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MeBeJedi

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Join date
10-Mar-2003
Last activity
6-Jan-2024
Posts
4,879

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Post
#53967
Topic
Info: OT Bootleg DVDs
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/53967/action/topic#53967
Time
It's not impossible, but in order to not have to recode anything, you'd have to cut and paste the OT and SE VOBs together. You may or may not be able to cut the MPEG stream precisely where you want it, depending on how it was originally encoded.

You'd be much better off getting the footage from the SE LDs, making AVI masters to match to the OT AVI masters. I'd love to get the SE version of ANH, since I wouldn't mind having a version with the updated Yavin battle (but that's about it.)
Post
#53933
Topic
Info: OT Bootleg DVDs
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/53933/action/topic#53933
Time
"I don't use Main Concept, but I was wondering if it has a minimum bitrate setting and if you set yours to 0 or 2000. Also, do you use DVD-Lab? I was just wondering because I know some authoring programs hate it when the minimum is set to 0 and didn't know if DVD-Lab was one of them. I ask this because some people I know swear that using 0 is better than using 2000 for the minimum. Also, do you close your GOP or leave them open? Leaving them open is another thing that some authoring programs hate. That GOP setting is another thing that a lot of people debate on."

The minimum that the Mainconcept encoder will allow is 192,000 (either standalone or in Sony Vegas - yes, they are the same, but the standalone offers far more options.)

I used an I-frame distance of 6 (for better chapter point accuracy), and went ahead and closed the GOPs, just to see what would happen (file size, compatibility, etc.) and I've had no problems. I'm using DVDLab Pro, because I wanted the second commentary soundtrack (regular DVDLab only allows for one soundtrack.) I recently installed DVD Architect 2, which I used before DVDLab, but I've not tried my SW MPEG with it yet, so I don't know if they'll work or not. I should just try a quick compile (1 basic menu) just to see, but otherwise, I've had no problems. Keep in mind, also, that my MPEG is anamorphic, so a letterbox version should work as well.
Post
#53865
Topic
Info: OT Bootleg DVDs
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/53865/action/topic#53865
Time
"It can look at bit... pixelated"

That's gonna happen when you squeeze a 2-hour movie on a DVD-5. That being said, I've seen some prerecorded DVD-9s that can show the same thing. Mastering is everything. I was just barely able to squeeze ANH on a DVD-R using the 2-pass MainConcept MPEG encoder with a high datarate of of 8,000,000 and an average of 4,200,000.
Post
#53679
Topic
Info: OT Bootleg DVDs
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/53679/action/topic#53679
Time
"From what I can tell though, it has pretty faithful picture but the brightness is turned up too high (I own the 1995 laserdiscs as well) and makes the blacks not as deep as the original discs. "

Agreed. I cranked up the contrast about 20%, and the difference was remarkable. I'd post some comparison shots, but I don't know how to post images here.
Post
#53340
Topic
Info: OT Bootleg DVDs
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/53340/action/topic#53340
Time
"An issue of Total Movie magazine (first issue, I believe - it has Liz Hurley on the cover) came with a DVD that featured Troops. They pop up on ebay frequently."

Yes, I borrowed a copy from a friend and remastered it as a single DVD with a menu for the different scenes, as well as selecting the commentary.

I also added the original "Bad Boys" song to the intro, since the TOTAL MOVIE DVD has a rehashed version recorded by someone else.

"Others have tried using more expensive S-Video cables designed to eliminate dot crawl, but the problem persists. I think the conclusion was that the y/c comb filter in the LD Player is not as good as the one in the capturing device. I've tried using a GeForce4 Ti4200 and an ADVC-100 with the same results and using several capture programs. When I made a test DVD, the dot crawl was a lot less noticeable on the TV, but it was still there."

I found this as well. The composite picture was a tad bit better than the S-Video.

"For optimum results, crack open your laserdisc player and mount some BNC connectors on the back. then run the Y and C outputs to 75ohm BNC connectors with mini coax, and use 75ohm coax cable (times 2) to your capture card (assuming you have one with coax inputs like the targas). This will give you a much better image. Ensure both cables are identical length or you will get chroma shift."

This is something I may have to look into....
Post
#52931
Topic
Info: OT Bootleg DVDs
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/52931/action/topic#52931
Time
He just means it's not the quality of a DVD 5 (single layer), which you and I can agree is potentially less than that of a DVD 9 (dual layer). Two DVD 10s can have a (slightly) higher bit rate, but then you are swapping discs. It's an individual choice as to which trade-off you want: higher compression, or no disc swaps. Then we get into DVD changers to solve that and.....ugh.

