Superbit???

[camman]

O.K.
I understand what the "SUPERBIT" logo means. You are getting the best of the film on DVD. But looking at some of the last releases to this powerful "SUPERBIT" heading, it doesn't seem as though the Sony company is truly putting the best titles out under this format. Look at two of the last releases released with the "SUPERBIT" logo for instance. "Closer" and "The Brown Bunny." Do we really need the expert craftmanship of "SUPERBIT" mastering for these films? Both of these films are hard dialogue driven films with barely any surround effects whatsoever. So why put these films to the dts test? Granted "Closer" had a little bit more to offer than "The Brown Bunny" to offer when it comes to surround effects, but it doesn't seem to place this type of film in such a "Grand" ranking with other films who have the same "SUPERBIT" qualifications. Will the bit-rate change much for "us" the home viewer and make us say "WOW", now that I have seen this film in dts and perfect picture, I changed my mind and I love it now? I think not. I think, and this is my own personal view, is that Sony Pictures is now picking out the hardest to sell titles and "slapping" the "SUPERBIT" tag line on them to get people to but these titles when they come out. These titles that have no extras for a second disc. What could a second disc of "The Brown Bunny" contain? A behind the scenes, play by play of how to drive cross country? Or worse, a play by play of how they filmed the BJ scene? Granted, I think both of the films I have listed are very good films, but they seem to not be worthy of the "SUPERBIT" logo. I just frankly think these are harder to sell titles, for the most part, and I think that by putting that they mastered these films to the "SUPERBIT" standards they will get more people to buy these discs. Simply I mean, what would a be such a visual "WOW" or a sound "Marvel" that makes these discs stand out and be by themselves?

[cxc273]

I agree. Sony seems to be rather erratic about which titles get the Superbit treatment and which don't. It seems to me that action films and movies that have beautiful cinematography would be ideal candidates for the Superbit treatment.

The other thing that has really annoyed me about Superbit is why some titles get the "deluxe" treatment, receiving all of the extras from the standard DVD edition but on a second disc (such as The Patriot and The Mask of Zorro) while other films receive a barebones standard Superbit treatment (such as Men in Black or S.W.A.T.).

I've been buying the Superbit versions of some of my favorite films because I have an HDTV and progressive scan DVD player and would like the best picture possible. I wish Sony would think their Superbit choices through a bit better.

[igno-boy]

I always thought GO would have sounded great in dts...

[esc]

Originally Posted by igno-boy

I always thought GO would have sounded great in dts...

agreed. I'd pick up a Superbit GO, but i'd miss all the extras that were on the original release.

I've also felt like Sony's release policy for the Superbits has been, ummm, questionable ... ever since I saw Anaconda as one of the first releases a few years ago.

and whats with having a commentary on some of them? I thought tha the idea was to have the highest sound and picture quality possible. I'm always up for any extra feature, but any extra soundtracks would take away from the picture and sound.

I'd like to see a Superbit with only a DTS track. no DD included, and have even less compressed DTS sound. It could be assumed that people that are buying Superbits will have at least a somewhat high end system that can play DTS.

[tomdkat]

Originally Posted by esc

It could be assumed that people that are buying Superbits will have at least a somewhat high end system that can play DTS.

Why?

Peace...

[Wirehed]

Originally Posted by tomdkat

Why?

Peace...

Superbit titles only have DTS and a stereo track.

[jmoney]

Originally Posted by Seamonkey

Superbit titles only have DTS and a stereo track.

All of my superbits have DD 5.1 and DTS. Are you thinking of Universal's DTS only titles?

[LeCercleRouge]

how does Brown Bunny get the SB treatment over
The Bridge on the River Kwai?

Ghost Busters?
Or even Layer Cake (double dip?)

[tomdkat]

Originally Posted by Seamonkey

Superbit titles only have DTS and a stereo track.

I assumed you understood my questioning his assumption. I guess I was wrong. :alien:

Peace...

[tomdkat]

Originally Posted by jmoney

All of my superbits have DD 5.1 and DTS. Are you thinking of Universal's DTS only titles?

All DVDs have a Dolby audio track on them. Which Universal titles are you thinking don't? The Jurassic Park dts releases have a Dolby Pro-Logic audio track on them.

Peace...

[Wirehed]

Originally Posted by tomdkat

I assumed you understood my questioning his assumption. I guess I was wrong. :alien:

Peace...

Say what now? I'm confused...


I did think Superbit titles only had DTS tracks though. weird. I'll have to check.

[tomdkat]

Originally Posted by Seamonkey

Say what now? I'm confused...


I did think Superbit titles only had DTS tracks though. weird. I'll have to check.

Superbit releases have DD 5.1 and dts 5.1 audio tracks on them. They sacrifice extra features to reserve that space on the disc for higher quality audio and video tranfers. Higher res video (through different kinds of filtering, etc).

