PS3 - less than impressed?

[ParadigmDawg]

Well after owning the PS3 for a little over a week now; I have finally watched a Blu-Ray movie. I was really expecting more visually than what I got out of it. I am uncertain if my expectation was too high or if I am blind or what.

I have always been impressed with the SD of my flat panel especially since I hear so many people say that their SD looks pretty bad. My satellite and upconverting DVD look really good.

I am pretty certain I have all the settings correct; I am uncertain about the quality of the movie I watched (employee of the month…hey…it just happened to be the first one delivered from BB online) Maybe this is as good as it gets with a 720p TV? I just don’t know. I do see a big difference on games vs. my old XBOX. What do you guys think?

It is hooked up through HDMI and set at 720p.

 

[avaserfi]

It seems as if Employee of the Month isn't the best choice to showcase what HD can do.

720p/1080p will give you the same quality as long as seating distance is correct so I wouldn't blame that situation. I would suggest looking into a well done, newer, BD to showcase what HD is capable of. If you check out the site I sent you can order the movies by review score and check it out that way. Some of the best video quality I have seen was on the Pirates of the Caribbean movies just for your information.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

Maybe it was the movie. Thanks for the link; the description he gave as "has a weirdly overpumped yet drab look" is just how I would describe the picture. I will try something else.

It seems as if Employee of the Month isn't the best choice to showcase what HD can do.

720p/1080p will give you the same quality as long as seating distance is correct so I wouldn't blame that situation. I would suggest looking into a well done, newer, BD to showcase what HD is capable of. If you check out the site I sent you can order the movies by review score and check it out that way. Some of the best video quality I have seen was on the Pirates of the Caribbean movies just for your information.

 

[darien87]

I wasn't all that impressed with Blu-ray either. It is definitely a noticeable difference over SD, just not as huge as I was expecting. But it does definitely matter what disc you are watching. House of Flying Daggers looks like complete crap. Kingdom of Heaven, MI 3, X-men 3, Ultraviolet, The Last Samurai and many others all look great.

I go here to find out which discs are worth buying or not:
http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/

 

[ParadigmDawg]

I guess I am just at a point where it’s difficult to get much better? I will stop and get a movie that is ranked high on the video side and see what it looks like. Either way, I am happy with the PS3 as the games seem awesome even though I don’t play a lot of games.

 

[j_garcia]

Watch a few of the better reviewed discs. Then go back and watch a regular DVD. I sort of felt the same way, until I had one movie that I wanted to see and couldn't rent it on BD so I got the DVD. I couldn't help but keep noticing that the picture wasn't as clear and it actually became distracting.

Employee of the Month was pretty funny, but it definitely isn't reference material. Check out Nine Inch Nails: Beside You In Time It has ridiculously impressive video quality. Kingdom of Heaven is excellent on both the audio and video sides and is a pretty good movie too... Last Samurai definitely looks gorgeous, though the movie overall wasn't a top teir flick for me.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

I bet you are right; I will update when I watch something better.

You mean Nine Inch Nails; like the band? I cant watch or listen to that; it would scare the hell out of me. You know I am a good ole' country boy who mainly listens to Jazz and country.

Watch a few of the better reviewed discs. Then go back and watch a regular DVD. I sort of felt the same way, until I had one movie that I wanted to see and couldn't rent it on BD so I got the DVD. I couldn't help but keep noticing that the picture wasn't as clear and it actually became distracting.

Employee of the Month was pretty funny, but it definitely isn't reference material. Check out Nine Inch Nails: Beside You In Time It has ridiculously impressive video quality. Kingdom of Heaven is excellent on both the audio and video sides and is a pretty good movie too... Last Samurai definitely looks gorgeous, though the movie overall wasn't a top teir flick for me.

 

[j_garcia]

I bet you are right; I will update when I watch something better.

You mean Nine Inch Nails; like the band? I cant watch or listen to that; it would scare the hell out of me. You know I am a good ole' country boy who mainly listens to Jazz and country.

Yes, the band Put some jazz on and just watch the video then The video is among the best I've seen and the audio is quite impressive as well. I am viewing at 720p also.

If Corpse Bride isn't too scary, you might check that out also. It nearly looks 3D at times. It isn't Burton's best IMO, but it does show off the format's capabilities well.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

Holy cow; I am an idiot. My wife bought Corpse Bride in BR and brought it home when I got the PS3. I put it in the drawer and forgot about it!

