ABT: R1 AB vs. HK IVL vs. UK MIA SE vs. ND SB vs. UK OA

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 28 May 2006, 18:20

I would've provided captures to match when the IVL Framing Issue occurs but no one was able to tell me when it happens. Anyway:

R1 Anchor Bay:

HK IVL Fortune Star:

UK MIA 2 Disc SE:

Nordic Scanbox:

R1 Anchor Bay:

HK IVL Fortune Star:

UK MIA 2 Disc SE:

Nordic Scanbox:

R1 Anchor Bay:

HK IVL Fortune Star:

UK MIA 2 Disc SE:

Nordic Scanbox:

UK Optimum Asia Ultimate Edition:

I can't find the other capture they've used in that 10,000 Bullets Comparison Review here:

http://10kbullets.com/reviews/a-better- ... e-edition/

If anyone can tell me I'll add it?

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 28 May 2006, 18:23

R1AB vs. HKIVL vs. UKUE

I think your comparison is a bit incomplete.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 28 May 2006, 18:24

Nope because Eva is providing the IVL captures.

The Anchor Bay looks to be slightly cropped but otherwise has stronger colours. It shows the AB is better than the UE but really they look very much the same.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 28 May 2006, 18:25

But there's only 1 Optimum Asia cap against 3 Anchor Bay's.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 28 May 2006, 18:26

Mark please actually read my comments.

I don't have the Optimum Asia so can't provide any more than two and as I said I can't find the other one (in the film) to add it.

It's not a complete comparison.

:shock:

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 28 May 2006, 23:07

It's not a complete comparison.

Then what's the point? An incomplete comparison is not much use. You should wait until the Optimum is out and someone can supply caps.

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 29 May 2006, 11:53

I'm tied up for the next couple days with work & uni, should be good to go on Thursday though.

MLAM · Post by **MLAM** » 30 May 2006, 23:37

I have the MIA 2 DVD Edition which i have just found oddly enough on my PC, I thought I had long junked it but obviously not,

Brad, if you would like me to take some shots to compare to yours then I can do, what settings/Software have you used?

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 30 May 2006, 23:41

Good idea:

EvaUnit02 wrote:Everyone should have PowerDVD on Tom's recommended settings:-
Tom2681 wrote:Configuration -> Video = Deactivate hardware acceleration (your GFX card won't interfere with video quality).
Use color profile -> Original.
Video -> Advanced -> Deactivate deinterlacing.
Video -> Advanced -> Color -> All settings to zero.
Player -> Advanced -> Snapshot -> Capture to clipboard / custom size = 720x404 (16/9) 720x540 (4/3).

p.s - To be precise I used Media Player Classic though and resized to 720x404.

MLAM · Post by **MLAM** » 31 May 2006, 13:27

Ok thats cool, what version of PowerDVD are you using brad? I've just installed PDVD 7 and caps seem to look better than what PDVD 6 could ever do.

I'll give it a go when I have a free moment

Also did you guys capture the file in BMP format and convert them to JPG's?

PDVD 7 has the option to take caps in JPG's now

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 31 May 2006, 13:51

Now that's good news. Will try to find and update to 7 then.

tom2681 · Post by **tom2681** » 31 May 2006, 13:54

MLAM wrote:I've just installed PDVD 7 and caps seem to look better than what PDVD 6 could ever do.

Ouch, that's not a good sign. Make sure all forms of video enhancement (including CLEV) are deactivated. We're not trying to get "better" caps, we're trying to get something that looks as close to the original DVD picture as possible.

MLAM · Post by **MLAM** » 31 May 2006, 14:19

Yeah I know that Tom, Just pointing out that PDVD 7 appears to do better captures than PDVD 6.

But truthfully the MIA DVD is appalling so no software will make it look vastly different to what you see

MLAM · Post by **MLAM** » 31 May 2006, 14:49

Ok heres the MIA 2 Disc DVD Edition:

Yes that is more or less how the DVD looks!

Though I could be a frame out on the Middle picture so his eyes can be visable but colour wise its more or less looks like this.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 31 May 2006, 15:54

Jeez that looks horrible. The middle cap is full of combing and blurring.

tom2681 · Post by **tom2681** » 31 May 2006, 16:04

The IVL's better than that, that's for sure.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 31 May 2006, 18:23

In the name of God those MIA caps are horrendous...........

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 31 May 2006, 19:36

Updated.

And to think this was MIA's idea of a Remastered Special Edition. I dread to think what the original looked like

MLAM wrote:Also did you guys capture the file in BMP format and convert them to JPG's?

Nope as I use Media Player Classic (NOT PowerDVD) I capture straight to JPEG so no conversion. I literally just adjust the resolution afterwards.

MLAM · Post by **MLAM** » 31 May 2006, 19:39

bradavon wrote:Updated.

And to think this was MIA's idea of a Remastered Special Edition. I dread to think what the original looked like

, well the old one was Non Amamorphic with burnt in English subs

But I'd place good money that the PQ was overall better than the Anamorphic version!

EDIT: Wasn't there a thread on A Better Tomorrow already? Or was it on the old forum, Toge made it IIRC, I even provided him caps.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 31 May 2006, 19:41

Why are most of your caps very interlaced? I mean you don't normally actually see this unless it's during a fast moving scene.

The R1 AB definitely looks cropped. Odd it's never been mentioned before.

MLAM · Post by **MLAM** » 31 May 2006, 19:44

bradavon wrote:Why are most of your caps very interlaced? I mean you don't normally actually see this unless it's during a fast moving scene.

The R1 AB definitely looks cropped. Odd it's never been mentioned before.

Thats how it appears when I take the caps with PowerDVD, must be this DVD only issue as other DVD's are totally fine when taking captures but yes your right, you dont see the interlacing when its in motion but on this particular DVD it shows up badly on stills.

I forgot to mention earlier, there is an Easter Egg on this DVD which contains the Chinese opening titles so I can grab one cap only from that (obviosuly), here it is:

EDIT: If you want a better picture of the middle cap where Chow is shooting then I have one here if you want it.

tom2681 · Post by **tom2681** » 31 May 2006, 19:48

It would seem that:
1. The disc is interlaced.
2. The disc is a NTSC->PAL transfer (creating further ghosting).
3. The downsizing from 720x576 to 720x404 increases/decreases visible combing depending on the DVD or the resizing algorithm.

Put simply:
Crap DVD = Crappy caps.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 31 May 2006, 20:08

Many DVDs are interlaced but you don't usually see the interlacing so clearly.

MLAM wrote:I forgot to mention earlier, there is an Easter Egg on this DVD which contains the Chinese opening titles so I can grab one cap only from that (obviosuly), here it is:

This makes the MIA look even worse when you consider MIA obviously thought their Remaster bodge was better than than this extra, which looks much better.

MLAM · Post by **MLAM** » 31 May 2006, 20:14

Yeah but as I say Brad, when taking captures from this DVD it is awful, anything else I take is ok 95% of the time.

My thoughts exactly Brad, its even the Chinese print too! Arguably not as clean as the Interational print they ended up having but I would have been happy with it, condition wise its somewhere between AB's ABT1 and 2 I'd say, there is a small splice mark just after the frame I have posted.

For those who actually want the MIA 2 Disc edition then its still for sale at CDWOW for £6.99

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 01 Jun 2006, 05:38

R0HK IVL:-
https://www.bulletsnbabesdvd.com/forums/ ... t1ivl1.jpg
https://www.bulletsnbabesdvd.com/forums/ ... t1ivl2.jpg
https://www.bulletsnbabesdvd.com/forums/ ... t1ivl3.jpg