• Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!

I lost my Blu-Ray virginity.

Status
Not open for further replies.
hardcastlemccormick said:
This is the updated tiers on AVS: http://www.avsforum.com/t/1425519/o...e-tiers-list-updated-through-september-1-2013

I generally agree with their placings most of the time, keeping in mind that they're going for eye candy and ignoring directorial intent (so David Fincher movies get knocked down for looking muted and specifically toned).

Avatar really does look incredible on Bluray still, as does Samsara/Baraka. And it blew my mind watching Lion King and seeing the codec information; the audio ALONE uses almost as much data as the entire DVD version (5-7MB per sec).



Then rent them.
Click to expand...
Streaming and Apple/Amazon renting is just more convenient. So I stick with that. It's HD, but def not as good as Blurays. Kinda done with discs in general to be honest. But BR is a great archival format. I'm glad it exist for true ownership.
 
entrement said:
Streaming and Apple/Amazon renting is just more convenient. So I stick with that. It's HD, but def not as good as Blurays. Kinda done with discs in general to be honest. But BR is a great archival format. I'm glad it exist for true ownership.
Click to expand...

Frankly, if I watch something once, I want it to be as good as it can be. None of this mediocre streaming codec nonsense. Give me bitrates in the high 20's, with peaks in the 40's.

I knew I wasn't going to watch The Great Gatsby more than once so I borrowed my friend's disc. The only way to fly.
 
hardcastlemccormick said:
Frankly, if I watch something once, I want it to be as good as it can be. None of this mediocre streaming codec nonsense. Give me bitrates in the high 20's, with peaks in the 40's.

I knew I wasn't going to watch The Great Gatsby more than once so I borrowed my friend's disc. The only way to fly.
Click to expand...

I actually do still buy some Disney classics. They do a great job and they go out of print and I also want them for my eventually family lol. But that's about it for me.
 
Seconding Sleeping Beauty and Speed Racer.

Also The New World makes a good contrast to Speed Racer since it's all shot only with available light.
 
hardcastlemccormick said:
This is the updated tiers on AVS: http://www.avsforum.com/t/1425519/o...e-tiers-list-updated-through-september-1-2013

I generally agree with their placings most of the time, keeping in mind that they're going for eye candy and ignoring directorial intent (so David Fincher movies get knocked down for looking muted and specifically toned).
Click to expand...

Why would they do that? Shouldn't they be judging the image based on how close it gets to how it was intended to look by the director/cinematographer? Why would you mark down something as beautifully shot as Zodiac or Seven just because it's not as bright as Up or How to Train Your Dragon?
 
Hello, everyone. Long time lurker, first time poster. And all I can say in regards of BD, is that it simply looks unparalleled compared to streaming services, to the point where I just don't bother with them because of how compressed this image is. I've been collecting them for a few years now, and with HMV reopening in my country, I expect to get more in the future.

VGChampion said:
And I posted at Blu-ray.com :/
Click to expand...
Here, here, fellow member.

Spiffy_1st said:
I've seen it at a cinema in 4k and it made real life look awful.

My TV is 720p and my right speaker doesn't work, I can't have my volume that loud because my neighbours have a baby sleeping right next to my room. All I want in life is a nice home cinema. :(
Click to expand...
I actually imported this set of headphones from Japan that are capable of lossless 7.1 audio (but I think you need a receiver to get the most out of it, and I have yet to get one). Maybe they can do you fine.

DS7500%282%29.jpg


sony-mdr-ds7500-press-shot.jpg


Be wary, though. They're a bit pricey.

Ed: Also, I should mention, it's BD. Not BR. We don't call CD's, CP's or something.
 
I've got about 250 movies at last count, that number was reached exponentially during the great Blockbuster shutdown of 2011' where nearly every store ran a "Buy 5 Previously Viewed Blu-rays for $20" throughout the year. I think I upped my collection by about 80 discs that summer.

Collecting isn't even that expensive, I think the most I've ever paid for a movie is like 15 bucks and that's for only about a dozen films I own. Mainly everything drops to 10 or below within a few months of release so there's always new stuff to add to a collection.
 
