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#1
04-21-2007, 01:56 AM
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Tier System for HD DVD
Note: This thread now contains both the Tier System as well as links to various HD DVD reviews for a one stop shopping place for determining the quality of various titles.
How it works The list is continuously changing with each new release, so check the list frequently to see where the picture quality of your favorite film rates. Also, the list is not definitive but rather constantly evolving according to majority rule, meaning that a film within a particular tier can be moved if the majority feels the picture quality of said film should be rated higher or lower. This way, I remain objective and the opinion of others is equally heard. Each title within its respective tier is also ranked in order of picture of quality (e.g., Training Day is higher than World Trade Center because it has a slightly better picture). With each new release, the picture quality of a certain film will be ranked based on my initial viewing, and then moved about based on majority rule. So remember to post your opinion of where you think a title should be ranked and I will move it accordingly. Please keep in mind that the list is not intended to reflect the quality of a director’s intention and such judgments should be avoided when assessing picture quality. For example, Children of Men was intentionally filmed with a gray overtone to fit the subject matter, but this stylistic choice did not hinder the sharp detail of the picture. This list is also not intended as a means of comparing the superiority of one format over the other since the list is purely subjective, not conclusive. However, the tier system is intended as a means of encouraging each other to watch new releases (whether they are day-and-date or catalog), express our opinion concerning the picture quality and see how it compares to reviews published on this site or other websites. The list also allows others to see the general opinion of imported HD DVDs and offer that final nudge to purchase said import. How to assess picture quality The title is ranked based on how consistent the film is throughout, e.g., Tier 0 means zero artifacts and consistent from beginning to end, Tier 1 means artifacts are present about ten percent of the time, Tier 6 means artifacts are present about sixty percent of the time, and so forth. When it comes to consistency, the picture of one scene should compare to the picture of another scene within the same title. What you want to look for is the sharpness of detail (does the picture have plenty of depth and pop-out of the screen or does it look real and film-like), color (are they true to reality, especially blues, reds and greens; are blacks black and whites white), and video artifacts (is the picture bobbed or is there too much noise and edge enhancement). Do these features remain comparably consistent throughout the film? Sometimes, the picture is so sharp that it’s almost three-dimensional or characters on screen appear to live in a three-dimensional space. This 3-D effect can be ruined by a picture being too soft or out-of-focus. A good example of this is the intentional softness of Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow. While the picture of the film is very good and looks very film-like, it lacks depth. However, it still ranks in Tier 2 because it also lacks any video artifacts and the picture quality is very pristine. Video artifacts are a common result of the amount of damage the original master copy of the film has sustained over time; but they can also be a result of the process used to transfer a film into a digital media. A "bobbed" image is, simply put, the process of upconverting a picture with a resolution of 480-scan lines to 1080p, creating “jaggies” or “stair-stepping.” This process can also result in rare cases of chroma noise, which affects solid colors like blues and reds by making them appear grainy rather than pure. Other video artifacts which can be problematic are low level noise (which affects the blackest part of the image, making it look grainy and almost gray rather than a deep, solid black), macro-blocking (which is a result of bandwidth limitations and exposes pixels, making fast-paced scenes look pixelated), and edge enhancement (which results in a halo effect around a character or object; it’s a visible issue for those folks using CRT projectors or digital front projectors). How each Tier is categorized and other signifiers Tier 0 - Reference --- The picture quality of the transfer is in pristine shape and practically perfect with no visible video artifacts. The image is so clean and sharp that it maintains a three-dimensional feel throughout and serves as great demo material. Tier 1 - Excellent --- Video artifacts are next to nothing with a good sense of three-dimensional space. The image is sharp and nicely detailed and still serves as good demo material. Tier 2 - Very Good --- The image maintains a sharp film-like quality throughout which looks real, with less 3-D effect than Tier 1 and video artifacts are far and few in between. Tier 3 - Good --- The picture is nice and pleasant to look at with a few more artifacts and less depth and detail than Tier 2. While the majority of the film is 'good', the remainder is enough to show inconsistencies. Tier 4 - Satisfactory --- This is the midway point for Hi-Def titles. Although a step up from standard definition DVD, the transfer has added only some detail and depth with little video artifacts; hardly any 3-D effect, but still film-like quality. Tier 5 - Average --- Video artifacts are more prevalent while still a decent picture; it's difficult to discern how the transfer has added much to the picture quality, because it's softer than expected and looks almost like its DVD counterpart. (Combo) : a hybrid disc commonly used for day-and-date releases, with DVD-9 on one side and HD DVD on the other. (U-Control) : an interactive feature found on some Universal releases. (IME) : “In-Movie Experience” , an interactive feature found on some Warner releases. (TrueHD) : Dolby TrueHD, a lossless audio codec (24 bit/96 kHz) developed by Dolby Laboratories. (DTS-MA) : DTS-HD Master Audio, a lossless audio codec (24 bit/96 kHz) developed by Digital Theater System (DTS). (DTS-HD) : DTS-HD High Resolution Audio, an alternative to DTS-HD Master Audio capable of 3.0 Mbps and used as an option when disc space is limited.