Yes, the band Put some jazz on and just watch the video then The video is among the best I've seen and the audio is quite impressive as well. I am viewing at 720p also.

If Corpse Bride isn't too scary, you might check that out also. It nearly looks 3D at times. It isn't Burton's best IMO, but it does show off the format's capabilities well.

 

[darien87]

Though it's a crappy movie, Happy Feet looked SPECTACULAR on Blu-ray. I think just about any of the recent animated movies will look great on Blu-ray. No film grain to get in the way of the detail.

 

[j_garcia]

The animated movies are also video based not film based, and quite often are fully digital transfers so they are handled differently.

Cars finally comes out in November.... I expect it will look good too.

 

[jcPanny]

Calibration DVD

Greg,
Also try to calibrate your display if you haven't already. New versions of Digital Video Essentials are available on BluRay and HD-DVD. I would also experiement with the 1080i/720p output modes since your set is probably 768p.

 

[avaserfi]

Greg,
Also try to calibrate your display if you haven't already. New versions of Digital Video Essentials are available on BluRay and HD-DVD. I would also experiement with the 1080i/720p output modes since your set is probably 768p.

DVE has only been released in HD-DVD not Blu-ray as far as I have heard. There is also no mention of a BD on their website.

Am I missing something?

 

[mike c]

at first I said it was a small improvement ... (I put in the Blu-rays first)

then I put in the DVD's ... I was thinking, oh, there must be something wrong with my setup ... but DVD was grainier, darker.

I can't go back to SD now.

it all depends on your distance to the screen. you need to be less than twice the screen distance away (rough estimate) 1.5x for me.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

It was the movie; I watched Corpse Bride and Bridge to Terabithia and the PQ was awesome. The sound from my system is out of this world but I was wondering if I can get even more out of movies if a run Dolby TrueHD; which I believe will require a AVR with HDMI inputs?

Thoughts?

 

[avaserfi]

It was the movie; I watched Corpse Bride and Bridge to Terabithia and the PQ was awesome. The sound from my system is out of this world but I was wondering if I can get even more out of movies if a run Dolby TrueHD; which I believe will require a AVR with HDMI inputs?

Thoughts?

While there is no definitive evidence, research, of audible differences from lossless audio formats in movies compared to their compressed counterpart. I have, or think I have, noticed the bass to be tighter and better dynamics overall with the lossless formats.

Unfortunately/fortunately, depending how you see it, a receiver upgrade is needed to take full advantage of these lossless formats. On the plus side the new Onkyo line is cheap for what you get .

 

[ParadigmDawg]

I can upgrade if needed but I am just not sure it's worth it. My AVR is only about 4 months old so unless I am going to see a noticable change...

 

[avaserfi]

I would say the quality jump is somewhere between going from a well recorded CD to a well recorded SACD its there and decently noticable, but not like going from a low quality mp3 to an SACD. Right now it probably isn't worth the jump with that new a receiver, unless you can get a good deal on a newer Onkyo or you have some money burning a hole in your pocket .

edit: Maybe you could see if your dealer would let you test out a new receiver at your home and see if you notice the difference going between DD and TrueHD on the same flick, while not a perfect test it is a decent enough one. Another option if they won't give you a loaner to audition is just do it in a show room with their speakers and see if you notice the difference.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

My dealer would loan me one but...Oh no... I know myself to well for that. You see; I am pretty lazy so once I disconnect the old AVR and hook up the new one, there is no way I would undo all of it and take it back. so I would end up with a new AVR no matter if it sounded better or not.

I think I am just going to order an external amp and talk the wife into some room treatments.

I would say the quality jump is somewhere between going from a well recorded CD to a well recorded SACD its there and decently noticable, but not like going from a low quality mp3 to an SACD. Right now it probably isn't worth the jump with that new a receiver, unless you can get a good deal on a newer Onkyo or you have some money burning a hole in your pocket .

edit: Maybe you could see if your dealer would let you test out a new receiver at your home and see if you notice the difference going between DD and TrueHD on the same flick, while not a perfect test it is a decent enough one. Another option if they won't give you a loaner to audition is just do it in a show room with their speakers and see if you notice the difference.

 

[avaserfi]

The room treatments would probably help more than the amp and the new receiver. Here is what you should do though...get all three, then you will have an extra receiver which means its time to build a bedroom system .