Chris PC
Senior HTF Member
- Joined
- May 12, 2001
- Messages
- 3,975
I find it useful to research different dvd versions. I like dvdcompare.net, but it doesn't always have all the dvd's I search for. Is there another place which has info on that I can use to supplement my research on DVD version differences?
By researching dvd titles, you can find out which release versions from which regions has:
1) The best Special Features or supplemental "special features" not available on your version.
2) DTS sound vs DD AC3 or DD Sourround.
3) Widescreen vs Foolscreen or Pan and Scam.
4) Anamorphic transfer vs non-anamorphic 4:3 widescreen.
5) Best video transfer, including superbit info.
6) Pal or NTSC with some or all of the above.
7) Better cover art.
8) Language version differences.
9) Subtitle versions (sometimes forced subtiltes though, or so I have heard..not so good.).
Not everything is perfect. It isn't always the case that there is a version somewhere that has all of the best of the above list, but it is always worth researching. Plus, as long as you have a region free dvd player, it is kind of neat to have a version from another region. One of the few drawbacka you can end up with is if you are used to NTSC, the PAL 4% speedup may sound less than pleasing to some people. Also, you may have to trade-off some better features for worse features/qualities in other details. The best situation is if there is a "BEST" dvd that has it all, but the second best is if there is a disc with the best audio and video so the film can be viewed at max video and audio quality, but perhaps there are missing supplemental special features that you find on another disc.
I like to research to find alternative versions of dvd's. For instance, if my region1 dvd has a non-anamorphic transfer, but there is an anamorphic in another region, I can find this out. If there is a difference between Canadian and US dvd releases, you can find this out too. Also, it is really useful to be able to know which dvd's come in DTS. For instance, There are versions of The Bourne Identity, Saving Private Ryan, Apollo 13 etc that come in DTS versions as well as DD AC3 counterparts, but you may not have known unless you researched. Now, DTS isn't always going to be the most desireable. I am sure there are times the dvd may have DTS but it's just not noticabley better than DD AC3. There are probably also cases where a dvd has DTS but for some stupid reason the video is bad enough on the DTS dvd that it makes it not worth your while. I can't pick out an example for that, but I am sure it is possible. There is a good example of good DTS sound but wrong video. Liar Liar is DD AC3 for two of the Region1 versions, the regular non-anamorphic and the anamorphic SE version, but did you know that there are numerous DTS PAL versions that are anamorphic, and what's more, there is an anamorphic R4 Brazil NTSC version with English DTS? Well there is. I am not sure if the subtitles are forced or not. There is a Region1 version of Liar Liar with DTS sound, but perplexingly, the few times I picked up the box to check it out, I see it is Full Frame! Weird and stupid.
So if you know of another place on the net to compare dvd versions, please let me know. dvdcompare.net has almost everything, but, for example, they don't have anything on "It's All Gone Pete Tong" and there were a few other dvd's I searched for that they didn't have. Nothing is perfect, and I love dvdcompare, but I would like to find something else out there to help me out. Of course, you can research each title individually by shopping the different regions, but that is much more work, something I usually save for last minute verification before deciding to buy. And of course, failing dvd database websites and shopping the regions, there is this and other forums, but if the info can be found without creating a thread each time, that would be great. Perhaps a list could be created on here for interesting version differences, or a thread listing links to places like dvdcompare.net? One thread for all dvd version differences rather than a new thread for each dvd title.
Lemme know if this interests anyone and thanks in advance for any info,
EDIT - P.S. Don't tell me I have asked a forbidden question...have I? I don't recall region free players or buying dvd's from outside your own region was illegal or even grey market. Correct me if I am wrong.
By researching dvd titles, you can find out which release versions from which regions has:
1) The best Special Features or supplemental "special features" not available on your version.
2) DTS sound vs DD AC3 or DD Sourround.
3) Widescreen vs Foolscreen or Pan and Scam.
4) Anamorphic transfer vs non-anamorphic 4:3 widescreen.
5) Best video transfer, including superbit info.
6) Pal or NTSC with some or all of the above.
7) Better cover art.
8) Language version differences.
9) Subtitle versions (sometimes forced subtiltes though, or so I have heard..not so good.).
Not everything is perfect. It isn't always the case that there is a version somewhere that has all of the best of the above list, but it is always worth researching. Plus, as long as you have a region free dvd player, it is kind of neat to have a version from another region. One of the few drawbacka you can end up with is if you are used to NTSC, the PAL 4% speedup may sound less than pleasing to some people. Also, you may have to trade-off some better features for worse features/qualities in other details. The best situation is if there is a "BEST" dvd that has it all, but the second best is if there is a disc with the best audio and video so the film can be viewed at max video and audio quality, but perhaps there are missing supplemental special features that you find on another disc.
I like to research to find alternative versions of dvd's. For instance, if my region1 dvd has a non-anamorphic transfer, but there is an anamorphic in another region, I can find this out. If there is a difference between Canadian and US dvd releases, you can find this out too. Also, it is really useful to be able to know which dvd's come in DTS. For instance, There are versions of The Bourne Identity, Saving Private Ryan, Apollo 13 etc that come in DTS versions as well as DD AC3 counterparts, but you may not have known unless you researched. Now, DTS isn't always going to be the most desireable. I am sure there are times the dvd may have DTS but it's just not noticabley better than DD AC3. There are probably also cases where a dvd has DTS but for some stupid reason the video is bad enough on the DTS dvd that it makes it not worth your while. I can't pick out an example for that, but I am sure it is possible. There is a good example of good DTS sound but wrong video. Liar Liar is DD AC3 for two of the Region1 versions, the regular non-anamorphic and the anamorphic SE version, but did you know that there are numerous DTS PAL versions that are anamorphic, and what's more, there is an anamorphic R4 Brazil NTSC version with English DTS? Well there is. I am not sure if the subtitles are forced or not. There is a Region1 version of Liar Liar with DTS sound, but perplexingly, the few times I picked up the box to check it out, I see it is Full Frame! Weird and stupid.
So if you know of another place on the net to compare dvd versions, please let me know. dvdcompare.net has almost everything, but, for example, they don't have anything on "It's All Gone Pete Tong" and there were a few other dvd's I searched for that they didn't have. Nothing is perfect, and I love dvdcompare, but I would like to find something else out there to help me out. Of course, you can research each title individually by shopping the different regions, but that is much more work, something I usually save for last minute verification before deciding to buy. And of course, failing dvd database websites and shopping the regions, there is this and other forums, but if the info can be found without creating a thread each time, that would be great. Perhaps a list could be created on here for interesting version differences, or a thread listing links to places like dvdcompare.net? One thread for all dvd version differences rather than a new thread for each dvd title.
Lemme know if this interests anyone and thanks in advance for any info,
EDIT - P.S. Don't tell me I have asked a forbidden question...have I? I don't recall region free players or buying dvd's from outside your own region was illegal or even grey market. Correct me if I am wrong.
