Transformers

[Pirate]

Street Date: 9/2/08

Distributor: Paramount

Format:
• BD-50

Video:
• 1080p Widescreen
• TBA

Audio:
• Dolby TrueHD 5.1
• PCM 5.1
• Dolby Digital Plus 5.1

Features:
• Commentary by Michael Bay
• Multiple HD featurettes
• Teaser and theatrical trailers
• BD-Live Features
• Eastereggs





SOURCE

[ganthc]

Originally Posted by Pirate

Audio:
• Dolby TrueHD 5.1
• PCM 5.1
• Dolby Digital Plus 5.1

SOURCE

This will be a good test to see how the DD+ track measures up. It almost seems like Paramount is going overboard with the audio options though. Perhaps they are just trying to cover their bases. lol

[Ruined]

With all those soundtrack options my bet is they are directly porting over the HD DVD video transfer... Which isn't a bad thing since it was great.

[ganthc]

Originally Posted by Ruined

With all those soundtrack options my bet is they are directly porting over the HD DVD video transfer... Which isn't a bad thing since it was great.

Agreed, I didn't have a problem with the video quality on that film. But I still felt that the bass was lacking on some scenes that I thought were boomier in the theater. This way I will be able to compare.

[powerknowledge]

Originally Posted by Ruined

With all those soundtrack options my bet is they are directly porting over the HD DVD video transfer... Which isn't a bad thing since it was great.

According to The Digital Bits, at least, Bay supervised a new, "BD-optimized" transfer for this release. Whether that's true (might well be), or would result in an appreciable bump in PQ (especially given the high marks of the HDDVD transfer), is probably moot: Did I hear someone say BIG FUCKING ROBOTS ON BLU-RAY? (Sound of chiming cash registers drowns out everything...except for the THD soundtrack )

[Sehnzeleid]

Originally Posted by powerknowledge

According to The Digital Bits, at least, Bay supervised a new, "BD-optimized" transfer for this release

It would be absolutely fucking hilarious if this new "BD-optimized" transfer (if it exists) was merely a heavily DNR'ed encode.

[ganthc]

Originally Posted by powerknowledge

According to The Digital Bits, at least, Bay supervised a new, "BD-optimized" transfer for this release. Whether that's true (might well be), or would result in an appreciable bump in PQ (especially given the high marks of the HDDVD transfer), is probably moot: Did I hear someone say BIG FUCKING ROBOTS ON BLU-RAY? (Sound of chiming cash registers drowns out everything...except for the THD soundtrack )

Sweet!!! I think the 20gb should give this movie some good breathing room to allow for an "optimization".

[Wirehed]

Interesting.

If they actually improve this visually over the HD-DVD that would be a HUGE feather in the Blu camp.

[Ruined]

Originally Posted by Sehnzeleid

It would be absolutely fucking hilarious if this new "BD-optimized" transfer (if it exists) was merely a heavily DNR'ed encode.

Likely that is what will happen if this was "tweaked." Grain for the new hidef formats is like what black bars was for VHS tapes.

A top notch authoring house did the HD DVD encode, so any actual good "improvements" would be unlikely especially since all of those soundtracks limit the peak bitrate quite a bit.

[ganthc]

But isn't this a Bay supervised optimization? So if it does reduce the noise, wouldn't it be the way he wants it? I plan on getting it just to test out the audio part.

[Ruined]

Originally Posted by ganthc

But isn't this a Bay supervised optimization? So if it does reduce the noise, wouldn't it be the way he wants it? I plan on getting it just to test out the audio part.

Dunno, remember when Kubrick had Full Metal Jacket released 4:3 simply because it fit people's screens?

Besides, Bay is especially under pressure to prove his grandiose assertions about BD's superiority. Some DNR + contrast boosting is probably what that will entail if he does any major tweaks. The film isn't old enough for him to be able to make massive improvements on it from Paramount's stock footage IMO.

[ganthc]

Originally Posted by Ruined

Dunno, remember when Kubrick had Full Metal Jacket released 4:3 simply because it fit people's screens?

Besides, Bay is especially under pressure to prove his grandiose assertions about BD's superiority. Some DNR + contrast boosting is probably what that will entail if he does any major tweaks. The film isn't old enough for him to be able to make massive improvements on it from Paramount's stock footage IMO.

I think he will digitally insert more explosions into the movie. That is probably his idea of optimizing the film.

[Moviephreak]

Awesome kitty. Awesome barbeque. Awesome.

[biglyle]

Originally Posted by ganthc

I think he will digitally insert more explosions into the movie. That is probably his idea of optimizing the film.

