'Beowulf: Director's Cut (UK Import)' - High-Def Digest Review

[Attebery]

Kenneth's review of 'Beowulf: Director's Cut (UK Import)' has been posted. He says it's a thrilling animated action film that expands the classic tale with intriguing additions to the story and the characters. This Blu-ray import release features a stunning transfer that matches the five-star domestic HD DVD and ups the ante with a TrueHD mix that sounds even better than the HD DVD's mind-blowing Digital Plus mix. Unfortunately, some HD DVD exclusive features didn't make the transfer to Blu-ray, but this one is still recommended for fans who can't wait for Paramount to get their Blu-ray release system up and running.


Full review here:
http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/1420/beowulf_uk.html

[5thDanMaster]

This is exactly why I went Blu:
Their uncompromising use of losseless audio. I might end up importing this movie, or waiting for the US release.

HD DVD only owners will never understand until they listen to BD soundtracks. This is why I will be buying Transformers on BD when it is released.

[Corpsegrinder]

Hells yea i just ordered 2 copies myself from amazon UK.

One to keep and one to trade off!!

[mosman22]

Makes you wonder, if Beowolf improves in sonic quality when jumping from dd+ to True hd why wouldn't transformers see a singnificant upgrade. According to die hard dd+ fans, both Beowolf and Transformers dd+ encodes are transparent to the master. That obviously isn't the case, if Beowolf has a noticable sonic upgrade with true hd it seems despite the crowing of the dd+ lovers, the hd dvd dd+ is not transparent to the master.

[5thDanMaster]

Originally Posted by Corpsegrinder

Hells yea i just ordered 2 copies myself from amazon UK.

One to keep and one to trade off!!

I will wait to see if Xploited will get it first, then order from Europe. Good thing that I cancelled my HD DVD order.

[5thDanMaster]

Originally Posted by mosman22

Makes you wonder, if Beowolf improves in sonic quality when jumping from dd+ to True hd why wouldn't transformers see a singnificant upgrade. According to die hard dd+ fans, both Beowolf and Transformers dd+ encodes are transparent to the master. That obviously isn't the case, if Beowolf has a noticable sonic upgrade with true hd it seems despite the crowing of the dd+ lovers, the hd dvd dd+ is not transparent to the master.

Transformers HD DVD though a great mix was not lossless. And the thing was LFE lacking. I will be upgrading to a BD copy when it is release. And I can pretty much guarantee you that Paramount will put a superior audio track in it.

[joeymac]

Originally Posted by 5thDanMaster

This is exactly why I went Blu:
Their uncompromising use of losseless audio. I might end up importing this movie, or waiting for the US release.

HD DVD only owners will never understand until they listen to BD soundtracks. This is why I will be buying Transformers on BD when it is released.

That's funny.... UK HD DVD of Beowulf, also from Wanrer, comes with the exact same TrueHD soundtrack the Blu-Ray version has.

Seriously dude. HD DVD is dead and you still have some weird... (in a matt damon voice) "Blu-Ray is better... HD DVD sucks" inferiority complex. Get a new hobby for the sake of the rest of us, you are making humanity look bad... please?

[Micker]

Another reason to NEVER give a 5 star rating to a LOSSY audio track.

Like I said before when Transformers got 5 stars for audio, What happens when the lossless version comes out and it sounds better?? Are you going to give it 6 stars??

[Corpsegrinder]

Originally Posted by 5thDanMaster

I will wait to see if Xploited will get it first, then order from Europe. Good thing that I cancelled my HD DVD order.

Yea i got the priority express shipping option,. says mine will arrive wednesday or thursday..

Lets hope!!

[Blu-News.com]

Originally Posted by Micker

Another reason to NEVER give a 5 star rating to a LOSSY audio track.

Like I said before when Transformers got 5 stars for audio, What happens when the lossless version comes out and it sounds better?? Are you going to give it 6 stars??

I kind of see your point but don't really agree. If the PQ/AQ is good and is 5 star quality then it should get 5 stars. Just because a lossless track came out that's better means it's a 5 and should just be noted in the section. The Beowulf Hd DVD track is better than most of the audio tracks on either format, so why dock if its better? Especially if you couldn't compare at the time. Just cause there is a lossless track Blu-ray version in the Uk it doesnt make the lossy version sound bad all of the sudden, it still is demo material audio.

[jm9843]

Originally Posted by mosman22

According to die hard dd+ fans, both Beowolf and Transformers dd+ encodes are transparent to the master.

