Transformers HD DVD vs Upsampled DVD Comparison

*polonyc2* · 10-16-2007, 03:59 PM

this article takes a look at the HD DVD and DVD versions of Transformers. How do the two compare to each other in image quality? See head-to-head image comparisons

This is a movie that puts to rest the idea that upsampled DVD is “almost as good” as HD DVD...The HD DVD is significantly better than the conventional DVD. If there was a reason to make the transition to high-def, this is it...

Transformers HD DVD vs Upsampled DVD Comparison

SpeedDMN · 10-16-2007, 06:19 PM

No question HD-DVD is sharper, clearer, brighter then regular DVD. The short time I had a 40" Sony Bravia convinced me of that. I guess it's really only a matter of what you can afford.

TQ · 10-16-2007, 06:21 PM

I wish I hadn't seen this article. Dang it.

*polonyc2* · 10-16-2007, 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpeedDMN

No question HD-DVD is sharper, clearer, brighter then regular DVD. The short time I had a 40" Sony Bravia convinced me of that. I guess it's really only a matter of what you can afford.

you have an HD-DVD player?

Quote:

Originally Posted by TQ

I wish I hadn't seen this article. Dang it.

time for some new toys

I bought my Toshiba HD-A2 HD-DVD player last December...at first I was worried that Blu-Ray might win the format wars and I would be left with nothing to show for my investment...but now I feel more confident that HD-DVD has an excellent chance of winning, especially in light of the recent Paramount/Dreamworks HD-DVD exclusive deal

SpeedDMN · 10-16-2007, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by polonyc2

you have an HD-DVD player?

right now I don't even have the HDTV. I convinced a girlfriend to buy the set quite a while ago then about 6 weeks ago I made another visit and got her to buy a HD-DVD player (HDMI). I only had one HD-DVD movie, "300" (it was a breif reunion) Anyway, you can't miss the improvement of HD. I am assuming Transformers is no exception.

TQ · 10-16-2007, 08:25 PM

I'm with Speed. I have a dedicated Home Theater Room but its DVD player is a standard-DVD Marantz DV6600, top of the line for "regular" DVD. My TV is a Sony Wega 32" analog flat screen.
My integrated amp is a Marantz SR8001 and definitely able to upgrade to anything HDMI 2 ready. It's just that with starting a new business and those pesky hospital bills cash is a bit tight right now.

**k0NG0** · 10-17-2007, 04:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TQ

I wish I hadn't seen this article. Dang it.

Just be happy that there are HD-DVD players that are past 1.0 already...

SupDawg · 10-17-2007, 05:44 AM

I dont know.. It's a difference, but not a 300$ difference. I would probably spring for a new HD player, but I absolutely love my Panny upconverting DVD player and my new 65" DLP.

TQ · 10-17-2007, 07:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by k0NG0

Just be happy that there are HD-DVD players that are past 1.0 already...

Heh...

*polonyc2* · 10-17-2007, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SupDawg

but I absolutely love my Panny upconverting DVD player and my new 65" DLP.

which DLP do you have?...Samsung?

wallijonn · 10-17-2007, 12:55 PM

I've also been thinking of jumping into the HD-DVD waters just because of Transformers. My 42" Pani only does 1080i so the lower priced spread may be good enough (cheaper Toshiba player.)

As for DVD quality, I was disappointed with the last Fantasic Four release because it was a double layer DVD, one side widescreen, one side full screen. The first move was on a dual layer. This one, while only running some 90 minutes still had a lot of trailers, the usual 3 or 4 languages and the one or two commentaries. I just felt that the visual quality was right on the edge, that it just wasn't sharp enough. The "Ultimate" version also was the same, two single layers, one on each side. No thanks...

