Spiderman 2

[Sithlord]

"Fasten your seat belts"

Doc Oct was not kidding when he said that. This dvd (region 4) has to be one of the best audio mixes I've heard yet. This is what all other dvds should aspire to. Amazing dynamics clear dialogue and bone rattling bass that will truly test your system, take it to it's limits and beyond. I cannot praise this transfer enough and it has answered my question why I spent so much on my HT. The video transfer is equally as good and borders on being perfect. It's what the first movie (dvd) should have been. I can't even guess what the Superbit with DTS will sound like as the Dolby Digital is simply incredible. Get this movie as quick as you can you wont be disappointed. :T

[NHT]

Is there going to be a superbit version at the same time the normal version will be released? If so, I would much rather get the Superbit,.

[Shane Martin]

Yes a Superbit is coming out the same day.

I plan to buy that version. I can rent the 2 disc'er if I wish to ever view the extras.

[hired goon]

G'day,

Is there going to be a superbit version at the same time the normal version will be released? If so, I would much rather get the Superbit,.

Yes -- see here.

-- Geoff

[Sithlord]

I simply couldn't wait until the 30th of Nov to grab this movie even though I love the Superbit editions. It's one of the few dvds that we in Australia (came out on the 15th nov) get first before the US which always surprises me. I will wait for a review of the Superbit version but quite frankly the difference will want to be pretty big for me to buy it going by what the 2 disc edition had to offer. I'm still amazed at how well that movie has been delivered on dvd just simply amazing.

[NHT]

Do you know if the Superbit version will be available at retailers like Best Buy and Circuit City or is it only online on the opening days?

[Shane Martin]

It will be at the local retailers. Both stores reguarly stock Superbits.

[Lex]

I can't wait! I never got around to seeing this in the theaters, and wanted to. So, the DVD will be a great premiere.

Lex

[Kevin P]

Cool. Unfortunately it's being released after the holiday rush madness has started, when I steadfastly refuse to get within a mile of the mall (I could hardly do otherwise if I wanted to). :roll:

I guess I'll have to wait until after New Year's Day or get this one online. Superbit of course. Me needs more superbits.

[Gordon Moore]

You're gonna luv it Lex :T

[Shane Martin]

Kevin,
Don't you have OTHER stores in your area other than the mall or is that it?

Certainly if you wanted it, there is always the internet.

[David Meek]

Superbit of course. Me needs more superbits.

Now THAT's the spirit! :B

[George Bellefontaine]

When is this being released ?

[David Meek]

November 30th! arty:

[hired goon]

Does anyone know what the bitrate of the DTS soundtrack will be on the superbit version?

The Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack on the normal version is 448Kb/s, and I'm hoping the DTS mix on the superbit will be more than the usual 768Kb/s.

--Geoff

[Kevin P]

Kevin,
Don't you have OTHER stores in your area other than the mall or is that it?

Certainly if you wanted it, there is always the internet.

Best Buy is in the mall, Circuit City is on the shopping strip, making it just as inaccessible as the mall during the shopping hell month, all that's left is WalMart and I doubt they'll have the superbit.

I'll just wait until January.

[Shane Martin]

Does anyone know what the bitrate of the DTS soundtrack will be on the superbit version?

It's always 768.

Best Buy is in the mall, Circuit City is on the shopping strip, making it just as inaccessible as the mall during the shopping hell month, all that's left is WalMart and I doubt they'll have the superbit.

Crazy layout

[hired goon]

G'day,

It's always 768

Superbit always uses half-bitrate DTS? I was hoping for 1509 Kb/s, like the Twister DVD.

--Geoff

[Shane Martin]

Full Bit Rate DTS has been dead a long time in the US. Superbit is ALWAYS 768.

[Adz]

For what its worth and given the hype, WidescreenReview surpisingly gave the DD version of Spiderman II a disappointing review in terms of Audio quailty (and video quality as well)- it gave it a 4 which is two notches below its highest rating of 5+. It's not posted to their website yet, but when it is, I'll post it here.

[Sithlord]

Interesting Adz. I would be very interested in what they didn't like about that dvd. Maybe the region 4 release is different to the region 1 it's happened before. You must have some special contacts at Widescreen as I'm a subscriber and haven't had the pleasure to read it. Nice

[Adz]

No special contacts - its in this month's magazine which I got yesterday. They didn't provide their typical detailed review but the tone was clear disappointment - they also didn't review the Superbit version yet.

[whmacs]

Guys,
This maybe a lame question, but as we all know here in Oz we use PAL which is 576 lines while the US is NTSC at 480 lines. I have a couple of PAL superbit DVD's, but I assume that the if I purchased a region 1 superbit DVD off Amazon even though it would have the higher bit rate, its still going to be 480 lines resolution?

thanks,
Stephen

[Brandon B]

Yep. 480.

BB

[Sithlord]

Your quite right about the PAL/NTSC difference my concern is why Widescreen found the audio for this movie to be disappointing. I've been reading that magazine for many years and have never disagreed with their dvd reviews, but after what Adz has said it could be the first. I have read other reviews of this movie but there local ones not region 1 yet and they raved about it. IMO it's one of the best dvds I own. I hope this region difference thing isn't showing it's ugly head again.

