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Info Wanted: The laserdiscs vs. The best bootlegs — Page 3

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Thanks for the info MBJ! You´re doing a mighty fine job, keep up the good work. Can´t wait to sample those transfers of yours when they become available...

peace,

Rebelscum
peace,

Rebelscum
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Sharp delineations are lost. Edges become softer, and objects with a range of colors (light brown to dark brown) have "bands" of colors, rather than a gradual change.


I think the smoothing effect and loss of detail during motion bugs me the most. Just look at the carbon freezing scene in ESB in any of the bootlegs. It looks like the characters are being attacked by ghosts instead of surrounded in steam. I'm hoping a high-bitrate DL version will improve upon this.

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It´s also apparent in the beginning of TR47´s ESB when the probe droids eject from under the Star Destroyer. The detail on the SD is almost totally lost with just a grey sea of muddiness and movement instead. Compare that scene with the one from the 2004 DVD´s and your jaw will drop! It´s like night and day.

peace,

Rebelscum
peace,

Rebelscum
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Compare that scene with the one from the 2004 DVD´s and your jaw will drop! It´s like night and day.


Sure, but then you have to put up with the mind-numbing story and character changes that Senile George has made, not only in the SE, but in the horrific SSE 2004 edition.

I'm a movie fan first and foremost, so I'd easily trade off some image quality, in return for the original, high-paced, consistent FX movies.
http://web.newsguy.com/theprofessional/ebay/sw_logo_s.jpg
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"I realize the LD technology is analog, but what about the optical digital-out ports that were on many models, including my old Sony? Would those conceivably help with a higher-quality output?"

Only if the source LD's have a digital audio track on them. The newer players had those ports because LD's started to come out with Dolby Digital and DTS soundtracks on them. These audio tracks were actually digital, not analog like the rest of the disc. So, in theory, playing the digital audio through your toslink or rf digital output would yield higher quality playback because the soundtrack is already digital.


Yes. Think of it this way - if you were to record a song onto audio-cassette and onto the computer (as a .wav file), you would have much higher fidelity from the computer. Thye cassette takes the analog waveform and saves it in an analog format. The computer takes the analog waveform and saves it in a digital format, but it is still an analog waveform. This is why PCM soundtracks (on laserdisc or CD) are so large - it's the whole signal with no compression. In fact, PCM stands for "Pulse Code Modulation". Pulses (with their rise and fall) versus digital bits.

Analog and digital are two completely different animals. If you capture analog audio onto your computer, no matter how high a sampling rate, it will never be the same quality as it's analog source. When the source is converted to digital using modulation, a sample is taken so many times per second -- much like a video camera captures so many frames per second. The higher the sampling rate, the higher the quality, but it can never be the same as the original. PCM audio files are represented on the computer as waveforms, but it's only a graphical representation of the digital samples. If you look at a compressed mp3 file in the same way, it is still represented as a waveform.

My Projects:
[Holiday Special Hybrid DVD v2]
[X0 Project]
[Backstroke of the West DVD]
[ROTS Theatrical DVD]

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> The higher the sampling rate, the higher the quality, but it can never be the same as the original.

Not strictly true. According to the sampling theorem, in an ideal A/D D/A system, the original signal WILL be reconstructed perfectly, up to the Nyquist point ( half the sampling rate ).

In the real world, the truth of this statement is limited by factors like the quality of the components used for digitisation & reconstruction, and in particular the filters used. This is why a capture card costing thousands will give better results than a cheaper one.

So it's never exactly the same, but it can get pretty damn close...
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Although, if your converters are made by Prism, TC Electronics or Pacific Microsonics ( for example ! ) the difference will be VERY small !
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Geeks!

<span class=“Italics”>MeBeJedi: Sadly, I believe the prequels are beyond repair.
<span class=“Bold”>JediRandy: They’re certainly beyond any repair you’re capable of making.</span></span>

<span class=“Italics”>MeBeJedi: You aren’t one of us.
<span class=“Bold”>Go-Mer-Tonic: I can’t say I find that very disappointing.</span></span>

<span class=“Italics”>JediRandy: I won’t suck as much as a fan edit.</span>

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Originally posted by: MeBeJedi
"MeBeJedi -- So are you making both anamorphic and letterboxed (non-anamorphic widescreen for anyone who is confused) versions"

Correct. I'm just waiting on some software that would assist me in cleaning up the picture for the anamorphic version. There's a lot of shit in frame that needs to be fixed.

"I was also under the impression that even though the 1995 THX "Faces" transfer was better, the 1993 Definitive Collection LD source was still higher quality because it was CAV format."

It only means the individual frames are cleaner. Plus, older LD players were only able to do tricks like visual pause/rewind/fast forward with CAV disks. Later players were better equipped to do these tricks with CLV as well. In terms of overall play, it really didn't make a tremendous difference (except in overall running time per side.)

"I was also wondering HOW LaserDiscs can be analog..."

Just because it uses a laser, doesn't mean it's digital. It's essentially like a record player, in that the signal is stored as the actual wavelengths. This is the one good things about using laserdisc for a master - the audio and video are not compressed, unlike DVD. (However, a laserdisc with AC3 or DTS does have a digitally compressed/stored soundtrack.)


Thanks for the explanations MeBeJedi. I can't wait to see your set. Keep us updated! How much do you think you'll be selling the set for? And do you think you'll be able to have them factory punched like the current Dual Layer set?

"What is best in life Conan?"
"To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their women!"
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"How much do you think you'll be selling the set for?"

How attached are you to your left nut?

<span class=“Italics”>MeBeJedi: Sadly, I believe the prequels are beyond repair.
<span class=“Bold”>JediRandy: They’re certainly beyond any repair you’re capable of making.</span></span>

<span class=“Italics”>MeBeJedi: You aren’t one of us.
<span class=“Bold”>Go-Mer-Tonic: I can’t say I find that very disappointing.</span></span>

<span class=“Italics”>JediRandy: I won’t suck as much as a fan edit.</span>

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Originally posted by: MeBeJedi
"How much do you think you'll be selling the set for?"

How attached are you to your left nut?


Uh...I only need one, right?
"What is best in life Conan?"
"To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their women!"