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Hi!
Lurker and occasional poster on lddb (not for a while) and OT (likewise) and blu-ray.com. Have always been interested in original soundtracks over revisionist nonsense and the golden/silver age of surround sound technology. Got really brave and bought an M-Audio soundcard last year to attempt some ld captures and never got round to installing it and sold it on! Real life means it'll be more of the low profile from me but I like to offer the occasional opinion, bit of research and so on.

To all those doing - keep up the good work!

I'm "back in business" in the last few days; trying to encode some pending projects, I had a lot of troubles - encoding crashes, stops at different frames etc.

I strongly suspect Lagarith is guilty; in particular, using more than one istance could be the problem... for example, I tried to save a project with it, using two sources encoded with the same codec - so, two Lagarith in, one Lagarith out... and it stops everytime; also, two Lagarith in, one X264 out do the same... trying to solve the problem saving those with other codecs - the LD with Huffyuv, the HD-DVD with MagicYUV, then I will try to encode the final project both in Lagarith and X264, and see what will happen - if Lagarith will fail, the problem lies in the codec itself, if also X264 will fail, problem is somewhere else, but where?

Let's wait until the final encoding...

IMPORTANT UPDATE: Project released under the new [Fundamental Collection] label - please visit https://fanrestore.com/thread-1348.html and post your comments there, thanks!

• The Thing - US HD-DVD
  
• The Thing (Collector's Edition) - US BD
  
• The Thing (Pioneer Cinema) - PAL UK laserdisc CLV - for color reference
  

• La Cosa (The Thing) - PAL IT DVD - just for color reference where LD has fades
  

• The Thing (Signature Collection) - NTSC US laserdisc CLV/CAV - English soundtrack PCM 2.0 (original)
  
• The Thing (letterbox edition) - NTSC US laserdisc CLV - English soundtrack PCM 2.0 (changed)
  
• The Thing - PAL France laserdisc CLV - French soundtrack PCM 2.0
  
• The Thing - 1998 US DVD - English commentary AC3 1.0
  
• La Cosa (The Thing) - 1998 PAL IT DVD - Italian soundtrack AC3 2.0 (changed)
  
• La Cosa (The Thing) - 1998 PAL IT DVD - Spanish soundtrack AC3 1.0 (changed)
  
• The Thing - UK BD - English soundtrack DTS-HD MA (new remix)
  
• The Thing - UK BD - French soundtrack DTS 5.1 (new remix)
  
• The Thing - UK BD - Italian soundtrack DTS 5.1 (new remix)
  
• The Thing - UK BD - German soundtrack DTS 5.1 (new remix)
  
• The Thing - UK BD - Spanish soundtrack DTS 2.0 mono (new remix)
  

• Pioneer DVL-909 PAL/NTSC laserdisc/DVD player
  

• Sony Vaio VGX-XL201 PC CPU Core 2 Duo E6300 1.86Hz, 3GB RAM, 32GB+2TB+4TB HDDs, BD-RE
  
• AverMedia BDA A16C internal video card (with Philips SAA713x chipset)
  
• Western Digital Elements 1TB external USB HD
  
• Microsoft XBOX360 HD-DVD player
  

• Monster Cable S-Video 5pin cable (very high quality)
  
• SONY optical S/PDIF cable (very high quality)
  
• no-brand coaxial cable (very high quality)
  

• VirtualDub as capture software
  
• VirtualDub and AviSynth for video editing
  
• AviSynth + SoundOut and Foobar2000 for audio conversions
  
• tsMuxeR and AVIdemux for muxing/demuxing
  

• laserdisc video captured at card native resolution 720x576 @25fps (PAL), YUV Lagarith lossless compression
  
• PCM digital audio from Laserdisc to PC via S/PDIF bit-perfect 16bit 44.1KHz stereo
  

• opening credits (up to "Antarctica, winter 1982") are taken untouched from HD-DVD BD video, because there is no need for color regrading, as the flying saucer and earth colors are almost the same of the laserdisc/DVD - for the end credits, from the last image of the movie, BD is used, but with zero saturation, because it has a lilac dominance
  
• the rest of the movie is regraded using the HD-DVD BD as source, and laserdisc as color reference; avisynth script ColourMatch is used
  
• except the laserdisc side 1 end / side 2 beginning scenes, as they have fade out / fade in, were not possible to be used, so I used the DVD there for color reference, tweaked a little bit to be as close as possible to the laserdisc
  

• letterbox 2.35:1 1920x816 pixel inside the 16:9 1920x1080 pixel FHD frame, AVC (x264) 23.976fps, average bitrate 18500kbps
  

