Do you double dip for SuperBit ? (1 Viewer)

[anthony_b]

In other words, when a superbit version of one of your favorite movies is released, do you purchase it again ?...I haven't owned a superbit DVD yet, is it worth the re-purchase/upgrade ?

 

[Travis W.]

Never. To me the only thing that is improved upon for the Superbit is the DTS track. The transfers look the same to me. I know there's some people who will argue that but that's just my two cents. Superbits in my opinion are a total waste and only a way for Columbia to further prey on home theater owners.

 

[Craig W]

I haven't double dipped yet for a Superbit meaning that I don't buy Columbia Tristars' half assed initial releases.

Although I really wish they would make more of an effort to get it right the first time meaning there would be no need for a SB release.

Columbia filters so much high frequency info off the initial release IMO they are not much better than VHS in the video quality department.

The things that I really like with SB are:
1. dts track
2. more detail in image (ie. less filtering)
3. seamless layer change on most SB titles

 

[Ravi K]

Are they filtering the first releases on purpose so the SBs look spectacular in comparison?



Lawrence of Arabia is the only SB I own that was released first as a non-SB, but I do not have the SE or single disc version. I rented the SE once from the library and saw a lot of EE so I figured there might be a better release. I don't know if the SB has any less EE, but I later found out that the colors were slightly off, so I bought the SB.

 

[Craig W]

It would not surprise me. But I also think that many studios are intentionally holding back on quality also by placing too much fluff on DVDs and then highly compressing(which filtering high frequency content is part) the movie to get it all on one disc.

 

[Dan Rudolph]

Fox has plenty of movies that look great with special features on the disc.

 

[Al (alweho)]

I upgraded Lawrence of Arabia, Fifth Element and Tommy. Only with Lawrence could I see the difference, and we must thank Mr. Harris for that. (I did keep the collector's version because of the special features on it that the Superbit omitted.)

The other two were very good lessons in either simply waiting for a Superbit version to finally be released or just not bothering with an upgrade. Your mileage may vary of course.

 

[Adam_ME]

I've upgraded Air Force One, Black Hawk Down(Korean 3-disc Superbit) Starship Troopers, and The Mask of Zorro. I own several other Superbits, but those are ones I didn't double-dip on. And in the case of Panic Room, I suppose I downgraded since I gave up the DTS track for the special features of the 3-disc set.

I'm tired of Sony's double and triple dipping schemes lately, so I think I'm done with Superbits. Hell, it's getting to the point where I rarely buy Sony DVDs period. It's just too much of a headache worrying about being sold an inferior product that's gonna be replaced a few months down the road with something that looks and sounds better.

 

[Paul_Scott]

i've upgraded Mask Of Zorro, Lawrence Of Arabia, and Fifth Element.
sold off all the previous discs, and in the case of the first two, only upgraded because i was able to get the SBs fairly cheap.

i would be much more inclined to upgrade to the SB if the film is 2.35 AR rather than 1.85.

 

[Benson R]

I both enjoy and hate the superbit concept. I enjoy it because all the SBs I own are at or near reference quality for video. I hate it because I dont see why sony can't get the release right the first time as many dvds from Fox and WB are just as good and inlude commentary tracks and animated menus on the same disc as the movie. I enjoy dts, but would rather get release with a good dolby 5.1 track and commentary track(s) and extras on a second disc.

I think the reason there are so many differing opinions on whether the superbit release is an upgrade have to do with display size. I am a former critic of superbit releases, but moving to front projection from a 32 in direct view tube turned me around. I think to see the difference you need front projection or a good sized rptv set.

 

[Reagan]

I've done it before...

 

[Tim_Stack]

I did this in reverse for Panic Room - will probably do the same for a killer Adaptation release. My friends love me - I'm always showering them with my leftover first releases. Of course, if I know there will be multiple releases to begin with, I hold off getting the first round.

 

[Zen Butler]

If I had a dollar for every Superbit(is it worth it?) thread, I could buy Columbia/Tri-Star. Let's get an official thread, huh?

[I love many of the Superbit titles. I trick my mind into thinking it's a separate company. I love those guys over at Superbit.]

 

[Harold Wazzu]

I have purchased the superbit and sold the first version of:

The Patriot, Legends of the Fall, and xXx

But I have double-dipped:

Bad Boys, Blackhawk Down, MIB

DTS is worth it for me especially with Blackhawk down, I think the Superbit and 3-disc deluxe set work perfect together.

 

[Jerome Grate]

I did on Airforce One and Fifth Element for the DTS. Well worth it I thought.

 

[Matt Czyz]

I do not double-dip, as I know that Columbia will eventually put out a SB version, so if it's a movie I really like, I just wait. (this has happened much less frequently these days, as Columbia just isn't putting out anything I want in the first place)

 

[Mark Zimmer]

Only for Lawrence, which is a special case. Any review copies of SB titles that I've acquired I've sold off, preferring the extras on the originals over any marginal improvement (usually undetectable) in picture or sound.

 

[Moe*A]

I own a few Superbits but these have not been titles that I have to double dip for. The only one I am considering upgrading is Spiderman, as for new films I will just wait till they are available if I think a DTS track would be and I wish more of them were two disc affairs.

Sony’s release schedule towards Superbits are strange some films from day one have the normal version and Superbit available on the same day of release and some you have to wait a while.

 

[Frank@N]

Never bought a SB reissue and probably never will, but I'm glad they're out.

Have a used copy of almost every pre-SB release and I'm glad people trade them in, so I can buy them at half retail.

 

[Brent M]

I have 9 SuperBit titles in my collection and many of them are "double dips". I just sell the originals on eBay so it doesn't really add up costing me very much money to replace them with SuperBit discs. It's well worth it for the improved PQ and especially the DTS tracks which are noticeably improved on Black Hawk Down, Spider-Man, Desperado, etc. I'll probably get Bad Boys II and S.W.A.T. when the new batch comes out in October.