate a similar philosophy). The site discusses, at those links and elsewhere (particularly on a dedicated page for on-line compression info -- I believe it's linked from the main page) precisely how to gauge EE in a compressed gif or jpeg, rather than on a television screen or projection screen, and offers excellent comparisons of varying compression schemes and what they do and do not do to EE levels.

Let's not continue arguing this -- what's obvious is that EE is video science, its presence or absence is fact, not opinion, and folks can judge for themselves whether or not it bothers them, and the intensity of visible EE that serves as their personal cut-off for "good title" and "bad title." We've made our points, and my primary point, for this thread, was to emphasize Columbia's good work before criticizing their shortcomings, not wind up side-tracked into another no-win EE debate.

 

[Bill Burns]

Bruce wrote:

The only problem I had with Anger Management was its incredible ineptitude as a motion picture.

I never saw it, but after a couple of Adam Sandler pictures, I know they're not my cup of tea. I understand, however, that he's one of the highest paid actors in show business now (his production company's work may factor into this). He clearly has his thumb on someone's pulse, but ... not mine. Ah well -- more power to him.

 

[Jesse Skeen]

Well I refused to believe this until I saw it for myself- They ARE reissuing movies that previously had both WS and P&S formats in P&S only, and no, they're NOT being sold exclusively at Wal-Mart. I saw "Last Action Hero" with only "Fullscreen" format at a Tower Records store today- the cover looks the same as the other release other than the mentions of widescreen format. What the hell is going on here???

 

[Gordon McMurphy]

What makes me laugh is how smaller DVD companies like Home Vision Entertainment, Criterion, Anchor Bay, Blue Underground, Image Entertainment can all, for the most part, deliver brilliant product, yet all-powerful 'Big Studios' like Columbia and Universal bumble the simplest of tasks, like obtaining the highest quality uncut elements available and transfering them properly. Columbia has delivered great DVDs in the past, but recently they have let themselves down. Meanwhile, Warner goes from strength to strength. It's very frustrating.


Gordy

 

[Mark Cappelletty]

It's clear that the smaller companies (by and large) treat their DVDs as a record of film, while the bigger ones are in it only for profit now. Some great product is released by all the studios (MGM's Midnite Movies ROCK) but even there, we get inconsistent P&S releases. Sony and Universal are just two of the bigger offenders. You need people who really care about what they're doing and can rise above the bean-counters.

 

[John Kilduff]

I'm a fan of "The Legend Of Billie Jean", released by TriStar in 1985, and now I'm afraid that CTS will issue this on DVD in pan-and-scan without any extras. I believe the movie was filmed 2:35:1 (I taped it off TBS in 2001 and the print was pan-and-scan).

I read about the "Annie" SE as well...Bummer that it'll only be pan-and-scan. I was actually looking to buy that one (Don't shoot me, I saw footage of it on "I Love The 80s Strikes Back" and I remembered that it was a pretty good movie. Carol Burnett is great as Miss Hannigan, but I digress).

To the tune of "Tomorrow":

The movie will be pan-and-scan
Bet your bottom dollar its pan-and-scan
Crap by far

I prefer to see all movies
In their original format
That's OAR

Pan-and-scan
Pan-and-scan
I HATE YOU, pan-and-scan
(Big finish)
Why won't you just gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawaaaaaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyy yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy?

Sincerely,

John Kilduff...

Thank you, I'm here all week. Try the veal...It's delicious!

 

[Joe6pack99]

All i have to say is Married With Children squeezed onto 2 discs

 

[MatthewA]

John, you beat me to the punch. The temptation to shout obscenities is overwhelming.

 

[Thomas Hart]

At least Universal leases their films to companies that actually care about their films and release special editions of them (Kino with "The Man Who Laughed", Criterion with "Sullivan's Travels", and even to Anchor Bay). Columbia, for some reason recently, has been going backwards in quality, not forward, compared to what they have done before with DVD. Great restored special editions of Frank Capra films, not anymore. Regular releases of OAR films, now it's irregular ("A Midnight Clear" GRRRRR!). And just recently rereleases of Special Editions of "Annie" and "Matilda" IN PAN & SCAN. Gee, they don't sound to special to me all of a sudden.

Columbia should just lease the films they don't think will do much business to a company that can treat them a little bit better; like Artisan or Alpha.

 

[Mitch Stevens]

I too, am a HUGE fan of "Legend Of Billie Jean" and i'm praying that they don't release it in Pan & Scan!

 

[Nick T Robot]

the holy grail DVD's like the Superbit version of The Fifth Element

Is this DVD hard to find? Why is it a Holy Grail? I'm able to find tons of them. I still haven't upgraded to Superbit, as the original release looks great.

 

[DaViD Boulet]

Ok folks, it just got MUCH worse.

Annie and Matilda are coming out P/S only for their SE versions...and Annie even has 5.1 DTS!!!

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...hreadid=166818

 

[Rob Tomlin]

Nick-

I used the term "Holy Grail" to describe the Superbit version of The Fifth Element because so many people consider it one of the best transfers ever, not because it is hard to find.