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First 'Rush In Rio' DVD Review (1 Viewer)

Paul.S

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John_Bonner, thanks for especially the first part of your post #46. Based upon my conversations with Catullo, I think it's very important to keep the adverse production circumstances under which this was shot and recorded in mind.

WRT to the audio quality--with the strong caveat that I still have not heard the CD or DVD--I would surmise that James "Jimbo" Barton's mixing might be an issue. I got that impression at the screening (even though there were technical problems there that had nothing to do with the original recording). He mixed Power Windows and Hold Your Fire and applies, IMO, way too high a compression threshold on the final master mix of his projects (instead of more judiciously applying compression/limiting to individual tracks). His work with Queensryche exhibits this problem as well.

Jamie Goff: I have many questions, but perhaps the best place to start is to ask for confirmation of the exact model number of your Sony TV. KV-34XBR800? Also, what is the make and model of your DVD player?

In recent years, many of Sony's better 4:3 sets feature what Sony calls "Auto 16:9 Enhanced Mode." It's my understanding that this feature is designed to enable one to view anamorphic program material at full resolution even though you have a 4:3 set. If your set has it (the KV-40XBR800 does), are you sure that this feature is turned off?

-p
 

Paul.S

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BGL!

Great to "see" you, man. I welcome your input on this thread. Was wondering why a Rush-related thread had gone two pages without you posting! :)

Based on these reports, this has to be one of the most fouled up DVD releases in history.
Naw, not quite that bad . . . yet. This has not yet even approached The Great DTS Jurassic Park DVD/Bass Management Controversy. My head still hurts from that 25+ page thread three Octobers later. :)

-p
 

Jamie Goff

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My set model # is a kv-34xbr800. It's a wide screen television, not a 4:3. I am using a Panasonic DVD XP-30 as DVD player. If I turn my set on first and play the DVD, it works fine. I get the Anamorphic picture. If I change the veiwing mode on my t.v. (zoom, widezoom, 4:3,ect.) I will loose the anamorphic signal and the picture will become squashed. When this happens I have to shut off my set, remove the disk from my player, and shut the dvd player off, to get the disk to play anamorphically again. This is so messed up. I bought the DVD at Best Buy.
 

Brian L

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Hey Paul!

Yup, I sure do like a good Rush discussion, but this one is making my head hurt and I don't even have the bloody disc yet:D

I may just go buy one at a B&M store, and return the one enroute from CC, just so I can jump into the sandbox with the other kids!

I suppose I was not expecting this to rival Steely Dan in terms of sonics, but it is peculiar how the user reports are all over the map.

One point about the 4:3 Sony's you commented on.

In recent years, many of Sony's better 4:3 sets feature what Sony calls "Auto 16:9 Enhanced Mode." It's my understanding that this feature is designed to enable one to watch non-anamorphic program material with resolution closer to what anamorphically-encoded content would provide even though you're watching a 4:3 set.
Perhaps you mis-typed, but I think the auto 16x9 was to allow playback of anamorphic titles on a 4:3 set. You would tell your player that you had a 16x9 set, even though it was a 4x3.

The set would then squeeze the raster so the proportions would be right, and you would not have to toss out 1/3 of the lines, which normally happens with in-player letter boxing.

I guess that's all irrelevant, given that Jamie has a 16x9 set, but as much as I like to think I have handle on this stuff, his description of the problem leaves me scratching my head.

I would guess that there is some issue with his set, either its loosing lock, or not loosing lock, or something odd, and that the magic sequence just appears to be solving the problem.

BTW, Jamie, how are you connected to the set? Also, does the X30 have any sort of auto-progressive mode that may be playing up?

I suppose a player with auto progressive (my Pioneer 45A has it) coupled with a set that locks into full mode with a progressive signal, could produce some weird results.

BGL
 

Aaron Silverman

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What's the word on the separate region 1/2 vs. single region 0 releases?

This is weird. Wish I had a 16:9 set to test out this picture weirdness. . .
 

John_Bonner

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I did the EXACT steps listed above and DID NOT get anamorphic video. I will try again tonight.
Me either. :frowning:

I tried it on two different setups. First on my Sony Wega 4:3 set. I have the 16:9 enhanced feature as BGL described above. Got my DVD player set to 16:9 also. It stills comes up letterboxed but not anamorphic.

I also tried it on my HTPC setup which is connected to a 16:9 monitor. Same results. The software I use (Theater Tek) shows the disc Aspect Ratio as 4:3. I can manually fill the screen with the software's Aspect Ratio editor but it's not the same as an anamorphic disc. Maybe I'll try DScaler or ffDshow or one of those other de-interlace type programs to help tighten it up.

Not sure what kind of magic you've got going up there in MA Jamie but no luck down here in NJ.

Anyone else??
 

David Giesbrecht

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The first time I tried this little trick it messed up my DVD player and it wouldn't let me stop the disc :eek: I was really dissapointed it wasn't anomorphic:frowning: I will be getting the anomorphic one next spring then it will be all better:) It's a great disc anyhow though, once again Neil delivers an excellant solo.
 

