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Info: The Empire Strikes Back in HD Compromise

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Hey all,

Hope everyone is well out there. While I await Adywan’s Star Wars Revisited with anticipation, I have acquired an HD copy of The Empire Strikes Back from its broadcast on Cinemax. While it is broadcast in HD 1080i and not the slicker 1080p common to HD-DVD and Blu-Ray, I am very impressed with the details that come through compared with even the 2004 DVD. However, while I am happily stunned with the detail I am equally stung by the not-so-Special Editions to the film, namely the Wampa, Boba Fett’s “new” voice, the loss of Luke’s joke on Dagobah and the useless Vader-lands-on-his-shuttle scene.

I can live with the Cloud City expansion (sans the Lando intercom scene in an ideal world) and while I’m not totally sold on McDiarmind’s new performance as the Emperor, I could also live with that if the line about “the young Rebel who destroyed the Death Star blah blah blah offspring of Anakin Skywalker” was removed. It lacks all subtlety.

The only problem is I have not the skills to do this kind of thing, just the master file itself. I don’t know if it’s even possible without some anamorphic OUT footage that could be upconverted. Even then it would definitely look crappy edited into an HD stream. I’m probably living a pipe dream as I type this. Too bad the 95 percent of the original Empire that is in HD has to go to waste…

Oh, I’d also like to give a very-much belated shout out to OCP for his excellent ESB Classic Edition (It’s the only one I watch) and to the maker of Building Empire. Truly amazing work and endlessly entertaining. Thanks guys for teaching me even more about my favorite movie than I already knew and allowing me the ability not to cringe through Lucas’ bad additions when I watch the film.

Thanks all for reading this. If anyone wants to talk ESB, feel free to PM me.

"I turned it off! I don't wanna talk to her!"
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I just edited a 1080p version of the Premier HD broadcast of Empire, which puts the Cinemax version to shame btw, I only replaced the Bobba Fett voice though. I am currently posting a 1080p version of A New Hope with color correction and Han shooting first. Granted these aren't major restorations but do make the revisionist editions more enjoyable. I haven't had adequate feedback on my releases so I'm not sure I'll post Empire. I would avoid the crappy 1080i Cinemax broadcasts if possible. In fact, I just released the entire saga in 1080p in a.b.starwars, I'm surprised no one is discussing them, almost seems there is no interest in such things.
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I have downloaded all the wmv versions you have posted in A.B. Starwars and Thank you very much for them!!

Just checked the newsgroups, didn't realize ANH Han shoots first edition was a higher bitrate!!! Yeah!! Thank you , thank you!!!



"You were so preoccupied with whether or not you could...you never stopped to think if you should." - Ian Malcolm, Jurassic Park
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Wookie, can you post the Han shooting first scene individually? I already have your original release, and I don't have the bandwidth to spare to re-download it, but I'd like to see the results of this edit.

Thanks.
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While it is broadcast in HD 1080i and not the slicker 1080p common to HD-DVD and Blu-Ray


I was under the impression that, when you've got a film source, there's no difference between 1080i and 1080p (1080i might have repeated fields if it's at 29.97fps instead of 23.976fps but that can be taken care of).

DE
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WG, I also downloaded all six movies and I LOVE them. I really appreciate all the effort you put into them and regard them as definitive HD screeners until LFL decides to release them officially. I wish more folks were posting movies unreleased in HD in the wmv format - I find it's the best compromise between file size and quality. Great work!
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Originally posted by: Wookie Groomer
do me a favor and stop posting my releases in this forum. My High Definition releases don't belong in here.

Originally posted by: Wookie Groomer
I haven't had adequate feedback on my releases
[...]
I'm surprised no one is discussing them


Want it both ways ?

However, in practice you must take into account the “fuckwit factor”. Just talk to Darth Mallwalker…
-Moth3r

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Is there anything special involved in editing from a hi def source versus a DVD mpeg?

Can I just load it into the same software?

I know I’ve made some very poor decisions recently.

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Originally posted by: Wookie Groomer
I just released the entire saga in 1080p in a.b.starwars, I'm surprised no one is discussing them, almost seems there is no interest in such things.


Wookie Groomer, I can't thank you enough for releasing them, I downloaded all of them from and they look GREAT on my hdtv, I can't believe this things look so good and still fit on a DVD9, again thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!! As far as no one discussing them, I didn't because I remembered someone created a thread a while ago about you releasing the HD versions or something related and you asked them not to do it so I figured you didn't want this to be here for all to read. But again I loved them and downloaded them while I was at work, I could not wait everyday to get home and see if it was done and to play them on my tv. THANK YOU!!!!!!
I wish I had a Kryptonite cross, because then you could keep both Dracula AND Superman away.
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Originally posted by: Darth Mallwalker
Originally posted by: Wookie Groomer
do me a favor and stop posting my releases in this forum. My High Definition releases don't belong in here.



