Monsters Inc DVD (technical issues merged thread) (1 Viewer)

[RobertCharlotte]

Check out this thread, John:
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...threadid=96041

 

[John Garcia]

I just verified for certain this is a layer change. My player displays the layer change, and right at the pause, it shows the switch.

 

[John Garcia]

Already read/reading that thread, and it did not seem to discuss the sound level of the entire movie, just the THX intro, which IS an issue.

The only other disc I have that seems this "soft" is SW:TPM.

 

[Ken_McAlinden]

Monsters Inc. and SW:TPM have very dynamic soundtracks. The average level is lower than some other recent releases so as to save room for the dynamic peaks.

Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring is an example of a soundtrack where they compressed the dynamics so that the average level was very high, but dynamic peaks had to be limited. This has nothing to do with frequency response, and bass extension, which are very good on all of the titles I mentioned. It just affects what is loud and soft and how much room there is in between.

THX certification usually prevents a title from being mastered too "hot".

Regards,

 

[Felix Martinez]

Monsters Inc. and SW:TPM have very dynamic soundtracks. The average level is lower than some other recent releases so as to save room for the dynamic peaks.

I'm all for dynamic soundtracks, but I have to admit Monsters, Inc. has a pretty darn low average volume.

I'm curious to know what the peak level of the track is. If the peak is at 0db, then certainly the full dynamic range is being used.

I don't like overly "hot" soundtracks (LOTR comes to mind), but it's equally annoying to start a dvd, only to keep cranking and cranking the level until it's comfortable.

Cheers,
Felix

 

[John Garcia]

Thanks, that was the kind of info I was looking for. There is definitely no lack of dynamics on TPM and Monsters Inc., I find them to both be quite good with respect to sound, and I am not complaining about either disc.

So would this maybe be something related to the EX mastering in general? Or is it just something about the particular mastering for these discs? I ask because the Toy Story 2 disc is fairly hot, and it is also DD EX. TS2 has some serious LFE while the movie itself seems to have a rather "normal" average sound level to me, and obviously LOTR was quite hot.

 

[Ken_McAlinden]

Can anyone check to see what the dialog normalization setting was for Monsters, Inc.? I cannot do it with my gear. That could be part of it as well.

Regards,

 

[AllanN]

In regards to the low volume level. A co-worker of mine came in complaining about it. He has the Kenwood HTB-805.

Funny postscript to that. His wife was watching it and turned the volume up in the menu, then the move started at a very loud volume. While when the THX trailer came up it freaked his nieces out, they got all scared asking "where are all those cows coming from".

 

[Phil Iturralde]

Noticed the layer change last night, slight pause and then continued playing - Panasonic RP56 w/progressive outputs.
The digital picture though was jaw dropping clear, sharp w/super vibrant solid colors, w/realistic shades of 3D-like renderings on my VE & AVIA Video Calibrated Toshiba 50H81!!! (This Friday NITE DVD presentation!!! )
Phil

 

[David Lambert]

If anyone is wondering what # to call for Disney, it ought to be 1-800-72-DISNEy (cell phone callers leave off the "y").

That's the normal customer complaint #.

 

[Michael Reuben]

What kind of packaging did BV use for this 2-disc set? Are they sticking with the "digipack" used for the Jackie Brown and Pulp Fiction spec. eds., or did they give this one the double amray treatment, as with previous Pixar features?

M.

 

[Steven_J_H]

Update: Disney tech person called me back and asked what the problem was. I told him that it froze at 84:01 and he said that was the layer change (which I already knew). He asked if I was able to view the rest of the dvd after that point and I told him if I stepped it forward I was able to view the rest of the movie. He then said it was happening on a few Pioneer models only and at this point he didn't know if anything was going to be corrected. He suggested I just step over that part whenever I watch the dvd! I told him that his software people and Pioneer's hardware people should get together as this has happened a few times in the past, the most recent being Atlantis. He said he had my number and if anything else happens they would be back in touch with me. Not exactly the response I was looking for.

 

[Alex S]

Update: Disney tech person called me back and asked what the problem was. I told him that it froze at 84:01 and he said that was the layer change (which I already knew). He asked if I was able to view the rest of the dvd after that point and I told him if I stepped it forward I was able to view the rest of the movie. He then said it was happening on a few Pioneer models only and at this point he didn't know if anything was going to be corrected. He suggested I just step over that part whenever I watch the dvd! I told him that his software people and Pioneer's hardware people should get together as this has happened a few times in the past, the most recent being Atlantis. He said he had my number and if anything else happens they would be back in touch with me. Not exactly the response I was looking for.

Steven what phone # did you call ?

 

[John Garcia]

What kind of packaging did BV use for this 2-disc set? Are they sticking with the "digipack" used for the Jackie Brown and Pulp Fiction spec. eds., or did they give this one the double amray treatment, as with previous Pixar features

The case is one I have never seen before, it has a carrier attached via a "twist" insert that is removable so that rest of the case may be used with or without the extra little "leaf". I don't know if that is what you are referring to as "digipack" or not. I have not picked up a copy of Pulp Fiction:SE yet.

 

[Michael Reuben]

Thanks, John. No, that's not a digipack. It sounds like the case BV used for the spec. ed. of From Dusk Till Dawn. Maybe the idea is to let adults remove the supplements for safe keeping while the kiddies abuse the main feature.
M.

 

[Steven_J_H]

Alex S- I called 1-800-723-4763

 

[Steven_J_H]

I just figured I would try to play the disc on my older Pioneer DVL-700 and guess what? It didn't freeze. ARGH!!!

 

[John Garcia]

Maybe the idea is to let adults remove the supplements for safe keeping while the kiddies abuse the main feature.

Seemed like a pretty ingenious design to me, and is likely due to trying to cut costs. The case is basically a single disc case that the extra leaf can be added to just by snapping it in for 2-disc sets. It doesn't look like the sturdiest design, but the idea was good, IMO.

 

[David Lambert]

The case is one I have never seen before, it has a carrier attached via a "twist" insert that is removable so that rest of the case may be used with or without the extra little "leaf".

Identical to Schoolhouse Rock, and (ironically) to Shrek's, if I recall correctly.

 

[Mark Cappelletty]

No problems with my Sony 550, though the layer change (right at the chapter mark) is noticeable.