Superbit

gregure

Besides offering a DTS track when the normal release usually doesn't, what is special about Superbit DVD's?

ohskigod

give this link a read, someone answered this question for me quite well

http://clubpolk.polkaudio.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=18536&highlight=spiderman+superbit

Emlyn

There can be a couple of benefits to a Superbit DVD. The movie disc has all of the extras (making of documentaries, director's comments, movie trailers, games, etc) omitted from it to free the whole storage capacity of the disc for the video and audio of the movie. Superbit uses this storage capacity to double the bit rate of the video transfer which takes up most of the space on the DVD disc. The rest of the space on the disc is reserved for the menu and DD 5.1 and DTS soundtracks.

The Web site for more information is Superbit

gregure

Thanks for the info guys. Too bad more film companies aren't following suit. I've felt the LOTR Extended Editions have received very good good transfers to DVD, but whether they are using the same techniques as Superbit or not, who knows? Anybody know if other film companies are using technology similar to this? I've seen some pretty terrible transfers in my viewing experience, especially ones that can't seem to get rid of all of the film imperfactions like popping black dots, grain, etc. I do think it's getting better though.

johnny_utah

For some good DVD transfers check out the Criterion Collection at:

http://www.criterionco.com.

The Royal Tenenbaums is a great movie.

therockman

Actually Greg, it is not a movie company that makes the Superbit DVDs, it is an independent company that remasters various movies from the different movie studios.


Rocky

Emlyn

Originally posted by therockman
Actually Greg, it is not a movie company that makes the Superbit DVDs, it is an independent company that remasters various movies from the different movie studios.

Rocky

But, all titles that carry the Superbit name are Columbia/Tristar Home Entertainment properties (in turn owned by Sony). There wouldn't be a Superbit "Fellowship of the Ring" unless Sony bought Time Warner's movie divisions. Not that this all matters really, because it is possible for any movie studio to master a DVD at a high bit rate, strip out the junk and put it on another disc, and include a DTS soundtrack with the movie. But, if the name Superbit is on the box, the movie comes from Columbia/Tristar. The difference between the picture quality of standard and Superbit DVDs I have is noticeable, but not huge and not leaps ahead of the products other movie studios are producing. We won't see a big leap until high definition video becomes available in a few years.

Shizelbs

Originally posted by Emlyn
We won't see a big leap until high definition video becomes available in a few years.

I thought HD DVDs were already being released.

Emlyn

Originally posted by Shizelbs
I thought HD DVDs were already being released.

I wish they were too. The only high definition movie on DVD I'm aware of at this time is the Terminator 2 "Extreme Edition" that Microsoft got published created for its Windows Media 9 program. I keep hearing different projections for when the movie studios and hardware manufacturers will decide to start selling High Definition DVDs and DVD players in the U.S. The technology is in place, but the squabbling over different formats is slowing down progress. Generally, most articles I've read recently have held the view that HD-DVD will not be standard and widely available in the U.S. market for a few years yet. There has been some speculation that the first HD-DVDs may be available early in 2005 though.

Shizelbs

Well, when I borrowed a copy of "Somethings Got To Give" or some crap like that, the back cover said it was mastered in high definition.

Emlyn

There are several hundred movies that have been mastered (i.e. transferred from film to digital format) for high definition television broadcasting (1080i). The movie studios have done this with a lot of their movies so they can be broadcast in HDTV format. The high definition master has to be downconverted to be compatible with the current DVD standard and to fit on current DVDs because of storage limitations on the current discs. Although a source movie may be mastered to meet high definition standards, once it is downconverted the benefits of the higher resolution go away because the maximum format resolution of DVD is 480p. HD-DVD discs will have the equivalent of the full high definition master on them, which may be one of the reasons movie studios are moving slowly to adopt a new standard because of piracy concerns.

therockman

What Emyln said, but its not just storage space but bit rate as well.


Rocky

scottvamp

And where in the hell are the FULL SCREEN Superbits???
I want the whole movie for my SuperBit money..........

therockman

FULLSCREEN versions are edited for screen shape, the WIDESCREEN version is the whole picture.


Rocky

scottvamp

WWWWhhhhhhhoooooouuuuuu!!!!
Good thing I just bought a 65" WS HDTV!!!!!!!!!!;)
AAAAaaahhhh - the small peasures in life. I crack myself up. I need another beer.:D

kberg

Originally posted by scottvamp
And where in the hell are the FULL SCREEN Superbits???
I want the whole movie for my SuperBit money..........

Good one!