West Side Story comparison *PIX*

West Side Story 1998 Edition 

West Side Story Special Edition Collector's Set 

Mpeg 2 HDNET broadcast

Sequence Summary: 

File Size Processed: 19.53 GB, Play Time: 02h:31m:33s

1920 x 1080, 29.97 fps, 65.00 Mbps (17.55 Mbps Average).

Average Video Quality: 71.47 KB/Frame, 0.28 Bits/Pixel.

AC3 Audio: 3/2 Channels (L, C, R, SL, SR) + LFE, 48.0 kHz, 384 kbps.

Dialog Normalization: -24.0 dB, Center Mix Level: -3.0 dB, Surround Mix Level: -3.0 dB

0 of 272533 video frames found with errors.

0 of 284172 audio frames found with errors.

0 corrupted video bytes in file.

0.000000 seconds of video timestamp gaps.

0.000000 seconds of audio timestamp gaps.

West Side Story 50th Anniversary LIMITED EDITION Combo Pack

QUICK SUMMARY:
Disc Title: WEST_SIDE_STORY
Disc Size: 44,494,368,282 bytes
Protection: BD+
BD-Java: Yes
Playlist: 00801.MPLS
Size: 43,689,129,984 bytes
Length: 2:52:55
Total Bitrate: 33.69 Mbps
Video: MPEG-4 AVC Video / 23489 kbps / 1080p / 23.976 fps / 16:9 / High Profile 4.1
Audio: English / DTS-HD Master Audio / 7.1 / 48 kHz / 4987 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
* Audio: English / Dolby Digital Audio / 4.0 / 48 kHz / 448 kbps
* Audio: Spanish / Dolby Digital Audio / 5.1 / 48 kHz / 448 kbps
* Audio: French / DTS Audio / 5.1 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 24-bit
* Audio: German / DTS Audio / 5.1 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 24-bit
* Audio: English / Dolby Digital Audio / 2.0 / 48 kHz / 224 kbps

West Side Story 50th Anniversary Blu-ray (fixed)

 

QUICK SUMMARY:

Disc Title: WEST_SIDE_STORY
Disc Size: 44,494,732,367 bytes
Protection: BD+
BD-Java: Yes
Playlist: 00801.MPLS
Size: 43,689,283,584 bytes
Length: 2:52:55
Total Bitrate: 33.69 Mbps
Video: MPEG-4 AVC Video / 23489 kbps / 1080p / 23.976 fps / 16:9 / High Profile 4.1
Audio: English / DTS-HD Master Audio / 7.1 / 48 kHz / 4987 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
* Audio: English / Dolby Digital Audio / 4.0 / 48 kHz / 448 kbps
* Audio: Spanish / Dolby Digital Audio / 5.1 / 48 kHz / 448 kbps
* Audio: French / DTS Audio / 5.1 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 24-bit
* Audio: German / DTS Audio / 5.1 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 24-bit
* Audio: English / Dolby Digital Audio / 2.0 / 48 kHz / 224 kbps

Click to read more ...

West Side Story comparison *VID*

Left - 50th Anniversary "Fixed" version

Right - Limited Edition original release

 

If you are looking for the fixed version look for this UPC number:

Well this is a head scratcher why bother with a "fixed" version? I prefer that they fix the overall consistency of the picture quality. The majority of the transfer is indeed very sharp and clear. But there are scenes that is not on par with the quality and it sticks out like a sore thumb. AV nerds who have projectors at home will see these noticeably. People with smaller viewing sets may not see the problems obvious but it is there. It seems to me the studio can't find prints from scenes that have the same condition and quality of the rest of the transfer.

Let us take a look at this from the same scene:

And forward to this:

What happened? The Blu-ray suddenly becomes washed out and actually lost picture details compared to the DVD and the HD broadcast!

Next:

No question Blu-ray "wins" here.

Then:

The abrupt change in PQ is so jarring that I wonder why no one from the studio even noticed this? If you check the ballroom scene the effect is even worse.

I think it's just a waste of time getting it remastered again when the most important thing the movie picture quality is ignored despite the early criticism. So for now we will have to settle for the best portion of the HD transfer compared to the dvd. 

Click to read more ...

The Ten Commandments comparison *PIX*

DVD - 1999 release

Mpeg 2 - ABC HD broadcast

Blu-ray - Two-Disc Special Edition

Disc Title: TEN_COMMANDMENTS_DISC_1
Disc Size: 42,665,768,693 bytes
Protection: AACS
BD-Java: Yes
Playlist: 00000.MPLS
Size: 42,161,055,744 bytes
Length: 2:15:48
Total Bitrate: 41.39 Mbps

Click to read more ...

The Ten Commandments comparison *VID*

Excellent PQ and AQ. A sustantial upgrade over the previous DVD versions.

Click to read more ...

Transformers: Dark of the Moon comparison *PIX*

Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Disc Title: TRANSFORMERS_3_AC
Disc Size: 46,277,655,168 bytes
Protection: AACS
BD-Java: Yes
Playlist: 00800.MPLS
Size: 45,614,217,216 bytes
Length: 2:34:23
Total Bitrate: 39.39 Mbps

Click to read more ...