Superbit....Super**** more like

G a f f e r

Prominent Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2003
Messages
3,245
Reaction score
1,117
Points
819
Location
U.K.
OK.
I have two superbit dvds 'cos I heard they were the best.

R1 international uncut edition Leon/professional - what a load of pants pq wise. VERY visible outline artifact on figures especially. Have since found out it's because ColTri DIDN'T use the actual master copy for the transfer, they just tried to "Jazz Up" their original master (a copy of the actual master if you see what I mean). Even if this isn't true, the pq is still no better than the normal version.

R2 Gattaca. No real difference. If you look closely (eg to the close up of the finger:blood taking analyser in the front lobby at the beginning) the bright white background is not uniform white but looks 'speckly'. Again, not much better than original and CERTAINLY not better pq than standard non-superbit dvds from other people (like matrix).

Overall, what a load of rubbish. It could be that as I have a front projector and view a 6 foot wide image, I pick up the discrepencies more easily but even then, I reckon that there are many standard dvds out there that beat superbits in pq stakes.
Or am I just being blind?

I was going to get the superbit versions of Das Boot and Crouching tiger... and sell my copies, but I can't really see the point now.

was I just unlucky with these two superbits or are they all rubbish compared to the extra expense?

PS :mad:
 
The Fifth Element R1 has a superb picture.
 
Originally posted by mjn
The Fifth Element R1 has a superb picture.


:clap: this is a Reference disk for me

also Desperado is a first class tranfer much better than the normal R1 & R2 versions, Godzilla has a great pq as well.

I didn't buy Crouching Tiger as the R2 was already transfered at High bitrate and was already at superbit levels.
 
The only superbit title I've got is the fith element and I must admit it's got a superb picture quality. I wouldn't necessarily buy superbit over mormal dvd's though unless they're at a good price. Again each title has to be judged on it's own merits imo and if you do a bit of research to find the best pq and sq going then it's not always necessarily a superbit version.
 
5th Element here as well....lovely picture quality and sound.
 
ive got a few superbit titles from regions 1, 2 and 3 and ive been very impressed with the pic quality.

i thought my region 3, 2 disc version of spider-man was especially nice.

am currently waiting for the region 2 version of gladiator to arrive - cant wait.:)
 
Originally posted by lazarus
am currently waiting for the region 2 version of gladiator to arrive - cant wait.:)

Unless you're running a high end video setup you're unlikely to notice any difference - I reviewed the superbit Gladiator a while back and found it wholly inferior to the R1 edition (no extras, no es discrete soundtrack, identical picture)
 
I recently purchased 3x R1 Superbit titles (Fifth Element, Starship Troopers and XXX) and immediately sat down to watch Starship Troopers and certainly was not impressed by the picture quality, I'm hoping that when my 868 arrives that I'll see an improvement in that perhaps my cheap current DVD player can not display the 'extra' definition (maybe wishful thinking??), anyway might just have a look at 'The Fifth Element' later on as a comparison....

Keith
 
Leon is one of the duffers, most of the superbits are better than the originals. However a small number have beenproduced from inferior masters, e.g Leon. As for Starship Troopers I have both the superbit and the original R1 release and the superbit is simply stunning! what display device are you using gtg60? I think the clue is to read the comparison reviews before buying. Black Hawk Down superbit deluxe is one of my all time reference discs.
 
Originally posted by Thunder
As for Starship Troopers I have both the superbit and the original R1 release and the superbit is simply stunning!

In fairness I've no other version of Starship Troopers to compare it too :blush:
And I am patially blaming my current (cheap) dvd player but that'll be rectified soon, it's just I expected more 'out of the box' as it were as some of my non-superbit dvd's certainly look sharper and less grainy.

BTW one of the reasons I bought those 3 particular dvd's (not only because they were on my wish list) was that they were in the 'recommended' sticky post plus I regularily use dvdcompare.net.

Anyway, I'll be having a look at 'The Fifth Element' later on which I have a standard version to compare it too.

Keith
 
The best version of fith element is the new UK R2 special edition. aswell as great PQ it has a 1.5MB DTS audio track superior to the half bit rate superbit version. ( although having said that the superbit is pretty awsome )
 
Originally posted by Thunder
The best version of fith element is the new UK R2 special edition.

Is this the one in the Taxi pattern type box, I read that it wasn't a great transfer and that the R1 Superbit was the one to go for....

Keith
 
The 5th Element superbit is better than the new R2 SE.
 
smurfit:

you describe the region 2 superbit version of gladiator as 'wholly inferior' to the region 1 version yet your review gives the pic quality 9.5 out of 10.

the pictureis described as 'positively sublime' and 'close to reference quality' but its still inferior ?

:confused:

dont take this personally m8 but your review is a poor one.


my own opinion is that the pic quality IS better -not spectaculary better, but for those with a decent system, its enough to justify the outlay.
 
Originally posted by lazarus
smurfit:
dont take this personally m8 but your review is a poor one.

I don't take it personally, I'm quite happy with my reviews and they are - at the end of the day - only one man's opinion.

However if you actually read my post properly (it does help you know:rolleyes:), the comment "wholly inferior" refers to, and I quote:

(no extras, no es discrete soundtrack, identical picture)

In this regard, the barebones superbit IS inferior. The superbit video quality is excellent, as is the standard edition and in this regard the superbit does not represent either an improvement or value for money, which is something I express in my review.

