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A Few Words About 'While we wait for A few words about...™ Spartacus -- in Blu-ray' (1 Viewer)

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Robert Harris

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Several things are changing here at "A Few Words," that began as a 50 watt radio station in the wilds of Montana.

The trusty JVC RS50, which has been my prime source of a projected image, began having some hiccups on Monday, which I hoped was the lamp.  After re-lamping with a unit purchased from Amazon -- more on that in another topic -- I re-lamped again.  Same problem, better illumination.

So the RS50 is going in for a spa treatment, and has been replaced by a Sony 4k.  Once the RS returns, with warranty, it will be offered HTF's classified section.

Here's what's interesting, and what my eyes are telling me.

The Sony does a superb job of up-rezzing HD content to 4k, with color, densities, black levels intact, but with a slight homogenization of the grain structure.  While it doesn't remove it, it does lower it a bit.

The other thing that I've discovered is that Blu-ray software either makes it to a 4k up-rez with image intact, or it doesn't.  By this I mean that Blu-ray releases that either aren't prepared to the hilt for Blu-ray, or possibly shouldn't have been taken there to begin with, don't necessary look better.

On the other hand, something that has received proper care and feeding, like the above mentioned Spartacus, looks incredibly like actual 4k projection.  It's all in the way that files are handled.

In opening this thread, I've been given permission to discuss the work that went into the new Spartacus reconstruction and restoration, and precisely how serious the task was handled by Universal Post.

More later.

At this point, questions are welcomed.

RAH

 

Peter Apruzzese

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Robert Harris said:
Once the RS returns, with warranty, it will be offered HTF's classified section.



At this point, questions are welcomed.

Do you take lay-away payments? :)
 

rsmithjr

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1. Did they start with your 70mm restoration, or go back to the original elements?

2. A few scenes (e.g., in the forum) of the 70mm restoration had some color issues owing to problems with the seps. Has this been corrected?

3. What about the sound? Do we have 5.1 or something else? Does it preserve the original front directionality, or is the dialogue now centered? I have such a strong memory of the channel separations of the 70mm films that it always bothers me to hear it differently.

4. What was your involvement? Supervision? Mentoring? Reviewing? Whatever it was, we are grateful.

5. Will I be able get a UHD Blu-ray of this title for my new UHD Blu-ray player and 4K systems?

6. What will happen if/when 8K is available? Is Spartacus ready? Did they do 8K scans?

7. Do we get the voice commentaries that are on the Criterion LD?


Thanks very much!



Bob Smith
 

Matt Hough

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After owning several editions of the film over the years on various media, I'm really looking forward to the definitive one.
 

trajan

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The titles never looked that great to me in HD . Aspect ratio looked down sized to 2;35 with them.
 

Michel_Hafner

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Congratulations on the Sony 4K. I use a JVCx700 myself and won't upgrade to a 4K till there is laser and at least JVC black levels, but preferably also HDR ready and Rec2020. Till then the "3K" of the JVC will have to do.

Concerning the upsampling of the 1080p to 4K by the Sony there are several parameters to fiddle with in the reailty creation engine. So you might want to play around a lot with known sources to see what fits your tastes best, if you haven't done already. Alternatively the Sony can be circumvented and a Lumagen Pro used for the upscaling. They are proud of their ringing free upsampling engine and Darbee for the 1080p. Should be a winning combo. The device is in beta at the moment and also offers a big 3D CMS LUT for optimal colour and gamma corrections plus endless other processing and formatting options once all is implemented (firmware updates).
 

Alan Tully

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I'll be checking this thread out regularly. I've pre-ordered Spartacus, quite unusual for me, but I'm confident, & at only just over £14 delivered to the UK all the way from America, very reasonable.
 

Robert Harris

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rsmithjr said:
1. Did they start with your 70mm restoration, or go back to the original elements?


We returned to the original 8-perf negative, masters, and other surviving production elements.


2. A few scenes (e.g., in the forum) of the 70mm restoration had some color issues owing to problems with the seps. Has this been corrected?


Totally



3. What about the sound? Do we have 5.1 or something else?


7.1


Does it preserve the original front directionality, or is the dialogue now centered?