It just goes on and on.

So, are there any "compatibility lists" for dual-layered media and stand-alone players yet? Hell, I've not even seen ads for the media, even though the burners are all over the place. What is the average price?

I've also seen one or two firmware updates for some existing burners to make them dual-layer capable. I'll have to find that thread again.
Post
#52923
Topic
Info: OT Bootleg DVDs
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/52923/action/topic#52923
Time
"A properly formatted dual-layer disc will always be much better than a single layer disc becuase it has DOUBLE the amount of space."

Please calm down. Everyone else seems to get the fact that we are comparing one dual-layered DVD to two single-layered DVD's (which would have more space overall.) Therefore, the overall bitspace for both transfers is very similar. The only advantage to the dual-layer is having the entire film on one disc without compromising quality or neccesitating disc swaps.

You keep comparing one dual-layered DVD to one single-layered DVD, and that isn't what the rest of us are talking about.
Post
#52917
Topic
Info: OT Bootleg DVDs
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/52917/action/topic#52917
Time
"How many GB would, say the Episode 4 laserdisc - take up ?"

My captures, done with DV AVI, take 30 GB's. DV AVI has a 1:4 compression ratio, so that's around 120 GB's using composite video. Laserman's are 200 GB's, but that's with component video - much more video information to store.

BTW, my numbers include the analog audio interleaved. The PCM audio, on a separate capture, takes about 1.27 GB's. This is why I turned it into a DD 5.1 sountrack, which only takes 387 MB's.
Post
#52819
Topic
Info: OT Bootleg DVDs
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/52819/action/topic#52819
Time
"Each disc has a RARE Audio Commentary track running throughout each movie"

If it's the Def.Col. commentary, then it doesn't run throughout the movie.

"THX Re-mastered Dolby Digital Surround Sound track"

Read as DD 2.0

"THEY ARE NOT COMPRESSED!"

Well, MPEG is always compressed, and the seller qualifies this later as "Not compressed onto 4 DVD-5s like all other sets!"

My raw DV-AVO captures have been 30 GB's, and Laserman is talking 200 GB's (I believe he's using Huffy), so there's got to be some compression.

That being said, the soon-to-be-coming HD-DVD's hold about 30 GBs. How I'd love to put my uncompressed AVI's onto one of those for playback. Sooooo much smoother than anything I've been able to get from MPEG encoding. Ah, one can dream (and yes, I know DVD players don't play AVI's. )
Post
#52612
Topic
Info: OT Bootleg DVDs
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/52612/action/topic#52612
Time
"Dual-layered DVDs would seem have room for both the original two channel PCM audio tracks and the commentary track. These DVDs have neither. This set has a compressed Dolby 2.0 audio track."

I don't know if that's lazy or ridiculous. It's easy to get the PCM track off the LD's, and it's just as easy to burn it onto the DVD. There's no reason or rhyme to compressing the PCM track for a dual-layered DVD. I just don't get that.
Post
#52310
Topic
Info: OT Bootleg DVDs
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/52310/action/topic#52310
Time
"I was wondering if a DVD version exists with the commentary tracks and the Leia welding scene."

I've determined that, even though my Def. Col. is a "better" transfer, it has too many glitches and such when compared to my "Faces" set. Alas, my Def. Col. is also missing a few seconds of Leia as well. What I'm about to determine is if the Def. Col. has a better PCM soundtrack as well (there do appear to be some differences, though not in actual dialogue.) If so, then my DVD's will have a combination of Faces video and Def. Col. audio. The commentaries on the ESB disc aren't recorded very well either (big sporadic volume jumps), but Vegas is able to tame them and level out the volume for me (threshold settings.)

My DVD's have both the regular soundtrack and the Def. Col. commentaries, with a submenu to access each one specifically. I've also come across the MainConcept MPEG encoder, which though similar to that in Sony Vegas (which I've used up until now), has more options (determining I frames on scene changes, etc.) It also has more documentation for all of the settings as well.
Post
#52186
Topic
Info: OT Bootleg DVDs
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/52186/action/topic#52186
Time
" Is it possible for the average folk like me to burn Star Wars onto a blank DVD, when I only have a CD burner?

And do the whole movie on one disc?"

You can burn a DVD onto a CD (called a mini-DVD), but the quality will be inferior, and you'll need two discs (This is similar to how VCD's were done.) Neroburn includes this option under CD formats, but again, I wouldn't recommend it.

I'd suggest getting a DVD burner instead. The prices are dropping all the time. Hell, you might as well go get the Sony 2-layer burner at this point, which had a gtreat starting price.