Anyone Else Finding SD-DVD lacking after life with HD DVD/Blu-ray? (1 Viewer)

[ScottFin]

I'm definitely finding DVD lacking after enjoying the handful of titles I now have on Blu-Ray. I watched an upconverted 1080i DVD Superbit version of my favorite movie "Lawrence of Arabia" last night and although watchable, there were some scenes with halos and the occasional artifacting that made me want to cringe. I've been careful to read HD reviews/choose titles that I will truly enjoy as well as be eye candy for my set-up and I have yet to see a bad Blu-Ray. The PQ and AQ have been exceptional. There are some DVDs that look downright great on my Samsung BD P1000 and 42" LCD (the "Star Wars" series). There have also been times when I have been doubtful of the reviews but been pleasantly surprised, as with "The Fugitive". The BD is gorgeous and my old DVD is scarred with film grain and bad contrast. I wasn't aware it went through any remaster. Was it simply better source material?

Sony/Columbia isn't making it any easier by putting Peter O'Toole in gorgeous HD on almost every teaser for their "upcoming releases", which in the case of LOA has no release date:frowning:

 

[Shane Martin]

Chris,
That's why I'm keeping them until I see that they are coming out with the fully featured version. Kingdom of Heaven is a good example. The amount of extras on the Kingdom of Heaven set is nice and the BR is really disgusting(extras wise) by comparison.

 

[Tim Glover]

Great responses guys. My internet was down from yesterday morning until now and I was really wanting to come back "home". ....

After some reflection, I should clarify something. Yes, a classic film or just a favorite can be enjoyed on a 20 inch Sanyo TV. (my bedroom monitor ). After awhile, you do get absorbed in it and forget about some of the tech stuff.

I also kind of knee-jerked some of my comments. I just got a new Mitsubishi 720p DLP projector and hooked up the new XA-1. This was the first time I had HD DVD media projected like that and it was so good, I needed to smoke a cigarette afterwards. Then did some standard def stuff. .

I also think the Mits excells with HD but may have cut some corners on sd? Just my quick opinion.

I've done quite a bit of selling all my sd titles that I own on HD DVD too. I also have already sold my dvds for HDs that are announced for later this year. In fact, I plan on ridding the dvds that are on Blu-ray too since this adoption is inevitable.

There might be some tweaking things I can do to improve SD too. Not sure if using the HDMI or component hookup allows the XA-1 do scale these or if that's better suited for the PJ? Thoughts?

Again, good responses. I like it because this has nothing to do with any HD format preference....because BOTH of these HD formats are providing us with images we used to dream about.

 

[Ron-P]

Ohhh, congrats Tim. Now, once you add that BD player you'll be complete.

 

[Chris Gerhard]

Just don't expect to get a stack of money for them. Prices are really poor except for very few titles.

Chris

 

[Paul_Scott]

yes, congratulations Tim on your return to FP. After 6 years of pjs, I would hate to be without one ever again.

I think you would want to feed the mits 720p over hdmi for the sd stuff (and probably the HD as well since they rectified the issues with 720p downscaling some time ago). Upconverting to me seems way overrated, but feeding a display a native signal is always better.

I also agree with Scott that Star Wars (well, at least SW and ESB, which are the only ones I watch anymore) look exceptional for sd. No they aren't HD, but the limitation of NTSC never get in the way of the presentation (for me). If everything were up to the level of those, or something like Ryans Daughter, the upgrading to HD would defintely be less ..compulsory...than it is now.

I've been thinning out my sd collection as well- though some things are just impossible to sell off now, so I've been giving them away to friends.
My Kubrick stuff is all gone, as is the Wizard Of Oz, Ben-Hur.
Some things though, I just hate to be without if I don't have a firm date for a replacment....even if I know I won't be watching them-I still just hate to not have them in my collection...especially after I pined for them year after year (like a remastered GWTW)

 

[Garrett Lundy]

There is still a handful of films I want that never made it off VHS!

 

[Ron-P]

I've gotten anywhere from $5 to $7 each, good enough for something I'll never use again.

 

[Dave H]

I too find it difficult to watch DVDs as of late, but still watch them, of course. Aside from the obvious benefits of HD DVD/Blu-ray in regards to sharpness, detail, and resolution, the color rendition is so much more natural looking. I mean I've A/B'd several of the same titles with SD DVDs and HD DVD/Blu-ray discs and it's quite obivious. In addition, no compression artifacts on most HD discs while every SD DVD has at least some compression artifacting.

 

[Grant H]

Mostly, DVD looks flatter to me now. It looks almost second-generation, or like the the difference between (very good) tapes I made from a DVD years ago(had one VCR that was immune to copy-guard) and the original DVD, which I guess is a pretty fair comparison in terms of the resolution lost.

It does depend on the source though, and I usually adjust to it after a bit. Sound sure seems more lifeless too. And that's just stepping up to higher bitrate lossy tracks.

 

[Geoff_D]

I totally agree, Tim. I love DVD for what it's done, and some of what's out there looks superb (Star Wars may not be up to fanboy standards as far as the film goes, but it's a fantastic DVD presentation). Yet after having HD-DVD for a few months now, it takes a special DVD to keep my mind on the film and not wonder what it'd look like in HD.

And as Grant says, even the sound on DVD seems to be a step below those higher bitrate lossy tracks, let alone lossless. I enjoyed Casino Royale on DVD but it's a poor picture, although the DTS track on the R3 is a nice consolation. Even when something is very good (like Pirates 2 on R3 DVD) I still couldn't shake the feeling that it was somehow lacking. I thought the R1 of Crank looked fabulous though.

