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Any worthwhile "purple" double dips?

post #1 of 17
11/18/08 at 11:59am
Thread Starter 
I finally went purple last week after buying a Sony 350 ($219 from Amazon).

I have quite a collection of HD-DVDs (a lot of them bought at a discount after HD-DVD threw in the towel).

So, my question is whether there are any BD versions of released HD-DVDs that are worth the double dip?

I know there are a lot of HD-DVDs (especially Warner) that seem to be better than their BD counterparts (mostly due to having HD soundtracks), but are there any counter-examples of the BD being better?

Thanks in advance for any replies.
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post #2 of 17
11/18/08 at 12:04pm

Re: Any worthwhile "purple" double dips?

The only one I know of off the top of my head that is better on BD is American Gangster.
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post #3 of 17
11/18/08 at 3:16pm

Re: Any worthwhile "purple" double dips?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ensign Eddie
I finally went purple last week after buying a Sony 350 ($219 from Amazon).

I have quite a collection of HD-DVDs (a lot of them bought at a discount after HD-DVD threw in the towel).

So, my question is whether there are any BD versions of released HD-DVDs that are worth the double dip?

I know there are a lot of HD-DVDs (especially Warner) that seem to be better than their BD counterparts (mostly due to having HD soundtracks), but are there any counter-examples of the BD being better?

Thanks in advance for any replies.
Transformers
The Mummy
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post #4 of 17
11/18/08 at 4:01pm

Re: Any worthwhile "purple" double dips?

Number 1 on this list should be "Miami Vice". The DTS-HD Master Audio track is outstanding and a 100% improvement over the DD+ treatment that the HD DVD received. Not to mention the increase in disc space meant more room for picture quality to be improved. I'm so glad I double dipped on this in BD format.

Also, I think you are going to notice a lot of Universal titles on this list. Once "The Kingdom" is released, it will probably be added because it's getting a master audio upgrade on Blu. Many of Uni's HD DVDs had DD+ tracks on them and they are now strictly going with master audio.
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post #5 of 17
11/18/08 at 5:26pm

Re: Any worthwhile "purple" double dips?

The aforementioned "Transformers" and "Miami Vice", to which I would add the several titles that include HD versions of additional cuts/versions that the HD DVDs do not. IIRC, this would include "American Gangster", "The 40 Year Old Virgin", "Knocked Up", and the upcoming "Serenity". I would also add several titles that include either extras (in HD) or lossless tracks that were not on the HD DVDs, such as "Heroes: Season 1",the Jack Ryan films, and "Top Gun".
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post #6 of 17
11/18/08 at 8:52pm

Re: Any worthwhile "purple" double dips?

What extras will Serenity have that the HD DVD does not? Just curious.
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post #7 of 17
11/18/08 at 9:14pm

Re: Any worthwhile "purple" double dips?

I'm guessing everything that was on last year's "Collector's Edition" DVD.
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post #8 of 17
11/19/08 at 6:52am
Thread Starter 

Re: Any worthwhile "purple" double dips?

If I bought Serenity again that would be a quadruple dip for me!

BTW, what's different about The Mummy?
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post #9 of 17
11/19/08 at 7:04am

Re: Any worthwhile "purple" double dips?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ensign Eddie
BTW, what's different about The Mummy?

High res audio but more DNR.
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post #10 of 17
11/19/08 at 8:29am

Re: Any worthwhile "purple" double dips?

Looks like we can add the first two "Bourne" films to the list, as they have lossless tracks where the HD DVD did not ("The Bourne Ultimatum" has lossless on both versions).
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post #11 of 17
11/19/08 at 9:06am

Re: Any worthwhile "purple" double dips?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Paul Arnette
High res audio but more DNR.

Yup, the HD-DVD of The Mummy actually has better PQ than the Blu-Ray and the pictures over at AVS prove it without a shadow of a doubt. As for the audio track, the edge goes to the Blu-Ray, but it definitely wasn't enough to make me double dip(especially in light of the PQ situation).

As for Transformers, I rented the Blu-Ray just to see if the TrueHD track was a huge improvement over the DD+ on the HD-DVD and I honestly couldn't tell much of a difference at all. I A/B'd the 2 discs for well over an hour and if I were to close my eyes and try to pick out which was which at volume matched levels there's no way I could tell one from the other. I'm sure the TrueHD has an advantage, but again I didn't find enough there to make me double dip.

Oh, and just so this doesn't turn into a "format war" mentality, these are MY observations that were made using MY own equipment so they're not scientific proof or anything like that. I'm sure others will have different opinions.
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post #12 of 17
11/19/08 at 9:37am

Re: Any worthwhile "purple" double dips?

It should be noted that Paramount is releasing an Extended Cut of "Transformers" next year as a tie-in to the sequel, which would count.
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post #13 of 17
11/19/08 at 2:39pm
Thread Starter 

Re: Any worthwhile "purple" double dips?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brent M
Oh, and just so this doesn't turn into a "format war" mentality, these are MY observations that were made using MY own equipment so they're not scientific proof or anything like that. I'm sure others will have different opinions.

I sure hope it doesn't devolve into that. It certainly was not my intention if it does. I am firmly Purple now. Amy Adams radiantly Hi-Def in Enchanted should be reason enough for anyone to go Blu.
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post #14 of 17
11/19/08 at 2:57pm

Re: Any worthwhile "purple" double dips?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jesse Blacklow
Looks like we can add the first two "Bourne" films to the list, as they have lossless tracks where the HD DVD did not ("The Bourne Ultimatum" has lossless on both versions).

did these get released on blu?
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post #15 of 17
11/19/08 at 3:19pm
Thread Starter 

Re: Any worthwhile "purple" double dips?

Quote:
Originally Posted by TonyD
did these get released on blu?

They are due January 27th according to this thread.
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post #16 of 17
11/20/08 at 6:18am

Re: Any worthwhile "purple" double dips?

I almost forgot the Peter Jackson "King Kong", which will come with both the theatrical and extended cuts (HD DVD only had theatrical), and may come with more extra content.
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post #17 of 17
11/20/08 at 7:36am

Re: Any worthwhile "purple" double dips?

It seems there is at least one that is better in "red"--Jarhead, at least for those who value extras. It seems most of the extras on SD DVD and HD DVD were sacrificed for lossless audio, as that represents the only upgrade over the "red" version. (what one thinks of this film is another discussion, but I got the "red" one in an HD DVD blow out sale for 4.99$ and I don't consider lossless audio, by itself, for me--to forestall any unnecessary arguing--a sufficient reason to "upgrade" any of my "reds" for "blu" and, in this case, I get a bunch more extras).
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