Video Collector

Just finished DL-ing V2, and I am very impressed with the quality.

As I was watching, it hit me that this version could be interesting with a few tweaks. First off, a conversion to 23.97 fps would take out the "video" look (Like they did with the Zion Hybrid). Adding a moderate grain loop over it would further enhance the "film" look and perceived sharpness without introducing artefacts. Perhaps even a slight increase in contrast to take out some of the milky blacks? Lastly, crop out the video noise at the bottom.

I am talking out of my ass here, as I don't know if it would really improve things, and I'm unable to perform this experiment myself. Just thought it would be nice to see.

... av ren nysgjerrighet: forstår svensker norsk?

If you can't beat them, join them!

adambot said:

I watch everything digitally/on the go -- ipad/laptop/etc...  and i was always under the impression that every time you convert/rip you lose quality --

Oh, I see. But actual "ripping" is just extracting the files from the DVD in their native format (VOB) and will result in bit-for-bit identical copies.

What you are talking about, if I understand you correctly, is re-encoding (converting) to a more portable format like .mp4, right? That would indeed result in a theoretical loss of quality, but just as most people can't hear the difference between an .mp3 and a CD, the difference will be "imperceptible".

Ironically, as Pittrek's files are cleaned up a bit, they will compress better to mp4 than my raw files would. Go for it :-)

adambot said:

Would there be any way for you to release the source material that you used to make the DVD's so that i don't have to re-rip them and lose some quality?

 

thanks!

Exactly what do you need to rip them for?

The original source files for this project are 10Mb/s MPEG2 captures, at roughly 1.5GB per episode. There are 26 episodes, so that is one big chunk of data. (I was the one who did the capture and mailed the raw DVD files to Pittrek.) So what you're asking for is quite a tall order. I'm not adverse to sharing the raw files, but I'd need to know it was for a communal cause, not for some private project.

Pittrek did an amazing job with the preparation of the files and the mastering of the DVDs, and there is very little difference between the end product and my raw files. He applied some light clean-up that took a little crispness out of the line-work, but nothing you would detect without a side-by-side comparison. In my opinion, Pittrek's set is as good as it gets.

_,,,^..^,,,_ said:

What about a laserdisc upscale of the Criterion laserdisc?

I have the two versions, CAV and CLV, that could be overlaid to get rid of drop outs; as the DVD is not anamorphic, the vertical resolution is the same of the LD; laserdisc has a better chroma vertical resolution; the DVD (AFAIK) has some compression artefacts problems; the LD has the uncompressed PCM soundtrack; both have the 1.66:1 AR; the LD has a lot of extras, but I don't know if they are all on DVD as well.

Plus, they will be captured using the HLD-X9...

Opinions?

Andrea, it would be great if you could work your magic on those Laserdiscs.

Perhaps the Criterion DVD could be used as a third source in a mixture with both the LDs?

Asaki said:

Would be a good idea (superimposing the fullscreen on top of the widescreen) if the sources matched perfectly...otherwise it would be a lot of work.

...I know, I'm stating the obvious =|

Yeah, it's one of those things that sounds good in theory, but then you put the sources together and you notice telecine wobble all over the place, LOL!

Still, I think I'll go make DVD dubs of my PAL VHS and Japan LD now.

digitalfreaknyc said:

Is this the same source (before he sold it)?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oicjDieAyJs

Also, in an effort to not derail this thread, is there another to discuss VHS decks?

Looks to be from the same broadcast, but the WHIO has better colour and less distorted sound. The YouTube clip is definitely a generation or two further away from the one Tasjo has provided us with.

Oberron said:

Just finished downloading the EE and noticed a problem with my copy.  At the 02:05 point, it skipped 3 seconds ahead with a jump in the picture and audio. 

Double checked three different media players and the same result.  Could some of you guys please check your copy.  I'm trying to determine if it's an encode or download issue.  Thanks very much in advance!

Just checked my file, torrented from MS, and there is no skipping at the timestamp you mentioned.

Even though you tried it in three different media players, they could all be using the same video decoder, so maybe that is the culprit.

Booshman said:

On the VHS/ LD combo, sounds like a decent idea if it will improve the quality. What other edit has that process been used on?

Mainly the Recobbled cut of Thief and the Cobbler, but Harmy has been doing something similar where he splices in parts of the image from different sources (the shadow under the Landspeeder for instance).

I have the Japanese Laserdisc too, just for the additional scenes, which I refer to as the "International Cut", as this was also the version released in Europe. (On video cassette. Was there ever a PAL Laserdisc of Superman IV in any territory?)

I wonder, however, if the Full-Screen PAL VHS release will have superior resolution to the letterboxed Japan Laserdisc. The sides are cut off, of course, but perhaps one of you enterprising gents can line up the P&S footage with the LD Widescreen image and merge them for superior quality for at least the center part of the image. Not a simple feat, to be sure, but I've seen it done in at least one fan edit.

