spoRv

Bad news... today, one of my &#$ਠcats jumped over my external hdd... luckily it's still working, but processing was interrupted, and file corrupted... so, I started again - it will take some other hours...

Meanwhile, I've finished to design the BD covers - really similar to Halloween, as I thought to give Carpenter's movie a unique and shared design - they are in the first post.

Movie: Escape from New York - German soundtrack

Format: PAL german laserdisc [L1269]

Input Soundtrack: PCM 44.1 kHz 16-bit, bit perfect

Output Soundtrack: PCM 48 kHz 16-bit

Synced To: 2010 Blu-ray Release Region A [link]

Ripped/Synced by: anonymous

Notes: FLAC lossless compressed

For my project, I decided to convert it to AC3 to be in line with the other foreign soundtracks, so I put it online to be downloaded from whom it may concern...

Download links: part1 part2

PROJECT UPDATES

Finally & luckily, I found both commentaries... it's (almost) time to release!

Now my poor old PC is compressing the video, and the last thing I should do before multiplexing is to fix subtitles - it will take an hour or two, don't worry - so probably I can release the main project within two days... for the fan-edit, you should wait a bit more, though.

If Halloween [spoRv] was my Xmas gift, think about EFNY as my Befana's gift... (^^,)

OVERLAP MATCHING

What is the Overlap matching?

When two images of different sizes are used to improve the final result.

Could you be more specific?

Usually this is used when two different versions of the same movie are available at different aspect ratios.

Let’s say you want to restore a movie that is not available in high definition, and you want to upscale a DVD or a laserdisc capture. If you are lucky, an anamorphic DVD is available, so a theoretical 720x576 (PAL) or 720x480 (NTSC) max resolution could be achievable. But, if the original aspect ratio of the movie is 2.35:1, then you have only 720x432 (PAL) or 720x360 (NTSC). Well, enough resolution left to do a decent upscale. However, if the DVD is not anamorphically enhanced, actual resolution drops to 720x324 (PAL) or 720x252 (NTSC).

But what if the only (or the best) available low definition sources are analog? In this case, a 2.35:1 original resolution in laserdisc could be at maximum 576x324 (PAL) or 576x262 (NTSC), while VHS could be 328x324 (PAL) or 328x262 (NTSC)… pretty poor…

So, how it’s possible to improve the quality of such low resolution sources? It’s easy! Overlap a pan&scan version of the same movie over the letterbox version!

The P&S version of a laserdisc could be 576x576 (PAL) or 576x480 (NTSC), while VHS could be 328x576 (PAL) or 328x480 (NTSC). Can you see the differences?

EXAMPLE:

here you can see how a P&S version overlapped to a letterbox version, upscaled, have a better resolution than the latter; this will lead to better details in the center of the image, leaving less detailed image at the borders. It is also possible to use two letterboxed versions (like 1.66:1 and 2.35:1) - even if difference in details will be less than using a P&S version, it nevertheless improve definition a lot.

A lower difference in aspect ratios between sources makes the final resolution only slightly better, but often this avoids all the image cropping and variations that lie in the pan&scan version.

Can I use an open matte version instead of pan& scan?

It is often futile to use an open matte version with a letterboxed version both from the same format, as active image have the same effective vertical resolution; however, it is possible to use an open matte version of an higher resolution source overlapped to a lower resolution source.

So, for example, an open matte DVD (with higher horizontal resolution) overlapped to a letterbox laserdisc; or an open matte laserdisc or DVD (both with higher horizontal resolution) overlapped to a letterboxed VHS, will increase the details clarity of the final upscaled version.

What about high definition formats, like Blu-ray and HDTV sources?

in some rare cases, the open matte version of the same (or comparable) format of the letterbox version has a better resolution - due to several factors like different masters, encoding, bitrates etc. - in such cases, it’s possible to use the Overlap matching method, although usually with lower quality improvement in comparison to previous cases.

