Custom Surround Demo Disc available for free

[saurabh]

Hi,

Although I remember searching for them back in 2005 but couldnt find one. This thread started few months later but I discovered it few days back only. So sharing this excellent discovery with you guys.

This thread has 1769 posts already and 59 pages to go through, so if you want to know in Quick steps, read below:

- It has got 21 Demo DVD collection from various known surround movie clips.
- All Disc are available via a Vine tree(mail post), FTP download and a private torrent tracker. Most of them ship it for free, its like a chain shipping.
- All Discs have Menus for navigation(except one with DTS clips), Excellent DVD covers and Disc art.

- For FTP access you need to send a PM to Swithey, but use it only if you have a very fast bandwidth (256 Kbps or above)
- For Vine you need to add your name to the tree there.
- For private torrent, you need to goto this site and register.

To know about the contents of the various Demo Disc open this link.

Please remember there is no charge on this service or the Demo Discs, as these are custom made Demo discs, so please distribute freely once you make a copy.

Hope this helps.

[Chris D]

Eh? Not sure I follow how this one works.

[saurabh]

Eh? Not sure I follow how this one works.

Okay, Ill try to explain, in this thread people created DVD's consisting of various known surround sound clips (5.1, DTS) and then started shipping by post to each other, forming a chain, more people joined it and more it flowed down.

Then it was decided to host the DVD's in ISO form onto a FTP website, so that ppl who had bigger bandwidth and out of US, could also download and distribute freely.

More DVD's were authored by the different members of the forum and offerred for sharing, free of cost.

Few members started making excellent DVD covers and disc labels for these compilations.

One member started his own private tracker for anyone wanting to download using a torrent client.

So this is how this works, the options to get hold of these DVD's, I have already explained above.

Its like community sharing thing.

[Club1820]

This may be obvious (?), but what are you supposed to use these discs for? To calibrate your system?

[mike c]

showing off your system to friends without changing discs N number of times

[saurabh]

This may be obvious (?), but what are you supposed to use these discs for? To calibrate your system?

apart from showing your HTS, some people even use it to see those favourite scenes without switching discs/ searching DVD's, like there are disks which are theme based like Sci-Fi Theme, Lord of the rings theme.

[Burke Strickland]

And of course, the participants are getting permission from each of the copyright holders to use the clips that they are distributing to others, right?

[cobbpa]

saurabh, good job summarizing that thread's course. I've followed it for a while and soo many people ask about how to get discs. Hopefully you've saved them from having any HTG members do the same :T . I've downloaded several of the AVS dvds and some are really good. One problem though..when using DTS clips, adding menus structure throw the synchronization out of track, so the sounds don't always match what's on screen. Still good sound, just a little annoying.

[Club1820]

cobbpa, what route did you take to dl?

i am currently trying to dl the first 2 dvds via bittorrent and it will take forever since i only am connected to 1 seeder each and 1 or 2 leechers! its too bad more people dont dl so that they can go faster! I may just give up - right now it should finish in 9 days!

[cobbpa]

Wow, that's pretty slow. I did use bittorrent though. I've been meaning to try and figure out the ftp site, but I already have several of them & don't have any real desire for any others right now. Try out my Lord of the Rings though, I'm quite proud ;-)

[saurabh]

saurabh, good job summarizing that thread's course. I've followed it for a while and soo many people ask about how to get discs. Hopefully you've saved them from having any HTG members do the same :T . I've downloaded several of the AVS dvds and some are really good. One problem though..when using DTS clips, adding menus structure throw the synchronization out of track, so the sounds don't always match what's on screen. Still good sound, just a little annoying.

Can you suggest your favourite numbers based on the surround quality. I have downloaded disc 1 and 5, usually it takes anyway between 11-12 hrs for each disc with my connection via FTP. Once I get hold of DTS disc, I will try to create menus for it, I havent faced any menu problem with DTS during my compilations.

Edit: Just previewed the Disc5, its tastefully grouped into Explosions, LFE, Surrounds etc, good compilation to have.

[cobbpa]

I actually don't have surround speakers right now--just the front 3. Therefore, I think I'm under qualified to discuss surround effects . I thought a couple of the discs were surround-oriented. Have you downloaded the index & disc descriptions? It's not overly descriptive, but seems to give a good idea of what the disc is good for.

[cobbpa]

And of course, the participants are getting permission from each of the copyright holders to use the clips that they are distributing to others, right?

