DVD Review HTF REVIEW: The Lion King (TOTALLY RECOMMENDED!!!) (1 Viewer)

[Reagan]

Dan,

I haven't heard the enhanced mix yet, but if it gets studios out of the traditional 5.1 mindset (dialog in the front center - regardless of where the characters are on screen, music and foley effects in the front L and R, and distant foley effects in the surrounds), then it sounds like a good thing to me.

-Reagan

 

[Randy A Salas]

I just talked to Lion King producer Don Hahn about the DVD for my write-up on its release date. He said that as far as he knows, the commentary is carried over verbatim from the laserdisc; he did not record anything new.

A self-professed "home-theater geek," he also said his favorite thing about the DVD was the new 5.1 audio mix.

 

[ChrisKe]

I just received my copy of the gift set (with the book and drawings) - all the way down under and before release date!

The book has 160 pages with an emphasis on the artwork of the film. About half the book is a storybook of the type I used to have as a child for 101 Dalmations and Sword in the Stone.

The other part of this set is the character Portrait Drawings box with 9 print reproductions of the principal characters and a certificate of authenticity (!)

Nicely presented - it will look good on the shelf...

 

[Stephen_J_H]

I'm really looking forward to this! Great review, David.

 

[Neil Joseph]

BTW, once you fellas get this DVD in hand, PLEASE post your impressions back here...and disclose your video/auido system components/setup with the group. One thing I'd love to know is if anyone else is seeing the "noisy red/brown" in the lion's mane that I noticed on my direct-view.

Popped it in tonight and the video is very clean, mane included in 480i and 480p. Did not get a chance to crank it but even at subdued volumes, the soundtrack seemed to rock. Sony 11HT LCD, JVC XVS500 DVD, Yamaha RXV2300, PSB all around.

 

[DaViD Boulet]

Thanks Neil!

The Sony 11HT is a *very* revealing display...if you don't see the "noise" it's mostly likely due to some (#%$&*!) circuit in my TV. After a few more folks post a similar impression I'll update my review to reflect.

All of this points to one undeniable conclusion...I *have* to get a 16x9 hi-def front projector and FAST!

 

[gregstaten]

I watched this last night and agree that the transfer and sound is generally spectacular. Unfortunately though, the transfer is so detailed that you can really see the 4:2:0 chroma subsampling artifacts (which are inherent in the DVD format).

These seem to be most apparent at the start of the film during the Circle of Life song and shortly there after, especially on the right edge of Mufasa against the deep blue sky. If you look at the right edge of Mufasa, just outside his form where his shape meets the sky, you'll notice some chroma stairstepping caused by the lower chroma sampling rate. This is usually hard to see because it is only truly visible when two high chroma colors that are in different parts of the colorspace.

This is one of the few times I've seen this on DVD and it caught my eye. Fortunately the artifact is much harder to see later in the film.

Ironically if this wasn't such a spectacular transfer, you wouldn't be able to see these 4:2:0 chroma artifacts as easily.

-greg

 

[Lyle_JP]

It's important to note that only some DVD players have problems with Chroma Upsampling Errors that greg refers to. This is not the fault of any DVD transfer, it is the fault of poorly designed MPEG decoders.

-Lyle J.P.

 

[gregstaten]

Actually, this isn't the Chroma Upsampling Bug that I'm referring to. That looks a bit different. This is a limitation of the 4:2:0 specification. I see this all the time when I edit DV-based material.

-greg

 

[Jeff Adams]

have you gotten the "if only you cared about me as much as you do your DVDs" lecture?

Oh yeah. I've heard that many times. Along with the if you only cared about me as much as your car and home theater.
I have tried to sell her on the dvd's, as being something that everybody enjoys not just me. She still isn't buying it though.

 

[DaViD Boulet]

Greg,

Thanks for sharing. Question...can you determine if the disc is 24p encoded or if it's been put on the disc in 60Hz 480I form...

reason I'm asking is that when I still-step most film-based movies, my Panny rp91 DVD player steps through a series of clean "frames" without any combing artifacts.

With the Lion King however, every 2nd or 3rd "frame" seems to contain lots of combing or some sort of "stair-stepping" artifact like my DVD player can't find the 2 proper fields to reconstruct the complete frame.

Check that out and let me know what you think. Reason I ask is that I'm wondering if the "stair stepping" I'm seeing when I still-frame advance might actually be present in the moving image during normal playback and be responsible in part for some of the "chroma upsampling" artifacts you're noticing.

dave

 

[Scott McCluskey]

Looking forward to Lion King

 

[Chris Farmer]

Scott, you may want to edit your message. Posting street-date breakers here is a major no-no (even worse then the ones breaking street date )

 

[Scott McCluskey]

Thanks for the information Chris.

 

[John KB]

I've had mine for a few days. I've watched the opening about 5 times, but that's about it so far. The enhanced mix definitely put the subwoofer to work more than the theatrical 5.1. I can't wait to watch the entire movie this weekend!

 

[Brian W.]

GREAT review, David! I should finish it just in time to buy Aladdin! (Kidding. I love the detail.)

 

[Sergio Martorel]

In any case...I *WANT* DTS!!

Then check this thread: http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...hreadid=162196

It´s a mystery even for me.

 

[DaViD Boulet]

Apparently the Lion King is getting DTS for the Enhanced mix for many other regions outside R1. Interesting that it wasn't mentioned on the packaging. I'd love for some folks to post their impressions of the DTS version...especially if they can compare to the 5.1 DD enhanced mix on the R1.

 

[Richard Kim]

Well the R1 DVD is THX certified, and with a few exceptions, most THX DVDs don't include DTS.

 

[Sergio Martorel]

Methinks it´s exactly the same "Yada Yada Enhanced" mix, only in DTS. Look, there are only those three sound options in the brazilian R4, and the "Blah Enhanced" one is listed AS being DTS.