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M. Enois Duarte Project: Blu Reviewer High-Def Digest Contributor Hi-Def Collection . Last edited by eNoize : 12-14-2007 at 12:59 AM. 
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#2
04-22-2007, 04:10 AM
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Note: This thread now contains both the Tier System as well as links to various HD DVD reviews for a one stop shopping place for determining the quality of various titles. And if you're looking for a particular title, simply press Ctrl + F and type in the title.
Tier 0 - Reference Quality Beowulf: The Director's Cut (2007) (PiP feature) Shrek the Third (IME) Corpse Bride King Kong (U-Control) The Ant Bully(Combo)(TrueHD) Happy Feet (Combo)(TrueHD) TMNT (TrueHD) Hot Fuzz Zodiac: Director's Cut Les Triplettes de Belleville (French Import)(DTS-MA) Pan's Labyrinth (IME)(DTS-MA) Transformers (IME) A Scanner Darkly Hulk The Matrix Reloaded (IME)(TrueHD) The Matrix Revolutions (IME)(TrueHD) Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (IME)(TrueHD) Black Snake Moan Renaissance (2006) (German Import)(DTS-MA) Crank (Director's Cut) (German Import)(DTS-HD) Shooter Tier 1 - An Excellent Improvement Upon Its Theatrical Run Freedom: 2 (Twin Combo) Freedom: 3 Freedom: 4 Freedom: 5 Eastern Promises (Combo)(TrueHD) Brotherhood of the Wolf (European Import)(DTS-MA) The Bourne Ultimatum (Combo)(U-Control)(TrueHD) Inside Man (TrueHD) I Am Legend (Combo)(TrueHD) Freedom: 1 (Twin Combo) One Six Right: The Romance of Flying The Host (DTS-HD) 2001: A Space Odyssey (TrueHD) Planet Earth Torchwood: Season One (UK Import)(DTS-HD) Galapagos Children of Men (Combo)(U-Control) Chronicles of Riddick Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (IME)(TrueHD) Nature's Journey Atonement (Combo) Terminator 2: Judgment Day (Theatrical Cut) (French Import)(DTS-MA) The Aviator The Way To Paradise: Music Experience in 3-Dimensional Sound (DTS-MA) The Bourne Identity (U-Control) Face/Off Batman Begins (IME)(TrueHD) Tideland (German Import)(DTS-HD) Alexander Revisited The Scorpion King (U-Control) Blade Runner (TrueHD) The Kingdom (2007) (U-Control)(Combo) Seabiscuit Troy: Director's Cut (TrueHD) The Invasion (Combo)(TrueHD) Grand Prix Sahara Aeon Flux Tremors (TrueHD) Underworld: Evolution (Spanish Import) The Brave One (Combo)(TrueHD) Training Day (TrueHD) Ray The Prestige (European Import) Nine Inch Nails Live: Beside You in Time (TrueHD) The Phantom of the Opera (IME)(TrueHD) Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (TrueHD) Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (TrueHD) Gothika Eyes Wide Shut (TrueHD) Tier 2 - Very Good -- An Accurate Representation of a Film's Theatrical Showing Evan Almighty (Combo)(U-Control) The Matrix (IME)(TrueHD) Letters from Iwo Jima (Combo)(TrueHD) Band of Brothers (Japanese Import)(DTS-HD) Flags of Our Fathers The Heartbreak Kid (TrueHD) Disturbia (DTS-HD) 300 (Combo)(IME)(TrueHD) Mission: Impossible III (PiP feature) Smokin' Aces (Combo)(U-Control) Hollywoodland (Combo) Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind The Hitcher (Combo)(U-Control) Star Trek: The Original Series -- The Complete First Season (IME)(TrueHD) Dreamgirls Robin Hood: The Complete Series One (UK Import) The Departed (Combo)(TrueHD) Bleak House (UK Import)(uPCM) 2 Fast 2 Furious The Fast & The Furious: Tokyo Drift (Combo)(U-Contol) The Mummy Returns Jet Li's Fearless (Combo) The Fast & The Furious Black Christmas (2006) (TrueHD) Equilibrium (Japanese Import) Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (TrueHD) The Brothers Grimm (Japanese Import) Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (IME)(TrueHD) American Gangster (Combo)(U-Control) Return to House on Haunted Hill The Skeleton Key Jazz Standards - Music Experience in 3-Dimensional Sound (DTS-MA) Balls of Fury (Combo)(TrueHD) Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (German Import)(DTS-HD) Fantastic Four (German Import)(DTS-HD) Blood Diamond (IME)(TrueHD) Constantine (IME)(TrueHD) ATL (Combo) Running Scared (German Import)(DTS-HD) Out of Sight The Matador Scary Movie 4 District B13 (TrueHD) Brokeback Mountain (Combo) World Trade Center Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (German