FanFiltration

The new S-video cable did help improve the quality some. The picture looks a bit better then it had. I don't think I can improve the quality any more without buying a new LD player.

I was not sure about the science behind old style LaserDisc AC-3 digital coaxial output and how to import it to my PC. I found a web page that describes the entire proses, and what I would need to pull off a AC3 transfer.

http://www.precisionlaserdisc.com/newfaq.html

Looks like I need a Laserdisc AC-3 RF Demodulator. They run big bucks, so I will have to try and save for one. Until then, it looks like it will be PCM mono and stereo from the RCA jacks only on my projects. 

Diamonds will complete the Connery Collection Vol. II preservation. Need to keep it complete for collectors that need the entire set. People like me.

And who knows, I may just make a new stereo mix and as well as isolate the complete music score for all of these films. I had the effects and music only on the Banned Bond set (F.R.W.L's was lifted from the Connery Collection Vol. 1 disk, as it was not on the Criterion disk for that one film), so I feel that I need to include something like that on these releases. 

FF

captainsolo said:

Any chance of looking at YOLT after this? It definitely needs it's color back. the UE looks like everything was just desaturated-maybe its just a matter of bringing that back up.

Yes, Y.O.L.T., O.H.M.S.S. and Diamonds will all have a preservation by me as soon as "Thunderball" is done.

I am trying another capture of the 1989 laser tonight with better cables this time. There is some slight video noise I just can't seem to get rid of.

FF

bkev said:

Forgive me if I seem picky, FanFiltration. No doubt I'm sure you know that I appreciate your efforts... indeed, I'll give my opinion for sure.

Everything or Nothing!

and

He acts while other men just talk.
He looks at this world, and wants it all,
So he strikes, like Thunderball.
He knows the meaning of success.
His needs are more, so he gives less.
They call him the winner who takes all.
And he strikes, like Thunderball.

Bond films are worth such respect and demands for perfection.

FF

skyjedi2005 said:

Total want the Connery collection disc you are making as it would complement the set you made for banned bond.

I would also be interested in star trek special longer version on disc if anyone could help a fellow fan out.

The Banned Bond set needs to be updated. I still have the original Criterion disks, and plan on doing just that. I need to compare the prints used on the Criterion disks to the ones used for the Connery Collection Vol. 1

I know for a fact that the "Goldfinger" print has some bad damage on the Criterion set.  

The Connery Collection Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 have digital sound.

So do the 2 disk sets from 1989 on...

They have these style covers...

I also have the O.H.M.S.S. disks from this lossless digital audio series, so that is in the works for preservation too.

Another set I have is the Goldfinger: Deluxe Collector's Edition in THX digital video/sound in Standard Play format on five side.

bkev said:

So the Connery Collection won't be converted to anamorphic? Oh well, I'll still check it out.

Take a look at the quality and tell me if you think it would look good upsized to anamorphic. I will give it a shot if you feel it is worth it. I would value your opinion.

FF

skyjedi2005 said:

captainsolo said:

Awesome. That makes some sense out of all the LDs and various audio mixes. The new mix sounds like a good idea if possible.

Thank you for doing this. I have wanted to do some of the Bonds myself, mainly this and TSWLM for some time.

What is this LD?

http://www.lddb.com/laserdisc/08065/ML105655/Thunderball-%281965%29

Is that the disc with the ac3?

I think it is.

Yes it is.  The THX 30th box has the same ac3 mix.

I went out today to buy a RCA digital coax cable for my laserdisc player. I just need the Coax to optical Toslink converter box so that I can capture the AC3 to my computer. Once I do that I can use my DTS converter and make lossless DTS tracks for you guys.

This is what I am going to do right now.  I'm going to make available the preservation of the original letterbox laser version for download in the next few days.  That is the full aspect ratio (non-cropped) letterbox version contained in the Connery Collection Vol. II box set.  I will include the PCM mono audio from that version, and also include the alternate PCM audio from the THX version.

After that, I will release the THX version preservation with the same two audio tracks.

This will take care of the preservation of the various laser releases.  Then after that, I can release my own definitive edition with the newly created audio tracks. Doing it this way will let fans obtain a number of versions for their collections. 