• english PCM 2.0 16bit 1536kbps - from NTSC Signature Collection LD
  
• english AC3 2.0 16bit 384kbps - from NTSC letterbox LD
  
• english DTS-HD MA 5.1 24bit 3900kbps (1536kbps core DTS) - from UK BD
  
• french PCM 2.0 16bit 1536kbps - from PAL french LD
  
• french DTS 5.1 24bit 768kbps - from UK BD
  
• italian AC3 2.0 16bit 192kbps - from PAL IT DVD
  
• italian DTS 5.1 24bit 768kbps - from UK BD
  
• spanish DTS 2.0 24bit 384kbps (mono) - from UK BD
  
• spanish AC3 1.0 16bit 96kbps - from PAL IT DVD
  
• german DTS 5.1 24bit 768kbps - from UK BD
  
• commentary AC3 16bit 1.0 96kbps - from PAL IT DVD
  

• The Aluminum Falcon for the HD-DVD video
  
• zeropc for DVD english soundtrack and commentary
  
• ilovewaterslides for the PCM french soundtrack
  
• Namtar for the isolated score
  
• Jetrell Fo for general supporting and encouragement
  
• MrBrown for German and Spanish tracks
  
• everyone who showed interest and appreciation
  

• v2.0 will use the new Scream Factory BD, due to its higher resolution and visible film grain in comparison to the HD-DVD used for the previous version; the upgrading aiming to improve the color regrading quality, and of course will benefit of the superior source resolution; audio and subtitles are the same.
  
• updated project info accordingly
  

I know there is a small 4GB file out there of this but I would love to see a full blown custom BD release of this. Has anybody seen one or willing to do one?

I love the movie and I really enjoyed watching the alternate version.

Maybe there would be a way to make one big custom extended edition?

Thanks for listening.

...than most of the DVDs - and few BDs, as I read also in some forums. I don't want to talk about MUSE laserdisc audio now, because I'm not expert in that branch, but whoever wants to talk about it, is welcome!
OK, let's start!

NTSC laserdiscs could contain a different combination of soundtracks:

• two mono analog
  
• one stereo analog
  
• two mono analog + two mono PCM
  
• two mono analog + one stereo PCM
  
• one stereo analog + two mono PCM
  
• one stereo analog + one stereo PCM
  
• AC3 + one mono analog + one stereo PCM
  
• DTS + one stereo analog
  

• two mono analog (on laservision)
  
• one stereo analog (on laservision)
  
• two mono digital
  
• one stereo digital
  
• DTS (well, only one title ever released!)
  

• Frequency response: 20-20000hz (±3dB)
  
• Signal-to-noise ratio (CX off): >50dB (up to 58dB)
  
• Signal-to-noise ratio (CX on): >62dB (up to 74dB)
  
• Channel separation: >50dB
  

• Frequency response: 4-20000hz (±0.1dB)
  
• Signal-to-noise ratio: 96dB - up to 117db (EIAJ)
  
• Dynamic range: 96dB - up to 99dB (EIAJ)
  
• Channel separation: 80dB - up to 90dB (EIAJ)
  
• Wow & Flutter: <0.001% (EIAJ)
  

Quote:This paper presented listeners with a choice between high-rate DVD-A/SACD content, chosen by high-definition audio advocates to show off high-def's superiority, and that same content resampled on the spot down to 16-bit / 44.1kHz Compact Disc rate. The listeners were challenged to identify any difference whatsoever between the two using an ABX methodology. BAS conducted the test using high-end professional equipment in noise-isolated studio listening environments with both amateur and trained professional listeners.

In 554 trials, listeners chose correctly 49.8% of the time. In other words, they were guessing. Not one listener throughout the entire test was able to identify which was 16/44.1 and which was high rate [15], and the 16-bit signal wasn't even dithered!

disclord Wrote:NEVER listen to a non-encoded disc with CX on - its not been properly encoded for the CX noise reduction and will not sound right.  It's not there to be used on non-CX'd discs. However, an analog CX disc can be listened to without CX decoding - that was one of the design goals, that it not sound noticably weird when not decoded - it will just have more background/disc noise.  Every digital title that has the analog soundtrack duplicating the digital has CX - discs with commentary/bilingual/AC-3 discs do not have CX (some are improperly auto encoded with it though, sadly).  DTS discs with analog stereo tracks are all CX.  CX requires that the two encoded channels be related, i.e. stereo or mono, to decode correctly, thus incorrectly encoded commentary/bilingual are not in CX compliance.

Updated: 2017-07-13

Hello to everyone; I'm still alive and kicking - more or less

Finally I managed to fix one of my three PCs, and I found a lot of unfinished projects... they range from just video files, to almost finished... now I need some help from you: I'd like to know if there are actually blu-ray releases of these, or restoration projects done by someone else and, if not, if there is some interest in a particular title.

EDIT: as you all know, I'd like to release my project in five languages audio and subtitles (when available); English, French, German, Italian and Spanish - sort of "pan european edition"; with just these languages, my projects will cover a great percenteage of the entire world population - albeit would be effectively seen only by few dozen people!

