So i just got in the mail a copy of apollo 13 on HD-DVD. I also own Apollo 13 on LD in DTS format.

I have the settings exactly the same and both on optical,while the HD-DVD sound is a little cleaner/buffed(to digital for my taste)

The LD DTS version has got much more depth,verry strong bass,also i noticed that it's got more sounds when the rockets takes off.

Like there are some sounds missing on the HD-DVD format.i dont own the BLU-RAY version so i cannot say anything about that,but i think they must sound the same.

Now here comes my strange question,i am a LD fan but isn't it strange that the LD version is far better than the HD-DVD version even tho the bit rate is much higher on HD-DVD!

Did anyone test this LD vs BLU-RAY version?

It has nothing to do with the bitrate. The DTS LaserDisc used the same soundtrack master that was used for the theatrical DTS CD-ROM's while the HD-DVD uses a home video mix. This is often done because the theatrical mixes are usually rushed and have noises and other errors that are not heard in a theater, but can be very audible in the home. It's the sound equivalent of a theatrical film cut, a preview cut, a directors cut, a television cut and airline cut.

Hmm i understand Shame that after 15+ years they still can t get it right sometimes.

Is it that they don t have the original master anymore, or is it money wise so they rush to get it out on hd-dvd or blu-ray ?

Or is the master they use some kind of DVD knockoff with some extra digi input?

Hd-dvd is on dual layer 30gb disc. Video is vc-1 20gb @16mbps average bitrate. Audio is dolby digital plus @1.5mbps constant.
Bd is dual layer 50gb.video is mpeg4 34gb @24mbps average. Audio is dts hd ma @ 4.2 mbps. Secondary dts track is 768kbps.
Laserdisc is ntsc video and 1.4mbps constant rate.
Single disc first release dvd is mpeg2 video @ 5 mbps average. Audio dts @ 1.5 mbps constant. Other dvd releasesincluding imax are 768kbps.
Hddvd is the best video with grain structure intact and correct color timing. Bd has edge enhancement and boosted contrast as well incorrect color timing and mild dnr.
First release dvd and laserdisc sound the best.

Small correction to your info... DTS on LaserDisc (and CD) is 1.2mbps, not 1.4, although Widescreen Review and other mags often gave out the wrong 1.4 info. The lower rate was used so only 14 bits of the 16-bit CD channel was occupied with compressed data - that way, if a consumer accidentally played the digital tracks without a DTS decoder the resulting white noise would not blast them at full 0db level. No commercially released DTS CD's or LD's ever used the 1.4 bitrate.

I’ve seen the film some 14 times projected at the cinema in 3 different auditoriums.

First time was at the MGM Bournemouth screen 1 (countless times, right up until I brought the THX laserdisc and then watch the film once in the evening last show then within 8mins I’d have it playing again at home) it had better sound play back at the cinema. Bass response along with cool directional sound spread across the common LCR also OBE sub bass extension and surrounds where okay.

Only saw it once in dts at UCI Tower Park screen 6 front and centre row as I wanted to hear as much wide directional sound as possible (as chances are I might only see it once at UCI, which of course I did). The bass was okay the cinema never really used to play it loud in the early days since I started out as trainee projectionist. The days of Dolby A and SR sound a little weak on playback and it wasn’t any better when dts was installed (having since left UCI a few years earlier). When Dolby digital was installed again no better in loudness playback, talk about wasting money on “The Great Escape”.

Today they’ve got their act together with better bass response and greater loudness playback that you, can feel in the chest.

Launch sequence at UCI was lacking sheer in your face bass as the LCR are mostly active during the launch, LFE.1 only comes active on a few short moments.

It personally sounded better in analogue on the MGM ‘s Dolby Stereo CP200 as the film, as the same frequency response within a few so, so db, but let’s not split-hairs over that.

One time saw it in MGM screen 3 where it was moved to after its run in screen 1, I think it was in screen 1 for at least 6 weeks? Today with these digital HD 3-D rubbish films a film might only do 2 weeks at minimum in top screen number. The days of grand cinema presentation are slowly slipping away...

I think it was in screen 3 briefly then moved back into screen 1 again? I still have the tickets.

The sound in screen 3 was a little under the weather as the projector had flutter wow snags at the time. Every time the “Roger Bleep” sounded it sounded like it was slowing down and speeding up in pitch, never heard that before, it was bit annoying as it must have been ongoing for weeks. I only saw it the once in screen 3, the most I’ve seen it in was screen 1 as it sounded damn cool on the CP200 and JBL speakers, plus the screen was LARGER!

One of many coolest sounds in the film, was the fuel being pumped down the manifold and Haise looks upwards and around (as I did also) that was cool like being there.

I can play the dts on my Dolby CP65 on format 10 and have the laserdisc player analogue mode set to ON and switch between format 10 (6 channel) to matrix with minimal distraction, (unlike running the player though an AVR, which is what mine has to do, but its all routed differently) if you had to switch between D and A you’ll have few seconds muted sound.