Of course, I'm watching on a relatively low-end video system whereas you may be viewing on a high-end video system - what are you using out of interest? And specifically, in your view how is the superbit an improvement over either the Region 1 or 2 standard editions?
 
for the record my system is as follows:

tosh 32" 32WD98B and tosh sd220EB connected by audioquest x-scart

arcam alpha 9, arcam alpha 10 and 10p, audioquest midnight 3, van den hul interconnects, monitor audio studio 20se, all supported by mana.

(a plasma and a full surround sound speaker/sub system are next on my shopping list)

now then:

i cant comment on the region 1 versions as i dont have them but the region 2 superbit seems to me to be better whenever a scene has smoke, fire or blood in it. the grayness of the smoke, the yellowness of the fire and red of the blood just seems a little bit more vivid.

as i said - not a spectacular difference but a difference nonetheless.

personally - i would say the superbit package is all about quality and not quantity. youve de-valued the superbit release because it doesnt have extras. a superbit disc comprising of sound and pic only should not be classed as inferior to the regular release with extras simply because it doesnt have those extras. a comparison should be made only on the sound and picture quality only so i would have given a rating higher then the (overall) 5 out of 10 you gave.

your 'overall' part of the review seems to say that even though the superbit release is at least as good as (sound and pic wise) if not better, punters should buy the regular release simply because it has the extras.

cant we agree to disagree ? :)
 
Originally posted by lazarus
but the region 2 superbit seems to me to be better whenever a scene has smoke, fire or blood in it. the grayness of the smoke, the yellowness of the fire and red of the blood just seems a little bit more vivid.

So you think the colour balance is different?

I compared the two on a 7.5' screen through an Arcam DV88+ via component and progressive scan to a Sanyo PLV-Z1 projector and the colour balance, detail etc I found to be identical: remember the SAME masters were used for the superbit and standard editions.

personally - i would say the superbit package is all about quality and not quantity.

I agree entirely, which is why it's a sham when the Superbit offers no improvement over the standard edition, and in terms of audio it even lacks the es-discrete soundtrack which is offered on another "standard" edition.

youve de-valued the superbit release because it doesnt have extras.

You need to read my review again; I've not devalued the superbit simply because it doesn't have the extras...I've devalued it because it offers NO improvement over the standard release and therefore people should go for the standard one because of increased choice of sound formats AND it has the extras...for no extra cost.

If the superbit was clearly superior in terms of sound and picture quality that's a different matter...but in this case (and imho) it simply isn't.

your 'overall' part of the review seems to say that even though the superbit release is at least as good as (sound and pic wise) if not better, punters should buy the regular release simply because it has the extras.

Too right, I'd be a bit stupid to recommend people to buy the Superbit with no extras when for the same price (if not cheaper) they could buy the equally good standard edition complete with a 2nd disc of good extras, wouldn't I?

Of course we can agree to disagree, hey we all have our own opinions:) But when someone labels my work as "poor" I'm entitled to respond and point out where (imho) they're missing the point:)

Cheers
Matt
 
:D



ok


by the way - would have liked to have seen your dvdprofiler link and had a look at your collection.

do you have a link?
 
For anyone who wants a definitive answer on 'Does Superbit make any difference?' visit Byoern Roy's site at www.videophile.info
He's done an incredible amount of work on Superbit comparison reviews and there's some great screen shots, where you can see for your self the difference.



popeye
 
Just one question if the same master was used for the Superbit version why does it lack the DTS ES discrete channel ?

Anyone know if it really is DTS ES but just isn't flagged as such ?

Is the Japanese Superbit DTS ES or just normal DTS 5.1 channel ?
 
If you have a 5.1 setup, ES DVD's are inherently inferior because a percentage of sound bandwidth is taken away from the other speakers.
 
In my opinion, Superbit DVDs should be superior to the original versions (and in many cases they are) because of the extra disc space made available by omitting the extra features.

At the end of the day, the authoring of a DVD decides the final result (that is the transferring of the master copy to disc).

'Monster's Inc.' is an example of how good an authoring job can be. The picture quality is superb, yet there is so much else on the disc... (Animated menus, Dolby Digital EX, DTS-ES Discrete 6.1, a 5.1 Sound Effects mix and one, maybe two commentaries!!)

I find that companies like Universal make a good effort as they normally take as long as 3 days to author big titles ('The Scorpion King' is a recent example) whereas other studios will chug out three titles in a day with poor results.

A good transfer does NOT make amends for 'The Scorpion King' being such a sheeeite film though
 
i have one superbit title which is hollow man , i also have the bog standard r1 version. if you compare the opening titles you can easly see the superbit version is the better version. i used the discs on a PANASONIC Q SYSTEM, and PIONEER DVL 500 R1 PLAYER, so at least this superbit version is better
 
Of course, most of the early superbits were merely dual layer versions of films which were originally released on single layer discs.

Sony were the very last major studio to get access to dual layer productions - I think that Godzilla was their first major title to be issued on a DVD-9.

So to a great degree, they were merely doing the job properly, but a bit of skillful PR made it seem as if they were breaking the mould...
 

The latest video from AVForums

Is 4K Blu-ray Worth It?
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Back
Top Bottom