I saw a particular episode of Southpark recently that this comment made me think of:

Detective: Shiut up!! [the boys jump in their seats, then look down, chagrined] You downloaded a lot of songs! Says here you even downlaoded Judas Priest? That's hard time you boys are lookin' at. You got anything to say for yourselves?
Kyle: [rubs the table a bit] We d-didn't think it was that big a deal.
Detective: [pissed off] Not a big deal! You think downloading music for free is not a big deal?! Put your couts on! I'm gonna show you something! And I don't think you're gonna like it!
[A mansion, somewhere, day. The agent has taken the boys for a ride and arrived here. He leads them to the main gate]
Detective: This is the home of Lars Ulrich, the drummer for Metallica. [they approach a bush] Look. There's Lars now, sitting by his pool. [he's seen sitting on the edge of a chaise longue, his face in his hands, softly sobbing]
Kyle: What's the matter with him?
Detective: This month he was hoping to have a gold-plated shark tank bar installed right next to the pool, but thanks to people downloading his music for free, he must now wait a few months before he can afford it. [a close-up of Lars sobbing] Come. There's more. [leads them away. Next seen is a small airport at night] Here's Britney Spears' private jet. Notice anything? [a shot of Britney boarding a plane, then stopping to look at it before entering] Britney used to have a Gulfstream IV. Now she's had to sell it and get a Gulfstream III because people like you chose to download her music for free. [Britney gives a heavy sigh and goes inside.] The Gulfstream III doesn't even have a remote control for its surround-sound DVD system. Still think downloading music for free is no big deal?
Kyle: We... didn't realize what we were doing, eh...
Detective: That is the folly of man. Now look in this window. [they are at another mansion, and they look inside a picture window] Here you see the loving family of Master P. [He's shown tossing a basketball to his wife while his kid tries to catch it] Next week is his son's birthday and, all he's ever wanted was an island in French Polynesia. [his mom lowers the ball and gives it to the boy, who smiles, picks it up and drops it. It rolls away and he goes after it]
Kyle: So, he's gonna get it, right?
Detective: I see an island without an owner. If things keep going the way they are, the child will not get his tropical paradise.

[Chris D]

Oh, no... we're not proceeding down the path of another discussion on intellectual rights, are we?

[saurabh]

I saw a particular episode of Southpark recently that this comment made me think of:

Detective: Shiut up!! [the boys jump in their seats, then look down, chagrined] You downloaded a lot of songs! Says here you even downlaoded Judas Priest? That's hard time you boys are lookin' at. You got anything to say for yourselves?
Kyle: [rubs the table a bit] We d-didn't think it was that big a deal.
Detective: [pissed off] Not a big deal! You think downloading music for free is not a big deal?! Put your couts on! I'm gonna show you something! And I don't think you're gonna like it!
[A mansion, somewhere, day. The agent has taken the boys for a ride and arrived here. He leads them to the main gate]
Detective: This is the home of Lars Ulrich, the drummer for Metallica. [they approach a bush] Look. There's Lars now, sitting by his pool. [he's seen sitting on the edge of a chaise longue, his face in his hands, softly sobbing]
Kyle: What's the matter with him?
Detective: This month he was hoping to have a gold-plated shark tank bar installed right next to the pool, but thanks to people downloading his music for free, he must now wait a few months before he can afford it. [a close-up of Lars sobbing] Come. There's more. [leads them away. Next seen is a small airport at night] Here's Britney Spears' private jet. Notice anything? [a shot of Britney boarding a plane, then stopping to look at it before entering] Britney used to have a Gulfstream IV. Now she's had to sell it and get a Gulfstream III because people like you chose to download her music for free. [Britney gives a heavy sigh and goes inside.] The Gulfstream III doesn't even have a remote control for its surround-sound DVD system. Still think downloading music for free is no big deal?
Kyle: We... didn't realize what we were doing, eh...
Detective: That is the folly of man. Now look in this window. [they are at another mansion, and they look inside a picture window] Here you see the loving family of Master P. [He's shown tossing a basketball to his wife while his kid tries to catch it] Next week is his son's birthday and, all he's ever wanted was an island in French Polynesia. [his mom lowers the ball and gives it to the boy, who smiles, picks it up and drops it. It rolls away and he goes after it]
Kyle: So, he's gonna get it, right?
Detective: I see an island without an owner. If things keep going the way they are, the child will not get his tropical paradise.

:rofl: chris !! I am not falling into this discussion either.

[cobbpa]

My apologies; probably shouldn't have posted that, but it just seemed so relevant.
Anyway

Saurabh, have you had the chance to try any of the other discs? I need to start using the FTP, it seems like that would be much quicker than using the torrents. Have you looked through the index of all the DVDs and their contents? Do you notice any scenes you enjoy or usually use to show off that aren't on there? It seems pretty complete to me. I've tried to think of enough scenes not already available to make a new disc but can never come up with more than a few.

