spoRv

bit-perfect is an audio capture of a digital track where the actual track is transferred verbatim (read: identical copy), bit by bit; there are some (many) capture cards that change the signal somehow, even using a digital input...

So, whenever is possible, a bit-perfect capture is preferable; but a non-bit-perfect is usually very good too... I must add that also an high quality capture of the analog laserdisc track stands very close, if not better sometimes!

Chewtobacca said:

I don't think any of us are currently in a position to know, so I see no point in assuming that any home video release is accurate.

So nor it is any HDTV version, isn't true?

Well, I agree we (community) should find a grading which has a common liking, and then work on it. Or, just release two versions, one with the new color grading, one with the old one...

But before it, I'd like to have the new HDTV version under my hand - actually, inside my HDD... any help about this?

The Griff said:

Just out of curiosity, would it be possible to add optional letterbox bars to a project like this using blu ray's subtitle function?

There is a "possibility*, using a secondary stream with black bars and transparent layer inbetween it, to do so, but I need further tests... anybody has done/seen it before?

Well. the french 5.1 is more than appreciated!

About color grading: it's difficult to say just watching few images... I talked a lot about this, and the question is: which is the RIGHT color grading? The one saw in the theater at the premiere? The one found in the first home video (if different)? The latest one because the director feels the "urgency" to modernize it?

I mean, James Cameron always loved blue, but now this version is teal - that is not *exactly* the same thing... take a look at post #57 where you could find comparisons between R1 DVD/jap HDTV/new HDTV; the red tinted version is the old japanese HDTV.

The problem is: I checked briefly all the DVD versions I have (PAL IT, NTSC US & CA, NTSC R6) and all have a color grading similar to the old japanese HDTV - apart the pink tint that is not so evident; all in all, it seems a "right" color grading: natural when there are "real life" scenes (like in the seaside or aboard the ship), blue in underwater scenes, pink in the alien "ship".

Still have to check laserdiscs, though... PDB, what is your R1 DVD version?

I have a lot of audio tracks ready for a future project... english DTS ES 6.1, DD 5.1, DD 2.0 from DVD; DD 5.1 and PCM 2.0 (plus eventually analog 2.0) from laserdisc; italian DD 5.1 from PAL DVD; french DD 2.0 from NTSC DVD... the only missing things are german and spanish 5.1 tracks (and french 5.1) plus the most important, the HDTV big file... (^^,)

...almost ready for the challenge...

Feallan, thanks for your interest; after I decided to make this project, I made my homework and discovered the tumultuous history behind it... and I'm happy I'm doing this.

No worry about tracks and soundtitles, I have all the ones I need - apart Cinema DTS, that seems impossible to find anyway...

I have not it... the english 5.1 will be from the PAL DVD, until someone would kindly "donate" it! (^^,)

Video is ready to be encoded; audio tracks are ready as subtitles; this will be my first project with proper extra, and I'm actually building one by myself!!!

It will take few days, as it's my first attempt on making an extra feature...

Meanwhile, I'm looking for the Cinema DTS track, but it seems impossible to find, so I will add the HDTV stereo track - along with all the other 5.1 tracks - or, if someone is crazy enough to capture the english track from the VHS tape... (^^,)

Actually, I had thought to do an Abyss restoration project - as some of you know - but Docsap beat me, so I stepped aside... until now... (^^,)

I have ALL the possible DVDs: PAL (quite bad), NTSC (quite good), and R6 NTSC (good); they could be "mixed" together with my PaNup method to be used for the extended scenes - not good as real HD, but better than simple upscale - plus of course as color reference to regrade the HDTV; plus a LOT of laserdisc versions, so... what I need now is the 14GB version!

Trailers: I have one from the PAL DVD, and IIRC the are one (or more?) on laserdiscs...

No problems, I got it; but I feel guilty anyway... oh well, maybe I will be forgiven with my new projects... (-^,)

Indeed, I wrote "as far as I can remember"... you know, I'm getting old, too much projects to do... (**/)

Just to know, is your file clipping-free? If so, maybe jerry's version is futile as he worked with my fault file... my apologize to everyone involved... "we learn from our mistakes", and I can tell by personal experience that it's really true! Thanks to all the wonderful people here I learned a lot of thing, and I refined my skills by trial and error...

the DTS track I put onto my [spoRv] project was left "as is" (as far as I can remember...), but jerryshadoe fixed that - great job!

You could ask him about it!

Is Supernova Cinema DTS available? Or, does a DVD with a DTS track exist? I'm going to finish my project, and I'd like to add the DTS track if available...

jerryshadoe said:

This might be a good source, if you wish to get rid of the mgm hd watermark on that 1080p copy. Just a suggestion, if you end up doing a project for this ;)

Agree; that logo SHOULD be deleted somehow...

Don't forget there are also an italian and spanish PAL DVD at least - probably german and french too... plus, a soundtrack CD.

Flexicon9, if you thought about a project to start with, this could be the right one!

Out of curiosity, I watched the trailer; frankly, I can't remeber to have ever watched this movie, even in the '80s; but it's so nerdy that I should watch it ASAP! (^^,)

Flexycon9, why don't you take some time and start a BD project about it?!?

Yes, mine is 50/50 mix; I'd like to test some screenshots more, but they should be subtitle-free to be feeded to my colourmatch script... of course, a short clip would be better.

IIRC though, the japanese HDTV color grading is not the same of the DVD and/or laserdisc, am I right?

"In media stat virtus"... top old, middle mix, bottom new:

Apart the "cameronized" color grading, the new cap has more details on all sides... yes, it is a good source to use for a project!

DocSap, as this thread is about your project, would you like to do this "upgrade"?

We'll set the color back... (^^/)

Well yes, I'm using that version - AFAIK the only one around... and yes, the untouched DD 5.1 english track will be more than welcome! Please P.M. me.

Right! Someone has grabbed it?

Funcha said:

I looked in "teh" spot where all your other edits are, kk650, but this doesn't appear to be there. Anywhere else this may be?

Ehr... even if we and kk650 are friends, this is not his project, it's mine! (^^,)

And it's not in "teh" spot, not now, but on "myinternalorgan"...

Not by me, too... this project is for all the ones who have not forget this good action movie... and with Lance in it, you couldn't be wrong! (^^,)

UPDATE:

the two HDTV broadcast are temporally and spatially aligned; the russian version seems to have more details/grain intact, but also more compression artifacts; scandinavian version has less artifacts, but also less details and seems a bit too much waxy; if overlaid, result is better than single version; I thought to add a grain plate to improve perceived detail level.

russian HDTV (note residual logo, bottom left, and black drop outs, left side near the circular door):
http://s21.postimg.org/uzszcozut/Supernova_67323_russian.png

scandinavian HDTV (black drop outs still present):
http://s21.postimg.org/ygv1fnyx1/Supernova_67323_scandinavian.png

50% mix, residual logo deleted, drop outs removed, grain plate applied:
http://s21.postimg.org/i74vcro91/Supernova_67323_sporv.png

face details, 2x zoom, from left: russian, scandinavian, mix:

link to the image: http://s13.postimg.org/p90yz60av/Supernova_67323_zoom.png

What do you think? JEDIT: New test clip could now be found in the first post.

Forgot to ask: theatrical or special edition? If it's the latter - the one I prefer - if you, or someone else, could capture it, and send it to me, I hereby promise to make a [spoRv] version with both PCM and AC3 taken from laserdisc, bit-perfect... if you would like to see it, of course!