FF

bkev said:

How is the bitrate on the 97 SE discs? Would it perhaps be better to use the UE and then colormatch it to the SE discs, making occasional changes here and there? I mean, a DVD from 1997 probably doesn't have very good bitrate...

I hear what you are saying, and I will have to play with them and compare quality. 

I did make a sad discovery tonight, and that is that the THX laserdisc version is in fact missing some picture information, but not in every scene. The pre-title sequence looks like it's not cropped, but Bond's dance with Domino at Cafe Martinique is. I may go back to the Connery Collection LD as the video source and just clean that up A bit for this preservation, but I will have to see after I finish the audio work.

Update: I now have the two L.D. versions I'm using as my sources on my PC, and I have about half of the film synced up with the alternate audio versions as of this posting.  

captainsolo said:

Awesome. That makes some sense out of all the LDs and various audio mixes. The new mix sounds like a good idea if possible.

Thank you for doing this. I have wanted to do some of the Bonds myself, mainly this and TSWLM for some time.

What is this LD?

http://www.lddb.com/laserdisc/08065/ML105655/Thunderball-%281965%29

That is the restored print that is on the THX 30th anniversary set and the S.E. DVD, but it's in CLV extended play format. It's only 3 sides. The THX box is the better choice for that print of the film. I'm not sure about the cropping on that version, as I don't own it.

The 1989 (2 disk gatefold) and 1993 (Connery Collection Vol. II 3-film box set) laserdisk versions are the same print with the alternate mono soundtrack featuring the rare instrumental "Thunderball" end title theme.  The secondary mono audio track on the Blu-ray has all these alternate audio variations except the "Thunderball" end theme. In it's place, the Ultimate edition and Blu-ray 5.1, and also the secondary mono audio track on the Blu-ray use the James Bond Theme for the end titles.  It is also important to note the the color on the 1993 (Connery Collection Vol. II)is a bit better then the 1989 (2 disk gatefold) version.

The THX (30th Anniversary) Edition is important for a few reasons.

It has THX Laserdisk mastering, and is presented in Standard Play format and uses 5 sides for the film (sides 6 and 7 are the extras, and are in CLV Extended play). The 1989 and 1993 are only CLV Extended play, and use 3 sides.

This is the same restored print that was used for the S.E. DVD. It has  lossless PCM audio.   That version of the soundtrack is only available in remixed 5.1 Dolby Digital on the S.E. DVD, or remixed with additional sound enhancements in 5.1 DTS on the Blu-Ray.

Hope that helps. 

As a side note, I want to create a new 2.0 stereo mix to match the original mono version. I will use the 5.1 mix as a blueprint on how to pan the sound in most of the scenes, but will not use the modern enhanced sound effect elements added to the U.E and Blu-ray. I also hope to use the stereo soundtrack CD's of the Barry score for the music mix. This new stereo mix will also be PCM lossless.

Right now, I am capturing the 1993 CLV version to my HD.

"Blazing Saddles"

Thanks for the encouragement captainsolo! I will do my best to make this edition definitive for fans like us.  Right now I am capturing the version from the "Connery Collection Vol. 2" laserdisk box set.  I pray that there will be no noticeable audio problems due to unforeseen disk rot on any of the multiple L.D. editions I own of "Thunderball".  If there are problems, I will have to search for replacements. Something I truly don't want to do, because I already own 8 official versions of this film on different home video formats.

3 on L.D.

2 on DVD (S.E. and U.E.)

2 on VHS

1 on Blu-ray

Well guys, It looks like this project is back on again.

I am not happy with ANY of the released versions (including the new Blu ray edition), so I am going to return to this project and make my own preservation.  My main focus will still be on the audio, bu

Video Source = 1997 (out of print) Special Edition (with some minor tweaks)

Original Mono = PCM Audio from 1989 Laserdisk

THX Mono = PCM audio from 30th Anniversary Laserdisk set

"Thunderball" End Theme = from 1992 MGM/UA home video release.

Music / effects only track = Extracted from 2006 Ultimate Edition DVD

Isolated Score = Newly created, and presented in Lossless quality.

*5.1 English DTS = 2006 Ultimate Edition DVD (*decision to include this is not final.)