[saurabh]

My apologies; probably shouldn't have posted that, but it just seemed so relevant.
Anyway

Saurabh, have you had the chance to try any of the other discs? I need to start using the FTP, it seems like that would be much quicker than using the torrents.

I downloaded 1,5,9 and will download the others later (have a cap on the connection). FTP is much faster if you have a fast connection (256 kbps and above).

Have you looked through the index of all the DVDs and their contents? Do you notice any scenes you enjoy or usually use to show off that aren't on there? It seems pretty complete to me. I've tried to think of enough scenes not already available to make a new disc but can never come up with more than a few.

I can help you with that :

The Day After Tomorrow - DTS (LA tornados, helicopter flying and then freezing scene, Helicopter coming in to inform that the president is dead scene, Sea rising scene, begining of movie Ice breaking-up scene, Ship into the city scene).

Daredevil - (Fighting on the road scenes )

Flyboys (New movie) but most flying sequences have good surrounds.

Pulp Fiction "Collectors Edition"- DTS (scene 8 "Jack Rabbit Slims" or 25 "Epilogue")

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon - (many scenes)

Behind Enemy Lines (Jet Mission, missile chasing jet)

Gladiator - DTS (The scene where he's fighting in the
arena and the tigers are jumping out)

Jurrasic Park - DTS (T-Rex scene)

Spiderman 2 - (when Doc Oct wakes up in hospital - great use of surrounds)

Hope you have enough on your hands now

EDIT: Best of demo disc is coming up, see here

[cobbpa]

Oh cool; thanks for the suggestions! I have a couple of those discs & a couple are in my Netflix queue. I might have to bump them up. Let me know how putting menu structure on a DTS disc works for you. One DTS disc I downloaded (disc 6) had several clips where the lips didn't match the voice very well. When sending swithey my Lord of the Rings disc, I asked if he would put demos on it. He said no, because that is what can cause the mismatch. Not saying that his word is definitive, and personally I have never put menus on any disc--I don't know how and don't believe I have the software. But if you know how, I'd be interested in learning!

Edit: Just saw your link to the "Best Of" disc. I've done something similar. My goals weren't so much the ultimate, but a disc that had some well-known scenes, a few surprisingly good ones, and was mostly inoffensive (for safe showing off in a family environment). A lot of the clips I used came from the AVS discs. Very handy in that respect. Whenever I get the time I hope to compile a master disc for bass, one for heavy surround use and maybe one for general clarity or picture quality. Chances are it won't match my unique favorites / "best of", but I'll still download it! I'm still hoping someone puts up DTS versions from House of Flying Daggers..

[saurabh]

Oh cool; thanks for the suggestions! I have a couple of those discs & a couple are in my Netflix queue. I might have to bump them up. Let me know how putting menu structure on a DTS disc works for you. One DTS disc I downloaded (disc 6) had several clips where the lips didn't match the voice very well. When sending swithey my Lord of the Rings disc, I asked if he would put demos on it. He said no, because that is what can cause the mismatch. Not saying that his word is definitive, and personally I have never put menus on any disc--I don't know how and don't believe I have the software. But if you know how, I'd be interested in learning!

Use DVD-lab pro for your menu's, a fully functional 30 days trial is available on their website. Tutorials are here

Use DVD shrink to cut clips from DTS discs, see guide here

Feed those clips to Dvdlab and link them to menus. Dont worry if you see a mismatch in the Video and Audio sync. The compilation will play fine, after its authored(as long as they are in sync in the source clips).

[saurabh]

Whenever I get the time I hope to compile a master disc for bass, one for heavy surround use and maybe one for general clarity or picture quality. Chances are it won't match my unique favorites / "best of", but I'll still download it! I'm still hoping someone puts up DTS versions from House of Flying Daggers..

Good thinking, do share them and on the FTP site, I would definitely want to get a copy.

[Club1820]

Well, it took me 3 days to dl DVD 2 - LFE effects! Not many seeders or peers.

Pretty cool discs. Although some scenes had very little LFE effects so I was wondering why they were even on the disc.

But the best ones were the Incredibles and the Haunting. The Haunting literately made me jump!! The whole house shook and I could feel it in my bones. And I didnt even have the volume up high (watched at night with everyone sleeping). Now I have to go rent that movie!

Will be dl the LFE effects disc 2 pretty soon.