NOTE: consider that pan&scan cropping vary usually everytime between shots, and often during a single shot; so this method is really really hard to follow, much more than the “Slice technique”…

Top, upscaled DVD, bottom, upscaled DVD with HDTV overlapped:

(full version: http://s27.postimg.cc/mahnqhv4x/matrix_083217.jpg)

same image as the previous second one, not cropped:

(full version: s22.postimg.cc/p401x9atr/matrix_PLUS.jpg)

WARNING: this is a very difficult technique, and could be really hard and time consuming to find out the perfect settings; I did this simple match in an hour, and both previous and next shots have completely different setting… be aware!

Comments, improvements, corrections are welcome!

SLICE TECHNIQUE™

What's about this so-called Slice Technique™?

In few words: achieve the widest (highest) image possible adding a "slice" of another video clip.

Be more specific...

Well, sometimes there are two editions of the same movie, where one has more image on one side, while less on the other side, and vice versa. So I thought to use the missing "slice" of one joined together with all the other, to obtain the widest image possible. Indeed, it could be only (e.g.) 3% wider than any each version, but I much prefer a 100% wide image Vs a "mere" 97%... (^^,)

Of course, it's quite difficult - sometimes impossible - to use this technique with every movie, because what must be taken in account are the dimensions (eventual image rotation, width and heigth of sources and chosen slice, eventual resizing and cropping, exact point of matching), colors (both versions should have the same color grading, or one should color match the other), video quality (grain, resolution/definition, different compression used in the sources, frame whobbling in a version not present in the other - in particular at the beginning and ending of a shot), etc.

In these examples, I used a vertical slice and two sources, but it's possible to use an horizontal slice, or even multiple slices from various sources - obviously, in this case, a good result will be astonishingly difficult...

Hint: best results are from two versions with same resolution - like 2 Blu-rays, 2 DVDs, 1 Blu-ray and 1 HDTV.

EXAMPLE:

"Escape from New York" examples (attention: only preliminary tests, not used for final project)

comparison clip between the BD and the [spoRv] version; 120MB, 1920x1080, AC3 5.1, 8000kbps

http://www.sendspace.com/file/haau7q (new link)

comparison screenshots:

Second test clip needed different settings for different shots; just four settings worked for the whole test, but to "slice" a whole movie, a lot of settings are needed.

It looks like there's more image at the bottom in some shots on the XXX Vs. YYY. It is possible to adjust that too?

It is not possible to use it, as the small "slice" on the bottom of the YYY is missing... like the following example:

see the missing piece at the bottom right? Unless there is some method to "invent" the missing piece using surrounding images... and I'm afraid, there is not (yet)!

How about using XXX as the main source and just adjusting the colors, instead of using the YYY?

It depends... if XXX color matched with YYY as color reference is better, then use XXX; if not, then use YYY - I must add that sometimes the best solution is to use XXX for some scenes and YYY for others... your mileage can vary!

Comments, improvements, corrections are welcome!

Even if I continue to think that this "mere" 3% of added image is still important, I must admit I can't (and don't) want to spend so much time to fix it - until John will pay me to do it... (^^,)

The fan-edit idea will take not so much time, as video is almost ready; I thought to use only the laserdisc PCM soundtrack, as the added scene is only in english and not multichannel; I will add subtitles eventually; the extra scene is not in good condition, I'm afraid, but I'm sure to enhance it a bit and let it "watchable"; plus, the new credits will act as a "break" between the past (the bank robbery added scene) and the present (or, to be exact, a future past...); so, a rought past Vs a "bright" present... well, a LOT brighter than BD!!!

Happy New Year to everyone!

Please read my answer in your same thread on LDDB forum...

PROJECT UPDATES

I regret to inform you that I decided to NOT use the "slice technique"; despite the fact the technique itself is working - and I showed it in this very thread - it's really hard and time-consuming to reach a perfect color and position matching; I discovered that in many shots, the first one or two frames in the HDTV wobbling, with variable spacial width and direction, and small color variations, making almost impossible to find out proper spacial and color settings to do a perfect match... I'm really sorry, because first tests were quite good!

