johnlocke2342 said:
Well a higher bitrate doesn't necessarily mean a better quality. For example it looks like there is less grain in my version, but while comparing both clips, I just realized they cropped the picture. I am uploading a clip of the same segment to my mega account so you can look by yourself, but I think there is no point in keeping this as you and Harmy said. I just wanted to be helpful mostly for Empire and ROTJ as I knew of this German broadcast for ANH but not for the sequels.
Grain is inherent to the physical structure of the film itself. Many directors selected the film stock they used according to how much grain they wanted in the result.
In the pre-digital age; Grain = Detail. No Grain= No Detail and low quality.
To remove grain from pre-digital age filmed movies destroys the intentions of the director and the production itself. It is supposed to be there.
Removing what is inherent the original physical Film medium via Digital Noise Reduction will always result in a loss of detail and depth, many times resulting closeups of faces looking waxy and fake. As once again they are removing what is supposted to be there just like the color of the sky in effect. Remember grain isn't noise it's part of the nitrate.
It is mind boggling that somehow at this point in time most people think grain is bad. When is reality in is the exact opposite. Not sure how that got started but it is very sad.
For those that are interested in the best looking most lifelike films on home hi-res possible here is good and quick info on what removing grain really does:
http://filmjunk.com/2010/07/12/blu-ray-myths-grain-is-a-flaw/
less quick but interesting
http://www.avsforum.com/t/825293/lots-of-blu-rays-grainy/90
As for me before I purchase any blu-ray I wait for reviews to see if grain structure was left intact. If I see on a pre-digital age film no grain is mentioned [sadly, usually in a positive manner by the reviewer] they will get none of my money.
P.S. I am not refering to the effects of using film in "bad shape" for those physical restoration is light years better than digital scrubbing. But digitial srubbing is cheap fast and makes the common masses happy or so they think.....