Page 1 of Superbit Region 2 DVD, any good?

I just searched on French website (www.amazon.fr) for Sleepy Hollow DTS version and found that there`s a few titles available on Superbit Version such as; Gattaca, Fifth Element, Godzilla, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.

- Is it far better from original R2 disc? and compare to R1 Superbit
- When will Superbit UK available?
- Is there any French website that has English lan .?

Cheers

Hi,

you can already order Superbit titles in the UK

http://www.cthe.co.uk/superbit/

I have a couple, and I can tell an improvement in Picture quality on my large tv, although not so noticable on smaller TV`s. The picture is very sharp, colurs improved. I for one think they are excellent, although a trifle expensive!!

Very rarely do i watch any additional features that are on DVD`s, id rather have a slightly improved picture quality and sound than making of documentaries.

Buy one and see for yourself!

Thanks a lot Saruman.
Is it a Region 2 Superbit UK version?
I never found one on other online retailers (play, splash, etc..)

In my honest opinion Superbit is a con and a way to make consumers pay more for less.
1) Any increase in picture quality is due to better transfer methods, not giving extra bitrate. They should be using good transfers methods anyway.
2) Increaing the bitrate doesn`t cost anything during production, a matter of changing 1 setting in whatever hardware or software encoder they use. They should use appropriate settings whatever title they produce.
3) They are saving money by not having to pay royalties on extras

Superbit does have better picture quality, whether you like it or not.

You are not being forced into buying any particular DVD, so therefore it cannot be a con! If you are looking for extras on the DVD you should purchase the DVD with the extra`s on.

A Higher Bitrate = More Detailed Picture information or I suppose it could be argued that an 8 bit picture is not as detailed as a 24 bit picture??

At the end of the day its consumer choice, if you think its a `Con` then don`t buy, if you have `Seen` the difference as I have then i think its justified. I buy a film for the film quality rather than extra`s that I have rarely watched.

You can only order region 2 ( UK ) DVD`s from the website on my previous event.

I have Fifth element R1, and it is incredible!

In all fairness Superbit seems both superfluous and great in mixed bundles.
Watch Crouching Tiger and it`s extremely hard to tell the difference from the original versions (both r1 and r2), whereas discs that were good in the first place just look cleaner (Godzilla, Desperado). And then some look super (Dracula, Vertical Limit, Fifth Element r1).

However i think you`ve been fooled into believing something that isn`t true. If you watch True Lies on R2, the picture easily surpasses any of the Superbit discs, as does R2 Armageddon. If you have a bitrate meter on you dvd player, then switch it on during non superbit movies, if it stays above 5 mb per second, then it`s got a rock solid picture rate. Sony have simply taken the original master print and just tweaked it here and there with the available bit rate `headroom`. It doesn`t necessarily count for a better picture, it just looks a little improved, but nothing drastic like some people try to justify.
And sound, whatever you say, is EXACTLY the same! They use the same master, and more often than not the mix is identical to the original versions, some people say the sound is better `cause they want to believe it`s better, it`s no different whatsoever. Same bitrate, same master=same sound.
Until i see a disc that has a big technical leap in quality over the previous version (even better, with all that money, Sony need to embark on new releases in Superbit form - Spiderman would be a good start), then i`m sticking with my originals, myself and many others have looked tirelessly at the screen looking for differences, and they only amount to tiny things like slightly better colour and less `jaggies`, but edge enhancement and artefacts still remain!!??
Superbit discs are merely `remasters`, not hugely improved versions.

Thats my bit done!

Westy

Hate to disagree Westy, but, I have taken a quote from DVDFILE.COM reviewing the Region 1 Fifth Elelment DVD

`In comparison the Dolby Digital 5.1-channel soundtrack (encoded at 448kbps compared to the previous DVD`s 384 kbps DD track)`

Not all soundtracks are recorded at the same Kbps.

Also

` As a result, there are no compression artifacts whatsoever, and this presentation unbelievably clean. It looks like film, not digital video. `

At the end of the day, I personally have seen a diference, maybe not sonically, but visually I have, I have both versions of Fifth Element, one superbit the other regular release. I have compared both and the Superbit does have an improved picture quality. In the scene at the start where you can see Luke Perry drawing on some squared paper, the squares on the superbit release are perfect clear, much clearer than the original release.

