Author Topic: DVDs with the best picture quality (Read 3303 times)

slowhand · « **on:** Aug 18, 2003 at 12:27 PM »

We already have a thread on "best-sounding," so how about one on "best-looking"? Specifically, the DVDs with the best-quality transfers. (It's disappointing that many DVDs have lousy transfers.)

benny · « **Reply #1 on:** Aug 18, 2003 at 11:09 PM »

North by Northwest immediately comes to mind. Hmm ... but maybe it should be in the best restored thread.

agent O 2 10 · « **Reply #2 on:** Aug 21, 2003 at 01:32 PM »

current released best looking transfer, hands down i would say:

Final Destination 2
Starship Troopers (Superbit)

RRAI · « **Reply #3 on:** Aug 21, 2003 at 03:40 PM »

5th Element (Superbit) stunning!!!

benny · « **Reply #4 on:** Aug 21, 2003 at 11:48 PM »

A few from avguide's recommendations (2002):

Insomnia - "Superb sharpness and color timing make this disc Warner’s best of the year. "
Panic Room Superbit deluxe collection - "A real test of your set’s dynamic range and black-level retention, this DVD of a most-difficult-to-transfer film is a triumph of Superbit mastering. Terrific sound, too."
A Beautiful Mind - "Perhaps the best depth of focus of any film on this list—tack-sharp from fore-ground to back."
Rashomon - "Superb remastering of a superb Kurosowa film. Luminous black-and-white."

Complete list can be found here.

slowhand · « **Reply #5 on:** Aug 25, 2003 at 03:39 PM »

Thanks for the list, benny.

Agree with choice of Vertical Limit Superbit. That DVD flatters many TVs.

MAtZTER · « **Reply #6 on:** Oct 31, 2005 at 10:44 AM »

The best PQ (clearest) I have seen so far:

Joe Kane's Digital Video Essentials (720 sample resolution for HD broadcast sequences)
R1 The Majestic - Just watched last night at 480p and itw as already stunning, didnt try 720p or 1080i yet.
The Scorpion King
House of Flying Daggers (HOFD) HVD (1080i) version

slowhand · « **Reply #7 on:** Oct 31, 2005 at 11:39 AM »

This is a question to which the answers are always changing. Right now, ca Oct 2005, my vote goes to:
- Star Wars Episode III

That's the DVD in my collection that comes closest to my HD tapes in pq. Maybe another one would be:
- The Bourne Supremacy (kaya lang nakakahilo iyon, so I can't appreciate it as much)

I'm not familiar with animated films, but the one I've watched that I'd cite is:
- The Incredibles (kaya lang napakabilis ng improvements sa animated, so for sure this will be surpassed soon)

baby · « **Reply #8 on:** Oct 31, 2005 at 05:22 PM »

All 3 LOTR 4 disc has the best PQ and also SQ for me. And also all of superbits dvd have great PQ

More bit rates means better PQ. Must have the proper gears to achive the ultimate PQ.

nerveblocker · « **Reply #9 on:** Nov 01, 2005 at 12:35 PM »

I find my wife's Korean movies with excellent video quality like Ilmare, Windstruck, Crazy First Love...amazing!

Galing siguro ng camera and video editing gamit nila

I also find House with Flying Daggers (R1) video quality as astounding.

These are just my own personal experiences though.

toyfanatic · « **Reply #10 on:** Nov 04, 2005 at 08:51 AM »

kingdom of heaven

av_phile1 · « **Reply #11 on:** Nov 08, 2005 at 12:03 PM »

Most if not all those SUPERBIT releases from Columbia.

