Which Blu-ray releases look better on HD DVD?

[greenman342]

its still lives on with us and our brand new backup players ! VIVA !

What brand new backup players?

[DjfunkmasterG]

I can't speak for everyone on this but in MY HONEST OPINION... HOT FUZZ HD DVD looks better than the Blu-Ray.

I bought my friend Hot Fuzz on BR for XMAS and we watched it and I thought damn... the HD DVD looks better, but that is just me.

[bruceames]

According to the AVS screenshot thread, the consensus is that the Hot Fuzz HD DVD and BLu-ray are either indistinguishable (I couldn't tell either) or that the Blu-ray is slightly better. However there are player differences and also how they are calibrated to the display makes a difference, so it's possible to see the HD DVD looking better on a particular display.

I added some imports to the list, based mainly on my memory (except Band of Brothers) that these are known to have better PQ than the US Blu-ray. I really need to netflix them and the others above to make sure. I wish I could post screenshots, but my computer isn't capable of it.

Any verifiable others that should be be on the list, please post them here.

[thesaintsarecoming]

According to the AVS screenshot thread, the consensus is that the Hot Fuzz HD DVD and BLu-ray are either indistinguishable (I couldn't tell either) or that the Blu-ray is slightly better.

If it looks the same or better on bluray and bluray has lossless audio it is clear that Hot Fuzz is better on bluray.

Plus it has more extras...from the review here:

Lordy, Lordy. If you thought the HD DVD for 'Hot Fuzz' was loaded (and by this site's measure, it most certainly was), you're in for information overload. There was a three disc Collector's Edition DVD release shortly after the HD DVD bow, and it was more loaded than Rip Torn on a week long bender. For this Blu-ray release, the two editions have been combined, in a way, creating the "Ultimate Edition" that the box art promises. There are enough extras here to make one hate the promise of supplements in the future, as this disc is beyond extensive.

For this review, any exclusives found on the HD DVD are not being considered exclusive. Only brand new content exclusive to this release is going in the HD Exclusive Content section, hence the scoring discrepancy between this review and the HD DVD.

However there are player differences and also how they are calibrated to the display makes a difference, so it's possible to see the HD DVD looking better on a particular display.

Same could be said for the bluray. Moot point.

[bruceames]

If it looks the same or better on bluray and bluray has lossless audio it is clear that Hot Fuzz is better on bluray.

Isn't that what I said?

Plus it has more extras...from the review here:

My list is just improvements on the PQ, not extras or audio. Thanks for pointing that out though.

Same could be said for the bluray. Moot point.

My point was that the reason the poster above noticed Hot Fuzz HD DVD looking better is attributable to player and/or calibration differences and not because Hot Fuzz HD DVD actually has better PQ (which it doesn't).

[cheez avenger]

If it looks the same or better on bluray and bluray has lossless audio it is clear that Hot Fuzz is better on bluray.

Plus it has more extras...from the review here:


Same could be said for the bluray. Moot point.

More placebo nonsense. In terms of PQ/AQ, they're the same. Now if you're talking about more extras, then technically yes, the blu ray would be better in that department.

[thesaintsarecoming]

More placebo nonsense. In terms of PQ/AQ, they're the same.

You're bringing up placebo in a thread that at best is about minute visual differences that would be invisible to 90% of people? Where sometimes you can't even see the differences unless it is 2-4x zoomed, via snapshot analysis?

So it is OK to use marginal video differences as a qualifier but when you do the same for audio it is placebo? Seems kind of one sided.

Couldn't I just as easily call some of the supposed PQ assessments/comparisons placebo?

Certain people may be more visual, others more aural. If there is a technical difference, then there is a difference. Just because you may not be able to perceive the difference does not make it a placebo.

Now if you're talking about more extras, then technically yes, the blu ray would be better in that department.

No. For some people audio is more tangible and not a placebo. You don't get to say marginal PQ differences are a big difference maker and then negate marginal audio differences merely as placebo. Either you accept both as being real or deny both as placebo.

[cheez avenger]

You're bringing up placebo in a thread that at best is about minute visual differences that would be invisible to 90% of people? Where sometimes you can't even see the differences unless it is 2-4x zoomed, via snapshot analysis?

So it is OK to use marginal video differences as a qualifier but when you do the same for audio it is placebo? Seems kind of one sided.

Couldn't I just as easily call some of the supposed PQ assessments/comparisons placebo?

Certain people may be more visual, others more aural. If there is a technical difference, then there is a difference. Just because you may not be able to perceive the difference does not make it a placebo.



No. For some people audio is more tangible and not a placebo. You don't get to say marginal PQ differences are a big difference maker and then negate marginal audio differences merely as placebo. Either you accept both as being real or deny both as placebo.

And to this day, every single DD+ AQ track has been indistinguishable (did I spell that right?) to a Blu ray dts hd-ma track. It's fact.

Don't drink the kool-aid.

[vinnie97]

Hey, Saint, I smell some serious BD defense in your first post above. Bruce's post was VERY objective in addressing the comparative quality of audio/video, so I'm not sure why you felt the need to pick it apart. And yes, not a soul has managed to objectively substantiate the claim that 1.5Mbps DD+ is distinguishable from its untouched lossless master. So far, only the opposite has been true, including this testimonial:

Next, we compared the original to the Dolby Digital Plus version (that codec is found on numerous BD titles, and like TrueHD, is fully backward compatible with regular Dolby Digital decoders). Even on this extremely high-end system, we couldn’t hear any difference between the uncompressed and the compressed.

The only reason the video quality might be lesser (and that is indeed a clearly subjective claim) is if they've added an extra layer of DNR. Hot Fuzz is one of the top HD DVD discs, so I eagerly await the opportunity to check the BD (when I can nab it for $5).

[greenman342]

The only reason the video quality might be lesser (and that is indeed a clearly subjective claim) is if they've added an extra layer of DNR. Hot Fuzz is one of the top HD DVD discs, so I eagerly await the opportunity to check the BD (when I can nab it for $5).

5 bucks? So I guess that means never?

[bruceames]

I really appreciate the comments, but in any case this thread is about PQ only. The list I made only reflects that and not about which release is better overall, but rather LOOKS better. Period.

The early Paramount releases on Blu-ray I haven't seen, but only went off of the comments in the reviews I found that compared the two releases. Since nearly all Paramount's BD releases during the format war were mpeg2, there's no reason to doubt their conclusions. Anyway I plan to rent some of them to make sure, and to see if there are any others.

The Universal releases are all based off AVS screenshot threads, so those were easy. If it was very close or if there was any doubt, they didn't make the list.

The import list I'm still working on, but I need to rent some to compare and also to look for old posts from those who have compared. Anybody who has both versions I would appreciate a confirmation (or otherwise) of what's on (or not on) the list.

[vinnie97]

used perhaps, Greenman, or alongside a coupon. It's not impossible.

[greenman342]

After looking at Xlyon's screen captures I think Spartacus can be put on the list.

[bruceames]

After looking at Xlyon's screen captures I think Spartacus can be put on the list.

Yeah, pretty safe to put that on the list. I've moved the updated list to the Complete List of HD DVD Titles (which also has an audio list as well), so I can integrate it with the other lists there. Nevertheless, I'll repost the list here whenever appropriate...

List of HD DVDs that have better PQ (based on reviews, consensus posts from screenshot threads, other posts, and my own comparisons). The imports are compared to the US Blu-ray.

Paramount/Dreamworks:
Sahara
Four Brothers
Aeon Flux
The Italian Job
Reds
Coming to America
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider
Dreamgirls
Sleepy Hollow

Universal:
Apollo 13
The Thing
The Mummy Returns
U-571
Army of Darkness
Casino
Spartacus

Imports:
Band of Brothers
Terminator 2: Judgement Day
Total Recall
Crank
Silent Hill
Equilibrium
The Machinist
1408
Reservoir Dogs

List of HD DVDs that have better audio specs than their (U.S.) Blu-ray counterparts.

WB: (HD DVD is TrueHD while Blu-ray is DD@640mbps)

Ant Bully
Happy Feet
Lady in the Water
Phantom of the Opera
Training Day
The Wicker Man

Paramount/Dreamworks: (HD DVD is DD+@1.5mbps while Blu-ray is DD@640mbps)

Aeon Flux
Babel
Black Snake Moan
Coming to America
Dreamgirls
Face/Off
Failure To Launch
Flags of Our Fathers
Four Brothers
Freedom Writers
Hustle & Flow
The Italian Job
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider
The Manchurian Candidate
Mission: Impossible
Mission: Impossibe II
Mission: Impossible III
Nacho Libre
Norbit
Payback: Straight Up - The Director's Cut
Reds
Sahara
Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow
Sleepy Hollow
Shooter
Trading Places
U2: Rattle and Hum
The Warriors
We Were Soldiers
World Trade Center

[Hans Gruber]

training day with its VC-1 looks better than its blu ray MPEG-2 counterpart according both reviews from this site . I know for a fact that the HD Dvd of training days looks amazing