new DVD reference?

[Andrew Pratt]

I just found out about this new "breed' of DVD...given that this is a cdn company the prices are very low ($25 cdn). I just pre ordered the 5th E since its one of my favorite movies

http://www.cnl.com/WhatIsSuperbit.html

[George Bellefontaine]

Andrew-
I tried the link, but it just says Page Cannot Be Displayed. I'll try it again later.




My Homepage!

[Lex]

Damnit, I plan to order these tonight, I am VERY excited about this if no one else is! Come on, come out of your laxidazical corners and get interested in these kinds of topics. DTS 5th Element, hell, that's worth shouting about! :B

"Is there life left in the old mule?"




Cable Guy DVD Collection

[Andrew Pratt]

Sorry george the UBB software automatically adds HTTP in front of an url tag even if there's one there already...anywho its fixed now

[rlabarge]

This is an interesting concept, and if done properly will result in a better quality DVD transfer. However it is also entirely possible that the SuperBit version will be no better, and possibly even worse than the normal DVD release of a given title.

Essentially the SuperBit concept involves putting only the feature film, and associated soundtracks on the DVD disc. Since there wont be bonus features, directors commentaries, etc there is more room on the disc for the movie, thus the video can be compressed into the MPEG-2 format at a higher data rate. A general rule of thumb for MPEG encoding is that a higher data rate is better. So if you were to look at a low bit rate encode and compare it to a high bit rate encode from the same MPEG encoder you would probably say the high bit rate encode looked better.

So as long as the folks who create the SuperBit versions of a title are using the same encoder as the folks who made the normal version of the DVD, then I think there is every reason to believe the SuperBit version will be better than the normal version.

However, I wonder if this will actually be the case. Most Hollywood Studios use very expensive MPEG encoders when the create a DVD title. If the folks at SuperBit are simply licensing the content from the studios and then making their own version of the DVD (without the extras that they dont have to license), then they will probaby use an encoder that is not as good as the one used by the studios.

Dont get me wrong, I think the SuperBit concept is very interesting and has the potential to deliver outstanding quality video. I use high bit rate MPEG encoding on all of my titles, so I know what this technique can do.

It would be great if someone can do an A-B comparison of the original and SuperBit versions of a few titles. If the same encoder is used for both projects then SuperBit will look better. If different encoders are used then it is entirely possible that the original version will look as good, if not better than the SuperBit version.




Ralph LaBarge
Managing Partner, Alpha DVD
Author, "DVD Authoring & Production"
rlabarge@alphadvd.com

[P-Dub]

Ralph: Thanks for the excellent comments. Another thing that I've noted is that the DTS tracks are the half rates, versus the old full rate DTS. I don't know if it matters one way or another, but if SuperBit is the moniker, it would stand to reason that a full bitrate DTS track should be used. Then again, if it did have a full Bitrate DTS track, then they probably couldn't increase the Bitrate for the video. So a comprimise is being made, so to speak.

[JonMarsh]

I think Ralph's comments are very to the point.

Some of the DVD's which *are* encoded with exceptional care are not necessarily movies you want to watch all that often- for example, with my old Sony S7000, it's bit rate meter revealed the good reasons behind "Waterworld"'s stunning visuals- hovering almost constantly over 9 MBits/sec. I don't recall what the "standard" Fifth Element runs at, but ThomasW has my old Sony, so he could tell us- it's one of the most artifact free DVD's, with an excellent balance of detail and clarity, with little or no edge enhancement- the latter being something that drives me bonkers! High bit rates won't make up for the visual problems resulting from the use of edge enhancement.

I had an intereseting experience while on vacation the last two weeks; I got a chance to visit most of a day with an old friend, Charles Hansen, the designer at Ayre Acoustics. They introduced a DVD player, the D1, which uses a variety of "heroic" engineering techniques in the custom low jitter clock generator, progressive video module, isolated power supplies and grounds, and audio DACs, to wring the absolute best performance out of the media. It's the first desktop DVD player I've seen that would make me consider abandoning my HTPC, based on visual performance. It sets new standards for low noise, freedom from artifacts, while hitting over 500 lines of resolution.

But then, when I say heroic engineering, I mean heroic. For example, 14 bit DACs are used for the video output, after a digitial interpolation filter. This is followed by a three pole analog bessel filter. Digital, audio, and video grounds are kept completely seperate- there are four different ground systems in this unit, and digital outs are balanced only. All regulator and analog circuitry uses no feedback loops- including the dual differential I/V converter in the DAC's. This technique is also used in the whole audio stage.

It is the quietest, most artifact free yet detailed DVD picture I have ever seen.

It is also the best sounding CD player I have ever heard, and the best sounding transport, and not by a small margin.

It should be, though, for that level of engineering doesn't come cheap!

http://www.ayre.com

Regards,

Jon




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