Digitally made animation titles that have been directly transfered to DVD (no film-to-video transcription in between) like Toy Story series, The Incredibles , Finding Nemo and A Bug's Life are simply gorgeous. It is said that you are essentially watching the video at home the way it looked when the final production copy first came out of the studio's computers.

keating · « **Reply #12 on:** Nov 08, 2005 at 12:58 PM »

GLADIATOR SIGNATURE COLLECTION

You can simply marvel at the scope and grandeur cinematography of Ridley Scott's film. The dvd transfer is gorgeous and perfect. You can watch over and over again.

hemisphere · « **Reply #13 on:** Nov 08, 2005 at 09:52 PM »

keating, musta na?

napansin ko sa Gladiator Signature Edition ang mga film dirt and grain at some points. New Criterion Releases i guess should be mentioned in this thread.

keating · « **Reply #14 on:** Nov 09, 2005 at 05:59 PM »

Hemisphere dude, long time no see. I didn't notice it on the Gladiator Signature Collection. I'll try to check it out this weekend.

GLADIATOR is a broken record on my dvd player for several months na, I didn't notice the print's dirt.

hemisphere · « **Reply #15 on:** Nov 09, 2005 at 11:48 PM »

keating, i'll try to check again to specify the parts. one scene i can remember is the battle scene where you can see either film dirt or low kbps in some frames. goodfellas se suffer from the same problem. some film dirt and lines were not removed. and i have the R1 editions. i must admit during the time it was released, Gladiator (DTS-ES) was a top of its class but technology has greatly advanced since then.

i even watched the extended edition to compare and i discovered that the new transfer (if ever this is really new) has minimal improvement. disappointing re-release IMO.

aldrinpsx · « **Reply #16 on:** Nov 10, 2005 at 12:46 AM »

Swars E3..1080i hdmi input.

peace!!!!

classicman · « **Reply #17 on:** Nov 10, 2005 at 07:10 AM »

aside from animation (especially pixar) & newer criterion coll. releases, i find the video transfers of my Kill Bill Twin Pack Japan LE (r2-NTSC) and House of Flying Daggers, 2-Disc LE (r2 UK) to be jaw-dropping.......

slowhand · « **Reply #18 on:** Nov 10, 2005 at 01:04 PM »

Watched several IMAX dvds in Windows High-Def (WMVHD) format yesterday, using laptop-to-CRT pj, and I suppose you could make a case for these dvds as having the best pq (ca Nov 2005). After all, they are the only dvds (I think) that are in native HD.

Amazon was great, so were Journey into Amazing Caves (my favorite of the bunch), Dolphins, Magic of Flight. The Discoverers was so-so.

av_phile1 · « **Reply #19 on:** Nov 10, 2005 at 01:56 PM »

I now recall a jaw-dropping experience a few years back watching a plasma TV being demoed showing Stuart Little. The colors were very rich.

keating · « **Reply #20 on:** Nov 10, 2005 at 05:45 PM »

Quote from: hemisphere on Nov 09, 2005 at 11:48 PM

keating, i'll try to check again to specify the parts. one scene i can remember is the battle scene where you can see either film dirt or low kbps in some frames. goodfellas se suffer from the same problem. some film dirt and lines were not removed. and i have the R1 editions. i must admit during the time it was released, Gladiator (DTS-ES) was a top of its class but technology has greatly advanced since then.

i even watched the extended edition to compare and i discovered that the new transfer (if ever this is really new) has minimal improvement. disappointing re-release IMO.

Ok, try to check it out hemisphere. I also have the Extended Ed. And I agree with you, its a disappointing re-release. Even the booklet, very skimpy info about the movie. They just improved the packaging thru digipack.

slowhand · « **Reply #21 on:** Aug 03, 2006 at 07:30 AM »

Watched the new 2-disc version of Grand Prix (R1) last night with some friends. We couldn't stop raving about the picture quality. Hard to believe this movie was shot in the 1960s.

MAtZTER · « **Reply #22 on:** Aug 03, 2006 at 09:57 AM »

West by Northwest.

Also amazing picture quality for an old film.

uebetan12 · « **Reply #23 on:** Oct 15, 2006 at 10:34 AM »

all thx dvds are of the highest quality

5Speed · « **Reply #24 on:** Oct 19, 2006 at 06:16 PM »

Latest dvd with a very good PQ that I've watched??

Hero (DTS-es) This movie is a test DVD material, almost entirely for both PQ and awesome sound.....

and yes Zhang Ziyi is so beautiful in almost any angle at this movie...