BobbyRoberts said:
Why would they do that? Shouldn't they be judging the image based on how close it gets to how it was intended to look by the director/cinematographer? Why would you mark down something as beautifully shot as Zodiac or Seven just because it's not as bright as Up or How to Train Your Dragon?
Click to expand...

It's an ongoing debate but ultimately any set of criteria is going to appear arbitrary to some. I mean we can all agree that bad macroblocking, plastic DNR, poorly upscaled source material, crushed colour gamuts, etc are bad in an objective sense, but imagine a close-up of a face with lots of grain. The same shot with no grain would pop, you'd see pore details and freckles and stuff. In some cases it's obviously highly intentional on the part of the director, so penalizing them seems unfair. It's a tough call.
 
Seconding Speed Racer. Mind-bendingly gorgeous. Also you can assume if it's a disney/pixar release it too will be gorgeous.
 
Its pretty great, except for wanting to rip blu-rays and sometimes having slow menus like dvd's still. I get why people rip movies, I don't mind watching extras and trailers for other movies, but sometimes I just want to watch the selected movie.

I just can't get over the fact that I have trouble watching movies on TV anymore if I have the blu-ray or could get a hold of one pretty fast. The biggest plus is that the video is better with blu-ray discs, there is no shuttering or pixelation on a disc compared to cable, plus the sound is better too.
 
I didn't actually realize that Blu-Ray films came in such varying quality until this thread. It makes sense, but it's not something I'd picked up on. I'm too used to Netflix and Hulu streams, it would seem.

IISANDERII said:
Hey how did you do that, I mean write all old and stuff?
Click to expand...

Not some sort of translator, if that's what you're looking for. I took a couple classes in Shakespeare while at university, and have otherwise studied old English.
 
abe_bly said:
I didn't actually realize that Blu-Ray films came in such varying quality until this thread. It makes sense, but it's not something I'd picked up on. I'm too used to Netflix and Hulu streams, it would seem.



Not some sort of translator, if that's what you're looking for. I took a couple classes in Shakespeare while at university, and have otherwise studied old English.
Click to expand...

Even those have varying quality. They're all based on a transfer/film quality/digital quality of some kind. Just compressed even more so they can be easily streamed.
 
Aside from mentions in this thread i say guardians of gahoole is absolutely fucking gorgouse. This scene in particular
UokRM.jpg


Also avatar and tron legacy of course.
 
The problem with that AVSforum list is that they don't actually go into any detail on why a particular disc falls into one of their categories. Like, they set it up by telling you what all the categories mean, but then they put Taxi Driver in Tier 3.5 Bronze and don't offer any reasoning behind that. I mean that's one of the most faithful transfers you can get, so even if it's not as pristine looking as Rango or The Thin Red Line or Baraka or some shit, I don't think it should be in the "average" category

The list is pretty good for just glancing at but for seriously finding out whether a transfer is good or not I'd rather just look up some actual reviews
 
ThisWreckage said:
King Kong (2005) still looks mindblowing and it was one of the first Blu Ray titles released.
Click to expand...

No it wasn't. It was an HD-DVD exclusive and wasn't released on blu-ray till after Universal finally left and started to release on Blu-ray years later once the format war was all but over.

King Kong was also a pack-in with the Xbox 360 HD-DVD add on.

The earliest blu-ray releases were The Fifth Element, 50 First Dates, Hitch, House of Flying Daggers, The Terminator, Underworld: Evolution, xXx...

And the first pack-in with the PS3 was Talladega Nights: Ballad of Ricky Bobby.
 
Madness said:
No it wasn't. It was an HD-DVD exclusive and wasn't released on blu-ray till after Universal finally left and started to release on Blu-ray years later once the format war was all but over.

King Kong was also a pack-in with the Xbox 360 HD-DVD add on.

The earliest blu-ray releases were The Fifth Element, 50 First Dates, Hitch, House of Flying Daggers, The Terminator, Underworld: Evolution, xXx...

And the first pack-in with the PS3 was Talladega Nights: Ballad of Ricky Bobby.
Click to expand...