What bothers me is slight digital clipping on (right surround channel) chapter 13, time 36.05/06s this where flames are deflected away from the rocket. The clipping sounds like shot “pop” sound between a few frames. You’ve got to have Cracker Jack awareness to notice it. The level of the surrounds is slightly less than the LCR at the time?

It’s the same issue on all the APOLLO 13 collection discs I have below... The dts THX laserdisc is currently playing side 1 Pioneer DVL-909 and I just keep repeating chapter 13 I have the HD-DVD playing in the Toshiba HD-EP30.



I wonder if the dts caddy has the same snag? The sound is not noticeable on the analogue and I never noticed this at UCI as the surrounds where so damn soft?

I think you need a few more copies of the movie Nice report.

I think you're right I need another copy.

I heard a rumour the region 1 DVD has an isolated score that runs on (main menu) is there any truth to that? As I don’t have region 1 first issue pressing. Also the special edition region 2 I have doesn’t include the IMAX version which is only on region 1 DVD special edition.

You know the one other coolest thing about watching APOLLO 13 on laserdisc is the (jog shuttle) is lighten fast that puts bluray HD-DVD, DVD in its place it takes about 4sec for HD-DVD to resume playing when searching forwards/backwards then press play, I get frustrated with crappy delay, same with bluray it fails! Even VHS, only Laserdisc has the coolest linear search. Chapter searching okay so the whole feature can’t be fitted on a single side Laserdisc, but what I’m still watching/listening to? The dts THX laserdisc I’ve had it spinning for 6 hours, bluray I just lose interest in HD1080p.

Anyway enough of the bluray HD-DVD, politics for now.

So, what of the region 1 DVD I’d like to get that version on the cheap.

I like chapter 39, time 48.54 Ken, flipping switches on stage right with half pan in centre, with a little delay on centre the sound is head off to the right, as he looks for powering up solution for the CM. The ampere meter spikes with bleeping on centre then “the master alarm” sounds is heard on centre than as camera moves away to look at Ken , the sound of the alarm is head on stage right. “sighhhhhh damn!”

The sound of static over Nasa squawk box as Marilyn, listens, then the Odyssey coming out of the darkness across around the moon that is one cool shot, chapter 31, time 28.15s there’s sound within the layers of tracks that sounds like whale that I’m sure was used in X-Men II.

you can ditch pal dvds as they are 4% speeded up. this will intruduce a fine pitch to the sound. some european released hd-dvds and early blurays suffer the same problem as they used pal masters. french terminator 2 hd-dvd release i.e has this issue.

During chapter 11, where the guys stick a foot into the astronauts shoulder to push them down into the seat while pulling back on the strap harness to make sure when staging comes, that there not wearing the control panel.

This scene


32.58 underneath the score on left/right is the low end phantom foot! Its at least noticeable to me when muting centre channel stage speaker and fading down on the mixer the low end for centre, so that only left/right stage channels play along with extra low end from the stage channels feed wired from CP65 over to audio mixer and I feel and hear the (phantom low end foot) being pressed down on to (Bill Paxton) Fred Haise.

I'd have to run a Spectrum Lab check looking for any odd bumps between the bass line in music/score to see where this foot phantom sound effect is coming in at, but with score playing over it its impossible to see the fullness of just the sound without the score playing I'd only see small portion of it, but that's all I need to see the film doesn't go down below 20Hz nothing insanely low, lows between 25Hz and up the scale are plenty enough!

Chapter 13, 38.02 the "LES MOTOR FIRE" button when the tower is jettisoned on centre channel that fires across to right and along right surrounds. The depth has nice wonderful punch on the centre as the pyrotechnics blast it away at an incredible speed.

Received 55 hd-dvd's today
1/2 mint sealed.
Got them dead cheap for 45 euro shipping included. Looking to sell the remaining discs now....
owned about 100 discs to begin with. luckily this lot contains more than 25 discs I didn't have in my personal collection.
I can't resist buying them since they are almost for free these days.
U-571, Sleepy Hollow , T2 ,Mr. & Mrs. Smith they all look great IMHO
Soundwise they're different. Don't ask me why but they just need more watts for some reason....
Some sound great , others need a little tweak from time to time.

Eager to hear how it sounds

posted a few things in another thread regarding Freeze up problems....
Running FW 4.0 now and things got really better.
From time to time an Imported US disc makes troubles upon startup or even freezing up after 60-70min. into play!
What's up with that?
Hd-dvd rot ? IMHO there is no such thing! I guess it's hardware related since some players I own play them fine and some don't

Anyone?

Houston? let's hope we don't have a problem

Love the DTS LD of this movie. I was giving a demo of LD for some family members when I first got into the format and this movie knocked stuff off of my bookshelf. They were impressed.