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Uhfgood

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Join date
8-Nov-2004
Last activity
15-Jun-2009
Posts
48

Post History

Post
#336856
Topic
Info Wanted: How to obtain fan-edits
Time

I’m curious, obviously you can’t provide links or anything, and there may be a thread for this, in which case please forgive me and please point me to the right thread.

I’m wondering how someone can get these fan edits?  What does one usually do?  I have all 6 movies on dvd, as well as the definitive laser disc version, and widescreen vhs versions, so as far as owning the retail ones, I’ve got those.  Also I’m interested in building fan-edit’s myself in the near future.

So any help.  Again I apologize if I violated the rules (I read the rules post several times, but still not sure if I’m not violating something).

Thanks.

Post
#286394
Topic
Would like help (tips/tutorials) for my upcoming SW:OUT project
Time
Originally posted by: Moth3r
Originally posted by: Uhfgood
Okay so for Goal #1 - To get the best copy of the movies I can based on the dvds of the original star wars trilogy. -- Essentially what the x0 project is doing with their laserdisc versions. I want to make sure that all the contrast is correct, (stuff like missing stars rediscovered as in one of x0 projects articles), color corrected, and that "ghosting" removed as well as getting rid of the film specs like scratches, dust particles, etc... Basically getting the best quality video I can after messing with the video. Before I can do anythiing else to it I need to be able to make the best copy of the movies I can. Personally I don't think the GOUT DVDs need much contrast or colour correction (unlike the 2004 version), but I'm not a film expert. I think some millennium falcon scenes could do with black level adjustments.

I don't think there's a reliable way to remove the temporal ghosting/smearing. The X0 project are using a capture from the Japanese Special Collection laserdisc (which doesn't have this processing) to replace the worst affected shots.

MeBeJedi is removing scratches and film defects by hand using Combustion. You can see this process here:
http://www.x0project.com/media.php?i=00018
Okay for Goal #2 - To make my own "special edition" version -- Basically here I want to correct things that I thought were problems in the movies, effect wise. I would like to make sure the titles and scroll are stable and not "wobbly" (like when film registration slips a bit)... I want to remove garbage mattes, and correct stuff like the fact that the contrast or brightness level between bluescreen elements and backgrounds are different. I even wouldn't mind coloring "Black artoo" blue. I know it's not original but it's my special edition version. They couldn't do blue because of the blue screen, and now it can be corrected. Anything like semi-transparent matting, matte paintings that don't quite match the live action elements, lightsaber consistancy, even turning on and off the light saber in ANH could be fixed by animation and a little morphing between frames. Basically everything to me that looked like it needed some fix up for effects I want to fix. Obviously i don't want to add any cg, because for one, I can't do cg, for another it wouldn't really be the originals would it? I'd suggest read the following threads, and put these types of question to one of these fine forum members:
Darth Editous
tellan
adywanFinally for Goal #3 - To make the letterbox movies into anamorphic widescreen dvd, and convert the original 2.0 dolby into 5.1 enhanced mix. -- Firstly I know there is a tutorial here that has tips on converting from letterbox into anamorphic widescreen. I realize it involves resizing the width to fit into 720, and cropping or completely redoing the black bars on top and bottom (as the widescreen is even wider than a 16:9 aspect ratio).
The tutorial you're referring to can be found here:
http://www.originaltrilogy.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=12&threadid=6486Also a note about the sound. When I listened to the sound on the dvd's I preferred it to the sound on the "special special editions" or the 2004 dvd versions. Mostly because they seem to remix everything, and it all just sounds slightly different. I would like to take the original dolby surround (or stereo or whatever) and build a 5.1 enhanced mix. This is perhaps the hardest of all, and to some purists the most contreversial. I would just like to make sure there's more bass when I need it, and better stereo seperation. If this can't be done, well i won't do it then.
You're right, this is a controversial subject. You could upmix the matrixed 2-channel Dolby Surround into a "fake" 5.1 mix. IMHO there isn't really a valid reason to do this, I would leave it as it is and just play the audio through a Dolby Pro-logic decoder when watching the DVD. To make a 5.1 mix worthwhile, it would have to be sourced from individual non-matrixed channels, e.g. the 5.1 mix on the 1997 special edition laserdisc.