While that's true, it was one of the first rounds of high definition discs released and the Blu Ray version is virtually identical to the HD DVD version.
 
ThisWreckage said:
While that's true, it was one of the first rounds of high definition discs released and the Blu Ray version is virtually identical to the HD DVD version.
Click to expand...

Of course, but it came out nearly 3+ years after the HD-DVD version so a bit disingenuous to say it was one of the earliest blu-ray releases. And I apologize if I came on a bit strong, meant no offense.

It only held up because Universal was actually one of the best sstudios early on and released quality titles. The early Blu-ray movies were often pretty bad, only profile 1.0 or 1.1 and only single layer 25gb as opposed to the dual-layer 30gb HD-DVD versions.

In fact that Fifth Element version was so bad, they finally remastered it again.
 
Awesome! I had a lesser version of that experience when I finally went from a smaller 720p television to a more size-appropriate 1080p model. Anyway, try Coraline, ParaNorman and take a look at some Criterion Collection Blu-rays. Amazon.com has fair sales and Barnes and Noble usually holds a blowout once or twice a year.
 
travisbickle said:
Bluray detractors are so strange:

"It only improves the picture and sound quality of a movie, why would I want that?"
Click to expand...

I had people tell me "Do you really need it to be so clear?"
...... No words.
 
Thank you guys for all the recommendations. Obviously I can't buy all of them so I will rent them and the ones that impress me the most will be added to the must-buy list.

And if you guys have more recommendations please share them. I want to see what else I've been missing all this time.
 
Alistair Roo said:
And... it was..

No, but seriously, I never understood what was so great about Blu-Ray movies since they always were like prettier DVD's to me. That and they are way too expensive around here.

I bought a 60" Samsung TV like a month ago and it came with a really nice Blu-Ray player but I never owned a BR movie so I used it mostly for DVD and Netflix playback.
Anyway, a couple weeks ago one of my friends saw my dilemma and my denial to high definition progress to the point she was like.. dude, seriously you need to get some BR movies, this set is craving for them, I can bring some next time I see you. I was like, yeah, whatever makes you happy.

Well, this morning she came by and brought her "best" movies with her. The quality of movies selection was something to worry about but I decided to give her the benefit of the doubt.
MAN... OH MAN how wrong I was. We started with World War Z, then Oz The Great and Powerful, Ice Age 3, The Avengers, The Incredibles, Finding Nemo to finish with Inception.

I was blown away, I probably was drooling the whole time. IQ was superb, colors were so vibrant and the level of detail so spot on I couldn't believe it. An experience I thought was only possible in movie theaters.

Now that I'm done for today, I feel the need to buy my own BR movies and start my own collection and never look back. DVD's are shit compared to this it's not even funny. I don't want to watch any DVD knowing there's something better waiting for me. Now I'm here thinking why it took me so long. I mean..whyy?!

So yeah, that's it..
I lost my BR virginity and it was as fun, exciting and overwhelming as the other one lololol
Click to expand...

And this is why I laugh every time someone tries to say optical is dead.
 
Alistair Roo said:
Thank you guys for all the recommendations. Obviously I can't buy all of them so I will rent them and the ones that impress me the most will be added to the must-buy list.

And if you guys have more recommendations please share them. I want to see what else I've been missing all this time.
Click to expand...

What types of movies do you like? Obviously most any big name modern release looks outstanding. Some older ones are great too. Movies like Lawrence of Arabia, Patton (the remastered non-DNR version) etc. Any Pixar movie is amazing. Other great movies that look good too ie. Black Hawk Down, Gladiator (new remastered), Master and Commander, The Godfather, Avatar, Braveheart, Saving Private Ryan and so many more.
 
Anyone ever watch Independence Day on BD (yes, it's that, not BR)? It looks nice, but I think it could do with a new transfer. Hopefully they can mint one for the 3D conversion, next year, with a probable recomposite of the practical effects along with it.
 
I've got a bit of an odd recommendation.