I still buy loads of DVDs, but HD-DVD has made collecting movies fun again. I've had DVHS for a couple of years, but that never felt like fun. The format was dead to begin with (we all knew that HD on disc was inevitable) and prices were so high it sucked the life out of it. But when I can pick up, say, The Getaway on HD-DVD with a lovely A/V presentation and extras not seen on the DVD for a mere $20, it makes life that little bit sweeter for a movie nut like me.

 

[Yumbo]

Night at the Museum SD looks VERY good.
But watching Bullitt HD was engrossing.
To be able to flip to LONG extras and back with HDi is amazing. Bookmarking is great for long content as well.

I like HD for the classics the most. Wouldn't watch it on SD.

 

[Vegas 1]

I remember back 10 years ago when many were saying I can't watch laserdiscs anymore since dvds have arrived. In 10 more years will we say the same thing about HD dvds?

 

[DaViD Boulet]

Only if you're not happy seeing what the source material of 35mm film looks like in your HT system.

1080p can, with most films, duplicate the look and feel of the 35mm original from a proper viewing distance.

70mm is a different story. And the best 35mm film captures still exceed 1080p HD in resolution and color depth.

 

[John H Ross]

Well, I've spent plenty of $$$$ on DVDs and I don't want any of those titles to appear "unwatchable" just yet, especially since some of my favourites (including a LOT of television titles) are NEVER going to make it to HD.

Also, I have no intention of ever getting a set larger than 32" because I still watch LD and VHS too and I want them to look somewhat decent! And at 32" I'm probably seeing SD PQ not a million miles different to what other guys are seeing in HD on your over-sized 100001" monsters!

So I'm happy. I have a 1500 strong DVD collection and, believe it or not, I still enjoy it! Cool, eh?

 

[DaViD Boulet]

Film's weren't created to be viewed from 3 screen-widths away from a 32" TV.

They were created to be viewed wide-angle.

For many years only the wealthiest HT enthusiasts could have afforded projectors, and the source material (LD) didn't even replicate a film-experience no matter how much $$ you invested in your gear.

But today it's different. In a few short years you'll be able to afford 1080p large-screen displays for a very reasonable price.

This matters because just like we here advocate for "OAR" because it serves the director's intentions for the viewing of his or her film, so we should advocate for wide-angle viewing (large screen viewing). The experience that the director intended cannot be reproduced on a small screen viewed with a narrow-angle of vision.

If we're going to advocate the experience that the director intended you to have with his or her art, it needs to be big. Once obtaining that becomes affordable (as it's starting to now), serious HT enthusiasts owe it to the art of film in their DVD and HD libraries to make wide-angle viewing happen in their HT.

p.s. you can always keep a smaller screen for the VHS and LD software...

 

[Tim Glover]

Thank you Ron-P & Paul regarding the PJ addition. Yeah, it's kind of cool again. And that's a good idea about sending 720p to the native 720p PJ for sd. I really need to spend some time really tweaking it instead of popping in my favorite moments for that silly and near permanent grin factor. I am also WAY too close to the screen for sd. Not for HD though and that really surprised me. When I owned my other pjs from 2003-2006 I was always at least 1.5-2.0 screen width seating distance. Now I'm about 1.0 at very most.

Agree on Star Wars looking great. It does, as does Ben Hur & Gone The Wind, Singin' In the Rain & My Fair Lady to a somewhat lesser degree.

I haven't sold those off nor will I yet. For me, I just can't get rid of those classics until they are announced on HD. The great thing about those-they should be released on both formats.

I can't imagine saying what could be down the road in 10 years. It does seem like we may have topped out on the audio end with lossless codecs? I'm certainly no audio guru there so perhaps there is another double secret lossless yet to be named. What we need now is to actually get lossless on EVERY disc.

Someone mentioned the HD audio. I agree on that as well. When we first watched The Bourne Supremacy (this was last year with my former A1) and just quickly hooked up the optical connection. I think the A1 & now my XA-1 both transcoded this 1.5 mbs DD + track to DTS and sent that to my reciever. I've watched Bourne & Serenity many times on dvd. It NEVER sounded so good. Tight bass that literally rammed thru you and all around. There were times during Serenity we would holler out: "OH MY GOD...play that again!"

The sd audio tracks were no slouch and were top tier too but after hearing these HD tracks. Wow. Greatness.

Heard marvelous things about the audio on the Chicago Blu-ray disc too. (many others too).

I think most on this forum are lovers of film first. That's what got us here to begin with. For me at least, discussing my favorite movie experiences here provide a really rich and rewarding experience. Now when one of those films gets on HD it does make it more special.

 

[Tim Glover]

I need a better screen first and some more $$$$$$$$$$.

 

[Ron-P]

DIY it Tim, I did using a paint code from Lowes. Works fantastic and the cost, dirt cheap.

 

[John H Ross]

That's true. But you could argue that films weren't created to be viewed in the home at all. Nor were they created to be interrupted by menus popping up all over the screen offering interractive features. Nor were they created to be stopped whenever the viewer decides to nip to the loo. Nor were they created to be stopped and replayed when a particular image or sound effect caused some HT enthusiast to drool over the technology.

Movies were created to be viewed in cinemas - with an audience - and all of the atmosphere that goes along with that (I gather that a lot of people on this forum choose not to get that "ultimate experience"!) It could be argued that anything else is a compromise of the director's vision, it's just a matter of how much of a compromise!

Besides, there's absolutely nothing wrong with watching a 32" television if, for example, the proportions of that set are akin to the proportions of a cinema screen in a movie theatre!

I happened to see "To Catch A Thief" last weekend on the telly. I watched it on a 15" portable in my bedroom and absolutely loved it. I'm looking forward to the imminent release of the SE on DVD too!