Okay, maybe I wasn't making myself clear. My point wasn't because I thought that converting it to 5.1 would help anything. What I meant to ask is to take the surround, deconstruct it into it's individual parts (channels) then do some enhancement possibly boosting the base, and making the seperation and balance more distinct, etc. Then convert it to AC3 -- as you're right converting surround to 5.1 wouldn't help, but if I can have control of the channels and stuff I could play around with it and enhance it to my liking. Is there a way to do this?

And you don't even have to tell me how to do it yourself (if it's possible), but rather just give me some links to some audio threads (anywhere it doesn't have to be in these forums), to some sites, etc...

The only other possible thing is what software that I can do this with that is free.

Thanks
Keith
Post
#285907
Topic
Would like help (tips/tutorials) for my upcoming SW:OUT project
Time
I hope that works. I wasn't trying to say I want to start a project with anyone, but actual help like hints or tutorials or threads for my own "preservation" project.

My name is Keith and I've been browsing and participating a tiny bit in the forums. I semi-recently (last year?) got the new 2006 release of the dvds with the "bonus" disk of the original theatrical trilogy. or as some people call it on here the "Original Uncut Trilogy". And I would like to build my own "special edition" version of the trilogy.

I would like help on doing this in the form of tips, tutorials, links to threads here, and links to threads in the forum for help. So first I will outline my goals for this project, and then I will ask for help. Again I am not asking for people to join my project or anything like that, I simply mean I just want some tips, general links, tutorials, books or whatever you can link me to to accomplish my goals.

Goal #1: To get the best copy of the movies I can based on the dvds of the original star wars trilogy.
Goal #2: To make my own "special edition" version (will elaborate what I mean below)
Goal #3: To make the letterbox movies into anamorphic widescreen dvd, and convert the original 2.0 dolby into 5.1 enhanced mix.

Okay so for Goal #1 - To get the best copy of the movies I can based on the dvds of the original star wars trilogy. -- Essentially what the x0 project is doing with their laserdisc versions. I want to make sure that all the contrast is correct, (stuff like missing stars rediscovered as in one of x0 projects articles), color corrected, and that "ghosting" removed as well as getting rid of the film specs like scratches, dust particles, etc... Basically getting the best quality video I can after messing with the video. Before I can do anythiing else to it I need to be able to make the best copy of the movies I can.

Okay for Goal #2 - To make my own "special edition" version -- Basically here I want to correct things that I thought were problems in the movies, effect wise. I would like to make sure the titles and scroll are stable and not "wobbly" (like when film registration slips a bit)... I want to remove garbage mattes, and correct stuff like the fact that the contrast or brightness level between bluescreen elements and backgrounds are different. I even wouldn't mind coloring "Black artoo" blue. I know it's not original but it's my special edition version. They couldn't do blue because of the blue screen, and now it can be corrected. Anything like semi-transparent matting, matte paintings that don't quite match the live action elements, lightsaber consistancy, even turning on and off the light saber in ANH could be fixed by animation and a little morphing between frames. Basically everything to me that looked like it needed some fix up for effects I want to fix. Obviously i don't want to add any cg, because for one, I can't do cg, for another it wouldn't really be the originals would it?

Finally for Goal #3 - To make the letterbox movies into anamorphic widescreen dvd, and convert the original 2.0 dolby into 5.1 enhanced mix. -- Firstly I know there is a tutorial here that has tips on converting from letterbox into anamorphic widescreen. I realize it involves resizing the width to fit into 720, and cropping or completely redoing the black bars on top and bottom (as the widescreen is even wider than a 16:9 aspect ratio). Also a note about the sound. When I listened to the sound on the dvd's I preferred it to the sound on the "special special editions" or the 2004 dvd versions. Mostly because they seem to remix everything, and it all just sounds slightly different. I would like to take the original dolby surround (or stereo or whatever) and build a 5.1 enhanced mix. This is perhaps the hardest of all, and to some purists the most contreversial. I would just like to make sure there's more bass when I need it, and better stereo seperation. If this can't be done, well i won't do it then.

