Topic: New to DVD in Volume 5?

[Larry Larry]

Honestly, can we say there would be a discernable difference in quality between the new sets and any "Bly-Ray" transfer (which will never happen anyway)?  Don't you have to consider the source as well?  Not just the new technology?  I would bet that the quality given to us by these new sets is as good as it can possibly get. 

Yes. Absolutely.  There would be a discernable difference because the amount of video information is increased from 480 (SD) to 1080 lines (HD).  That is a huge amount of video information that is being processed.  There are also other factors too.

I can understand why you might think it might not look make a big difference in quality, because these are very old films.  And some in very rough shape.

But it really will look better.   BluRay is still fairly new, but older black and white films are starting to find their way to the format now.  "Casablanca" just came to BluRay and is winning RAVE reviews for the picture quality.

Sharpness and production techniques of the time may make older films look "softer" than today's standards, but HD will make the Stooge films greater than they've ever looked.  Hopefully one day we'll see them. (and get to buy them all over again  )

[xraffle]

Really X?  The colorized dvd's claim that each short has been, "painstakingly restored from the original negative". Something not claimed for the new sets.  Both the new sets and the colorized dvd's are described as being "Remastered in High Definition".  Perhaps this is the same thing as the "restoration" mentioned above. 

You can definitely tell a difference in the quality of the B&W prints on the colorized dvd's, and the old "themed" releases.  However, I cannot discern a difference in quality between the new sets and the B&W prints on the colorized dvd's (although I haven't watched a short on one of the colorized dvd's in a while).

Do you have any screen captures comparing the new sets and the B&W prints on the colorized dvd's?  Like you have done in the past between the old "themed" dvd's and the new chronological sets. 

If you could provide an example that would be great.  Thanks X,  Paul 

Well it's not a night and day difference, that's for sure. But with the exception of "Pop Goes The Easel," the chronological versions look either same or slightly better than the colorized prints. A couple that come to mind are "Disorder In The Court" and "You Nazty Spy!"

[xraffle]

http://www.dvdfile.com/article/blu-ray-disc-exceeds-expectations-13103

http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2008/fortune/0810/gallery.holiday_gadgets.fortune/4.html
http://blogs.zdnet.com/storage/?p=365&tag=nl.e539

If Blu-ray was such a huge success, it wouldn't still be $30 per movie and $300+ for a player. I'll believe it's a success when prices fall.

[Larry Larry]

BluRay is doing very well.  Check out the Home Theater Forum for a better overview of this media. 

Home theater and stereo is a hobby for me.  A lot of people enjoy golf, or boats, or gardening, or whatever the hobby, and spend a lot of money on those hobbies too.  BluRay is simply the very best format for watching movies and home theater.  I enjoy it and so do millions of others. 

Deals are there too.  Bought Groundhog Day, Tropic Thunder and the Peter Sellers classic "Being There" this week on BluRay for $19.99 each on Amazon. 

But if you are not a fan, by all means continue to buy the standard definition DVDs and watch standard definition television.  Don't spend the money on the great picture, the HDTV or HD cable service.   SD might be best for some.  But HD is best for others.

[xraffle]

But if you are not a fan, by all means continue to buy the standard definition DVDs and watch standard definition television.  Don't spend the money on the great picture, the HDTV or HD cable service.   SD might be best for some.  But HD is best for others.

I never said I wasn't a fan of HD. As a matter of fact, I just bought one of them HDTVs during Thanksgiving when it was on sale. Not on Black Friday, but the day before Thanksgiving. I actually had to get a new TV because my old SDTV was flickering and it was driving my eyes crazy. Right now, I watch HD cable and upconverted DVDs on it. For now, they'll do. I refuse to buy Blu-ray until they fall to a reasonable level. I'm not saying I will never buy it; what I'm saying is that I won't buy it at these prices. If Blu-ray is as successful as you say it is, then prices should fall. When they do, that's when I'll buy them. And besides, not nearly as many titles are out on Blu-ray yet (such as these stooges sets), so I'm in no rush.

[archiezappa]

When I said high definition, I meant *higher* definition than previously seen on this short.  I just wanted to qualify that.

[sgnhcs]

That's not what I said.  I said they down-converted the HD video to standard definition video in order to put it on a DVD. 

Thats what Sony, or any other company with HD source video, has to do in order to put it on a DVD.  While BluRay and DVD may seem to look the same, they are not. They are totally different. 

DVD is for Standard Definition video.  BluRay is for High Definition video (but can hold standard definition video too, though there's not much need or demand for that).

Currently, BluRay is the only way companies are releasing HD material on a disc.

YEP !!!!  can not wait in 2010 or 2011 when they beging releasing the Stooges in glorious BLU RAY

[AmalgamatedMoron]

YEP !!!!  can not wait in 2010 or 2011 when they beging releasing the Stooges in glorious BLU RAY

To what do you refer sir?  Speculation?  Or do you have some news we are not privy too? 

[Stooges#1]

YEP !!!!  can not wait in 2010 or 2011 when they beging releasing the Stooges in glorious BLU RAY

Isnt Blu Ray most effective when the movie is color? These shorts are B&W so i doubt you'll notice a big difference with the way Sony are releasing them now.

[AmalgamatedMoron]

Isnt Blu Ray most effective when the movie is color? These shorts are B&W so i doubt you'll notice a big difference with the way Sony are releasing them now.

That doesn't have anything to do with it.  It's about the resolution.  Blu-Ray is true hi-def, which upgrades standard 480 lines of resolution to full 1080 hi-def.

[xraffle]

Isnt Blu Ray most effective when the movie is color? These shorts are B&W so i doubt you'll notice a big difference with the way Sony are releasing them now.

I used to think the same way, but after seeing these on an HDTV, they probably would look a little better with less compression. Don't get me wrong. These DVDs look great on an HDTV when using a good upconverting DVD player. But you still see some compression.

[sgnhcs]

I used to think the same way, but after seeing these on an HDTV, they probably would look a little better with less compression. Don't get me wrong. These DVDs look great on an HDTV when using a good upconverting DVD player. But you still see some compression.

not really, there will be little or no compression artifacts if they release the discs like they did on dvd, just in 1080p disc to disc / they would even have room for extras, like lobby posters of the shorts.

only way you would have compression artifacts was if they tried to jam way too many shorts on a blu ray.

[xraffle]

not really, there will be little or no compression artifacts if they release the discs like they did on dvd, just in 1080p disc to disc / they would even have room for extras, like lobby posters of the shorts.

only way you would have compression artifacts was if they tried to jam way too many shorts on a blu ray.

I know. That's what I said. Stooges#1 said that there will be no difference on Blu-ray because these are B&W films. I disagree because when watching these DVDs on an HDTV, while they still look great, they show some compression artifacts. Blu-ray will eliminate that and will result in a sharper picture.

[locoboymakesgood]

I think we should worry about getting all 190 shorts on DVD before we even consider talking about a Blu-ray release.

[xraffle]

I think we should worry about getting all 190 shorts on DVD before we even consider talking about a Blu-ray release.

Yeah, I know. At this point in time, I could care less about Blu-ray.

[Dog Hambone]

I cast the only vote so far for "Monkey Businessmen". Not only do I really like that short, but my copy (on videocassette from TV) is not a very good one and was edited/shortened for commercials.   

[falsealarms]

I cast the only vote so far for "Monkey Businessmen". Not only do I really like that short, but my copy (on videocassette from TV) is not a very good one and was edited/shortened for commercials.   

That short begins well, but it kind of goes downhill from there. Plus, Curly's health is as bad there as it was in any of the others.