Codecs

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Codecs

Postby Brent_Reid » 18 Jul 2013 19:26

I haven't posted many BD comparisons to date, but plan to do more.

How do I tell which video codec a particular disc uses?

I don't (yet) have a BD drive in my PC...
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Re: Codecs

Postby Nigel_Badnell » 18 Jul 2013 21:29

I don't (yet) have a BD drive in my PC...

How do you check what's on the disc? :-D

If taken from a review then some (blu-ray.com, DVDBeaver etc.) state the codec.

If/when you get a BD drive then the codec should be one of the disc info returns.
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Re: Codecs

Postby Alister_Manson » 19 Jul 2013 02:38

Most BD players will display the audio and video codecs onscreen when you push "display" or "info" while the disc is playing.
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Re: Codecs

Postby Jari_Kovalainen » 20 Jul 2013 13:14

Yes, just press "display" (or similar) from your BD player and you should get info about the audio, codec, bitrates, etc. You don't really need any pc-softwares etc (they just might actually confuse you).

Important note: We don't take specs from the back covers or online store sites (which just take the specs from the back covers!). Always personally check the disc or add links to the reviews. Back covers are full of mistakes (or they lack subtitles etc etc).
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Re: Codecs

Postby Brent_Reid » 18 Oct 2013 09:50

Thanks guys, that was exactly what I needed to know!
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Re: Codecs

Postby Jari_Kovalainen » 21 Oct 2013 14:34

Most Blu-ray releases are using AVC MPEG-4 now. A few here and there can still use VC-1, but MPEG-2 compression is pretty much disappeared.
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Re: Codecs

Postby Eric_Cotenas » 10 Nov 2013 16:29

Jari_Kovalainen wrote:Most Blu-ray releases are using AVC MPEG-4 now. A few here and there can still use VC-1, but MPEG-2 compression is pretty much disappeared.


It should definitely still be checked though since some smaller companies are not always consistent. Kino Lorber's BARBARA is MPEG-2 while most of their stuff before that has been AVC MPEG-4, Raro's SHOOT FIRST, DIE LATER was VC-1 while all of their others have been MPEG-4, there have been a couple MPEG-2 VCI titles including their most recent ones although they have also used VC-1 and MPEG-4, and Severin started out with MPEG-4 and then put out a couple MPEG-2 tiles before returning to MPEG-4.
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Re: Codecs

Postby Jari_Kovalainen » 11 Nov 2013 12:51

Eric_Cotenas wrote:It should definitely still be checked though since some smaller companies are not always consistent.


Of course. And they're super easy to check.
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Re: Codecs

Postby Jim_Mcdonaugh » 11 Nov 2013 16:39

Hell yeah, using MPEG-2 these days is truly gross. :lol:
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Re: Codecs

Postby Eric_Cotenas » 11 Nov 2013 18:09

Jim_Mcdonaugh wrote:Hell yeah, using MPEG-2 these days is truly gross. :lol:


It's certainly put me off grabbing some of the earlier MGM Blu-rays like SILENCE OF THE LAMBS.
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Re: Codecs

Postby Jim_Mcdonaugh » 11 Nov 2013 18:29

Hah, can't wait when they'll start using Indeo codec. :-D
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Re: Codecs

Postby Jari_Kovalainen » 28 Nov 2013 14:28

Eric_Cotenas wrote:It's certainly put me off grabbing some of the earlier MGM Blu-rays like SILENCE OF THE LAMBS.


I still believe that the question you need to ask is that was the mediocre quality of e.g. Silence of the Lambs (was it mediocre? I remember it was called "good but not great") result of the MPEG-2 codec? Or perhaps the master used was simply mediocre to begin with. In another words: If the master/source is mediocre, the codec won't make it any better. Perhaps you get less compression aftifacts etc with AVC, but the transfer will still be mediocre. Blu-ray codec comes AFTER the actual digital master is created (now often in 2K or even 4K). I believe Silence used 50gb BD disc, so there's probably room for MPEG-2 codec.

And Silence is obviously a film that WILL BE remastered (new master) at some point - it's a classic. It's also a bleak and dark film (probably somewhat grainy also).

In retrospect, Blu-ray had a rocky start with some of these mediocre releases (and "old" MPEG-2 codec), but at the same time some people constantly said that VC-1 was the s**t. And what happened? Very few releases are using VC-1 anymore, it's all about AVC now. Point? It'll take a few years before companies learn to get the best results out of these new formats/specs.
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Re: Codecs

Postby Jim_Mcdonaugh » 31 Dec 2013 17:23

It's also a bleak and dark film (probably somewhat grainy also).


The only good and proper transfer was mastered for that Japanese 2-disc DVD.

It'll take a few years before companies learn to get the best results out of these new formats/specs.


Those companies only care about investing less money and getting more out their products. Who cares about us? Nobody.
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