In any case if you've read this far (I thank those of you who did) I would like some help on how to do this stuff. I would like links to tutorials, maybe actual print books, links to threads in this forum, any tips you can give to do this. Basically I need help in accomplishing these goals. Could any of you help me out? (I don't mean actually doing work for my project, i just meant tips, advice, etc).

Thank you for your time,
sincerely Keith Weatherby II aka Uhfgood
Post
#219572
Topic
What are you going to do with your SE discs?
Time
Has anyone thought GL might have wanted to wait until the hidef thing was in full swing, and then magically produce really awesome cleaned up hidef versions of the original trilogy on hddvd or blu-ray? But because we kept crying about it instead he's going to release a bunch of shoddy original trilogy re-releases in order to milk more money from us?



Post
#211444
Topic
Getting Best Quality out of MPEG2
Time
Well appearently I got a decent version now. I tried to duplicate the settings exactly. However I made sure the bit rate was 15mbits/sec - this resulted in a movie that was twice as large, so it can only fit on a dl dvd if I want to do that at all. I'm going to attempt again to do another encode later. I just can't seem to get the right results. Of note there is a setting called "Upper field first" and "Lower field first" it was set to lower, and the source video was upper, so that may have had to do with my decent results this time. Really I just wanted a direct copy with the pieces edited together. Oh well.

Keith
Post
#210895
Topic
Getting Best Quality out of MPEG2
Time
default was at 6k er that is 6 mbits/sec (it displays it as 6000 but that's 6000 kilobits per sec, or 6 mega bits per sec -- unless i'm totally screwed up - i'm still a newb) So i've been playing with it, 10, 8... i was about to do 15 however it seemed a bit high, I do eventually want to get this onto a dvd, but first I just want a good solid copy that's pretty close the original clips as I can make them...

But we'll see how this current one is doing... I set it back to 8, VBR, however I chose the mpeg-2 media type instead of ntsc-dvd.

Keith
Post
#210662
Topic
Getting Best Quality out of MPEG2
Time
A) ulead media studio pro 7 can do mpeg2 encoding, but appearently not very well, or at least I don't have that much control over the settings anyhoo... B) I thought you had to buy womble, this is why i've been staying away from it. and C) yes just simple cuts for this, as i'm just putting the parts from the laserdiscs together.

By the way here's the difference between the original capture, and the newly encoded mpeg files...

Original #1:
http://www.gamesafoot.com/srcimage.png

Encoded #1:
http://www.gamesafoot.com/dstimage.png

Original #2:
http://www.gamesafoot.com/srcimage2.png

Encoded #2:
http://www.gamesafoot.com/dstimage2.png

Appearently that is the VBR encoding via MSP - not too good... I had better results with constant bitrate... however I haven't gone that high on CBR

Anyhoo let me know any tips :-)

Keith
Post
#210448
Topic
Getting Best Quality out of MPEG2
Time
The original capture is fine -- but putting it together, when creating a new copy is a bit blurred. What i'll do is probably try to create another copy with as close to the originals settings as I can get. Also could you tell me how to get vdub to do mpeg (If i remember right it just does avi's, but there was some sort of mod that allowed it) -- Because I could probably use vdub to use a direct stream copy after I edit them together - also if I need to I could get/use avisynth -- although I don't know how to use that.

Keith
Post
#210195
Topic
Getting Best Quality out of MPEG2
Time
Hmm i'll get a couple of screencaps soon...

As far as HuffyUV - I have that installed but, A) a majority of my diskspace is dedicated to fellowship of the ring for a project i'm doing... B) How much space would a full let's say 3 hours, there's the 2 hour movie, the bonus features and then the space around which i start and stop the laserdisc player... so i'd say 3 hours worth of video in huffyuv, C) I would have to capture it with virtualdub as ati all-in-wonder software (ati tv) will not use external codecs...

I'm not really that limited, but there were reasons I chose to just capture it in mpeg 2 (not one of which is the dvds coming out soon -- I stll wanted this laser disc version for archival purposes).