So movie studios may be intentionally releasing movies on single sided discs so that we change over to HD. (I made the mistake of buying a Michael J. Fox film, "The Frighteners" at Wal-Mart. It is a 132 minute film compressed onto a 4.7GB single layer. It looks like ***. Now I make sure that the film is dual layered (instead of double layer (single layer on each side of the disc) or single layer.)

bjbgraphics · 10-17-2007, 01:02 PM

Now wait a second, this is a comparison between the visual quality of an upsampled DVD and an HD-DVD on a 1080p display. How was this ever in question? To compare the image quality of an upsampled DVD against an HD-DVD at the highest HD resolution possible seems a bit ridiculous.

Upsampling a DVD takes the DVD signal (either at the player level, or at the HDTV itself) and scales it up to the native HDTV resolution. Is there really any doubt that scaling a standard DVD signal to 1080p is going to degrade the picture?

It would be a better comparison to see just a straight DVD vs. HD-DVD comparison with each at their standard resolutions. I have no doubt the HD-DVD would be bigger and sharper, but the DVD wouldn't have the blurriness and stretching from the upsampling against it. Any digital source looks its best at its original resolution.

All in all, I think this is a bad example to base any DVD vs HD-DVD decisions on. And for the record (since the author mentions it in the referenced article)... I thought Transformers sucked, and comparing Michael Bay to James Cameron is straight up blasphemy.

BJB

jonson004 · 11-01-2007, 03:50 AM

right now I don't even have the HDTV. I convinced a girlfriend to buy the set quite a while ago then about 6 weeks ago I made another visit and got her to buy a HD-DVD player (HDMI). I only had one HD-DVD movie, "300" (it was a breif reunion) Anyway, you can't miss the improvement of HD. I am assuming Transformers is no exception.

