Forgive me if someone already discussed this before, but I think I should bring up a point regarding the video and the video quality of the Houston concert.
You guys all know how the video for "We Will Rock You" on GVH1 disc 2 looks a tad crappy, right? Wonder why they (Queen) seem to be stretched vertically?
It's because the concert was filmed on film, and used anamorphic prints, so in other words, it's actually supposed to be in widescreen. (The video on GHV1 is the unsqueezed version, where it hasn't been squeezed down to 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio - I understand it's also like this on the original Greatest Flix I video)
If our Brian would understand that the video looks crappy because it's not encoded properly to begin with in the first place, I'm sure he'd change his opinion if he saw the video the way it was MEANT to be seen properly.
I've made 2 one-minute A:B clips, one the version on GVH1 (unsqueezed), and the other re-encoded in anamorphic widescreen, and uploaded them via RapidShare.
Here I think you guys can see for yourselves what a difference it really makes when something is encoded the right way, visual and quality-wise - in other words, the widescreen video restores the 33% of picture quality lost in the full screen version and thus looks much nicer this way.
(Note: MPEG-2 decoders are required to watch the videos, which are 46.5MB in size each) link link
Let me know what you guys think!
Well I really didnt have too download it. Seeing I have a plasma and it does everything (even write the great jokes I write so all can laugh and hate me for.) But anyway I tryed on my tv by changing settings and yeah there is a tad bit of a difference.
I really don't see your point. It doesn't look any worse of better, either way, because it's obvious that one's corrected and one isn't. I'm sure folks who have the footage will know how it's supposed to look.
Peace,
Adam.
Adam Baboolal wrote: I'm sure folks who have the footage will know how it's supposed to look.
I wouldn't be so sure about that after looking at the GVH dvds. ;)
Exactly
Ha... bloody ha. Notice how I said "will" know.
Funnily enough, it wasn't released properly, which probably explains the hastily included video. This correction of the aspect ratio does nothing for its quality. Sorry, but there's nothing to be gained by this.
Now, if someone hands me a copy, I'll do my damndest to get it looking better.
Peace,
Adam.
Adam Baboolal wrote: I'm sure folks who have the footage will know how it's supposed to look.
I wouldn't be so sure about that after looking at the GVH dvds. ;)
Exactly
Ha... bloody ha. Notice how I said "will" know.
Funnily enough, it wasn't released properly, which probably explains the hastily included video. This correction of the aspect ratio does nothing for its quality. Sorry, but there's nothing to be gained by this.
Now, if someone hands me a copy, I'll do my damndest to get it looking better.
Peace,
Adam.
A copy of which? The actual film footage of the whole concert, or the video from GVH1? (Surely not the latter!)
While you're on your crusade Ricky, try to do something about AKOM and HTF on GVH2. link
(original version)
link
(GVH2 version, stretched with letterboxing still in place, should have been cropped instead. In an odd twist, it actually displays properly if you use a 4:3 display and set your player to 16:9)
link
(GVH2 version, this one baffles me.. this cap doesn't accurately show just how messed up it is.. I can't comprehend what went wrong. it seems to be squeezed AND cropped or something.. everything is too tall)
AKOM is easy to fix. It's just a simple process of re-encoding the video using Source: 1:1 and Aspect Ratio: 4:3, using Full Screen setting in TMPGEnc, and kinda stretching it to its original 4:3 letterboxed aspect ratio.
I've tried doing something with HTF, but I'll be honest with you: not ALL the video is squeezed like that, and it's harder to work with that way. After re-conversion, some shots are anamorphically stretched, while others are "restored" to what they were.
If it wasn't like that, all I'd have to do with the GVH2 version is just encode it at an aspect ratio of 2.35:1, and re-encode it into letterboxed 16:9, which is kinda how it would be.
I don't own a copy of the original Greatest Flix II DVD, unless someone can make a copy for me or sell me a copy, so I couldn't tell you if it's like that on the original video.
ED: If you guys want, I can upload a 1-minute sample on RapidShare later this evening, to show you what I'm talking about.
"It's because the concert was filmed on film, and used anamorphic prints, so in other words, it's actually supposed to be in widescreen. (The video on GHV1 is the unsqueezed version, where it hasn't been squeezed down to 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio - I understand it's also like this on the original Greatest Flix I video)"
NOPE, it's in 4:3 on the original Flix 1 VHS video an dlooks all correct and un-distorted, probably open-matted with borders removed, although i'm not sure on the actual film process used.
As far as the 'normal' Queen promos go then they should hav eall been left in 4:3 AR just like on Flix (VHS, LD, VCD & promo DVD). No need to make them something they are not, i.e. 16:9 WS, excepy maybe 'I Want It All' which WAS shot in 2.35:1 WS but as teh 'DVD spec' syas you can have only ONE AR per DVD title then majority should rule. In this case 4:3
