General Discussion Verified HD Digitals same as Warner Archive Blu-rays (2012-2025)

[Robert Crawford]

Verified HD Digitals derived from WAC Blu-ray Scans:

(Verification by Robert Crawford or by at least two different HTF members)

1. Westward the Women (1951) (iTunes, Vudu, MA)
2. In the Good Old Summertime (1949) (iTunes, MA)
3. Pride and Prejudice (1940) (iTunes, Vudu, MA)
4. The Last Time I Saw Paris (1954) (iTunes, MA)
5. A Little Romance (1979) (iTunes)
6. The Law and Jake Wade (1958) (iTunes, MA)
7. The Sea Wolf (1941) (iTunes, Vudu, MA)
8. Blood on the Moon (1948) (iTunes, MA)
9. On Dangerous Ground (1952) (iTunes, MA)
10. The Letter (1940) (iTunes)
11. She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949) (iTunes, Vudu, MA)
12. Dodsworth (1936) (iTunes)
13. I'll Cry Tomorrow (1955) (iTunes, Vudu, MA)
14. The Goodbye Girl (1977) (iTunes, Vudu, MA)
15. Ladyhawke (1985) (iTunes, Vudu, MA)
16. Bedlam (1946) (iTunes, Vudu, MA)
17. Conflict (1945) (iTunes, MA)
18. They Were Expendable (1945) (iTunes)
19. Black Belt Jones (1974) (iTunes, Vudu, MA)
20. Northwest Passage (1940) (iTunes, MA)
21. Wichita (1955) (iTunes)
22. Santa Fe Trail (1940) (iTunes, Vudu, MA)
23. A Patch of Blue (1965) (iTunes, Vudu, MA)
24. I Remember Mama (1948) (iTunes, Vudu, MA)
25. Idiot's Delight (1939) (iTunes, Vudu, MA)
26. Days of Wine and Roses (1962) (iTunes, MA)
27. They Drive by Night (1940) (iTunes, Vudu, MA)
28. The Shining Hour (1938) (iTunes, Vudu, MA)
29. The Prince and the Pauper (1937) (iTunes, Vudu, MA)
30. Three Little Words (1950) (iTunes, Vudu, MA)

 

[Mark-P]

This is slightly off-topic as it doesn’t pertain to a 4K upgrade, but will be of interest to readers of this thread. iTunes is now selling Red Dust in HD. It’s only ever been available in SD. iTunes isn’t one to sell ”fake HD” upconverts like other some other digital retailers, especially with Warner content. I wonder if this is in the pipeline for a Warner Archive Blu-ray release?

 

[JPCinema]

This is slightly off-topic as it doesn’t pertain to a 4K upgrade, but will be of interest to readers of this thread. iTunes is now selling Red Dust in HD. It’s only ever been available in SD. iTunes isn’t one to sell ”fake HD” upconverts like other some other digital retailers, especially with Warner content. I wonder if this is in the pipeline for a Warner Archive Blu-ray release?

Mine upgraded to HD automatically and it looks so much better than the SD version

 

[Robert Crawford]

This is slightly off-topic as it doesn’t pertain to a 4K upgrade, but will be of interest to readers of this thread. iTunes is now selling Red Dust in HD. It’s only ever been available in SD. iTunes isn’t one to sell ”fake HD” upconverts like other some other digital retailers, especially with Warner content. I wonder if this is in the pipeline for a Warner Archive Blu-ray release?

It might be in the Warner Archive pipeline, but it's not going to be derived from the same source as this HD digital. It's mediocre at best.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Mine upgraded to HD automatically and it looks so much better than the SD version

I find that hard to believe because it looks like it's derived from an older scan.

 

[Mark-P]

It might be in the Warner Archive pipeline, but it's not going to be derived from the same source as this HD digital. It's mediocre at best.

Did you already buy the HD version or are you just saying your SD version looks the same as it did before?

 

[Robert Crawford]

Did you already buy the HD version or are you just saying your SD version looks the same as it did before?

I bought it and watched the first 15 minutes.

 

[Mark-P]

I bought it and watched the first 15 minutes.

Thanks for being the guinea pig. If it goes on sale for $5 I’ll probably pick it up, but otherwise hope for an Archive Blu-ray.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Thanks for being the guinea pig. If it goes on sale for $5 I’ll probably pick it up, but otherwise hope for an Archive Blu-ray.

Those $5 sales for classic films have become more infrequent over the past year or so which is why I decided to buy this digital now.

 

[cda1143]

Thanks for being the guinea pig. If it goes on sale for $5 I’ll probably pick it up, but otherwise hope for an Archive Blu-ray.

It might be in the Warner Archive pipeline, but it's not going to be derived from the same source as this HD digital. It's mediocre at best.

Mine upgraded to HD automatically and it looks so much better than the SD version

I find that hard to believe because it looks like it's derived from an older scan.

I'm a guinea pig too. Although seemingly in disagreement, I think both Robert and Ken are correct. This is certainly derived from the older 2012 DVD scan, and not WA Blu-worthy. However, it still looks far better than the DVD. It has no cleanup or stabilization, but the scan itself was obviously HD. It has far more detail and far fewer artifacts than the DVD.

If you like the film, I'd say it's worth the current $10. YMMV

 

[John Gilmore]

I'm a guinea pig too. Although seemingly in disagreement, I think both Robert and Ken are correct. This is certainly derived from the older 2012 DVD scan, and not WA Blu-worthy. However, it still looks far better than the DVD. It has no cleanup or stabilization, but the scan itself was obviously HD. It has far more detail and far fewer artifacts than the DVD.

