Reference Quality HD...

[jakelm]

I just bought the XA1 from sdpolk. What a great guy Shawn is.

Was looking for opinions on what would be concidered a "reference" quality HD movie.


Something you can say "wanna see the best picture?...whatch this movie"

If that even exsisted.

[Early B.]

Good question. I'm also interested in the responses. I understand some HD-DVDs are better "mastered" than others.

[AndyGwis]

I don't know about picture quality, all look pretty damned good to me on my XA1 and A2.

But, Transformers had the best sound I can remember from any DVD or HD-DVD. I also liked 300's picture and sound quality.

Overall, every HD-DVD you pop in should impress you till you get use to it and then start hating all of your SD-DVDs. I can tell once the FBI warning pops up that I am watching and HD-DVD because the blue is amazingly blue and the letters look prefect. Who ever thought they would appreciate seeing the FBI warning, anti-piracy, studio logo, etc. so much.

[jakelm]

Andy.. What surround sound format are you listeing to on transformers? DDTrueHD, through 5.1 analog?

[Sami]

Grand Prix

[AndyGwis]

I tried the DD+ through multi-channel analog and coaxial to my 635. To me, both sounded great, but the coaxial/digital connection sounded better with improved base.

I really like the idea of using multi-channel outputs so the player can do the decoding on movies / DAC on music, but the best is never enough that away. Usually end up going with digital instead.

With DD+, I think either way gets you DD+. But, with DDTrueHD, you have to use analogs to get it.

[jakelm]

I tried the DD+ through multi-channel analog and coaxial to my 635. To me, both sounded great, but the coaxial/digital connection sounded better with improved base.

I really like the idea of using multi-channel outputs so the player can do the decoding on movies / DAC on music, but the best is never enough that away. Usually end up going with digital instead.

With DD+, I think either way gets you DD+. But, with DDTrueHD, you have to use analogs to get it.


I understand. What kinda sucks is that my Oppo is SACD, but the HK has only one set on analog inputs.

But its good to here that the coax digital out sound just as good.

It was said that using digital out from the player and downsampling in the AVR, makes the AVR to read DTS. Have you had this experience?

[PolkThug]

avsforum has a great ranked list

[AndyGwis]

I think it did have DTS on the display when I switched to digital out.

Guess it will be hard to have your cake and each it too with regards to SACD. Maybe just do SACD to the CD analog inputs (Stereo) of the HK 635. You'll only get stereo sound, but at least you'll still be able to listen to your SACDs on that rig.

[jakelm]

I wonder if there is a good switch for 7.1 analog out there?

[AndyGwis]

not sure. Yeah, I've wondered what I would do if I got a BR player. Guess I'd have to run one just digital until I got a receiver with HDMI inputs.

[jakelm]

I think it did have DTS on the display when I switched to digital out.

Guess it will be hard to have your cake and each it too with regards to SACD. Maybe just do SACD to the CD analog inputs (Stereo) of the HK 635. You'll only get stereo sound, but at least you'll still be able to listen to your SACDs on that rig.


I think it was because of a higher sample rate. Sample rate through digital, is even higher than DTS (according to sound and vision, being its down sampling DDTrue or DD+).

http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/hd-dvd-bluray/1473/toshiba-hd-xa1-hd-dvd-player-page3.html

Very good read..

So the AVR picked up the sample rate and thought it was a high DTS.

[shadowofnight]

avsforum has a great ranked list

I second that......

[jakelm]

I second that......

How is it listed in AVS's search?

XA1 rank list or HD player rank list?

[BIZILL]

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=856119

it seems transformers is not yet ranked. but from my collection of hd dvd's, i'd give it a tier 0 (the best of the best)

[jakelm]

WOW.. What a list!!

Thanks.,,,

[jakelm]

How is it listed in AVS's search?

XA1 rank list or HD player rank list?

I dont know what i was thinking...lol

Maybe I thought your list was for a HD player ranking...

[jakelm]

Andy..do have the latest FW installed (2.3)
or are you still on 2.2?

[BIZILL]

I dont know what i was thinking...lol

Maybe I thought your list was for a HD player ranking...

the consensus on players is as such:

1. shared between xa-2 and a-35

well, that's the extent of my ranked knowledge pertaining to the players....

[millerman 3732]

I just bought the XA1 from sdpolk. What a great guy Shawn is.

Was looking for opinions on what would be concidered a "reference" quality HD movie.


Something you can say "wanna see the best picture?...whatch this movie"

If that even exsisted.

King Kong if you can set through the movie I also like MI:3 and as others have said Tranformers looks pretty darn good.

[AndyGwis]

I think I have the latest firmware. I updated my XA1 about a month or two ago. Haven't updated the A2 since I got it, might need to do that sometime.

[jakelm]

Well I think transformers HD will be the first disk in the tray.

I already own it in SD.

Andy ..how do you like the upscailing from the XA1? I wonder how it compares to my Oppo 981hd

[AndyGwis]

seems to be on par with what I got from my PE 59avi, which when it came out was a $1200 player that was pretty reference quality in terms of upconversion.

[AdamRagland]

http://www.dvdtown.com/reviews/reviews-by-letter.php?sub-section=all&release-media=2

this is a pretty cool site i found. they do technical reviews of HDDVD, BR, and DVDs. i have bought a couple hddvds off their recomendation and seemed to be accurate. Some they mention to be fantastic (technically) are Sahara, Batman begins, Seabiscuit, Corpse Bride

[AdamRagland]

by the way Seabiscuit has a 10/10 rating for video by the site. I also have seen it multiple times on HDDVD and must agree that it is one of the best transfers i have seen

[Silverti]

I think Transformers is one of the best right now but I suspect it will get dinged a lot due to sound. Oddly enough, they have Chronicles of Riddick way up there on top on HD-DVD. I just bought that and watched it on Saturday. I didn’t think it was that great.

I thought the new FF4 Silver Surfer was pretty damn good… visuals were amazing.

[jakelm]

I think Transformers is one of the best right now but I suspect it will get dinged a lot due to sound. Oddly enough, they have Chronicles of Riddick way up there on top on HD-DVD. I just bought that and watched it on Saturday. I didn’t think it was that great.

I thought the new FF4 Silver Surfer was pretty damn good… visuals were amazing.

I thought even the SD of F4 was great.

[BIZILL]

fantastic four silver surfer is blu-ray only.

[jakelm]

fantastic four silver surfer is blu-ray only.

I guess I'll just have to watch it SD upconvert..