[whmacs]

Hi Sithlord,
I agree. I saw it at the movies and though it was OK. On saturday I watched it with my kids on our home threatre (Infocus 5700 projector running at 576p , RSP-1098, Jamo 7.1 THX speaker system) and I was blown away how good this movie looked and sounded. The scenes where Spider Man is swing between the buildings is real home theatre demo material...

cheers,
Stephen

Your quite right about the PAL/NTSC difference my concern is why Widescreen found the audio for this movie to be disappointing. I've been reading that magazine for many years and have never disagreed with their dvd reviews, but after what Adz has said it could be the first. I have read other reviews of this movie but there local ones not region 1 yet and they raved about it. IMO it's one of the best dvds I own. I hope this region difference thing isn't showing it's ugly head again.

[Sithlord]

Yep everything about spiderman 2 says reference quality. When Doc Oct first starts up the machine I braced myself the bass was nice and tight. Spiderman swinging through the city was amazing as the web sound would go to the back channel left and right according to where he was shooting. Need I mention the train sequence... WOW left me breathless. I had forgoten just how intence that scene was until I heard it at home. A masterful transfer in every respect. I'm glad you liked it whmacs

[whmacs]

Thanks BB!

Yep. 480.

BB

[Shane Martin]

Everything I've read about Spiderman 2's transfer(non superbit) has been poor. The one review I've seen from a trusted source on the Superbit was that it improved it in all areas including the sound. The Superbit has DTS too.

This only cemented my decision to purchase the Superbit.

[Azeke]

Everything I've read about Spiderman 2's transfer(non superbit) has been poor. The one review I've seen from a trusted source on the Superbit was that it improved it in all areas including the sound. The Superbit has DTS too.

This only cemented my decision to purchase the Superbit.

Thanks for the update Shane, I certainly will purchase the Superbit version.

Regards,

Azeke

[hired goon]

G'day,

Yep everything about spiderman 2 says reference quality

vs

Everything I've read about Spiderman 2's transfer(non superbit) has been poor

Now I'm getting confused!

Anyway, there's a good technical review of the R4 release here, for those who want to get into the details (this review falls into the "reference quality transfer" camp).

--Geoff

[Shane Martin]

Perhaps the R4 release is using the superbit transfer?

Regardless the R1 transfer has been knocked around pretty good. The Superbit has DTS so that cements my purchase.

[Fritz]

padon my ignorence, but what is super bit?

[Sithlord]

Link below is a short review of the Region 1 and I didn't read anything that indicated that the transfer was poor.

http://www.hometheaterinfo.com/spider-man_2.htm

I doubt that the region 4 release is from the Superbit version it's probably just the usual difference b/w PAL and NTSC. I hope that the region 1 isn't as bad as people are reading. The first movie was terrible (Picture) for both Region 1 and 4 which I bought so I was glad the 2nd movie got the transfer it deserved.

[George Bellefontaine]

Fritz

Superbit just means the transfer was done at a higher bit rate. They attain this by leaving out Bonus Features and Extras and devote the entire space on the disc to picture and sound.

[Gordon Moore]

In addition....superbit almost always includes a DTS track while the regular release might or might not get one.

[Sithlord]

Everything I've read about Spiderman 2's transfer(non superbit) has been poor.

Are you able to point us to where your reading these bad reviews as I'm having trouble finding them on the net. Thanks

[Bing Fung]

Just ran out to Futureshop during lunch and picked up the Super bit version of SM-2. I seen the DVD marked as $36.99 versus the $26.99 of the regular version. I waffled just only a second, gulped hard and put the regular version back while I hung on to the Super bit version.

When I got to the check out, the DVD came up as $22.99.. "That’s a great deal, only for today" the cashier told me. Wow, that was a nice surprise! I was ready to take in the nuts for this Super Bit version, thinking it was going to cost me +$40 bucks. In the end it only cost me $26 after taxes.

Any Canucks that are considering the SB version, I would recommend to go get it today as the special pricing is for today only.

[Gordon Moore]

Did you get the bonus DVD with the SB? Or is that with the regular feature heavy version only?

[Bing Fung]

Humm, don't know as I haven;t opened it yet.. Probably not... I'm not a big Extras fan, so no loss for me.

Surprizingly, everyone infront of me was buyin gthe Ful Screen versi : on

[Bent]

Bing, I heard the future shop ad on the radio today, there was.'t any mention of superbit in the commercial. either you were lucky or everybody gets to be lucky. (except me, I can't fget to a FS today). :

[Azeke]

Did you get the bonus DVD with the SB? Or is that with the regular feature heavy version only?

Negative on the bonus DVD with SB. It is just for the Regular and SE versions. I agree with Bing, I'd rather have DTS (doesn't come with the other versions), because I rarely play the Bonus tracks anyway.

BTW, BB has the SB version for $17.99 U.S. :T

Regards,

Azeke

[Leef DaLucky]

Lucky

Bing you lucky dog!
They didn't ship to the Toronto area yet.
i went to 2 futureshops and a BB before i got smart and headed for the phone.
The closest SB version apparently is in ottawa.
I ended up hitting the B.B. website and ordering the SB version for $22.99 while they're on sale.
(apparently only for today).
Worth the savings to me to have the copy that i want.
Enjoy the movie.
I'll be there soon.


Mikey
p.s. the extra disks seem to be for the first 70 customers per store and only with the special edition or something.

[Adz]

Just picked up the Superbit version at BestBuy for $17.99. Kudos to Best Buy on that price!! Can't wait to listen and see for myself how awesome it sounds.

[Bing Fung]

They didn't ship to the Toronto area yet.

Mikey, that is a bit whacked considering Toronto is the centre of the Canadian universe :scratchhead:

Ben, Maybe I was lucky, we'll see when Gordo checks in with his cost.