So, I will use only HDTV as video source, plus the MGM logo at the beginning and end to match the blu-ray soundtrack.

BUT... I want you forgive me for this fact, and so I thought to do, apart the normal restoration, an extra fan-edit version, using the deleted scene put at the beginning, plus replacing the credits with a custom version I found on the net - a wondeful one - in an additional BD-25, along with extra material... what do you think?

Now I need laserdisc and DVD commentaries; while I could do myself the former, I need the latter (by Debra Hill and Joe Alves), because my PAL italian DVD has not it - AFAIK, both are available on DVD.

Well done, Jerry!

About soundtrack efforts, now you can imagine how hard it was the video part...

Now I'm finishing EFNY - Carpenter rules! - then I should finish BATB, after that it will be the turn of Matrix 2.0... hope to finish in January, so, meanwhile... Happy New Year!

I love difficult challenges - that's why I did The Matrix project... why, oh why I did that... (^^,)

Well, testing and fixing and fixing and testing, I reached an acceptable level in most scenes, but not in all, so my usual "idea bulb" suddenly lighted up, and... why can't I use the color regraded BD, plus an HDTV "slice"? Well, because it's better (and it shows) to use a small "slice" of regraded BD near the untouched (color wise) HTDV, instead of the contrary... but, in some scenes, this last solution is quite good...

So, I'm going to do the last test: using the BDslice+HDTV for most of the scenes, and BD+HDTVslice for the others...

About audio: I just thrown the HDTV AC3 soundtrack into Audacity, and it HAS both active subwoofer and stereo surround tracks, so it's NOT 4.0, but 5.1. If it's different from the BD mix, I don't know, but probably I'll add it to the project anyway.

MERRY XMAS!

MERRY XMAS!

Jetrell Fo said:

Those Japanese subs are burnt in. 

You are right.

Unless you have an LD player that allows you to turn them off you're stuck.

You are wrong... because of the former answer! These kind of subtitles, as they are burnt in, could NOT be removed, as they are part of the image... the only ones in the laserdisc format that could be turned on/off, like DVD and BD, are the LD+G ones - they need an LD+G decoder, or a rare laserdisc player with built in LD+G decoder.

I want to add that the studio made a bad job here... the most perfect example of japanese subtitles OUT of the image is Star Wars: The Phantom Menace: they shifted up a bit the image, to leave more room for the two lines subtitles.

Back to us: my ColourMatch script - like all the other color matching ones- is "stupid"... can't understand if a white part of the image is actually a real part of the image, or a subtitle... so, when subtitles are present, their colors will influence (negatively) the regraded one...

So, this japanese laserdisc "as is" could not be used as color reference - to me, at least, using my script... until it's not "fixed" (read: subtitles in the images are wiped out), and results will not be so good anyway...

At the end, the DVD could be used as color reference, using the japanese laserdisc only for the added scenes... OR... if this laserdisc is actually open matte and not pan&scan, it could be used for this project...

Hi everyone, I'm back to work!

Now that I'm applying the script I tested to the whole movie, I realize how much added "sliced" quality differs from scene to scene... where in one is almost perfect, in others is way off and really noticeable...

I'm trying to obtain an acceptable version - it will take a very loooong time if I try to find out a perfect preset for each scene; instead, I forced myself to use few presets to make it in a "human" time...

If I will fail, I think a plain HDTV version will suffice, because color grading and contrast are really better than BD - apart few scenes, where I think I should use BD grading instead.

Plus, an anonymous user sent me the german PCM laserdisc soundtrack - don't know if I will use it "as is", or make an AC3 version to spare almost one GB in favour of better video compression - the latter is my preferred option.

MERRY XMAS from Snake Plissken...

Booshman said:

 Would it be possible to use the LD for colour reference with avisynth?

