Superbits worth it?

[EM3]

All I have is a 25 inch television. I only watch widescreen movies. My sound system does handle DD and DTS. Are Superbit titles worth the money? The omission of extras doesn't really bother since since I usually only watch trailers. Just wondering what everyones thoughts were. How does Dracula look as a Superbit and more importantly would I notice a big difference?

[mlemmond]

I like Superbits and will usually buy them over the original if I don't already have the original and the original is worth a damn. As far as Dracula goes I think it looks great, I have it and love it. As far as being worth it, if you look around you can usually get what you want for a decent price and since you're not a big extra watcher I would get the superbit.

Pretty good prices here http://www.deepdiscountdvd.com/search.cfm

[doubledown]

I actually love the Superbits. Of course many people may differ in opinion. I really don't watch extras on DVD's either, so if I have the choice of Regular to Superbit, I would always choose Superbit.

However, some movies I will not upgrade just for SUperbit if I own the original. I think movies like XXX and Charlies Angles already had a decent transfer, so I have no need to upgrade.

On the other hand....
Dracula is stunning in Superbit. Desperado is also great. I upgraded Labyrinth also from 2.0 sound to DTS is great.

Ok, as for your situation...a 25" TV may not provide that much visual difference. I watch a 55" WIDEscreen, so it's a bit noticable for me. Sound would be better for you though....

Basically, if you have the choice between regular and superbit, I would choose the superbit since you are not really into extras that much.

[Dilmo]

I am in agreement with all above.

[FurryHumanBeing]

I don''t like Superbits. I prefer to have Special features.

[MrTony]

I love the Superbit discs. The DTS tracks are incredible and, for me at least, justify the purchase by themselves. Our television - a 32 inch Wega - is excellent, but doesn't reveal the picture quality the same way a higher end TV would.

And many of the non-Superbit versions of these movies are pretty barebones to begin with, including The Fifth Element, Gattaca, and the one you mentioned, Dracula. So half the time you're not missing out on anything.

Granted, I don't always get the SB version. I got Das Boot before the SB was announced, but that movie already has an amazing Dolby Digital soundtrack, so I felt no need to buy it again.

So I say go for it.

[Charlie & Tex]

We only have one Superbit in our collection, and we bought it a few weeks ago.

Francis Ford Coppella's Bram Stoker's Dracula.

Let's get the negative out the way first. We HATE this movie. Not just disike, nor do we merely treat it with contempt. It is a movie that fuels the urge to (part of message deleted for violent/offensive content) Using the claw-end.

The thing that got on our collective tits to begin with was Coppella bleating on about how it is the most accurate and had much more emotion than all of the other adaptions. This is BULLSHIT!!! So much was made of the how the core of the movie was the power of Dracula finding a woman the image of his dead wife. Crap! This is not in the book. One movie from years ago put it in and a number of filmmakers down the years just lazily assume it WAS from the novel and stuck it in.

One UK review said some of the visual effects were as though they had been lifted from a Fred Olen Ray movie - we really must protest: we have had the pleasure of meeting Mr Ray a number of years ago, and they poor guy doesn't deserve being linked to this movie. The same review called the whole project Mills & Boon gothic. Wise words.

Having said that, it is a movie we are strangely drawn to. Some of the cinematography is stunning (in spite of some dreadful exterior sets) and the production design is handsome.

The UK Superbit DVD is just about flawless. Both picture and sound make the previous DVD look like it was mastered in the very early days of the format. The vivid use of primary colours show themselves fearlessly without even the merest hint of noise.

OK, rant over. If this shows Superbit at its best, then it should be able to overcome the occasional screw-up (Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon) and show DVD at its best.

[Nome King]

The UK Superbit DVD is just about flawless. Both picture and sound make the previous DVD look like it was mastered in the very early days of the format. The vivid use of primary colours show themselves fearlessly without even the merest hint of noise.

Not trying to be sarcastic, but I believe the previous DVD indeed WAS mastered in the very early days of the format. I believe this was one of Columbia's first DVD's... Could be wrong, though.

I agree though, about the quality. It is good. Just wish it was a two disc set, however.

[Charlie & Tex]

Not trying to be sarcastic, but I believe the previous DVD indeed WAS mastered in the very early days of the format

The dreaded era we were refering to was such a time when jewel cases seemed to be the way DVD packaging was heading, a time when titles like The Punisher and Skinned Alive came out in all their pan-&-scan glory. Columbia's initial releases were of sterling quality (including BSD), and we were not challenging said discs, but merely using the piss-poor standard of the earlier, cheaper titles as a way of illustrating just how outstanding the new BSD is by comparision.

(we did originally put all of how the movie makes us feel, but it was way too offensive to Coppella and his family for our high moral standards to allow. A shame, as it really was rather funny...

[Oscar Antonio M]

If the Standard DVD does not have special features, or if there isnt an SE in the works, get the Superbit then.

I only have two of them: The Fifth Element and Tommy.

The Fifth Element looks absolutely great and the DTS track is excellent, even though it dosent differ much from the DD track.

Tommy looks perfect for a 30 year old movie, it almost looks like a new one and the DTS track blows the Dolby track completely out of the water.

So far im fine with the Superbit DVD line, the problem is that sometimes they do feel like a lame excuse to re-release a movie because sometimes there is no difference at all, still the A/V quality is great.

[Indyphantom]

I love the ones I have...I don't always feel the need to upgrade. I love Heavy Metal, but I don't think the SB is worth it just for the DTS and improved pic. The DD and pic on the first on the SE were damn impressive.

I will get the STARSHIP TROOPERS SB when it comes out, and keep it along with the SE because it's such a favorite of mine.

Here are the best Superbits in my collection:

Das Boot
Desperado
The Fifth Element

[Alex88]

The only Superbit I have is Adaptation. Other than the groovy cover and packaging, there's nothing else I like about that edition.

[tqpix]

I always wanted to pick up a SuperBit copy of Bram Stoker's Dracula, but I always change my mind at the last second; after reading good reviews about it, it makes me want to pick it up again.

the only thing i don't like, why not just put a dts track on the original release to begin with....my biggest annoyance is with SNATCH.

[snipsnapsappy]

I prefer the technology of Superbits, but I do not like them because of Columbia Tristar and their desire to cheat us out of money. All releases from all studios should maximize bit rate, have DD and DTS, I would prefer no DD(waste of space), but that can never happen, legally. With Commentaries with the movie and then whole other discs with the extra features.

New Line already does this with their Platnum series. (Blade II, LOTR, Seven)The one interesting thing about New Line is their Infinfilm line. How do they fit DTS-ES, DD and tons of extras and then have a flawlessly compressed transfer? (Austin Powers:Goldmember, Final Destination 2)

That is how to do DVD. Do it right and do it right the first time.

[Moppy007]

what snipsnap said.

[Version]

Superbits are nice discs. I own 4. But it still bothers me that Sony releases them for newer titles that could/should have been done the right the first time.

I prefer the technology of Superbits, but I do not like them because of Columbia Tristar and their desire to cheat us out of money. All releases from all studios should maximize bit rate, have DD and DTS, I would prefer no DD(waste of space), but that can never happen, legally. With Commentaries with the movie and then whole other discs with the extra features.

My feelings exactly. Except I would drop the DTS completely and use that space for something more useful. Then use the resources to master a better DD-EX track.

Still, bit rate is only part of the issue. Encoding plays AT LEAST as much of a role in PQ as bit rate. Sony still uses to much EE even on theit Superbits and many lower bit rate DVDs can look just as good or better than Superbits.