Adam_R

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IT IS NOT ANAMORPHIC! PERIOD!

I have tested this thing 6 ways to Tuesday on my 57" Widescreen HDTV, and it is NOT anamorphic, no matter how you play it.

The wierd thing is that when I hit zoom, it get cut off on all sides. Usually a non-anamorphic movie will fill the screen perfectly (if it's 1.85:1) when zoomed.

I'm starting to think this disc isn't even 1.85:1, as stated clearly in the specs.

Anyone care to chime in?
 

Mark Paquette

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Here's a stupid question: how can I tell if this thing is anamorphic when I play it? I have a 16x9 Toshiba and I've always just relied on the specs on the DVD box to tell whether or not it is anamorphic. If it is, I use the full screen mode and if it's not, I think I used theater wide 1 or 2.
 

Adam_R

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Mark, put the TV on full mode. If you get bars on the top and bottom and the image appears stretched, it's non-anamorphic.

Don't rely on just the bars on top and bottom. Even anamorphic DVDs with a greater than 1.85:1 ration will have bars.

Oh and by the way, it's not even 1.85:1, it's 1.77:1, so i can't even watch it zoomed without cutting off the edges. I'm so pissed. So with a widescreen tv, it's either stretched or zoomed with edges cut off. Who the F#$k let it out the door like this?
 

Paul.S

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Mark:

. . . put the TV on full mode. If you get bars on the top and bottom and the image appears stretched, it's non-anamorphic.
I think the inverse of what 4:3 set owners can do to confirm a DVD's anamorphic enhancement (which we of course aren't enjoying unless it's a Sony with the "Auto 16x9 Enhanced Mode") works as well. With a 4:3 set, if you set your DVD player to 16x9, anamorphic DVDs look (vertically) stretched and non-anamorphics look the same as when in 4:3 mode.

Ergo, I think if you have a 16x9 set and you set your player to 4:3, anamorphic DVDs will look 'doubly squeezed.'

-p
 

Mike Broadman

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I tried the sequence listed in ealier in this thread (or was it another thread?) to access the Anthem Easter Egg.

Incase you can't find it:
Put in disc 2 and from the main menu press-
2, menu, 1, menu, 1, menu, 2, menu

It's a clip of the band miming along to Anthem music-video style. Pretty neat. Check out their crazy hair.
 

Mark Paquette

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I gave the DVD a spin tonight. Here are my observations:

1. Neil is a machine
2. I really can't tell if it's anamorphic or not.
3. If this thing is supposed to be in 1.85:1 then why do I have bars at the top and bottom of my 16x9 set?
4. I definitely prefer the stereo track over the 5.1 Too much crowd noise and not enough bass in the 5.1 mix.
5. All the camera shots of Neil from the side or behind look strange. Almost like they were shot with a crica 1985 camcorder.
6. Great selection of songs, great concert.
7. Are all concerts in Rio this crazy?
8. Neil is a machine
 

Adam_R

Second Unit
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My responses to your observations:



1. Neil is a machine

He's the best rock drummer ever. Period. :emoji_thumbsup:


2. I really can't tell if it's anamorphic or not.

It's not. :thumbsdown:


3. If this thing is supposed to be in 1.85:1 then why do I have bars at the top and bottom of my 16x9 set?

It's not 1.85:1, it's 1.77:1 non-anamorphic. Weak. I'm pissed. :thumbsdown:


4. I definitely prefer the stereo track over the 5.1 Too much crowd noise and not enough bass in the 5.1 mix.

I must disagree here. The 5.1 mix has lots of bass. Maybe you need a new sub. www.svsubwoofers.com Also, crowd noise makes me feel like I'm there.


5. All the camera shots of Neil from the side or behind look strange. Almost like they were shot with a crica 1985 camcorder.

True. The cameras around Neil are litte remote cameras that are far below the quality of the other cameras used.


6. Great selection of songs, great concert.

No doubt. Such a great show. It's so awesome to have this collections of songs live. I can watch a Rush show anytime I want now, and get slections from old, new and everything in-between.


7. Are all concerts in Rio this crazy?

I have no idea.


8. Neil is a machine

No shit. He amazes me constantly. I've played drums for many years, and hope to someday be half as good as he is on his worst day.
 

David Giesbrecht

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What always amazes me is the smoothness of his double stroke roll,
htf_images_smilies_smiley_jawdrop.gif
man I wish I could play like that.:D
 

Mike Broadman

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7. Are all concerts in Rio this crazy?
South American fans have reputation of being hardcore. My guess is that part of it has to do with that they just don't get the kind of band traffic Americans and Europeans do. This was the first time Rush ever played there, so you know that pretty much every single person in that 40,000 person crowd was a fan (as opposed to the mix you get at big American concerts).

As big a deal as it was for me to have seen Rush on this tour, it probably meant more for them.
 

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