Yeah, that's what I was refering to. I guess I should read all the posts before posting myself.
I wish I had a Kryptonite cross, because then you could keep both Dracula AND Superman away.
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Hey guys,

Pardon my ignorance, but I have beaten my head against a wall trying to figure out how to find and access this atl.binaries newsgroup and while I understand torrents backwards and forwards, I do not understand where or how to get to this mythical newsgroup. Could someone help me please?

Wookiee Groomer, I'll happily compliment your HD posts as soon as I can download that Premiere HD copy of ESB, I just need to know how to get to it!

nohandluke
"I turned it off! I don't wanna talk to her!"
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I got angry because there was more talk about how to butcher my release than anyone showing any appreciation what what I have shared.
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Hey Groomer,

Do you have any advice on how to get to the newsgroup?

Thanks,
nohandluke
"I turned it off! I don't wanna talk to her!"
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"I turned it off! I don't wanna talk to her!"
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Thanks for the info!
"I turned it off! I don't wanna talk to her!"
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Originally posted by: Wookie Groomer
I just edited a 1080p version of the Premier HD broadcast of Empire, which puts the Cinemax version to shame btw, I only replaced the Bobba Fett voice though. I am currently posting a 1080p version of A New Hope with color correction and Han shooting first. Granted these aren't major restorations but do make the revisionist editions more enjoyable. I haven't had adequate feedback on my releases so I'm not sure I'll post Empire. I would avoid the crappy 1080i Cinemax broadcasts if possible. In fact, I just released the entire saga in 1080p in a.b.starwars, I'm surprised no one is discussing them, almost seems there is no interest in such things.
WG I was under the impression that talking about your releases was taboo here @ OT.com.....I have your VC-1 encodes and LOVE them........

I also don't know how to post a "thank you" post on a.b.starwars....if I did I defiantly would.

I love everybody. Lets all smoke some reefer and chill. Hug and kisses for everybody.

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I downloaded 4, 5, and 6. Looks pretty good on my pc... anyone one know of a straight forward wmv splitter... preferably freeware? I don't have a dual layer burner... would love to watch these on my xbox
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dumb_kid, is your xbox soft or hard modded? If so you can just FTP the movies over to the xbox from your PC....use xbox media center (XBMC) to play them.....

I love everybody. Lets all smoke some reefer and chill. Hug and kisses for everybody.

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Wookiee Groomer!

Just wanted to tell you I left you a message on the a.b.starwars message board - I don't know if it's uploaded yet, but I wanted to thank you for the ESB HD! Unfortunately, I'm missing the first two files - they seem to have flown the coop. Any way to reup those? I'd really appreciate it. You've made a lifelong (29 yrs old) ESB fan very happy!

nohandluke
"I turned it off! I don't wanna talk to her!"
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Originally posted by: nohandluke
Wookiee Groomer!

Just wanted to tell you I left you a message on the a.b.starwars message board - I don't know if it's uploaded yet, but I wanted to thank you for the ESB HD! Unfortunately, I'm missing the first two files - they seem to have flown the coop. Any way to reup those? I'd really appreciate it. You've made a lifelong (29 yrs old) ESB fan very happy!

nohandluke


Reposting these files for you now

ANH:REVISITED
ESB:REVISITED

DONATIONS TOWARDS MATERIALS FOR THE REVISITED SAGA

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Originally posted by: vbangle
dumb_kid, is your xbox soft or hard modded? If so you can just FTP the movies over to the xbox from your PC....use xbox media center (XBMC) to play them.....


I guess I should clarify... xbox 360... a normal xbox will not have the horsepower to play high-def video. 360's can play wmv natively... but a I can't stream to my 360 from my very old computer... so I'd like to break up the videos into 2 chunks for the time being.

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Adywan!

You're the MAN! Dang I love this group! I don't know how Superman Returns kept me away so long in 2006 - DON'T ASK.

nohandluke
"I turned it off! I don't wanna talk to her!"
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Thanks for upload the 6 1080P versions of the movies. Will enjoy them on my Xbox360 and fullhd screen
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Wookie,

I just finished dl'ing the color-corrected 1080p ANH and had to log on to "thank the maker"! This looks absolutely incredible and the color correction was definitely an improvement over your previous 1080p ANH release.

BC