Not just to "die hard dd+ fans", but also according to a Warner Bros. compressionist with access to the masters. I'm referring to remarks from Cjplay that weren't specific to this title.

Frankly, I'm skeptical that there is a "noticeable sonic upgrade" with the TrueHD track on Beowolf. Indeed, it is likely imperceptible on 99% of users setups, including the reviewers. If anything, there may be a placebo effect at work here.

[bt12483]

Originally Posted by jm9843

Not just to "die hard dd+ fans", but also according to a Warner Bros. compressionist with access to the masters. I'm referring to remarks from Cjplay that weren't specific to this title.

Frankly, I'm skeptical that there is a "noticeable sonic upgrade" with the TrueHD track on Beowolf. Indeed, it is likely imperceptible on 99% of users setups, including the reviewers. If anything, there may be a placebo effect at work here.

i love this line of thought...so when he was gushing about how great the track on the HD DVD was he was correct...yet when the SAME reviewer says the TrueHD track on the bluray is better he is now under some "placebo effect" - which is essentially saying that he is wrong?

So let me get this straight:

HD DVD = 5 star = Kenneth Brown was correct in his review

Bluray = 5+ star = Kenneth Brown suffering from a placebo = he is wrong

yeah...

and so what if 99% of people can't benefit from it? I have a fully hdmi 1.3 setup and would indeed benefit from the TrueHD track, and I am not alone. Just because everyone can't benefit from it doesn't mean the better audio track should not be used.

Do you not expect the best when you are buying this stuff? Isn't that the point of HD?

If he would have said the DD+ track was better than the TrueHD track - you guys would have been extolling the "transparency" of the DD+ track - but since it went the other way now we get the "placebo" talk

But yet when the gushing HD DVD review was released he was everybodies best friend, right?

[irrob]

The review I was waiting for. Just pre-ordered.

[jm9843]

Originally Posted by bt12483

i love this line of thought...so when he was gushing about how great the track on the HD DVD was he was correct...yet when the SAME reviewer says the TrueHD track on the bluray is better he is now under some "placebo effect" - which is essentially saying that he is wrong?

It's pure speculation on my part. HDD, as standard practice with new reviews, always slights a title if it doesn't include a lossless track. When you see this done across a gamut of titles regardless of their content, length, # of extras, etc., you have to start taking their opinion with a grain of salt.

More importantly, I'd sooner believe a compressionist's opinion who works with the master, in an environment that no home theatre will duplicate, over a reviewer on this site. The compressionis's opinion was that DD+ can be transparent to the source.

Originally Posted by bt12483

Just because everyone can't benefit from it doesn't mean the better audio track should not be used.

Who said that it shouldn't? It wasn't me, I <3 TrueHD.

Originally Posted by bt12483

Do you not expect the best when you are buying this stuff? Isn't that the point of HD?

Of course. I also believe in utilizing the best tech for the source material. This includes taking into account efficiency as well as # of bits and mathematically lossless algorithms.

Originally Posted by bt12483

If he would have said the DD+ track was better than the TrueHD track - you guys would have been extolling the "transparency" of the DD+ track - but since it went the other way now we get the "placebo" talk

It would follow that I might suspect a placebo effect when the DD+ track was given 5 stars. Because such a focus is given to lossless vs. lossy on this site's reviews, it was a forgone conclusion that they would say the TrueHD track sounded better. You didn't even have to read the review to know they were going to say that. Again, I have to take their comments that it was perceivably better with a grain of salt because of it.

Originally Posted by bt12483

But yet when the gushing HD DVD review was released he was everybodies best friend, right?

You love to put words in people's mouths don't you?

[Josh Z]

Originally Posted by 5thDanMaster

This is exactly why I went Blu:
Their uncompromising use of losseless audio.

For what it's worth, Paramount's DD+ track is 24-bit resolution, while Warner's TrueHD track is only 16-bit. So much for "uncompromising".

Originally Posted by Micker

Another reason to NEVER give a 5 star rating to a LOSSY audio track.

By the same logic, you should never give a 16-bit track 5 stars. You should never give a 5.1 track 5 stars when 7.1 is possible. If you're going to blindly set absolute rules without taking into consideration how things actually sound, there are a variety of reasons to discredit any 5 star review.

I haven't compared these two discs, nor do I really care to. If Ken says he heard a difference, I believe him. I just tire of the spec-whoring that inevitably goes on in these threads. Most of the people complaining about the lack of lossless audio don't have speakers that are even remotely capable of reproducing the difference. I've said it before, we should all judge things based on how they actually look and sound, not based on the specs printed on their packaging.