Toy Story 2: Special Edition..... due Dec. 26th (1 Viewer)

[Andrew Bunk]

Watched both new TS discs last night. Both looked fantastic.

You know, I've gotten used to watching HD cable in the past 6 months, and it dawned on me half way through the DVD that TS2 especially looked like HD. There were many parts where I thought I was watching an HD motion capture film of models-the detail was that good.

Very happy with these releases. I'll be keeping my TS 2-pack as well though for the Pixar shorts.

 

[James W. Johnson]

Well IMO Toy Story in HD would still look alot better but I agree with everyone that TS2 is as good as the current DVD technology can look.

BTW has Toy Story 1 or 2 ever been broacast in HD on one of the major networks yet?


Now I am not so sure why they spend so much time on these Toy Story's they got it right with the UTB and even managed to top that now...yet the first release of Finding Nemo still sucks.

Monsters Inc. is my favorite Pixar movie by far.....that one could use a little work too...
id certainly buy a super duper deluxe 18 disc version of that.

 

[Scott Pierson]

Can Dave or anyone else clarify whether the DTS track on the new disc is the new mix or whether it is the original mix ported to DTS. I ask because, while I agree that the DTS track is far superior to the DD track on the UTB, I have to say that the new DD track is better yet. Seems to have a lot more bass impact, the orchestral music is somewhat clearer and more focused, everything sounds a bit cleaner.

I generally prefer DTS tracks over the DD tracks for just those reasons, which leads me to think this might be a DTS version of the original mix, while only the DD track on the new disc has been revamped. Anyone have any info on this?
Thanks.

 

[Joe Schwartz]

Yes, Toy Story was broadcast in HD a few months ago on ABC, but it didn't look particularly impressive. I suspect it was upsampled from SD.

 

[Tim Glover]

I sampled a few scenes too. I have an 108 inch 16x9 screen via projector...

The new TS2 is a bit more vibrant and sharper. Not night and day, but the colors are a tad richer. We did a A/B of the Ultimate Toy Box Dvd.

The audio is mixed though. The DD track sounds fuller with a lower bottom end. Otherwise they sound almost indentical.

I love DaVid's reviews but saying "dts utterly smokes the DD track" is not the really the case for these big ears. :b Pretty close...and waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much effort to try and find the winner.

 

[James W. Johnson]

Id akin A/Bing the new TS2 with the UTB TS2 to A/Bing high end speaker cables.

 

[DaViD Boulet]

Interesting that you guys aren't finding that the DTS is flat-out "better" than the DD on the new disc. To my ears it seems pretty clear. Any specific scenes I should A/B to hear the bass impact you're talking about with the DD track?


Just like with the previous TS 10th anniversary edition, this is a *new* mix (I think made by the same guy who engineered the original mix).

 

[Tim Glover]

One scene in particular Dave is the one in TS2 when Buzz and crew are crossing the street. When the semi truck pans around, there is more spaciousness to the DTS mix, but the bass is better on the Dolby track.

On TS, at the Pizza Planet thing, when the truck nearly runs them over...hard to tell the too apart really. Still, more bass on the Dolby track but also a tad more open sounding on the DTS.

One thing for sure, both tracks are AWESOME. The new Dolby mix and DTS mix do sound more natural though than the DD mix on the UTB. That one is a tad too bright and forward to my ears.

A disclaimer, my Pioneer THX-Ultra Reciever seems to decode Dolby a bit better than my former Yamaha reciever. On that one, DTS usually was my preferred format when given the option. With my Pioneer, it seems that they have a better Dolby decoder than the DTS one?

So it might just be a hardware issue for those who really hear a big difference.

 

[DaViD Boulet]

Tim,

thanks for the details. I hear the "more open" sound of the DTS...I'll listen again to hear if I can find any difference in the bass.

I've got a B&K AVR 212 processsor (similar to the reference 30) doing the decoding...

 

[Tim Glover]

Another disclaimer which will put me in "fraud" mode...I am currently having to use my front mains as large until I get a new sub.

Not bad bass routed to the subs but NOT real bass. Still, it's the same setting for both mixes.

Reading other review sites, like Dan Ramer's on DVD file (who I also trust) reports a tighter bottom end with dts.

Dave, listen to those scenes I pointed out and give us your thoughts?