Watch the first few James Bond films. From Russia in Love was filmed in 1962/1963, and the Blu Ray makes it look as if it was filmed merely a day ago. It's stunning.
 
I'm still using VHS tapes, and what is this?

Meh, finally got a 1080p television (40" Samsung, 120hz) when my CRT from the mid-90s finally died a couple of years ago. We own a DVD player and 5.1 surround, but it's basically just for my wife. Next to that is a DVD-R/VHS combo. I usually use VHS when I want to record something though, since it's quicker and easier to me. No plans to get a Blu-Ray player. Not paying for an HD TV service, and aside from the surround-sound, the only other thing connected with an HDMI cable is a WiiU. Just don't really care that much.
 
There is a guy Xylon on Avsforum, he always had the best comparison pix and reviews because he'd show the visual differences between DVD, Laserdisc, special edition DVD and even early blu-rays etc.

4438769a.png


0ee01be1.png
Click to expand...


This comparison made me buy Braveheart as soon as I saw it and there are many others. Just highlights how impressive Blu-ray is compared to DVD. If I wasn't scared of getting banned or something, I wouldn't put the pictures in quotes so that you could see them instantly large and see the detail missing.
 
Nerdkiller said:
Hello, everyone. Long time lurker, first time poster. And all I can say in regards of BD, is that it simply looks unparalleled compared to streaming services, to the point where I just don't bother with them because of how compressed this image is. I've been collecting them for a few years now, and with HMV reopening in my country, I expect to get more in the future.

Here, here, fellow member.

I actually imported this set of headphones from Japan that are capable of lossless 7.1 audio (but I think you need a receiver to get the most out of it, and I have yet to get one). Maybe they can do you fine.

DS7500%282%29.jpg


sony-mdr-ds7500-press-shot.jpg


Be wary, though. They're a bit pricey.

Ed: Also, I should mention, it's BD. Not BR. We don't call CD's, CP's or something.
Click to expand...

I own these headphones. Best HT purchase I've made. Can watch with good sound and not disturb my neighbors. You can find them on Amazon for ~$300.
 
Madness said:
What types of movies do you like? Obviously most any big name modern release looks outstanding. Some older ones are great too. Movies like Lawrence of Arabia, Patton (the remastered non-DNR version) etc. Any Pixar movie is amazing. Other great movies that look good too ie. Black Hawk Down, Gladiator (new remastered), Master and Commander, The Godfather, Avatar, Braveheart, Saving Private Ryan and so many more.
Click to expand...

Pixar and Dreamworks movies are a given. I saw Lawrence of Arabia today since it was a highly recommended movie here. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!.
And I mostly like Sci-Fi, Action, Horror, Fantasy (like Avatar, Alice In Wonderland,Oz TG&P, Narnia, The Golden Compass) and Comedy movies. Pretty much every genre but those are my favorite.


Madness said:
Even older animated classics look amazing with Blu-ray...
Click to expand...

My heart!
Dude, this is wonderful. I saw The Beauty and the Beast 3D a couple months ago and damn it looks drop dead gorgeous. I'm seriously thinking about picking up all the Disney Classics. Too bad some of them have legal issues here. (Voice actors suing Disney for royalties and stuff like that so Disney HAD to re-do all the voice acting again which sucks because the new voices are hideous.) Specially the Sleeping Beauty ones.
 
bremon said:
It's better than the movie theater. Odds are no idiots are talking, playing on their cell phones and digging their legs into the back of your chair at home.
Click to expand...


I solved problem this by only going to Alamo Drafthouse theaters.
 
I own Redline, I own a 120" screen, 1080p projector, and 5.2 surround.

I can confirm the eye popping. It's ridiculously beautiful from the jump.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

4K Blu Ray Collectors Help Me
13
356
JimmyRustler replied
sony stop blu ray recorder production
1
186
Three replied
  • Poll
Blu-ray turns 20 years old - Feeling old yet?
News  2
68
1K
jason10mm replied
I want to digitise my blu rays in HQ, what are my options?
15
2K
Yerd replied
I am on my like 4th office chair
24
465
FudgeIt replied
Top Bottom