I admit they are not Hugely improved as compared to say VHS to DVD, but there are subtle differences, whcih i believe make a difference.

Personal choice my friend!

Saruman,

Please, don`t jump on the defensive, my post wasn`t digging in the slightest! I too have read many different sites with regard to Superbit discs, and indeed i read the exact 5th Element review. However, don`t forget the review was conducted in a very `Woohoo! Superbit is here!!` kind of way,back when the discs were released, as the USA folk will find anything new and wizz-bang something to rejoice about! I`m not having a go, but the American reviewers get very enthusiastic over tiny little things, which isn`t a bad thing, but can be misleading and make something sound better than it actually is.
And i qoute myself "In all fairness Superbit seems both superfluous and great in mixed bundles.
Watch Crouching Tiger and it`s extremely hard to tell the difference from the original versions (both r1 and r2), whereas discs that were good in the first place just look cleaner (Godzilla, Desperado). And then some look super (Dracula, Vertical Limit, Fifth Element r1)."
So indeed i do think some discs look better, but not significantly enough for people to rush out and proclaim the new DVD era is upon us!

`In comparison the Dolby Digital 5.1-channel soundtrack (encoded at 448kbps compared to the previous DVD`s 384 kbps DD track)`

Not all soundtracks are recorded at the same Kbps.

But a higher Kbps doesn`t mean its better!! Like i say, the soundtracks are ALL from the same master copy. The German DVD of 5th Element with its 6.1 audio is indeed exactly the same mix as the r1 and r2 originals (superbit or not), with a `flag` on the disc to engage the 6.1 surround (it`s matrix 6.1 not discrete). It still sounds exactly the same!
Compare the 348kbps track on r2 Phantom Menace to the r1 448kbps release, and again they are exactly the same - no differences whatsoever.

I did my research and i`ve seen the results, on both a huge projector system, and large screen tv.
I believe those with smaller displays - just as you say - will not see any difference at all (apart from with the titles that do look a little better, Desperado, 5TH Element, Dracula etc), so it seems a pointless purchase.
And until Columbia/Sony get their act together, who the hell wants merely remastered editions of old and quite often mediocre titles, when the big bolckbusters like MIB 2 and Spiderman (both by Sony and Columbia Tri Star stable), just beg for Deluxe Superbit editions (a`la Hollowman and The Patriot), with super transfers using all the available disc space, now THAT would make a difference AND get the publics buy in on the Superbit theme. Why they insult us with 2 new releases on Superbit with A Knights Tale and Anaconda (huge hits? Oh dear, Knights Tale was good but by no means massive, and Anaconda - no comment), is beyond.
One day they will learn their lesson, this HAS to improve as i believe there can be something good made from Superbit, but until then (armed with my copies of Fifth Element superbit and Dracula - the only good ones i could find...), i`ll be happy with the awesome transfers which show up Superbit a treat. Swordfish may be cack, but it has an unbeleivable picture that knocks the pants off any of the above.

Saruman, if they look good to you, then you`ve made a good purchase, i`m just putting this in my words for those who`ve not seen Superbit yet.

Westy

Hi Westy,

I didn`t think you last post was in the least bit digging my friend!

I myself only have two superbit titles The Fifth Element and Dracula. I have not seen any other titles in the series, so I am unable to comment on their quality. The two that I do own, are regarded as the ones that are shining examples of the format.

The sound to my untrained ears, is no different, as I have admitted earlier, but technically it should be ie:- 128 kbps mp3 are not as good sounding as 192 kbps. Therefore the Kbps increase should also increase the sound quality.

If I had the choice of purchasing DVD titles that I really enjoy in either standard or superbit, i would possibly buy the Superbit version, simply for the better picture quality and DTS sound, which doesn`t always appear on region 2 films.

I also agree that the wrong films are getting the Superbit treatment, Godzilla????? The Big Hit????

I also agree that Superbit is not the future of DVD, that will be HD-DVD.

My point was if you enjoy a film, wouldn`t you want to see it in the best possible way? That at the moment I think is Superbit, better definition, better colour saturation, more 3-D filmlike Image.

This item was edited on Wednesday, 5th June 2002, 16:08