Possibly a Will Smith cameo as well

[powerknowledge]

Originally Posted by biglyle

Possibly a Will Smith cameo as well

Yeah, driving a Humvee through a shantytown. I know the first time I saw this movie, I thought, "Hey, this can't be a Bay flick -- not enough faceless third-world people are being recklessly slaughtered while Will Smith spits out punchlines!" Now, hopefully, all will be made right.

(Of course, the Humvee will transform into an Energon-guzzling robot that kills people to fill his tank...)

[ganthc]

Or Middle America, with farmers and their kids looking hopefully up to the sky with a big American flag hanging or flapping majestically from their barn.

[LeChuck]

[plissken99]

Well I'll wait for comparisons on the audio, even then it would have to be signifigantly improved. I'm positive the BD optomized is pure crap. It's really just a demo disc, Leboufs(sp?) acting is awful, the love story is maybe the most forced and unnatural one I've ever seen(that chick was lightyears out of his league), tied with Cage and Biel in Next, and the robots are retards when not fighting.

BTW, was that actually Michael Bay in that little movie?

[Astrakan]

Originally Posted by plissken99

BTW, was that actually Michael Bay in that little movie?

No.

KM

[Pirate]

Remember that awful HD DVD cover art? Well . . .

BEHOLD!

[ganthc]

Those cover art people need to be fired and never asked to cover art again.

[ganthc]

Blu-ray.com - Transformers: Special Edition (Blu-ray) - Blu-ray Review

First review is up.

[powerknowledge]

The problems the reviewer noted in getting the disc to load in his BD-30 are very, very disconcerting. He also notes the same problem with several (but unnamed) Paramount discs. I've yet to have a problem with any of Paramount's BDs (with the exception, possibly, of some funky stuff on Beowulf I noted in a now-buried thread), so fingers crossed that his player in particular has a problem and it's not systemic. While the movie's of questionable "value" (whatever that means), this was THE title that I was originally waiting for to go Blu before Paramount went red, and I'd hate to have my giant 1080p robots thwarted by a compatibility issue.

[Ruined]

Originally Posted by powerknowledge

The problems the reviewer noted in getting the disc to load in his BD-30 are very, very disconcerting. He also notes the same problem with several (but unnamed) Paramount discs. I've yet to have a problem with any of Paramount's BDs (with the exception, possibly, of some funky stuff on Beowulf I noted in a now-buried thread), so fingers crossed that his player in particular has a problem and it's not systemic. While the movie's of questionable "value" (whatever that means), this was THE title that I was originally waiting for to go Blu before Paramount went red, and I'd hate to have my giant 1080p robots thwarted by a compatibility issue.

Some of the Paramount discs also have some issues in the v1.0 firmware of the Pioneer BDP-51FD that are being worked on for the next firmware update.

[powerknowledge]

Evidently, the BD-30 loading/playing issue has to do with 24fps playback only (as with many other Paramount BDs). Not an issue for me, and word is that Panasonic's already working on a firmware fix to be released fairly soon. Back to anticipating my 1080p giant robots!

[Derb]

Originally Posted by ganthc

Blu-ray.com - Transformers: Special Edition (Blu-ray) - Blu-ray Review

First review is up.

Yep & he didn't even see the HD DVD version before. No way was the HD DVD a 5 star video transfer, so maybe this isn't a port.

[dugpa]

Originally Posted by Derb

Yep & he didn't even see the HD DVD version before. No way was the HD DVD a 5 star video transfer, so maybe this isn't a port.

We already know it isn't a port because Bay said he was personally supervising a new version for the blu-ray disc. Having shot his mouth off about it so much I guess he wants to make sure he's proven right. My guess is this will mean a new transfer with a ton of DNR added.

[powerknowledge]

Originally Posted by dugpa

We already know it isn't a port because Bay said he was personally supervising a new version for the blu-ray disc. Having shot his mouth off about it so much I guess he wants to make sure he's proven right. My guess is this will mean a new transfer with a ton of DNR added.

Sorry to "disappoint", but all reviews thus far have noted the complete or near-complete lack of DNR application, and the healthy presence of natural grain throughout; those reviews with screenshots certainly bear this out. Score one for Paramount and, god help me, Bay. I can't wait to see this.

Note: there is some minor debate over whether this transfer is in fact new or a port; some reviewers note a very slight increase in fine detail, black levels, etc. over the HD-DVD, some (in fact most) say it's indistinguishable and identical. I suspect that the transfer may well be a port, with the additional space on the BD50 dedicated to the TrueHD soundtrack (it's plausible that the size of the video file was what necessitated the less-bit-hungry DD+ soundtrack on the HD-DVD, but that's just a suspicion). Bitrate comparisons, for whatever they're worth, may settle it, but either way, no harm no foul: all regard it as a superior, even reference presentation.