Makes me wonder about Show Boat that recently switched to HD at FAH. Every other digital store still has it in SD. Since it's an MA title, I've done some quick comparisons and, while the HD version is nice and sharp, the colors (while nice) seem to be on-par with the SD version. I'm guessing that likely means it is *not* the same transfer as the more recent Archive blu-ray?

 

[Todd Erwin]

Makes me wonder about Show Boat that recently switched to HD at FAH. Every other digital store still has it in SD.

FAH has been called out by many customers for selling movies that say UHD or HD, but are actually either the next resolution down or an upconvert to the “advertised” resolution.

 

[cda1143]

Makes me wonder about Show Boat that recently switched to HD at FAH. Every other digital store still has it in SD. Since it's an MA title, I've done some quick comparisons and, while the HD version is nice and sharp, the colors (while nice) seem to be on-par with the SD version. I'm guessing that likely means it is *not* the same transfer as the more recent Archive blu-ray?

To everyone’s knowledge no Warner Archive Blu-ray transfer has ever appeared on any streaming platform other than HBOmax. These max streams have typically been available for only very brief periods, with the last one I can remember being well over a year ago.

For all titles with a WA Blu, any other HD streaming versions are from older masters - not the WA master.

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

Makes me wonder about Show Boat that recently switched to HD at FAH. Every other digital store still has it in SD. Since it's an MA title, I've done some quick comparisons and, while the HD version is nice and sharp, the colors (while nice) seem to be on-par with the SD version. I'm guessing that likely means it is *not* the same transfer as the more recent Archive blu-ray?

FAH/Vudu is notorious for the "fake HD" mentioned. Haven't heard of that w/ Apple/iTunes as also noted.

To everyone’s knowledge no Warner Archive Blu-ray transfer has ever appeared on any streaming platform other than HBOmax. These max streams have typically been available for only very brief periods, with the last one I can remember being well over a year ago.

For all titles with a WA Blu, any other HD streaming versions are from older masters - not the WA master.

Anyway, I'm mildly inclined to believe/hope that @Mark-P's hunch/speculation could turn out to be true... because I'm also on record for guessing/suggesting similarly about one or two previous other cases where the HD digital release seemed to roughly coincide (w/in several months or so) of the WAC BD release, eg. The Goodbye Girl, which nobody has actually refuted so far...

Also, FWIW, what's speculated/hypothesized in these (rare) cases would make sense and jive w/ WAC/Feltenstein's official word about digitals so far...

_Man_

 

[Robert Crawford]

FAH/Vudu is notorious for the "fake HD" mentioned. Haven't heard of that w/ Apple/iTunes as also noted.



Anyway, I'm mildly inclined to believe/hope that @Mark-P's hunch/speculation could turn out to be true... because I'm also on record for guessing/suggesting similarly about one or two previous other cases where the HD digital release seemed to roughly coincide (w/in several months or so) of the WAC BD release, eg. The Goodbye Girl, which nobody has actually refuted so far...

Also, FWIW, what's speculated/hypothesized in these (rare) cases would make sense and jive w/ WAC/Feltenstein's official word about digitals so far...

_Man_

Only one movie, I rest my case because there are exceptions to most rules.

 

[cda1143]

FAH/Vudu is notorious for the "fake HD" mentioned. Haven't heard of that w/ Apple/iTunes as also noted.



Anyway, I'm mildly inclined to believe/hope that @Mark-P's hunch/speculation could turn out to be true... because I'm also on record for guessing/suggesting similarly about one or two previous other cases where the HD digital release seemed to roughly coincide (w/in several months or so) of the WAC BD release, eg. The Goodbye Girl, which nobody has actually refuted so far...

Also, FWIW, what's speculated/hypothesized in these (rare) cases would make sense and jive w/ WAC/Feltenstein's official word about digitals so far...

_Man_

I'm a little unclear. Is the HD streaming Goodbye Girl the same transfer as the WA Blu? If so I should edit my post.

Thanks

 

[Robert Crawford]

I'm a little unclear. Is the HD streaming Goodbye Girl the same transfer as the WA Blu? If so I should edit my post.

Thanks

That's what he's saying but I never found time to compare the Blu-ray to the HD digital. However, there are hundreds of other HD digitals that aren't derived from the same source as their Warner Archive Blu-ray release.

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[Mark-P]

Only one movie, I rest my case because there are exceptions to most rules.

I remember you once thought there were a few more that were the same as the WAC Blu-rays, but this post was 5 years ago. My how time flies!

 

[Robert Crawford]

I remember you once thought there were a few more that were the same as the WAC Blu-rays, but this post was 5 years ago. My how time flies!

That was then and this is now. However, all of those titles were 2016 WA BD releases including The Goodbye Girl. Perhaps the policy changed since then. Somebody should do a deep dive into that situation. It's not going to be me because it's not that important to me because you know, I continue to buy iTunes HD digitals even those I already have on Blu-ray.

 

[cda1143]

I think you're wrong in terms of totality! I don't think it's as clear cut as you stated. I think some titles have been upgraded, but not all of them. The following titles look like new HD streams to me in comparison to their respective Blu-rays.

Dark Passage
Key Largo
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

Robert:

Just checking. Do you still believe these to be the Blu transfers? I can check Dark Passage as I own both. The iTunes HD vs. WA Blu's that I have checked have always been different transfers. I keep hoping, but so far I haven't discovered any of the newer transfers on iTunes. Like you, I also still buy iTunes digitals I have on disc, but I've given up duplicating WA titles because the disc transfers are almost always superior.

I should note that certain titles, although different from the WA Blu, still look very good on iTunes. Some of the HD scans originally done for the WA DVD's look excellent when they had good source material.