Import)(DTS-HD) Serenity The Warriors: Ultimate Director's Cut Discovery Atlas: Australia Revealed Discovery Atlas: Brazil Revealed Good Night, Good Luck (Combo) IMAX: Blue Planet (TrueHD) Nip/Tuck: The Complete Fourth Season Elephants Dream (German Import) Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang (Combo) Discovery Atlas: Italy The Wicker Man (2006) (TrueHD) Swordfish Shaun of the Dead Terminator 2: Judgment Day (Director's Cut)(French Import)(DTS-MA) We Are Marshall (Combo)(TrueHD) The Manchurian Candidate (2004) Reign of Fire (Japanese Import) Next (TrueHD) Dawn of the Dead (2004) (TrueHD) Scooby-Doo Clerks II (TrueHD) The World's Fastest Indian (TrueHD) The Architect Casablanca The Pianist (TrueHD) La Vie en Rose (La Mome) (French Import)(DTS-MA) Elizabeth: The Golden Age (Combo)(TrueHD) The Bourne Supremacy (U-Control) Total Recall (French Import)(DTS-MA) Pitch Black 1408 - Director's Cut (Dutch Import)(DTS-MA) The Mummy Becoming Jane (UK Import)(DTS-HD) Dead Silence Heroes: Season One (U-Control) Elizabeth (TrueHD) Into the Wild Blades of Glory The Last Samurai The Pat Metheny Group: The Way Up (uPCM)(DTS-HD) Breach The Searchers The Road Warrior V for Vendetta (IME)(TrueHD) Alice Cooper: Live in Montreux 2005 The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (Combo) Royal Space Force: Wings of Honneamise (uPCM)(TrueHD) Heart: Alive in Seattle (TrueHD) Babel Green Street Hooligans (German Import)(DTS-HD) Twister (TrueHD) Cream: Live at the Royal Albert Hall Viva Las Vegas (TrueHD) Chicago and Earth, Wind & Fire: Live at the Greek Theatre Knocked Up (Combo)(U-Control) Pride and Prejudice (TrueHD) Twenty Thousand Streets Under the Sky (UK Import)(uPCM) Hotel Babylon: Season One (UK Import)(uPCM) The Good Shepherd (Combo)(U-Control) White Noise (TrueHD) In the Valley of Elah (Combo)(TrueHD) Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (IME) King of California
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M. Enois Duarte Project: Blu Reviewer High-Def Digest Contributor Hi-Def Collection . Last edited by eNoize : 08-24-2008 at 03:59 PM.
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#4
04-24-2007, 12:03 AM
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TITLES YET TO BE RANKED:
Alone in the Dark (German Import) Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy Apocalypto (Polish Import) Appleseed Ex Machina Army of Shadows (L'Armée des ombres) (French Import) Arctic Tale Aquarium Impressions August Rush Battlestar Galactica: Season One Bridge to Terabithia (Spanish Import) Cecilia & Bryn At Glyndebourne Channels Deadliest Catch: Season 3 Deep Purple: Live at Montreux 2006 Disco Pigs Dispatch: Zimbabwe - Live at Madison Square Garden Dragon Tiger Gate Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room Fireplace Impressions Fletch Freedom: 6 Galaxina Girls Gone Wild: Baby Bash - Live And Uncensored Ghost Rider (French Import) Gods and Generals Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 2 Resurrection James Taylor: A MusiCares Person of the Year Tribute Justice League: The New Frontier The Machinist (Japanese Import) Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night's Dream Method Man: Live from the Sunset Strip Mobsters The Moody Blues: Lovely to See You - Live Motörhead: Stage Fright Mozart: Die Zauberflote Muriel Anderson: Guitarscape Planet Mystic Forests Naked Beneath the Water Ocean's Eleven Ocean's Twelve One Last Thing... Picture This P.S. I Love You Queen Rock Montreal & Live Aid R. Kelly Live: The Light It Up Tour Rain in the Mountains Roy Orbison: A Black & White Night Santana: Hymns for Peace - Live at Montreux 2004 Seed of Chucky Silent Hill (German Import) Smallville: The Complete Sixth Season The Sopranos: Season Six, Part Two Space or Dream of Life Spatial Dynamics Strauss: Die Fledermaus Sunrise Earth: American Sunrises Vol 1 That’s Entertainment: Complete Collection The Ten Things We Lost in the Fire Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life (German Import) UFO: Showtime Uncommon Mozart Yes: Live at Montreux
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M. Enois Duarte Project: Blu Reviewer High-Def Digest Contributor Hi-Def Collection . Last edited by eNoize : 06-20-2008 at 03:17 AM.
