A Superbit Comparison

[Flash Ahhh]

A Superbit Comparison

Hi all,

I already own The Fifth Element and Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon the regular studio editions and I was in Walmart with a Gift Certificate burning a hole in my pocket so I decided to give two Superbits titles a whirl.

I read through the thread in the Hot topic of the Week section regarding Superbits (http://www.dvdfile.com/interactive/f...s=&threadid=65) and found plenty of valid points and arguments.

I noticed also DVD File didn't have reviews yet of these two particular Superbit titles.

Let me offer some comparisons.

First off all Superbit DVD's are coded with Jacket Pictures on them. Not all DVD's have those. So if your DVD Player supports Jacket Pictures all Superbits will have them. On the standard DVD's I compared The Fifth Element did not have a Jacket Picture and Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon did have a Jacket Picture.

Jacket Picture technology seems to be fairly new, the last 12 to 18 months or so I would presume. So based on the release dates of the DVD's mentioned above, the status of Jacket Pictures is what I expected.

Next all Superbit menus are static. The Superbit main menu is standard for all their releases. Also no animation in any menu's, even in scene selections. Scene selections are video static, not text only.

Now lets tackle the movies one at a time.

The Fifth Element

Was coded as follows:

Regular: 192 Kbps on the audio and an average of 3-5 Mbps on the video.

Superbit: 448 Kbps on the audio and an average of 5-8 Mbps on the video.

I compared the video and sound quality on a few specific scenes. The escape of Leeloo from the regeneration chamber, the meeting of Corbin Dallas in the Cab, the McDonald's scene and the Diva's opera.

This was a tough call. Overall the regular edition of The Fifth Element the transfer was pretty darn good. I never really had any complaints. I did notice in subtle areas that the Superbits version did win out. More so in backgrounds where rack focusing (I hope that's the correct terminology) was used. While both transfers are excellent, the Superbit was superior.

The audio there was an immediate noticeable difference. Nothing seemed strained. The sound was much clearer and better I felt. I play at a low volume because I feel that's easier to detect subtle differences, rather then having a volume blaring. I am not going to make a DTS to DD comparison, but I will say the audio from the Superbit was superior to the audio on the standard version.

The Fifth Element was a pretty bare boned release anyway, just the trailer. So of the two, I'd definitely say the Superbits weighs in as the champ hands down. The picture is slightly better and the sound is noticeably better. Since the standard is so bare bones, the extra's don't weigh in very much.



Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon

Regular: 384 Kbps on the audio and an average of 3-5 Mbps on the video.

Superbit: 448 Kbps on the audio and an average of 5-8 Mbps and 6-9 Mbps on the video.

I compared the video and sound quality on a few specific scenes. The calligraphy writing scene, the first encounter with Jade Fox and the stealing of the comb in the desert.

The Superbit video seemed to be only slightly better. Though I don't think the master transfer of CTHD was as good as it could have been in the first place. With CTHD the Superbit seemed to have finer detail in all scenes where The Fifth Element it was more in the backgrounds.

The Superbit audio seemed identical to the audio on the standard release. I did not do a DTS comparison.

The real difference here is the lack of extra features. The Superbits of course is static and featureless. The standard CTHD is pretty jam packed. Personally I do like animated menus. CTHD has good animation of menus during menu switching as well.

Overall, due to only the slight differences in the audio and video and the huge difference in extra features, I'd give the green light to the standard edition over the Superbits.

I am not interested really in any of the other Superbit titles that are out right now, except Gattaca, which is a pretty bare boned release as it is. That might be worth picking up.

Some closing thoughts.

If I am gonna try and sell someone on the benefits of DVD, (to convert someone from VHS for example) I probably would not use a Superbit title. I would use a good two disk SE DVD. When I present DVD, I like to present the whole package, the extra's, the fun animated menu's, the trailers, commentary, deleted scenes, the works. So a Superbit wouldn't do that.

If I wanted to present tip top audio/video to a person that is already familiar with DVD, then a Superbit it would be.

After re-reviewing the ton of arguments in the Superbit Hot Topic thread, I'd have to say that all DVD's should be two disks sets. Tons of extra's on disk 2, and a top quality audio/video on disk 1.

-Flash

[LBPound23]

Very good work - detailed and well-written. I myself can understand why people would want the best possible video and audio quality, but the Superbits idea seems pointless to me for 2 major reasons:

1) Columbia-TriStar is giving Superbit treatments to films which already had high quality video and audio

2) They're losing ALL special features, and giving you a barebones disc, and for $8 more than the already quality DVD release which has a few extras

No Superbit review I've read has ever noticed a drastic improvement, so it seems to me the people who are shelling out the bucks on these re-releases are not making a educated decision and are instead falling victim to hype. Columbia TriStar has always been among the top studios when it comes to video and audio, always anamorphic and nearly always to be commended. The Superbit idea could have worked if it involved a second disc of extras, which would make up for the price difference. I will upgrade my favorite movie for a re-release which offers the slightest bit of improvement. But that's just it, Superbits slightly raises the bar on video/audio quality, but trades off extras and raises the price significantly. Worth it - to some who have the best possible setups-- perhaps. But not to me, even if I did have the best possible setup. But then, none of the Superbits have been releases of my all-time favorite films, so perhaps I'd be more intrigued then. But seriously, how much good is giving Superbit treatment to a DVD title that came out just a few months ago going to do?! The Superbit idea is just not logical.

