There are a couple of interesting developments for those watching the whole Blu-ray codec debate etc. First is that the first ever Blu-ray VC1 releases are due out today in the US, courtesy of Warner, which should be on par with their HD-DVD counterparts in terms of picture quality. The titles are Blazing Saddles, Firewall and Lethal Weapon. (Full Metal Jacket is also out today from Warner, but apparently it's MPEG2).
However, coming completely out of leftfield is this: Sony's Tears of the Sun release due out in two weeks apparently carries some of the best HD picture quality around, rivally anything on VC1 on HD-DVD. Here's a review:
http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/tearsofthesun.html
This is a BD25, MPEG2 release (2+ hours of movie). Hopefully this will prove to be an important turning point for MPEG2 quality on the format. I've always thought there was no reason MPEG2 can't offer a stunning picture (even if it is less efficient) - seems to me it comes down to implementation and the source material. Glad to see Sony apparently waking up, hopefully they'll continue to surprise with their releases.
However, coming completely out of leftfield is this: Sony's Tears of the Sun release due out in two weeks apparently carries some of the best HD picture quality around, rivally anything on VC1 on HD-DVD. Here's a review:
http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/tearsofthesun.html
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment presents 'Tears of the Sun' in 2.40:1 widescreen and 1080p video, as per usual on Blu-ray. However, while the format has suffered its share of critical slings and arrows ever since its launch earlier this summer (and I've been among some of the most vocal), I can honestly say this is the first transfer I've seen on the format that has totally and unequivocally blew me away. Maybe it is just because my expectations were unfairly lowered these past weeks, but I really thought this is among the best high-def I've yet seen, and frame-per-frame, it is certainly an equal with anything I've yet reviewed on HD DVD.
This is a BD25, MPEG2 release (2+ hours of movie). Hopefully this will prove to be an important turning point for MPEG2 quality on the format. I've always thought there was no reason MPEG2 can't offer a stunning picture (even if it is less efficient) - seems to me it comes down to implementation and the source material. Glad to see Sony apparently waking up, hopefully they'll continue to surprise with their releases.
Last edited by a moderator: