Random Thoughts Thread

[RCBH928]

own a region free (hard modded) Sony BD player that can work in multiple regions because the power supply is entirely external. I haven't updated it, although the seller claims I could, no problems playing anything yet. Here in the states they are cheap enough to own a couple if you are worried about updates, you can keep a region locked machine and update that one while leaving your region free player untouched. In my case, my 4k player is not modded (no need as all 4k discs are region free), so if I were to need an update to play something I would simply update that player.

That said I haven't seen a compatibility update in years.

There was one for the PS3 not too long ago.
I will look into having a modded player. Also PS4/Xbone can work on 110-220 voltage. There is a 3rd solution, to buy a BD external drive set it to region 1 and watch BD movies a computer connected to the TV. I am not sure if you can switch regions of a BD drive like a DVD one, or is it built in though.

May I ask why do you need region free player in the states? I am guessing you watch something Japanese.
Outside the US, you want region free players because the US has the cheapest prices, most availability, and widest releases. I just a order a title from UK store only to find out its a Korean release, it even has "Hangul" characters on the cover.

[jp1]

own a region free (hard modded) Sony BD player that can work in multiple regions because the power supply is entirely external. I haven't updated it, although the seller claims I could, no problems playing anything yet. Here in the states they are cheap enough to own a couple if you are worried about updates, you can keep a region locked machine and update that one while leaving your region free player untouched. In my case, my 4k player is not modded (no need as all 4k discs are region free), so if I were to need an update to play something I would simply update that player.

That said I haven't seen a compatibility update in years.

There was one for the PS3 not too long ago.
I will look into having a modded player. Also PS4/Xbone can work on 110-220 voltage. There is a 3rd solution, to buy a BD external drive set it to region 1 and watch BD movies a computer connected to the TV. I am not sure if you can switch regions of a BD drive like a DVD one, or is it built in though.

May I ask why do you need region free player in the states? I am guessing you watch something Japanese.
Outside the US, you want region free players because the US has the cheapest prices, most availability, and widest releases. I just a order a title from UK store only to find out its a Korean release, it even has "Hangul" characters on the cover.

Mostly to get stuff that isn't available on Bluray stateside such as The Loved Ones and Martyrs. Also, many times a better encode and/or cheaper alternative version will be available like Dawn of the Dead, Fright Night, and Existenz. My collection has grown quite large and some of the stuff that I want is only available in import. It was a minimal investment for me, and while I don't import unless it is the better option (it usually isn't), I like the idea of not being restricted to what movies I can own based on region.

[BoneSnapDeez]

So, if I do something "bad" during the day my daughter documents it on a white board. It's a way to tattle on me, as my wife sees the board as soon as she walks in. A recent one:

"rakyboy"

[Ack]

...you wear your wife's pajamas? Hey man, you do you.

Also, I wondered where you'd been. Now I know.

[RCBH928]

I don't think I can tell the difference between DVD video and a 1080P one, my DVD disks look just as sharp as my Netflix stream. Especially if the movies don't contain special effects and CGI. My ps3+tv might be doing some upscaling magic not sure though. You can see the artifacts from a short distance, but from a "couch distance" hardly.

Those who opt for 4K movies, do you feel like you got your money's worth or do you too have hard time telling a difference between it and 1080P?

[isiolia]

I don't think I can tell the difference between DVD video and a 1080P one, my DVD disks look just as sharp as my Netflix stream. Especially if the movies don't contain special effects and CGI. My ps3+tv might be doing some upscaling magic not sure though. You can see the artifacts from a short distance, but from a "couch distance" hardly.

Those who opt for 4K movies, do you feel like you got your money's worth or do you too have hard time telling a difference between it and 1080P?

Streaming isn't necessarily the best indicator of quality, as it may manage the resolution but still not be at the same level a disc/etc might be.

You also may need to account for the master and/or transfer when comparing discs. Plenty of TV shows (in particular) may not actually have a higher definition master, so what's pressed on the Blu-ray could just be an upscaled image anyway. Maybe better quality, since it doesn't need to be in real-time, but maybe not. I remember plenty of early anime Blu-ray sets fell into the "better to just buy the DVD" category due to poor processing that you were stuck with, versus the possibility of the DVD being scaled better by your hardware.

A more consistent benefit for Blu-ray, if you have the hardware, is better audio. For one, they usually have lossless codecs available. Additionally, DVDs (and streaming) tend to cut quality there for space/bandwidth. Superbit DVDs tried to side-step this, or the handful of releases that were Dolby Digital or DTS, but many others cram multiple audios streams on the same disc. Think of it like MP3s - high bitrate can sound fine, but compress it enough and you'll notice a difference.

DVDs also aren't necessarily consistent with frame data. The 1080p/24 used by most Blu-rays more closely matches film. While DVD can store the data as 24fps and have it converted to NTSC on the fly (or not), others are hard telecined, and it can get messy. Similar to audio, if you have the hardware for proper cinema mode, that might be a bigger thing. Basically, something with a refresh rate that 24 can divide into evenly.

All stuff that really can come down to what you're playing back on. A quality home theater system allows you to appreciate differences that are irrelevant if you're just watching through TV speakers on a poorly adjusted screen.

The same is true for 4k. For that, the resolution isn't so much the thing. Most content isn't even filmed in 4k, so even theatrical releases are upscaled (there are exceptions, for instance, Netflix has pushed to standardize 4k filming for their original content). However, the bigger benefit is HDR support. While it's not a given for 4k, that's the standard you need in order to see support for it, and it's a noticeable improvement when it's all there and working. Having a much wider color range supported would be just as awesome at 1080p or lower...but it's not an option. I've been very happy with my 4k setup...but 90% of that is due to upgrading to an OLED in the process, and very little to do with 4k resolution itself.

[Nemoide]

I can definitely see the difference between DVD and HD Blu-Rays of movies. I don't have as much experience with 4k but I definitely appreciate when movie theaters have 4k projectors over 2k because there can be a visible difference. 4K TVs on the other hand... unless you own a REALLY huge one, I feel like the difference is only occasionally noticeable if you're REALLY trying to pay attention to the visual minutia. I feel completely satisfied with the quality of Blu-Ray, which is even higher than FathomEvents screenings.

HDR sounds nice for things shot with that in mind but I'm skeptical about its benefit for movies shot on film (I mostly watch older movies, and I love the look of film). Does HDR draw more detail out of the film itself or is it some guy digitally cranking up the color levels?

[RCBH928]

I have been thinking... owning movies on DVD is actually better for archival purposes than BD because more devices play DVDs and in the future it will be easier to find a player, more software+free available to play it, and region locks can be broken or altered within the player/software.

Streaming isn't necessarily the best indicator of quality, as it may manage the resolution but still not be at the same level a disc/etc might be.

A more consistent benefit for Blu-ray, if you have the hardware, is better audio. For one, they usually have lossless codecs available. Additionally, DVDs (and streaming) tend to cut quality there for space/bandwidth. Superbit DVDs tried to side-step this, or the handful of releases that were Dolby Digital or DTS, but many others cram multiple audios streams on the same disc. Think of it like MP3s - high bitrate can sound fine, but compress it enough and you'll notice a difference.

DVDs also aren't necessarily consistent with frame data. The 1080p/24 used by most Blu-rays more closely matches film. While DVD can store the data as 24fps and have it converted to NTSC on the fly (or not), others are hard telecined, and it can get messy. Similar to audio, if you have the hardware for proper cinema mode, that might be a bigger thing. Basically, something with a refresh rate that 24 can divide into evenly.

All stuff that really can come down to what you're playing back on. A quality home theater system allows you to appreciate differences that are irrelevant if you're just watching through TV speakers on a poorly adjusted screen.

The same is true for 4k. For that, the resolution isn't so much the thing. Most content isn't even filmed in 4k, so even theatrical releases are upscaled (there are exceptions, for instance, Netflix has pushed to standardize 4k filming for their original content). However, the bigger benefit is HDR support. While it's not a given for 4k, that's the standard you need in order to see support for it, and it's a noticeable improvement when it's all there and working. Having a much wider color range supported would be just as awesome at 1080p or lower...but it's not an option. I've been very happy with my 4k setup...but 90% of that is due to upgrading to an OLED in the process, and very little to do with 4k resolution itself.

A lot of the movies I want to watch are pre-2000 movies and many are in the "family-movie" genre, I am not sure how much benefit does a movie like Ace Ventura or Police Academy get from 1080P or 4K treatment, especially when your TV is upscaling it.

I might not understand what HDR exactly is(I believe it shows more details in the dark areas) but that images I have seen give an unnatural look, and while I am sure it has its uses in movies like Sci-Fi, I am not sure if it makes picture better for other genres like comedies and dramas. As for audio, I for one was never bothered for better audio, I thought cassette tapes were great and only a CD sound better but after that it just doesn't matter to me. I really can't tell.

4K is definitely better than 1080P, and BD is definitely better than DVD, but when you find a double feature DVD for $5 compared to $40 if you bought each on BD and it makes you think if its worth the difference. This actually happened to me, and if you want to buy 10 movies this really could mean the difference between $25 and $150.

[isiolia]

HDR sounds nice for things shot with that in mind but I'm skeptical about its benefit for movies shot on film (I mostly watch older movies, and I love the look of film). Does HDR draw more detail out of the film itself or is it some guy digitally cranking up the color levels?

Can kind of depend on the release. On a basic level, HDR specs higher capabilities with respect to color (at least 10-bit dynamic range, requirements for peak brightness, etc). In theory, HDR retains a lot more shadow/highlight detail (in particular) that tends to get lost. There can be good processing from a single exposure, but in the past, HDR tended to come from combining multiple images of different exposures. These days things can be filmed in HDR from the get-go. It'd likely come down to the mastering either way.

A lot of the movies I want to watch are pre-2000 movies and many are in the "family-movie" genre, I am not sure how much benefit does a movie like Ace Ventura or Police Academy get from 1080P or 4K treatment, especially when your TV is upscaling it.

I might not understand what HDR exactly is(I believe it shows more details in the dark areas) but that images I have seen give an unnatural look, and while I am sure it has its uses in movies like Sci-Fi, I am not sure if it makes picture better for other genres like comedies and dramas. As for audio, I for one was never bothered for better audio, I thought cassette tapes were great and only a CD sound better but after that it just doesn't matter to me. I really can't tell.

4K is definitely better than 1080P, and BD is definitely better than DVD, but when you find a double feature DVD for $5 compared to $40 if you bought each on BD and it makes you think if its worth the difference. This actually happened to me, and if you want to buy 10 movies this really could mean the difference between $25 and $150.

To me, it's often a little less about the actual resolution (though each is a big step up, to be fair), and more about the quality of the mastering. Along the lines you mentioned, DVDs have been around a while, meaning many of them are using earlier transfers. To be fair, it's not that uncommon for subsequent releases of the same film to go back and use a new transfer. Usually it's an improvement, sometimes it's not, and sometimes neither is quite perfect (for example).
Still, the vast majority of the time, Blu-rays are going to be using a newer transfer that was done with more capable devices in mind. No burned in letterbox bars, etc. You may not "need" the higher quality image for some genres, but it's nice. Just preferences either way. While I won't tend to just buy the DVD, I've opted for standard Blu-ray over 4k Ultra for similar reasons.

[RCBH928]

Americans will never know the joy of ordering movies and games online from a British website only to receive the german version or the "Italian import".