Full proscenium movement, based upon original 70mm mix, ie. L, LC, C, RC, R, S


4. What was your involvement? Supervision? Mentoring? Reviewing? Whatever it was, we are grateful.


All of the above, with full (and delightful) cooperation. Universal did Everything possible to create a stellar restoration. Everything that could be done to create the finest possible asset was done. As an example, we returned to the original stock footage of the ship from Son of Sinbad.


5. Will I be able get a UHD Blu-ray of this title for my new UHD Blu-ray player and 4K systems?


Not this week.


6. What will happen if/when 8K is available? Is Spartacus ready? Did they do 8K scans?


I cannot image 8k home theater. 4k is more than enough (although some folks don't believe it)

to replicate 70mm on a huge screen.


The scans were 4 x 6k, or approximately 24 megapixels per frame.


7. Do we get the voice commentaries that are on the Criterion LD?


Above my pay grade.



Thanks very much!



Bob Smith
 

Robert Harris

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Michel_Hafner said:
Congratulations on the Sony 4K. I use a JVCx700 myself and won't upgrade to a 4K till there is laser and at least JVC black levels, but preferably also HDR ready and Rec2020. Till then the "3K" of the JVC will have to do.

Concerning the upsampling of the 1080p to 4K by the Sony there are several parameters to fiddle with in the reailty creation engine. So you might want to play around a lot with known sources to see what fits your tastes best, if you haven't done already. Alternatively the Sony can be circumvented and a Lumagen Pro used for the upscaling. They are proud of their ringing free upsampling engine and Darbee for the 1080p. Should be a winning combo. The device is in beta at the moment and also offers a big 3D CMS LUT for optimal colour and gamma corrections plus endless other processing and formatting options once all is implemented (firmware updates).

Two techs whom I trust have told me that the processing is baked in.


I wish it was otherwise.


RAH
 

zoetmb

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Robert Harris said:
1. Did they start with your 70mm restoration, or go back to the original elements?


We returned to the original 8-perf negative, masters, and other surviving production elements.


2. A few scenes (e.g., in the forum) of the 70mm restoration had some color issues owing to problems with the seps. Has this been corrected?


Totally



3. What about the sound? Do we have 5.1 or something else?


7.1


Does it preserve the original front directionality, or is the dialogue now centered?


Full proscenium movement, based upon original 70mm mix, ie. L, LC, C, RC, R, S
So what does that mean? The original surround was mono. It's now 7.1. So are they sending the mono to all four surrounds or has it been remixed?


And what did they do with LC and RC?


Thanks.
 

Michel_Hafner

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Robert Harris said:
Two techs whom I trust have told me that the processing is baked in.


I wish it was otherwise.


RAH

What processing? The upsampling on the Sony 4K? You have one of the home 4K projectors, yes (VW1000, VW1100, VW500, VW600)?
 

Robert Harris

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zoetmb said:
So what does that mean? The original surround was mono. It's now 7.1. So are they sending the mono to all four surrounds or has it been remixed?

And what did they do with LC and RC?

Thanks.
LC and RC are now phantom channels. They would be totally unnecessary in a home theater environment.
 

rsmithjr

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Mr. Harris,


Thanks for your answers, I appreciate it.


WRT 4K being as good as 70mm, I am not sure that I believe it yet. But I probably not seen 4K optimally presented in order to really compare them, e.g., with the same 70mm-based content, both in an excellent theatre with optimal projection, etc.


I do believe that the exhibition environment and process is a huge part of the motion picture experience. Back in the day, 70mm and roadshow exhibition was often done with great care.
 

Robert Harris

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rsmithjr said:
Mr. Harris,


Thanks for your answers, I appreciate it.


WRT 4K being as good as 70mm, I am not sure that I believe it yet. But I probably not seen 4K optimally presented in order to really compare them, e.g., with the same 70mm-based content, both in an excellent theatre with optimal projection, etc.


I do believe that the exhibition environment and process is a huge part of the motion picture experience. Back in the day, 70mm and roadshow exhibition was often done with great care.

As must 4k digital projection.


Proper 4k projection of a large format film, should appear as a 70mm original negative print, but lacking bob & weave and other analogue anomalies.


RAH
 
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