10-16-2007, 03:59 PM	#1
polonyc2 Helter Skelter Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: New York City Posts: 7,454	Transformers HD DVD vs Upsampled DVD Comparison this article takes a look at the HD DVD and DVD versions of Transformers. How do the two compare to each other in image quality? See head-to-head image comparisons This is a movie that puts to rest the idea that upsampled DVD is “almost as good” as HD DVD...The HD DVD is significantly better than the conventional DVD. If there was a reason to make the transition to high-def, this is it... Transformers HD DVD vs Upsampled DVD Comparison __________________ ASUS Maximus Formula (X38) *** EVGA 8800GT Superclocked 512MB Intel E8400 * Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro G.Skill 4 GB (2 X 2 GB) DDR2 800 4-4-4-12 * Western Digital RE2 500 GB WD5001ABYS Lian Li PC-A70B (black) * Corsair HX620 AuzenTech Auzen X-Fi Prelude 7.1 * Creative Inspire P5800 5.1 speakers Lite-On DVD-RW w/LightScribe LH-20A1L-06 * Sony GDM-F520 21' CRT monitor (19.8' viewable) Vista Business 64-bit w/SP1 * standard 3.5" floppy drive Microsoft Laser Mouse 6000 *** Microsoft Wired Keyboard 500 (Black)
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10-16-2007, 06:19 PM	#2
SpeedDMN Silicon Avatar Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Hyde Park, NY Posts: 2,927	Re: Transformers HD DVD vs Upsampled DVD Comparison No question HD-DVD is sharper, clearer, brighter then regular DVD. The short time I had a 40" Sony Bravia convinced me of that. I guess it's really only a matter of what you can afford. __________________
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10-16-2007, 06:21 PM	#3
TQ You gonna throw that? Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 8,442	Re: Transformers HD DVD vs Upsampled DVD Comparison I wish I hadn't seen this article. Dang it. __________________ Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me - Psalm 51:10 My goal in life is to be as good of a person as my dogs already think I am... Daywalker Studio: Software: Adobe Audition 3.0/Pro Tools LE 7.4/Acid Pro 6.0/Multiple VST, DirectX and RTAS plugins/Kontakt 3 Sampler/Windows XP Professional PC Hardware: D975XBX2-504/E6600/4x2GB Mushkin XP2-6400/eVGA 800GTX/HP f1905 19" flat panel/Echo Audio Gina24 Sound Card/2 Maxtor 6B300SO's/1 Maxtor STM500AS/1 Western Digital WD2500JD/PleXwriter Premium/Plextor 716A/Samsung LightScribe DVD burner/Logitech Revolution MX/Antec P-180b/PPC&C Silencer 610/Zalman CNPS9500 HSF Recording Hardware: Mbox 2 Factory Pro/Mackie SR24.4VLZ Pro Console/M-Audio Axiom 25 MIDI Controller/Audio-Technica 4033a microphone/Symetrix 528E/PreSonus Eureka/Mackie MR8 active monitors Game Machine: Gigabyte GA-X48-DQ6/E8400/4x2GB Mushkin XP2-8500/BFG GTX280/HP f2105 21" flat panel/Creative Labs X-Fi Elite Pro/Maxtor 6H500F0/Maxtor STM3320/Western Digital WD4000KD/Plextor 760A/Toshiba DVD-ROM/Zalman CNPS9700/Antec P-180/PPC&C Silencer 610/Ideazon Merc Stealth keyboard/Vista Business64 SP1
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10-16-2007, 08:25 PM	#6
TQ You gonna throw that? Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 8,442	Re: Transformers HD DVD vs Upsampled DVD Comparison I'm with Speed. I have a dedicated Home Theater Room but its DVD player is a standard-DVD Marantz DV6600, top of the line for "regular" DVD. My TV is a Sony Wega 32" analog flat screen. My integrated amp is a Marantz SR8001 and definitely able to upgrade to anything HDMI 2 ready. It's just that with starting a new business and those pesky hospital bills cash is a bit tight right now. __________________ Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me - Psalm 51:10 My goal in life is to be as good of a person as my dogs already think I am... Daywalker Studio: Software: Adobe Audition 3.0/Pro Tools LE 7.4/Acid Pro 6.0/Multiple VST, DirectX and RTAS plugins/Kontakt 3 Sampler/Windows XP Professional PC Hardware: D975XBX2-504/E6600/4x2GB Mushkin XP2-6400/eVGA 800GTX/HP f1905 19" flat panel/Echo Audio Gina24 Sound Card/2 Maxtor 6B300SO's/1 Maxtor STM500AS/1 Western Digital WD2500JD/PleXwriter Premium/Plextor 716A/Samsung LightScribe DVD burner/Logitech Revolution MX/Antec P-180b/PPC&C Silencer 610/Zalman CNPS9500 HSF Recording Hardware: Mbox 2 Factory Pro/Mackie SR24.4VLZ Pro Console/M-Audio Axiom 25 MIDI Controller/Audio-Technica 4033a microphone/Symetrix 528E/PreSonus Eureka/Mackie MR8 active monitors Game Machine: Gigabyte GA-X48-DQ6/E8400/4x2GB Mushkin XP2-8500/BFG GTX280/HP f2105 21" flat panel/Creative Labs X-Fi Elite Pro/Maxtor 6H500F0/Maxtor STM3320/Western Digital WD4000KD/Plextor 760A/Toshiba DVD-ROM/Zalman CNPS9700/Antec P-180/PPC&C Silencer 610/Ideazon Merc Stealth keyboard/Vista Business64 SP1