Keith
Post
#209453
Topic
Getting Best Quality out of MPEG2
Time
I just recently did an analog rip of ANH from the 93 definitive edition laser discs. I did a quickly put together mpeg2 render of the movie and when i'm done the movie ended up being fuzzy and/or blurry as compared to the original recording from the laserdisc. Can anyone point me in the right direction to improve the quality of the mpeg2 render? Like mpeg2 settings, i'm actually using Ulead's Media Studio Pro 7 -- But just anything in general about mpeg2 settings I could use.

Thanks.
Post
#209450
Topic
ITS HAPPENED-- OOT AVAILABLE FROM LUCASFILM
Time
First thing is i'm not assuming any fix or an enhancement by LFL would be a good thing -- I've not implied that anywhere in my statement. I gave an example of the fixes and enhancements I was talking about that I would like to see. Appearently people want the flawed version you included -- which is fine for you.

Secondly again you're trying to imply something I never said. By "Truely enhanced" I meant digital cleanup of the elements, and making sure it looks it's best, grain removal, color enhancement and such. And then appropriate garbagemattes and mattelines "fixed" So maybe i'm using the two words interchangably, that doesn't detract from what I want.

Where do you get the idea that I believe LFL will give my my "perfect" version? Did I say that? Of course I did not so you're implying yet again.

The reason i'm not 'whining' is because I believe i'll get what I want, where did I say that? Did I say that? Again no. the whining I was referring to is fans writing in letters complaining for the originals -- I did however sign the petition like everyone else here, so I did a certain amount. But really I haven't 'whined' to LFL about the "perfect" version I want.

As far as saying I am whining, I simply stated my opinion in my last message. In fact I haven't posted to the forums all that much at least not in comparison to most people here.

It seems you were trying to put words into my mouth.

Simply stated I want a perfect version of the original "vision" -- And I know I won't get that for a fact.

I will probably see if I can make my perfect version myself based off the dvd's assuming I can rip them.

Keith

Originally posted by: MeBeJedi
"In other words you like everyone else who has not replied to me don't want anything fixed."

Now you are putting words into the mouths of those not speaking, as well as mine. There are many levels and types of "fixes". You apparently believe that a "fix" by LFL would automatically be a good thing. I, on the other hand, have come to dislike Lucas' examples of what he considers to be a "fix".

"Maybe i'm the only one that wants a "truely" enhanced version, but then again I don't whine alot so maybe that's the problem ;-)"

Correction. You apparently believe that a "fix" implies an "enhancement". The problem here is, you believe this "perfect" version that you apparently have in mind is what Lucas will end up giving you, fixes and all. I'd rather he leave it alone, especially since I am in a position to make extraordinary improvements to video.

The reason you aren't "whining" is because you think you are going to get what you want. I can only imagine how you'll react should his "fixes" not be acceptable to you. Time will tell.

"The only things I don't like are complete scenes replaced by cg rather than cg enhancements. Or new cantina aliens verses the old ones. The falcon escaping Mos Eisely through the roof instead of "out the back" like in the original. These are the things that urk me. But matte lines should be removed, double exposed elements should be fixed to look opaque, garbage mattes should be removed, etc..."

Correction: You are whining.


Post
#207368
Topic
ITS HAPPENED-- OOT AVAILABLE FROM LUCASFILM
Time
Originally posted by: MeBeJedi
Uhfgood, I hear what you are saying, but I am very wary of LFL's "fixes", either for the sake of the original prints, or those intended to change Lucas' "original" vision. I'd like to get it as unmolested as possible. A blank tapestry would be best.


In other words you like everyone else who has not replied to me don't want anything fixed.

The color of the lightsaber in the falcon is a very good example. I want it to be consistant, I don't care really what color they choose as long as it's consistant -- actually it would be fairer to say, I want it as close to "right" as possible, which means correcting it along with the other ones, a different color might not do, but if it's tinted less green and more blue, or more green and less blue doesn't matter to me. In fact all the saber shots using the physical lighted device should be replace anyhow imo. The only things I don't like are complete scenes replaced by cg rather than cg enhancements. Or new cantina aliens verses the old ones. The falcon escaping Mos Eisely through the roof instead of "out the back" like in the original. These are the things that urk me. But matte lines should be removed, double exposed elements should be fixed to look opaque, garbage mattes should be removed, etc...

