DVD Review HTF DVD REVIEW: "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines" w/scrnshts (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED) (1 Viewer)

[Rob Tomlin]

Can anyone PLEASE confirm what is is that is on the first picture? Some say edge enhancement, others say it can't be. What is it? The reason I want to know SOOOO badly is because that is exactly what I'm seeing on ALL of my DVDs! EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM including the DVDs claimed to be the most "reference" discs out there!

Mitch-

What DVD player are you using? Some players do add edge enhancement.

 

[Mitch Stevens]

What DVD player are you using? Some players do add edge enhancement.

I'm using a Sony NS700P DVD player and am seeing EXACTLY what that picture shows! I've mentioned it many times before, but everyone quickly says that it's my TV out of alignment, but after seeing the problem on the Infocus X1, I KNOW it's not my TV! On the TV, I use component cables and I see the problem. On the X1, I used S-Video and I saw the problem. So it's certainly not my component cables and it's certainly not the TV or the X1 causing the problem. And of course, since that picture looks exactly like what I'm seeing than I have to assume that my DVD player is not adding these "outlines." Of course, I could always hook up my Dad's "Tobshiba" DVD player and find out, once and for all.

 

[Carlo_M]

A *nearly* perfect review.

What would have earned you a perfect score is....

more screenshots of Kristanna!!!

Seriously, I was pleasantly surprised by this movie in the theaters (it traded Cameron's penchant for preachiness for non-stop action, a trade which I don't have a problem with). I will pick this up on street date.

I just wonder how many versions will be out on DVD (given the number of iterations T2 had)...

 

[Rob Gillespie]

Although a nicely-done disc in terms of image and sound quality, I found the supplements on Disc 2 to be mostly rather poor. The 'documentary' (deliberate quotes there) is nothing more than 13 minutes of tedious back-slapping by the main players. He is so fantastic. She is so wonderful. He brings so much. Aren't we all so sickening. Whatever. The Gag reel barely raises a smile. There's nothing here that is anything more than lightweight fluff.

The effects sections are OK but again it all feels rushed and superficial.

The worst thing about Disc 2 is Arnie. Don't you just cringe when someone repeatedly thinks they are funny?

 

[Rob Tomlin]

I found the supplements on Disc 2 to be mostly rather poor. The 'documentary' (deliberate quotes there) is nothing more than 13 minutes of tedious back-slapping by the main players. He is so fantastic. She is so wonderful. He brings so much. Aren't we all so sickening. Whatever.

That pretty much sums up my feelings regarding 90% of the supplemental material on most DVD's!

 

[dan fritzen]

That pretty much sums up my feelings regarding 90% of the supplemental material on most DVD's!

When T2 came out on laserdisc it took me 8 hours to go thru it and I skipped a few things, but most of it was interesting.

With DVD they throw anythign onto the disc to call it a special edition.

You are correct most DVD extras are crap which is why I watch only a few any more. There are exceptions like Matrix Reloaded was interesting and Black Hawk Down putting the actual news shows on a disc for the 3 disc specail edition.

 

[Rob Gillespie]

That pretty much sums up my feelings regarding 90% of the supplemental material on most DVD's!

I know, but in this case I just noticed it more than usual. A bit weird that they went to the trouble of producing a whole second disc just to fill it (well, single-layer filled) with crud like this. It's not as if they filled Disc 1 to the brim.

But whatever, the movie disc is OK.

 

[Rob Tomlin]

Do you own Unbreakable?

That's a two disc Special Edition of a film I really like. I don't have the T3 DVD yet, but I am willing to bet that the extras are no worse on it than they are on Unbreakable....or many other two disc "special edition" DVD's that I have!

This is the main reason that I rarely take the time to go through the extras anymore.

 

[Rob Gillespie]

I do have Unbreakable and you know what - I've never even loaded Disc 2.

 

[Mark-C]

Mitch-

I've had the same problem with my set up.
I was using a Denon 2800 MK2, a PT AE 100 Panny and half decent component cables. I saw the lines everywhere even on films that are classed as perfect, Blade etc.
I sent my player back for a exchange, I've now got a AE300 panny and top quality Rhino cables. I still see the lines, I started to think it was just me.
Everytime I've asked people about it I was told that it was edge enhancement, ringing or my player adding sharpness.

 

[Adam_Reiter]

GREAT REVIEW Adam. Gotta get you more server bandwidth for hosting your pics with all the hits your reviews are getting!

You're telling me David. I need to move to another hosting soon, right now I am spending about $5 per day for the bandwidth I am using. Rediculous!

 

[Adam_Reiter]

Changes added to review. Maybe the EE is worst in the first screen shot scene because its entirely digital? Hmmmm.

Edit: There are certain instances of EE found. Case in point, my first screen shot of the X-850's, is loaded with EE. This scene so far seems to be the worst offending EE in the movie that I have found. There are slight traces of EE found throughout. The EE didn't catch me eye the first time around, and is not bad to the point of distracting. Only when I really looked for it, did I notice the EE.