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#5
05-08-2007, 09:21 AM
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Now open for business.
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#6
05-08-2007, 11:18 AM
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A few I would put in teir 1 would be Clerks II, Lucky Number Slevin and Dream Girls.
Planet Earth could be put in teir 0 however some of the shots were not prestine--but this is not neccessarily due to the transfer but to the fact that they are live shots.
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Sony KDL 46V2500 / Sony KDS-60A3000 2-Xbox 360's PS3 Brian Fantana=Chiefs Fan (Poor Brian Fantana) 
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#7
05-08-2007, 02:46 PM
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Quote:
i agree with everything here, but planet earth because it has some banding issues its certainly a high level tier 1 though
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 owned: 125  owned: ~70
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#8
05-08-2007, 02:50 PM
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1. Chronicles of Riddick towards the top of tier 1
2. I think Troy is way to low in tier 2 (it and V for Vendetta should be at the top of tier 2) 3. Scanner Darkly, tier 0 4. Alpha Dog too high 5. Mummy and Mummy Returns high tier 2, maybe low tier 1 6. The Jerk, tier 4 7. MI:3 hight tier 1, MI and MI:2 high tier 3 I'll have more later...
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#9
05-08-2007, 03:05 PM
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you should call yourself ePicture....
 very good eNoise you have a natural endowment for this.
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 Why...... So......Serious?
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#10
05-08-2007, 05:05 PM
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Eternal Sunshine should be in Tier 1
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#11
05-08-2007, 05:26 PM
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Serentiy - High Teir 1
Feast - Teir 1 Brokeback Mountain - Teir 0 Batman Begins - Teir 0
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Remember, no matter where you go, there you are.  Neutral always with a preference of . My HD list.: Toshiba HD A2 & HD A20: Sony BDP-S300Dish VIP 622 DVR with 3 Western Digital External Hard Drives.
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#12
05-08-2007, 07:18 PM
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Nice Thread eNoize! I still think "Planet Earth" deserves Tier 0. On the others, let me think about it a bit. Keep up the good work. (Back in the game after a brief foray into the now completely neutered Smackdown area)
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#13
05-08-2007, 08:28 PM
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Sorry, it took me so long to see that we are now in business. I will make the necessary changes and readily admit that the list is not yet complete. Several movies I forgot to list or mention. Part of the reason is because I wanted to go back and re-watch those movies; but I will post those I missed based on comments available.
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M. Enois Duarte Project: Blu Reviewer High-Def Digest Contributor Hi-Def Collection . Last edited by eNoize : 05-10-2007 at 01:53 AM.
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#14
05-08-2007, 08:34 PM
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Added Eternal Sunshine, which I think was intentionally inconsistent yet very three-dimensional, and The Nutty Professor, which looked so good I might reconsider its position if others agree.
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M. Enois Duarte Project: Blu Reviewer High-Def Digest Contributor Hi-Def Collection .
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#15
05-08-2007, 08:59 PM
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Lucky Number Slevin should be in tier 4. By far the worst looking HD-DVD I own. No question. The image throughout the entire movie looks "soft". It just doesn't look "HD". It's as if you're watching an "up-scaled" standard DVD or something. Very dull looking image. Very disappointing
 It's also the only HD-DVD I own that was encoded via MPEG-4 and not the usual VC1. Draw your own conclusions from that .... From what I own, I'd say, Tier 0 King Kong Planet Earth Tier 1 Batman Italian Job Last Samurai Worlds Fastest Indian Training Day Tier 2 BackDraft Black Rain Casino Constantine The Thing Unforgiven Tier 3 The Road Warrior Tier 4 Lucky Number Slevin
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Format:HD-DVD Current Player: Toshiba HD-A2 Current total of HD-DVD Movies Owned: 50 *************************** Format: Blu-Ray Current Player: PS3 Current Total of Blu-Ray Movies Owned: 11 Last edited by Joe6pack : 05-16-2007 at 10:59 PM.
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