I questioned esc's point about "higher end gear" being involved when talking about those who tend to buy Superbit releases when Superbit releases deal more with how the DVD is authored and don't require any "special" gear.

Peace...

[jmoney]

Originally Posted by tomdkat

All DVDs have a Dolby audio track on them. Which Universal titles are you thinking don't? The Jurassic Park dts releases have a Dolby Pro-Logic audio track on them.

Peace...

I was thinking or Jurrassic Park and Jaws etc. However, I wasn't very clear. I know these titles have Dolby Pro-Logic tracks. What I meant to imply was that the DTS versions didn't have DD5.1 tracks on them.

[Pirate]

Im a superbit fan as well and I do agree that some of the titles are a bit silly to release in this series, but with HD around the corner is it even worth fooling with SB anymore?

-PH

[Wirehed]

Originally Posted by tomdkat

Superbit releases have DD 5.1 and dts 5.1 audio tracks on them.

Hmmm, I always thought the put all the effort into the better bitrate video and a DTS track. They include a Dolby2.0 track because all DVDs HAVE to have a Dolby track, but I thought it was stereo, I didn't know it was a 5.1.




Anyway, no you don't need any "special" gear for Superbits, however I wouldn't think most people would be too interested in paying MORE for "high" quality video and audio, but otherwise LESS features than the normal DVD if they didn't have what they consider "high end" equipment.

[tomdkat]

Originally Posted by Seamonkey

Hmmm, I always thought the put all the effort into the better bitrate video and a DTS track. They include a Dolby2.0 track because all DVDs HAVE to have a Dolby track, but I thought it was stereo, I didn't know it was a 5.1.

All Superbits I'm aware of have DD 5.1 audio tracks on them. I'll see if Bjoern Roy has any DD comparisons of Superbit DVDs on his site.

however I wouldn't think most people would be too interested in paying MORE for "high" quality video and audio, but otherwise LESS features than the normal DVD if they didn't have what they consider "high end" equipment.

I agree with this statement but as it applies to those who prefer A/V quality over extra feature content. I don't have "high-end" gear at all yet I would (and have) buy Superbit titles of movies I liked over the non-Superbit titles if the A/V quality warranted it in a minute.

Peace...

[Wirehed]

Originally Posted by tomdkat

I agree with this statement but as it applies to those who prefer A/V quality over extra feature content. I don't have "high-end" gear at all yet I would (and have) buy Superbit titles of movies I liked over the non-Superbit titles if the A/V quality warranted it in a minute.

Peace...

So can you tell the difference?

[tomdkat]

Originally Posted by Seamonkey

So can you tell the difference?

Actually, yeah. I had a friend over who loves Fifth Element and we did A/B comparisons of the original release with the Superbit release and we both noticed improved video detail in the Superbit version. Plus it had dts audio, which the original didn't. That's on my "decent" HT setup.

With regard to Superbit, I think some fall prone to "false expectation syndrome" and expect to see or hear something substantially better without allowing any consideration in differences in senses, preferences, and environment of those supplying the feedback they base their expectations on.

I didn't conduct the Fifth Element experiment expecting the Superbit version to blow away the original release but the difference I did see was noticable and I do prefer the Superbit version of that title.

But don't take my word for it..

Peace...

[Wirehed]

Yeah, I've done the same thing. My Superbit titles are some of the best A/V performers in my collection. I notice quite a bit of difference.

[Iguana Man]

I would say it's clear...video-wise anyway. The link Tom offered has several comparison shots, yet one really stands out in my old eyes:


Top is Superbit....look at all those windows, and then look at that blur...

[tomdkat]

Originally Posted by Iguana Man

I would say it's clear...video-wise anyway. The link Tom offered has several comparison shots, yet one really stands out in my old eyes:

What gets me is the original release of Fifth Element is praised for its video transfer, which is quite good, yet when compared to the Superbit version it's rather "muddy" or "blurry". I guess it's not quite as well defined as one would think or expect, given it's praise.

Interesting...

Peace....

[Dilmo]

A really great Superbit title is Starship Troopers.

[tomdkat]

Originally Posted by Dilmo

A really great Superbit title is Starship Troopers.

This is one I haven't seen but I own the original release. In fact, Starship Troopers and 8mm were the first two DVDs I purchased.

Peace...

[Wirehed]

I still use the Desperado Superbit as a demo disc.

[limacharliewhiskey]

I guess my eyes must be getting bad because I don't see much of a difference between those two images. The top image looks slightly better when doing the side-by-side comparison, but if you were to show me one image, wait a half minute, and then show me the other one, I might not see the difference.

[tomdkat]

Originally Posted by limacharliewhis

I guess my eyes must be getting bad because I don't see much of a difference between those two images.

The main difference is the amount of detail in the top image, in this particular pic. Perhaps a different pic would make the detail more readily visible to you.

Peace...

