LOTR DVD issues (merged thread) (1 Viewer)

[Espen Braathen]

Dial norm value on Lord of the Rings (region 1)?

Anyone knows?

(If it is 31 - ie a offset of 0 dB - (like the Academy screener is) it would explain why several people find the region 1 release to be louder than the region 2 version offered in Europe (at least the Scandinavian disc has a dial norm offset of -4 dB.)


Espen

 

[Marc_E]

I saw +4 (I think) when I started the DVD last night.

Marc

 

[Espen Braathen]

From that I read that you have a THX approved product (processor/receiver), might I ask what model/type?

This is important as the "offset" which flashes in the display of THX products seems to be of one of two types.

Most likely, it means the the level is +4 dB to high, which indcates the the disc has a dial_norm of 31 (0 dB) offset like I suspect, since THX products automatically apply +4 dB to all DD sources to compensate for the standard -4 dB offset, any other offset will be to low or to high in volume.

I.e. normal DD discs with dial_norm of 27:
-4 dB offset (disc) + 4 dB correction in processor = 0 dB (correct reference)

I.e. a disc with dial_norm of 31:
0 dB offset (disc) + 4 dB correction in processor = +4 dB (4 dB to loud)


Espen

 

[Marlon]

Mine was +4 as well.
I have a pioneer elite VSX-26TX

 

[Matt Stone]

Can someone explain to me what dialnorm is? I noticed that it was 31 on my Sony 3ES, but I have no clue what it is.
Sorry for being a dumbass...

 

[Scott Bourden]

I rented LoTR yesterday (holding out for the 4 disk myself) and I've experienced a disk issue.

On Chaptor 23 (and only 23, no other area's of the disk) the audio skips, the screen blurs and is filled with horrible artifacts, and it even drops the signel to my reciever a few times. I went back to blockbuster and swapped disks (both brand new, I was the first renter, and the disk was flawless, not a scrath or even dust)... I got this on the second disk as well, and ONLY for chaptor 23. (The meeting to decide the fellowship)


I tried this in both my stand alone JVC XV-S40, and then desperately tried my Xbox as well, to see if it was a setup issue. I unhooked everything, and ran my Svideo straight to my television, instead of through my Denon 1802, and even tried straight to the TV for audio *shudders*...

Still happened.

Just curious if this is a wide spread disk error, or just a case of a few bad disks in my area? I've ruled out hardware, as EVERY other chaptor works perfect, and no other disks (I've tried two since) work fine as well.

Thanks.

 

[Kyle McKnight]

Mine purchased from Best Buy in North Richland Hills, Tx, has nothing of the sort wrong with it.

 

[Lanny Hoff]

In the second half of the film, there are two spots where I get small blocky pixelization, but I never loose the sound entirely.

You are not alone, I fear.

 

[DaveN]

Watched it last night with no problems whatsoever.

David

 

[Scott Bourden]

Lanny,

My problem was not just a single incident, it was every 4-5 seconds (literally) for the ENTIRE duration of chapter 23. Really removed me from the movie, and made it less enjoyable, obviously. To say the ;east, I was *not* happy about it, but there is not much I can do but swap for another disk... Which is just more trouble.

 

[Marc_E]

I have Anthem AVM-20 (THX Ultra)
Marc

 

[Wayne W]

Bought my LOTR DVD online from Best Buy and I watched it last night. No problems with the video or audio. The audio is extremely loud though. I had to turn down my sub to keep the walls from shaking .

 

[Andrew_Sch]

I had a similar problem last night right after Frodo wakes up in Rivendell, when he rejoins Sam, Merry and Pippin, but I cleaned it and everything's fine now.

 

[DonRoeber]

No problems on mine. I've got a Sony S530D player running Coaxial Digital audio to my Yamaha RX-V1200, as well as S-Video. The yamaha then sends S-video to my Sony 27" TV.

Oh, my copy of LORT is widescreen. Accidentally bought Fullscreen for the in-laws, but it turns out that that's what they wanted anyway (can't win sometimes).

 

[Kevin Silence]

I had a similar problem. My disk locked up around chapter 23. I basically had to skip the chapter where Frodo gets the mithril vest from Bilbo. I had to pick up at the chapter scene where they already left Rivendell and they are marching in the snow.

Like the above, there was not a scratch on my disk, and no fingerprints. It is the widesreen version. And, I got mine from Blockbuster also. I'm going to take mine back. and get another one. I might get the fullscreen version and see if it acts up. I know I'm getting the 4-disk widescreen set later.

Curious to see if there are others out there with problems. It might have been a bad batch sent to Blockbuster.

 

[Mikko-Ville]

Watched mine twice with no problems.

 

[ChrisV]

I had the same problem. I didn't get mine from Blockbuster though, and mine is the Canadian version of course. Right when Bilbo is giving Frodo Sting and the mithril vest. It's the widescreen version and there are no scratches or anything. When I popped it out and put it back in the scene played fine. I will probably watch it again tonight before making a decision on whether to take it back or not.

 

[John_Berger]

Add another vote to the "no problems" category. This was the U.S. widescreen version on a Panasonic progressive-scan player. I don't know the exact model. :b

 

[Espen Braathen]

Dial norm:
Please see the the following table:
Link Removed
Dialogue normalization is a feature of Dolby Digital to normalize the _average_ volume from disc to disc or more precisely from televison channel/program to other channels and programs.
Basically the level (of all channels) are lowered depending on the dial_norm value in the bistream. The default setting is a dial norm value of 27, which means that the volume is lowered (independent of the volume knob) by -4 dB. THX product compensates for dial_norm by boosting the level agaon by +4 dB, however this compensation will only work if the dial_norm is the default 27. All other dial_norm values will result in a reference level that is either to high or too low.
Dial_norm is also the cause of DTS soundtracks normally being played back 4 dB louder than the comparative DD track.
In the case of Lord of the Rings; which has a dial_norm of 31, i.e. the offset is 0 dB, THX products will give you a reference level which is +4 dB to high (indicated in the display), so the correct level to put the volume setting at becomes -4 dB (as seen in my table above).
For more on dial_norm see the article at "secrets":
Link Removed
(note however that their description on dialogue normalization and THX is _not_ correct.)
Espen B

 

[Matt Stone]

Thank you, Espen! Great explanation!