[Flash Ahhh]

To add to the record, I paid $19.88 each for the two Superbit DVD's.

-Flash

[werther]

In one way I agree with you Flash, the Superbit editions only go half its way; they should be two disc editions.

In another way i really like them. Please consider, that the bigger your screen the better the superbits are. I look on a 3,5 Meter (i think thats 11 foot) screen and i see a big differnce between the older releases and the superbits. And than there is DTS wich makes a big difference for me comparing to any DD soundtrack.

And there is another nice piont with the 5th Element Discs. When the first one came out it puts my breath away it was a long time the best picture quality available. With the new Superbit release you can see the development of the medium. And you see another thing very clear a feature ladden disc goes on the cost of picture quality. So at that point I realised the importance of two disc editions, wich, when the first occured, I doesen´t like much.

[Lord Crumb]

Thanks for the post, FLASH. We appreciate you taking the time to give all of us a good comparison between the two.
But personally, I'm going to stay away from SUPERBIT. I've got a 36" Sony Vega, on which all of my DVDs look fantastic. I'm going to steer clear of HD in general (at least for as long as I CAN) because I just don't see the need for it unless I had a 50"+ TV, which I won't get.
I'm really happy with DVD and the quality it's brought after years of me watching great films on dull, droning vhs.
I'm really picky about sound and picture quality, and for my setup, everything I've got suits me just fine.

[pilauh]

i can't but agree with Lord Crumb....

I own a 32 " wega and and pretty good HT (I live in an appartement, anything higher would end with a war with my neighboards...)

I can't see any differences between the 2 editions...

but I can easilly unsderstand that projected on a huge system there might be difference....

as far as I am concerned, I don't really care...

[Flash Ahhh]

No problem you guys, thanks for the feedback. The TV I used was a 36 inch Sony.

All in all I want a top quality presentation. DVD extra features like animated menu's and added value content is what helps make DVD so much more magical than VHS, even though the clarity or picture and sound is so much better as well.

After my battle with Superbits, it is a fine line, almost too hard to decide.

I'll pick up Gattaca, since the original Gattace releae is bare boned. No other current Superbits interest me, besides these 3.

It looks like there will be just certain DVD's that I am gonna have more than one copy/edktion of. The Mummy, Silence of the Lambs, a few Criterions and these Superbits.

On another tangent, Gattaca and The Fifth Element are both good movies deserving nice 2 disk SE's, loaded with extra features.

I also agree as screen size increased, Superbits might start to show more of a video advantage.

-Flash

[LBPound23]

Originally posted by Flash Ahhh
I'll pick up Gattaca, since the original Gattace releae is bare boned. No other current Superbits interest me, besides these 3.

You do lose a handful of deleted scenes, trailers, and a featurette. Not quite barebones, and only $15 in stores. Just FYI.

[feldon23]

Desparado Superbit Review

The 5th Element Superbit Review

[Wirehed]

Thanks for the reviews flash!

When you say you didn't do a comparison between DTS and DD, does that mean you did not listen to the SB editions in DTS? I'm curious as this would be the main reason for me to rebuy these DVDs.

[Flash Ahhh]

Seamonkey,

First off, let me compliment you on that snazzy Avatar.

I was playing the volume real low, so that being the case I wouldn't have probably noticed any differences between the DD and the DTS track.

-Flash

[Wirehed]

Thanks, and thanks Flash.

In light of your review I'm just going to buy Desperado since I only have it on LD anyway and see if I like it enough to buy the others.


____

regarding the avatar, my wife drew it for me when she saw the first one I did. She siad it looked like a squashed bug. (it was a real brine shrimp).

[Dehrian]

This was not a high-end test by any means, but a few co-workers and I pushed together some G3s at work and did a little Superbit test. It was the only way we could think of to do a true A-B comparison without changing discs in a machine. The title we tested was Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

We didn't bother with the audio, but concentrated solely on the video. Hate to say it, but on our little test, the Superbit surpassed the original release. The colors were more vibrant, most times subtly so, but occassionally glaringly so. The green in the trees was lusher, the reds fuller, and contrast seemed to be pushed up a notch. We even called a few people into the room to see which one they preferred, without telling them which one was the Superbit. We showed them the fight in the trees. Each and every person picked the Superbit.

Just something to keep in mind.

[tomdkat]

Originally posted by Flash Ahhh

If I am gonna try and sell someone on the benefits of DVD, (to convert someone from VHS for example) I probably would not use a Superbit title. I would use a good two disk SE DVD. When I present DVD, I like to present the whole package, the extra's, the fun animated menu's, the trailers, commentary, deleted scenes, the works. So a Superbit wouldn't do that.

If I wanted to present tip top audio/video to a person that is already familiar with DVD, then a Superbit it would be.

Bravo!

Peace.....

[Flash Ahhh]

OK, I found it....

-Flash