Yes.

I think the japanese subs are hard coded and sometimes they cover the movie image. Luckily there are no subs that extend out of the black border during the 2 extra scenes.

Until subtitles are confined to black borders (and it should be the case, as AR is 2.35:1) there will be no problem... could you please post some examples of subs out of black borders?

Wouldn't it be better to match bluray to the DVD?

Maybe... following the thread, it seems that laserdisc has a better color grading, but I'm not the expert here...

This is what about: Usavich

Obviously, a single rtf file better than many ones!

Take your time, and meanwhile... (,^^) MERRY XMAS! (^^,)

I'll be happy to capture the laserdisc with my X9, upscale the needed scenes to match (as it could be possible) the blu-ray, and use the whole capture as color reference for the blu-ray... rockin, where are you from?

I'm working on it right now; when text will be ready, I'll overlay it to the video - hope to finish before new year's eve.

@doombot: call me vintage-lover, old-fashioned, or techno-dinosaur... I still love to have a physical copy into my hands... it's true that many could demux-mux all the tracks needed, but think about the ones who are not able to do it... just the fact of burning a BD is fearful for them, figure out to learn how to use tsmuxer (or another software)... (^^,) ...and don't forget you are talking with a laserdisc lover... if it was for me, I'd prefer to write a laserdisc instead of a "simple" BD - if only laserdisc "burner" could be located anywhere nowaday - but things changes... until an empty BD will be available in the market, I'll continue to release BD versions...

Plus,the BD could be put together with the original BDs into your collection, and you could donate a burned BD (along with the printed cover) to a friend - a cheap gift perfect for Xmas...

Jerry, I have the japanese soundtrack still into my HD; P.M. me for it!

I'm happy you are working hard for this, but let me just to suggest to not use v.2.1, as it could seem it will be different from v.2.0... I'll stick with v.2.0 plus something like "audiophile edition", or "extra soundtracks"...

Or, it will be a v.2.1 only IF video will be compressed at higher bitrate than the one used for BD-25... and it could be done, of course!

Sorry, yesterday I went to sleep and forgot to do the job...

Here you are the images: http://www.sendspace.com/file/uo1cue

they are 40, but as the main characters are repeated for the five series, many description will be similar between them.

What will be great is to have a .rtf or .doc file for each image, with japanese text "as is", plus a possible translation if you can do it.

My PC is busy doing the Episode 2.5 conversion; after that, I'll check out for all the video parts with text to be translated, and will post them in a zipped file; I'll post the link here when it will be ready - in about two hours.

And thanks again for your help!!!

According to Wikipedia (and also other sources)...

Kedamsky (?????? Kedamusuk?)

It's quite difficult to find the exact meaning of a phrase sometimes... here you are the Google translation of episode 26.5 title...

?M?? = De M Note

meaning: "Watch (out) for Extreme Masochist"... it took me some hours to find out it...

Well, a simple conversion from graphics to text will be enough; Google translation is my friend (sometimes) and I will try to find out a proper mean for the phrase, knowing something about the context.

If you would like to help, I will take all the needed screenshots.

Many thanks in advance!

Great! Take a look at this thread - there is an example of japanese text; there is also japanese dialog, but text is more important now...

Blu-ray color grading is horrible... D-Theater is the way to go!

Back to thread: I'm planning to release an Usavich project, but I need some help with japanese translation... anyone? Konnichi-wa! (^^,)

Started as a Xmas gift for my daughter - she loves Usavich (almost) as I do, after working on it for some time, I discovered that all the extra material present on the DVDs is only in japanese... in brief, there are short descriptions of all the characters and vehicles, plus a "Making of"...

What I'd like to do now is to overlay an english translation of the description right over the japanese text, plus an english subtitle track for the "Making of"; I asked for help into the Off Topic forum, and I strongly hope someone could help me with this task, that frankly is beyond my knowledge...

This will bring us an "Ultimate Usavich" collection...