[SeanL]

Originally Posted by Seamonkey

I still use the Desperado Superbit as a demo disc.

That is an excellent demo disc. That was the first SB title I bought.

[Dilmo]

I also recommend Black Hawk Down.

[Welles and Ford Fan]

I guess my eyes must be getting bad because I don't see much of a difference between those two images.

Click on the link, and go to the review index, and look at the shots from The Patriot. The differences are less subtle.

Also, as to the dts and 5.1 both being on superbit discs: this is often at the expense of a commentary track (I know The Patriot lost its commentary).

Also, didn't they also do a superbit version of From Here to Eternity? That one does not really strike me as one that cries out for the superbit treatment. I think superbit should be at least reserved for something other than a film with a monophonic soundtrack.

I originally bought the superbit titles I own for the dts sound, but appreciate the video more now that I use component video jacks.

[chipmac]

I've always felt that the Superbit line is a marketing gimmick. When I've compared the ones I've bought to the earlier non Superbit version or have seen comparison screen shots there is a difference and most of the time it's an improvement. However when you compare the AV quality of a Superbit to SEs from other studios that also include commentary tracks and a few extras for a cheaper price, many times the other studio's SEs are better or just as good. So if these other studios can keep the AV quality high and not drop the extras why can't Sony?

Sony pricing these at $20 and up compared to $15 to $18 for a good SE doesn't help either. Maybe some people buy into the hype and assume that if it costs more and the box says it's better it must be. Well it is better than the original standard release but my thinking is that the standard release should have been done better to start with just like SEs from Paramount, Warner, New Line and Universal.

I admit I have bought a few in the past but they were ones that I never owned the original to begin with. I was also able to get good deals on them. With the current sale of 9.99 each I picked up anther 5 I wouldn't normally have bought. Only Lawrence of Arabia was an upgrade due to the fact that it was also cleaned up and restored.

[tomdkat]

Originally Posted by chipmac

I've always felt that the Superbit line is a marketing gimmick. When I've compared the ones I've bought to the earlier non Superbit version or have seen comparison screen shots there is a difference and most of the time it's an improvement. However when you compare the AV quality of a Superbit to SEs from other studios that also include commentary tracks and a few extras for a cheaper price, many times the other studio's SEs are better or just as good. So if these other studios can keep the AV quality high and not drop the extras why can't Sony?

That's a great question. I don't know how prevalent dts audio is in the non-Sony released DVDs you've compared to Superbit releases but we can't leave that out of the Superbit equation.

Why Sony can't produce DVD releases with more Superbit quality consistency, I don't know.

Peace...

[Pirate]

Just watched the Brown Bunny and there is no need for SB. Theres maybe 1 rear channel noise in the whole film. Wasted DTS. Didnt like the film much either.

-PH

[Derb]

First superbit title I got didn't impress me. (Bram Toker's Dracula) Than I got Leon: The Professional & realized the potential these discs have video & audio than realized how much more they cost, than realized only Sony titles, than realized if other studios properly author a disc, there is no need for Superbit. So.. in closing the only thing Superbit titles have over other discs, is no layer change.

[Dilmo]

Originally Posted by piratehunter

Just watched the Brown Bunny and there is no need for SB. Theres maybe 1 rear channel noise in the whole film. Wasted DTS. Didnt like the film much either.

-PH

Extreme ditto!

[jriseden]

Everyone keeps mentioning how expensive superbits are, but don't forget guys that best buy sells most superbits for $9.99 nowadays!

Less than 10 bucks for a disc that has good picture quality plus DD & DTS sounds like a bargain to me!

[Dilmo]

Originally Posted by jriseden

Everyone keeps mentioning how expensive superbits are, but don't forget guys that best buy sells most superbits for $9.99 nowadays!

Less than 10 bucks for a disc that has good picture quality plus DD & DTS sounds like a bargain to me!

It's a sale though. It won't last.

[Welles and Ford Fan]

I didn't even know about the BB sale until this thread. I already had most of the ones I wanted for full price, and could not force myself to double-dip for rarely watched DVDs, but I did spring for both Spiderman SBs.

My wife picked up Spiderman 2 for me for Xmas last year. I told her to get the SB version if they had it, but the clerk where she went (Blockbuster) had never heard of Superbit. So, that all worked out well.

[Dilmo]

Originally Posted by Welles and Ford Fan

I didn't even know about the BB sale until this thread. I already had most of the ones I wanted for full price, and could not force myself to double-dip for rarely watched DVDs, but I did spring for both Spiderman SBs.

Very wise choice. They are awesome!

[Brikar99]

I didn't know about it, either... this might be the time to spring for a couple titles I'd been holding back on.

[Welles and Ford Fan]

I was stunned to see 2-disc SB special editions like The Patriot and Mask of Zorro for $9.99. Wish I had waited now.

That "Why pay more than $10 for a New DVD" thread comes to mind...