 

[Mitch Stevens]

Mitch- I've had the same problem with my set up. I was using a Denon 2800 MK2, a PT AE 100 Panny and half decent component cables. I saw the lines everywhere even on films that are classed as perfect, Blade etc. I sent my player back for a exchange, I've now got a AE300 panny and top quality Rhino cables. I still see the lines, I started to think it was just me. Everytime I've asked people about it I was told that it was edge enhancement, ringing or my player adding sharpness.

THANK GOD! For a second there, I thought I was going crazy or something. Ever since I've gotten this HDTV, I've seen those strange "outlines" on every single one of my DVDs and the DVDs that I rent. I've gotten the same responses as you have, but now I'm more certain than ever that it's not our DVD player or our cables or our TVs. It is a problem with the actual DVDs. Since they are very faint outlines, I think that most people just don't see them, or notice them. I was a DVD reviewer for my own website, and I would always comment on this, but no one seemed to know what I was talking about.

I'm using "BetterCables" from Bettercables.com. As I said before, they are Component cables and costed $150. I bought them a long time ago, when I purchased my Sony Wega, and I'm still using them on my Mits HDTV.

Every review or website that talks about "Edge Enhancement" always claims that they are "White Halos" around objects or people, that can be seen when the object or person is standing against a light background, but I noticed these "outlines" (that are certainly not WHITE...they are see-through) in every single DVD I own. And it doesn't only happen during a dark object/light background; It also happens when a light object/dark background is shown.

I'm still in the process of re-watching all of my DVD collection on my HDTV. So far, I've watched about 200 of my own DVDs and about 200 rental DVDs, and in every single one of them, I've seen these strange "outlines" that look exactly like in that first screen-cap. And like you mentioned, even in the most "reference" of titles available. I believe I even saw them on "Matrix Reloaded." I know for sure that they are very visible on LOTR: FOTR as well as countless amounts of other reference titles.

 

[Kwang Suh]

All TVs have "SVM" which adds EE. You should turn this "feature" off.

Most (cheaper) DVD players have ringing, which although is not EE, does look like EE.

Most DVDs have EE on them.

 

[Mitch Stevens]

I took SVM COMPLETELY off, the very first day I got my Mits TV. Believe me, it's NOT on. I had to do it through the service menu.

I won't argue that my DVD player is expensive, because it really wasn't. I paid only $250 for it, but it's certainly not one of those $39.99 Apex DVD players that Best Buy sells.

And someone correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't "Computer DVD-Rom Drives" the most CORRECT DVD players out there? They don't suffer from adding EE or sharpening edges or even Chroma Bugs. Isn't that correct? If it is, the pictures that Adam posted were clearly taken directly from a DVD-Rom drive and not a set-top DVD player. And if you could see this EE on your computer screen, then it means that there is nothing wrong with the DVD player...it must be the actual disc.

 

[Kwang Suh]

And someone correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't "Computer DVD-Rom Drives" the most CORRECT DVD players out there? They don't suffer from adding EE or sharpening edges or even Chroma Bugs. Isn't that correct? If it is, the pictures that Adam posted were clearly taken directly from a DVD-Rom drive and not a set-top DVD player. And if you could see this EE on your computer screen, then it means that there is nothing wrong with the DVD player...it must be the actual disc.

Compressed, lossy JPG images are useless for visual comparison.

 

[Mark-C]

I don't think my Panny AE300 has VSE, even when my sharpness is right the bottom of its scale the lines are still there.
The reason why I always thought it was my set up is because when watching Star Wars Ep2 when Anakin is walking away from his ship after arriving on Tantooine at Larrs farm and Padme is following I could see an outline around his left side (my right).
This was shot digital and the image is digtal, everyone mentions that its the perfect transfer.

The images might be compressed and all the rest of it but they are exactly what I am seeing when watching films. I can nearly always see the line under the letterboxing.

 

[TonyD]

did it look like the first scene as arnie appears that his love handles were alittle darker then in the theater?

when i saw this at the movies his "handles" were very clear, here they were not at all, very dark in that area.

 

[Harminder]

I got my Region 3 version of T3 in the mail on Thursday and I watched it in both Dolby and DTS and let me say, both are great tracks.

BUT, the DTS has the edge over the Dolby. Although both tracks hit you right in your chest with the boom, the DTS track's sound direction is much better and focused. I found the Dolby track to be a little "going-all-over-the-place" in terms of its direction.
I also find the surrounds to be used a bit more in the DTS track, to get you really into the feel of actually being right there in the middle of the action.
Also, the DTS track is louder, so make sure your windows are closed... "trust me."

I hope this helps some of you people who are torn between what region to get. But in my opinion, I say to get the international, Columbia-Tristar releases, cause you'll have the best of both worlds, DTS and Dolby. If you prefer one or the other after watching the movie in both formats, at least you won't regret not buying the DTS version to check it out for yourself.

It will also send out a message to Warner Bros. that their low quality Dolby and lack of high quality DTS options on their DVD's won't cut it anymore. And if we can find an better alternative, we don't mind going through the depths of the internet to find it.

I really liked this movie and enjoy the DVD even more. I just ordered the region 2 version of The Terminator: UE from Japan with the DTS track and I'll post a review on it when I get it.

Thank you for reading

 

[Dharmesh C]

What's the transfer like on the R3?