I want to make it so that you can experience this film with lossless PCM  audio in any of it's four alternate versions.

You can see what these differences are at the link below.

http://www.obsessional.co.uk/lostandfound.htm

More to come....

I have never seen any of the films you guys are talking about. I may have seen parts of "Dracula" (1931) on T.V.  when I was very young but it did not hold my attention. This edit you are constructing sounds great, and my being able to view this tale from a completely unbiased and fresh point of view seems very exciting to me.

FF

jswert123 said:

im not major expert but cant you convert from widescreen to full screen   vice versa and still have good quality thru out

I've tried that, but was never happy with how the widescreen image looked when blown up to full frame. Very blurry and I saw lots of digital artifacts and digital blocks. To do pan and scan correctly,  it takes a lot of time to map out how you will pan each change of camera angle in each scene to keep the focus on the right area of the frame at any given moment. Very time consuming. Also, not every extra scenes injected into the laserdisk versions is contained on the DVD or Blu-ray sets. For some stuff, the Laserdisk was the only source.  There is one extra scene on my edit that was sourced from the DVD box that was not on the laserdisks. That was the last scene with Michal and his father in the garden when Michal returns from... Don't want to give it away.

Here is the website with all the information you need to know about these extra scenes, and also the box sets they came from. It's a great site.

http://www.thegodfathertrilogy.com/godfather.html

I think the best way to first see these films is by watching the theatrical versions first. Then go back later if you truly enjoy the saga, and look at this version with these extra scenes.  The extra scenes are not required at all to experience to beauty of these films. The original theatrical versions stand very well on their own, and they have the awards to prove it.

Besides the official DVD looks fantastic compared to this full screen Laserdisc sourced edit.

FF

"Aaay!"

No, you are not the only one.

Davnes007 said:

"CDE"?

Is that french for 'CED', or something?

No, just Dyslexia. *grin*

Star Wars

CDE-videodisk (1 version)

VHS (4 versions)

Laserdisc (3 versions)

DVD (3 versions)

Empire Strikes Back

CDE-videodisk (1 version)

VHS (3 versions)

Laserdisc (3 versions)

DVD (3 versions)

Return of the Jedi

CDE-videodisk (1 version)

VHS (3 versions)

Laserdisc (3 versions)

DVD (3 versions)

Happy 80th Birthday to the best James Bond!

FF

I like "Licence to Kill". One of my top 5 Bond film picks. It is in a slightly different style then the other 007 films of the 80's, and it's budget problems are apparent. But still, it is a very good tale. Some of the acting is low grade from the three ladies. On the same level of Stacey in  "A View to A Kill". The movie does have a good villain.  The lizard was a bit over the top, but I can forgive that kind of gag over let's say playing the song California Girls (and a badly done cover version at that) over what could have been one of the most thrilling and dangerous tension filled moments of Moore's career as James Bond.  That could have been on par with the "The Spy Who Loved Me" pre-credit scene. But no, they completely cheesed out. And don't let me get started on the fake looking ice burg sub...  Glad they kept that kind of goofball humor to a much more subdued level in the Dalton films. More so in "Licence to Kill". 

Last night I saw 

"Local Hero" 

Moth3r said:

Could be from Planet of the Daleks? I remember some Daleks getting pushed into a pool of "liquid" ice. (From reading the novelisation, I'm too young to actually remember watching it)

 

No, I've seen that episode, and that scene was all done on a cramped sound stage, and with small model effects.

The Head was found in a pond "near Beaulieu, Hants". That is in Hampshire. (source)

“Revelation of the Daleks” (1985) was filmed on Location in that area.

Filming locations

• Bolinge Hill Farm, Buriton, Petersfield, Hampshire (Location of the TARDIS's arrival)
• Queen Elizabeth Country Park, Gravel Hill, Horndean, Hampshire
• Park Lane, Halnaker, West Sussex
• Butser Hill, Queen Elizabeth Country Park, Horndean, Hampshire
• IBM North Harbour Building, Portsmouth, Hampshire

(Source)

Most likely it was found in Holt Pond in Queen Elizabeth Country Park.

That was very interesting. Thanks for sharing.