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10-17-2007, 05:44 AM	#8
SupDawg Registered User Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 7,078	Re: Transformers HD DVD vs Upsampled DVD Comparison I dont know.. It's a difference, but not a 300$ difference. I would probably spring for a new HD player, but I absolutely love my Panny upconverting DVD player and my new 65" DLP. __________________ The views expressed in this electronic dialogue are mine alone. "All physics are belong to me. " Kongo
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10-17-2007, 12:55 PM	#11
wallijonn PHX Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Phoenix Posts: 2,569	Re: Transformers HD DVD vs Upsampled DVD Comparison I've also been thinking of jumping into the HD-DVD waters just because of Transformers. My 42" Pani only does 1080i so the lower priced spread may be good enough (cheaper Toshiba player.) As for DVD quality, I was disappointed with the last Fantasic Four release because it was a double layer DVD, one side widescreen, one side full screen. The first move was on a dual layer. This one, while only running some 90 minutes still had a lot of trailers, the usual 3 or 4 languages and the one or two commentaries. I just felt that the visual quality was right on the edge, that it just wasn't sharp enough. The "Ultimate" version also was the same, two single layers, one on each side. No thanks... So movie studios may be intentionally releasing movies on single sided discs so that we change over to HD. (I made the mistake of buying a Michael J. Fox film, "The Frighteners" at Wal-Mart. It is a 132 minute film compressed onto a 4.7GB single layer. It looks like ***. Now I make sure that the film is dual layered (instead of double layer (single layer on each side of the disc) or single layer.) __________________ D875PBZLK, MAC G4-933
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10-17-2007, 01:02 PM	#12
bjbgraphics "You're no beggar!" Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: United States Posts: 655	Re: Transformers HD DVD vs Upsampled DVD Comparison Now wait a second, this is a comparison between the visual quality of an upsampled DVD and an HD-DVD on a 1080p display. How was this ever in question? To compare the image quality of an upsampled DVD against an HD-DVD at the highest HD resolution possible seems a bit ridiculous. Upsampling a DVD takes the DVD signal (either at the player level, or at the HDTV itself) and scales it up to the native HDTV resolution. Is there really any doubt that scaling a standard DVD signal to 1080p is going to degrade the picture? It would be a better comparison to see just a straight DVD vs. HD-DVD comparison with each at their standard resolutions. I have no doubt the HD-DVD would be bigger and sharper, but the DVD wouldn't have the blurriness and stretching from the upsampling against it. Any digital source looks its best at its original resolution. All in all, I think this is a bad example to base any DVD vs HD-DVD decisions on. And for the record (since the author mentions it in the referenced article)... I thought Transformers sucked, and comparing Michael Bay to James Cameron is straight up blasphemy. BJB __________________ Cybertron: Antec SX600II - Antec TruePower True430 - 3x80mm Nexus Real Silent Fans - Intel D875PBZ P27 - P4 2.4c - 2x512MB DDR Corsair 3200C2 (2-3-3-6) - XFX GeForce 7950GT 512MB AGP - 36.7GB Western Digital Raptor - 40GB Western Digital Caviar Special Edition - JVC Lite-On HD166S DVD-Rom VectorSigma: Antec SLK1600 - Corsair VX450W - Vantec Stealth 1x92mm & 1x80mm Fans - Asus TUSL2 1012 - PIII-S 1.4 - 2x256MB PC133 Kingston Technology KVR133X64CS (CL2) - Apollo GeForce FX 5200 128MB AGP - 200GB Western Digital WD2000JB - 3ware 7006-2 RAID / RAID 1 / 2x300GB Maxtor MaXLine III - JVC Lite-On 851S DVD-RW Junkion: Dell Dimension 4100 - PC Power & Cooling Silencer 360 Dell - Vantec Stealth 1x92mm Fan - PIII 733 - 2x256MB PC133 Atlas Precision (CL3) - ATI Radeon 9800 - 20GB Quantum Fireball Teletran1: Dell Latitude C600 - 512MB Ram - 30GB Hard Drive
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11-01-2007, 03:50 AM	#13
jonson004 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 5	Re: Transformers HD DVD vs Upsampled DVD Comparison right now I don't even have the HDTV. I convinced a girlfriend to buy the set quite a while ago then about 6 weeks ago I made another visit and got her to buy a HD-DVD player (HDMI). I only had one HD-DVD movie, "300" (it was a breif reunion) Anyway, you can't miss the improvement of HD. I am assuming Transformers is no exception.
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