Which blu-ray codec?

[davo]

Blu-ray seems to have a bad rap for using crappy codecs. Does anyone know how to tell what codec was used on each disc? i.e. I haven't seen it on any disc's or disc covers and I wouldn't want to be ripped off getting a bad one.

Maybe the Blu-ray consortium could indulge us all since it is THEIR FAULT this problem exists.

 

[Seth=L]

I think they started using the VC-1 or MPEG 4 codecs after Talledega Nights and Click were released.

I agree with you MPEG 2 does Blu-Ray no justice. Fifth Element was slaughtered, I was very dissapointed with that release. They better re-release the movies with MPEG 2 or, well lets not go there.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Blu-ray seems to have a bad rap for using crappy codecs. Does anyone know how to tell what codec was used on each disc? i.e. I haven't seen it on any disc's or disc covers and I wouldn't want to be ripped off getting a bad one.

Maybe the Blu-ray consortium could indulge us all since it is THEIR FAULT this problem exists.

Here is one site that reviews the Hi-def movies:

http://www.highdefdigest.com/

When you open a movie review, it tells you which codec is used.

 

[Seth=L]

Here is one site that reviews the Hi-def movies:

http://www.highdefdigest.com/

When you open a movie review, it tells you which codec is used.

I bookmarked that, thank you Mtrycrafts.

 

[davo]

Thats a good site Mtrycrafts, thanks for that. The forums there had a list of the movies so I randomly searched 12 of them an only one of them was MPEG-4. All the others were MPEG-2. Seems they could be cleaning house?

 

[MACCA350]

Yet another stike against Blu-ray in my book. Their titles are using all different encoding methods, HD-DVD on the other hand(while still able to use all the other encoders) seem to be sticking to VC-1 as their standard. It just illustrates the BD mindset.....ALL OVER THE PLACE........Sony camp all over again.......can't stick to anything. I'm hanging to jump into the whole high-def thing but BD are just too wishy-washy

Rant over

cheers

 

[j_garcia]

The Mpeg2 movies were all early ones, why I don't know, but I believe all current BDs are supposed to be released as VC1 also.

 

[Bluesmoke]

Umm, some of Blu-ray's best releases are Mpeg-2.

But Sony has now abandoned Mpeg-2 for Mpeg-4 AVC. Their last 4 releases have all been AVC. They will only use Mpeg-2 for concerts and such for the time being.

 

[j_garcia]

Best titles maybe, but not the best LOOKING titles.

 

[Bluesmoke]

Best titles maybe, but not the best LOOKING titles.

Kingdom of Heaven, Flyboys, The Covenant, Blackhawk Down, and the best of all - Crank. Crank is the sharpest HD picture I've ever seen.

These are all 4.5/5 in terms of picture. A few have received perfect scores.

Oh, check this thread out.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=813105

I'm not gonna say, let's keep using Mpeg-2 but it isn't as bad the early Blu-ray titles made it out to be.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Two more for guys

I bookmarked that, thank you Mtrycrafts.

Then, two more for you all. It is a subjective evaluation of both formatted movies by grade

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=753726

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=705387

 

[dobyblue]

There's a lot of confusion - MPEG-2, when given room to breathe, is just as good as the other codecs.
The reason HD DVD doesn't use MPEG-2 is because it only has 36.55 Mbps bandwidth, whereas Blu-ray has 54.825 Mbps.
Blu-ray's video data alone can reach 40 Mbps, leaving 14+ Mbps for audio alone. A 24/28 5.1 PCM track, like the ones found on BVHE's releases, runs in between 6-7 Mbps.
Paramount used AVC/MPEG-4 for their HD DVD release of Babel. They used MPEG-2 for the Blu-ray release because they knew the bandwidth headroom would allow them to do so. MPEG-2 encodes can also be done in real time.
Microsoft appears to be doing all of Universal's encodes, which is why they're using VC-1.
Warner uses VC-1 for both its HD DVD and Blu-ray encodes.
OP - most discs should tell you on the back which encode is being used. Fox's also give the bitrates.
Disney experimented with VC-1 for their Blu-ray release of Flightplan, but have since been using AVC/MPEG-4 for all their releases. They have been setting the standard and if you average out all the reviews from High Def Digest, Home Theater Forum, DVD Talk, Upcoming Discs and Home Theater Spot, you'll see that Buena Vista leads the way in both PQ and SQ over all the other studios across both formats.
Warner is the only studio currently using VC-1 for Blu-ray.

Sony will be re-issuing The Fifth Element on Blu-ray on a BD50 discs having cleaned up the master print. They know it was not a good encode and has nothing to do with the format or the codec used. There is word they will be offering a swap program for anyone who owns the BD25 version to trade it in for the new one.

 

[j_garcia]

Sweet. I will be trading mine in if they offer it....

And some more info regarding codecs here where I mentioned looking at the codecs and bitrates on various BDs.

 

[Seth=L]

I thought I would be out of luck, where did you find that information dobyblue?

 

[dobyblue]

http://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=3338
^^^^
Great info regarding bit rates and codecs, probably where most of the info elsewhere comes from.

Regarding The Fifth Element - that comes from Sony Pictures Insider "paidgeek" who posts on the AVS Insider forum. Word is the new transfer looks sweet and they're finalizing release date and how they'll do the swap program.