THX Ultimate Demo Disc Review (1 Viewer)

[JeremySt]

I just watched it. I should have a more elaborate review this evening. I already owned the Wow! LD, so some of the disc's content I have seen before. The audio is presented in DD or DTS 5.1. The Pod race is presented in DD and DTS, and my initial response was that it sounded better than the current Phantom Menace's DD. The picture was not quite as good as the regular DVD.

The surround sound demos were fun. The real treat for me was seeing all the THX trailers on one disc, in DTS. Although encoded in DD and DTS, they all seem to be very accurate representations of their original presentations, that is, not changed.

The inclusion of the original THX Wow! content in DTS what makes this disc truly special. Its almost a teaser of whatsto come for Star Wars on DVD. Seeing portions of Indian Jones and Star Wars, anamorphically enhanced, and in DTS.... well, you see what I mean.

How did I get it? I work at a B&M Hi Fi store, and we were sent one by a rep.

If you guys like, I can post a better review later on.

 

[Scott_MacD]

A portion of the Pod race is presented in DTS, and my initial response was that it sounded better than the current Phantom Menace's DD.

Oh-oh. Can open, worms everywhere.

 

[Troy LaMont]

If you guys like, I can post a better review later on.

Hmmm, let me think...
HELL YES!!!
Troy

 

[Jeff Whitford]

Jeremy I sell hometheater as well could you PM me or email me direct and tell me what manufactors he reps for so I can try and get one from my reps. Thanks

 

[Ned]

640kbit DTS vs 384kbit DD...

And it sounds better? What a shock.

 

[GregK]

Ned,

It's probably more like 754kb/s DTS and 448kb/s DD.

 

[JeremySt]

THE POD RACE
Beginning from when Anakin gets his pod to start, and ending where Sebulba says "poodoo". This appears to be the THEATRICAL, not the Special Edition DVD version of the Pod Race. It is anamorhically enhanced, and has DD 5.1 and DTS 5.1. The sound is sspectacular on either, but I preffered the DTS. The picture was not as polished as the regualr DVD, but was still great.

THE THX STORY
Lucas and his minions discuss how they revolutionized movie sound.

THX ULTRA 2
No specific discussion of what THX ULTRA 2 does, just basic terminoligies discussing how it "automatically knows what to do".

THX WOW
The same presentation that was found on the LD, although this time in anamorphic and DD/DTS. Roughly 10 minutes long, a giant montage set to music and scenes from Indiana Jones, Star Wars, and Willow. Sounds about the same as the LD in terms of the mix, but the surround envelopment is better, and the bass is much better. Very Cool.

Also contains the THX Soundtrack demo, which shows how film sound is created. Shows scenes from Willow, Episode IV, Raiders, and Last Crusade with location sound. David Prowse speaking as Darth Vade before he was redubbed by James Earl Jones is priceless. Then the entire scene aboard the Coronado in Last Crusade is presented, showing step by step the inclusion of various level of sound, to create the final product. Anamorphically enhanced, but presented in in its original 4x3 ratio within the 16X9 frame.

THX TRAILERS
All of the THX trailers from '83 to current. Simpsons, Cows, Tex, Broadway, etc. All are in DD or DTS. The older ones are still accurate representations of their original sound format. The coolest one to me is the "Dolby Digital & THX" trailer, which has the conducter baton initiating a huge flying through hyperspace, acompanied by music, and the THX logo appearing against red sparks.

MUSIC DEMOS
Various surround sound, audio only demo.

 

[Michael Lee]

I have a copy of this disc also. My favorite trailer remains the Simpsons one...it might be getting a little old there, but it is guaranteed to raise a smile. The WOW montage was breathtaking the first time I saw it. Seeing it at the Stag Theater at George Lucas' ranch was only second to seeing Attack Of The Clones there.

 

[Mike_G]

Those of us that have the LD should be able to trade them in for the DVD.

Where can us mortals get one?

Mike

 

[Scott Simonian]

Yeah really. I want one!

 

[oscar_merkx]

Jeremy
Great to read but to us mere mortals what is the chance of owning one of these anyway.

 

[greg_t]

Now that THX is "independent", maybe they will sell these. If you go to their online store, there is nothing there and it says new merchandise coming soon. Maybe we'll get lucky. The could sell the heck out of these.

 

[JeremySt]

The disc is currently only available to retailers, and quantities seem to be limited for now. Hopefully, the now independently-owned THX will sell them on their website. Im trying to get the rep who sent me this one to send more.

 

[John P Grosskopf]

Lucasfilm currently owns the rights to every film whose clip is shown in the "Wow" sequence, though THX trailers and related materials are now soley owned by the new THX, of which Lucasfilm owns a less than 50% share.

The Wow LD was originally only distributed with complete THX systems as a demo, and was a limited private release by Lucasfilm because the distribution rights to the various films were owned by them not any one homevideo company.

This still holds true, so unless Lucasfilm actually wants this demo disc available to anyone except those with complete systems, THX will have to licences the clips from Lucasfilm for sale to regular non THX system owning consumers.

 

[Michael Lee]

Odds of finding these on sale from the new "THX, LTD." website are extremely slim to none.

 

[JeremySt]

I have done some screen captures. My gecities.com website never seems to be able to hostt them. If somebody wants to host these pics, I can send them to you.

 

[JeremySt]

A point of interest....

The "Tex" Trailer contained on the new THX Ultimate Demo disc is not the same as the one contained on the THX EX Demo disc. As you may know, the specific point of the EX disc was to show off the center rear channel. On that disc, the robot character flies to the right and left rear channels, and makes a stop in the center rear channel, where he hurts himself with a hammer and says "ow!" On the new disc, that part is missing. He only flies to the left and right channel.

Also, most likely due to rights issues, the THX trailer featured at the beginning of the T2 Ultimate Edition DVD is not on this disc. I guess I jumped the gun when I said "every" THX trailer was on this disc.

 

[Ron Reda]

A tad off the subject, but has anyone else seen the new THX trailer? I just got the new Die Hard 2: Special Edition and Speed: Five-Star Collection DVDs and it was on one of 'em (sorry, I can't remember which!). Anyway, it sounds pretty damn cool although the high-to-low frequency sweep is gone for the most part. It doess have some wind chimes (or something) that sound cool!

 

[Mike_G]

It's not new. That was playing in my local theater as far back as '92 (with Basic Instinct).

Mike

 

[Andrea W]

Jeremy,

Send me the screen captures, and I'll host them.