Maybe i'm the only one that wants a "truely" enhanced version, but then again I don't whine alot so maybe that's the problem ;-)

Post
#207030
Topic
ITS HAPPENED-- OOT AVAILABLE FROM LUCASFILM
Time
Am I the only guy that hopes it will be "fixed" ? When I heard that it was going to be re-released in the theatres, I thought great finally get to see it only with all the effects fixed and enhanced from the 1977 state-of-the-art. Unfortunately when I did see them not only was it not fixed it actually looked worse in places. (For instance certain spots in the opening shots seemed to change tint, most likely from the deteriorated negative) - The lightsabers in the battle between Darth and Ben were not fixed either, as well as some other things I can't remember off hand. To make it worse they added the cg, the 'ring" to the death star explosion, and the trip into mos eisly, etc... Now I will buy these just to have the originals as I saw them, but I do not like the idea of keeping matte lines, bad matte painting to live action comps, and garbage mattes. What I want to see is the original story, dialogue/music/characters but to have pristine quality. Degrained, color corrected, the whole 9 yards. But it seems like I must be in the minority because i've not once seen anyone say they want a nice clean "enhanced" (but not sufficiently altered) copy. Like someone said anything to make it look better than it did in 77 yet not change the story. (I'm not sure where I was reading, but the guy made decisions to fix or clean up stuff that didn't significantly screw with the story or pacing of the original editing). Please tell me i'm not alone :-) If they are the theatrical versions with transparent cockpits, and what have you i'll still buy it, but maybe i'll make my own edit fixes these issues :-)

Keith aka Uhfgood
Post
#201299
Topic
A SPARK OF HOPE FOR LASERMAN
Time
Okay thanks, just sent in 10 (really that's almost all I could spare) - I didnt put in a "shipping address" as I didn't do it for the dvd covers or anything, in fact I don't really need them or want them.

Actually though i'd really like to know if you/he (whoever is setting this stuff up) got it. That is to make sure i sent it to the right place.

Thanks

Keith Weatherby II aka Uhfgood

Originally posted by: boba feta
I'm sure anything at all you can give will be greaty appreciated.

Here's what you do:

1. Log into your paypal account.
2. Click the 'send money' tab.
3. Type this email address in the 'recipient's email' box 'mattfitch at hot mail dotcom' (minus the apostrophes). Making sure you substitute the at for the @ sign and the dot for the '.' and link the words up as one.
4. Type in exactly how much money you can spare in the amount box.
5. Select 'Quasi-Cash from the category of purchase. (reduces Paypal's exhorbitant fees)
6. Wish Laserman good health and a speedy recovery in your message box.
7. Click continue, then confirm on the next page.
8. Remember Laserman in your prayers and consider yourself lucky to be amongst such a noble and caring community willing to look after one of it's own.
9 Thank Laserman for being the X0 Project catalyst.


Post
#201096
Topic
A SPARK OF HOPE FOR LASERMAN
Time
Firstly, I don't know laserman, although I've seen posts with his name on it. Secondly I really don't have much - I mean literally there are only a few bucks in my account, but something is telling me I should donate. So please would someone walk me through the process of donating through paypal including all the details? ( Because A. I've never really sent anyone money through paypal directly, B. because I just want to be sure I do it right)

Keith Weatherby II
aka Uhfgood
Post
#198347
Topic
lifting dialogue
Time
Don't have vegas :-)

I have both the vob's and the divx versions. The vob's aren't demuxed. When extracting the audio, I did a test from one of the vob files with besweet. So when I listened to some of the channels, all the sounds are in the center. I'm guessing they did this so you'd get all the sound even if you only had the center speaker to work with, or maybe it's just better for using dolby digital tracks with prologic, or something, I don't know why. I suppose it's possible it's more seperate in the dts version, but as i've heard, it's not that easy to get dts out. Actually DTS sounds better in some cases. (Really it depends on the company who releases the movie and what they're using).

Right now i'm using Fellowship of the Ring (extended), for a little project i'm doing :-)

It's nice they have fellowship the complete recordings out now, i'll be able to use it to redo my soundtrack, and in fact there's a 5.1 mix on one of the discs, which is cool.

In any case thanks thus far!

Keith Weatherby II