I suspect the "shrunken down" VHS PAL image within the letterbox frame will hold up quite well when bookended by, say, SD DVD footage.

Either way, in my opinion, due to the low resolution of the available sources for the International Cut, a SD DVD preservation will yield the most uniform results. The SD footage can be sourced from a downscale of the Blu-ray, and doesn't even have to come from the actual DVD. That way you preserve the colour timing of the Blu too.

darth_ender said:

I have here some screencaps between the two versions I now have obtained.  Obviously I was not terribly concerned about getting the exact frame.  As you can see, SilverWook's is clearer, though there is a slightly noticeable vertical bar present in the near-middle of the frame most of the movie.  Also there are a few seconds missing at times when resuming recording after a commercial break.  I have not watched the more common version yet, but it's obviously much fuzzier and has seriously blended frames.  I'm not yet aware if there are commercials or cut off seconds after breaks.  My preference between the two goes for SilverWook's.  If one were to preserve this, his would be the version I'd go for.

First off, thanks to Silverwook and darth_ender for making both of these recordings available. I've been curious about this cut for decades, and now two versions in one week. Thank you!! After seeing them both in action I agree about the Silverwook recording being superior.

The black area in the middle of the screen looks to be some disturbance in the broadcast signal at the time of airing. It is all but invisible if the contrast is raised a bit.

There are, as you say, missing bits here and there, but I can't tell which are edits for television or abrupt commercial break offenders. The Chekov/Terrell torture scene has obviously been censored for broadcast, and I feel a reconstruction of the ABC televised version should replicate that. (As well as the "Edited For Television" legend at the beginning.)

darth_ender said:

Assuming I did it right, it should be up at the Spleen right now!

Brilliant! I've been looking for this since I first read about it in Starlog magazine in the late 80s.

Thanks so much for sharing.

digitalfreaknyc said:

For the disc, does everyone need the Target stuff AND the Best Buy? Or just the BB and the enhanced commentary?

Speaking for myself, I would appreciate a comprehensive all-inclusive release. I have the UK Blu with the regular featurettes, but I still think having everything in one place is sexier.

I appreciate the work you put into this. Many thanks.

Avatar_Emil said:

titanic said:

by the way, have you seen the new restoration that is being done in  "Gulliver's Travels" (1939) by a very small studio (with a forthcoming Bluray release)?

The result is OUTSTANDING!

http://www.intanibase.com/forum/index.php?topic=1283.msg10867#msg10867

I wish Disney would make restorations like these!

No change in aspect ratios, no grain removal, no change of colors!

These are people that respect the fans and the animation films from what it seems.

Really? That right there is just demanding a Myspleen share. Can anybody buy this and up it on Myspleen?

I feel like a hypocrite, but I have to agree with the post above. This particular project should be supported by purchase, not by torrenting.

Space Kaijuu said:

It's on the spleen.  Search for Roger Rabbit 1080p.

(I'm not sure if I'm supposed to post the link here.)

DL-ing now. Giddy as a schoolboy. Many thanks for making this available.

dvdmike said:

Looks like the hoopla with the uk not getting everything is unfounded. 

My uk steelbook came and my digital copy and itunes extras are downloading now

Mike, would you be able and willing to share the iTunes extras in a way that they could be utilised for this all-encompassing project?

Fritz

I was sitting in the car today and it hit me: Andrea's process could be used to add colour to the b&w scenes in Kill Bill using the Japanese DVD as a source.

Brightening AvP:R would also be welcome, but I don't think using the spoRv process is the best way to go about it.

I believe this was included in Shout's Captain Power complete series set. Am I right?

Anyone who collects all the extras from every release on one disc and torrents it is a hero in my book.

After having watched a bit of it and sampled the entire thing, I have to say the colour registration looks perfect.

Excellent work, Andrea. This process will be quite useful for other projects, I'm sure.

Ha ha. I was just thinking of this film yesterday. I have a bootleg DVD I bought off an eBay-seller about ten years ago. It was transferred from the US VHS, but is reasonably clean. I wasn't aware of the Japanese release, so I am looking forward to seeing your project finished.

By the by, we are likely the only two people on the planet who will find interest in this project. I tried showing it to my kids and they hated it :-)

dark_jedi said:

and last but not least

Fright Night Part 2 (Japanese)

I got this LD for the Digital PCM, so now this project will have much better audio.

DJ! You go the extra mile. You spoil us so :-)

I dunno. Doesn't look like HD material to me. The DVD version upscales nicely though.

I was actually thinking the other day, that someone could recreate this from Blu-ray sources.

I own the Japan LD of Nemesis too, but can't transfer it either.

I have to say though, I prefer the flashier, stop-motion ending of the U.S. version. The electronic masking of nudity on the Japanese LD is also a bummer. Perhaps some enterprising soul could whip up a hybrid cut?

As zeropc said, Japan is NTSC.

There's a True Lies presskit DVD uploaded over at your favourite intestine. Might want to check it out if you're including any extras with this.