Possible projects (unfinished - work in progress - who knows when will be ready):
(with "completion ratings" from * = very early stage - to ***** = nearly completed)

• 2012 - HDTV Open Matte *
  
• 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea - HDTV (not on Blu-ray) **
  (audio tracks OK, subs to be found)
  
• 8mm - WEB (not on Blu-ray) *
  
• A. I. Artificial Intelligence - HDTV different color grading *
  
• Abyss, The - HDTV Extended Edition, LD audio available (not on Blu-ray) **
  
• Abyss, The - HDTV Extended Edition, Open Matte 16:9, LD audio available (not on Blu-ray) **
  
• Abyss, The - HDTV Theatrical Edition, LD audio available (not on Blu-ray) **
  (audio tracks OK, LD audio to be captured, subs to be found)
  
• Alien Resurrection - BD color matched to DTS LD ***** RELEASED
  
• Alien Resurrection - OAR but with bigger frames than BD; color matched to DTS LD *
  
• Alien Resurrection - HDTV Open Matte 16:9, BD color matched to DTS LD ***
  
• Alien Vs. Predator: Requiem - HDTV Open Matte 16:9, probably brightness a bit increased ****
  
• Aliens - HDTV Open Matte 16:9 YAO hack, BD color matched to PAL LD but magenta blanket removed ****
  (thread: https://fanrestore.com/thread-1567.html)
  
• Apollo 13 - HDTV Open Matte 16:9
  
• AVP Alien Vs. Predator - BD color matched to HDTV ***** RELEASED
  
• AVP Alien Vs. Predator - Open Matte 16:9, BD color matched to HDTV, Cinema DTS audio *****
  
• Aristocats - HDTV, LD audio available **
  (just Italian audio track available, LD to be captured)
  
• Arrival, The - DVD Open Matte 4:3, AC3 LD audio available ***** COMPLETED, TO BE RELEASED
  
• Arrival, The - BD/DVD 50/50 color grading ***** RELEASED
  
• Battlefield Earth - HDTV **
  (audio tracks OK, subs to be found)
  
• Bicentennial Man - HDTV (not on Blu-ray) ****
  (video to be encoded, audio tracks OK, soundtrack-only available too, subs to be found)
  
• Black Cauldron, The - HDTV ***
  (English, German, Italian available; *maybe* a deleted shot could be reinserted)
  
• Chronicles of Riddick, The (Theatrical Cut) - HDTV Open Matte ***** COMPLETED, TO BE RELEASED
  
• Coneheads - HDTV (not on Blu-ray) *
  (just Italian available)
  
• Day After Tomorrow, The - WEBdl + HDTV Open Matte 16:9 *
  
• Day The Earth Stood Still, The - HDTV Open Matte 16:9 *
  
• Deep Blue Sea - HDTV bigger frame size and different color grading
  
• Deep Rising - HDTV Open Matte 16:9 *
  
• Deja Vu - HDTV Open Matte 16:9 *
  
• Doctor Strange - WEB Open Matte 16:9 + BD IMAX *
  
• Down Periscope - HDTV (not on Blu-ray) *
  (just English available, second source needed for logo removal)
  
• Eragon - BD + DVD deleted scenes ***
  (English, Italian, Spanish tracks available for the theatrical cut, only English and Italian for deleted scenes)
  
• Event Horizon - BD color matched to non-SE DVD, PCM LD + Cinema DTS Audio ***
  
• Evolution - DVHS (not on Blu-ray) ****
  (audio tracks OK, subs to be found)
  
• Fan, The - HDTV (not on Blu-ray) *
  
• Fifth Element, The - WEBdl Open Matte 16:9 regraded *
  (second source needed for logo removal)
  
• Final Cut, The - HDTV (not on Blu-ray) *
  
• Freejack - HDTV, LD audio available (not on Blu-ray) *
  (WEBdl could be used to improve quality)
  
• Fur - An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus - HDTV (not on Blu-ray) *
  (second source needed for logo removal)
  
• Game, The - HDTV Open Matte 16:9 *
  
• Ghostbusters 1 - HDTV, color grading different from BD, LD audio available ***
  (just English available, LD to be captured)
  
• Ghostbusters 2 - HDTV, color grading different from BD, LD audio available ***
  (audio tracks OK, LD audio to be captured, subs to be found)
  
• Gladiator - HDTV Open Matte 16:9, color grading different from BD *
  (audio tracks OK, subs to be found, is Cinema DTS available?)
  
• Godzilla (1998) - HDTV Open Matte 16:9 ***
  (English, Italian, Spanish tracks available)
  
• Harry Potter saga - Open Matte 16:9 ***** ALMOST FINISHED
  (thread: https://fanrestore.com/thread-1481.html)
  
• Hidden, The - WEB (not on Blu-ray) *
  
• Hobbit Trilogy - HDTV & WEB Open Matte 16:9 *
  
• Independence Day - HDTV Theatrical Edition, Open Matte 16:9, DTS LD audio available **
  (English, Italian, Spanish tracks available)
  
• Johnny Mnemonic - DVD Extended Edition *
  (just English available)
  
• Last Action Hero - HDTV different color grading *
  
• Mad City - HDTV (not on Blu-ray) *
  (just Italian available)
  
• Matrix Trilogy - HDTV Open Matte 16:9 ***
  (audio tracks OK, subs supposedly too)
  
• Minority Report - HDTV Open Matte 16:9 **
  
• Nirvana - DVD upscale (not on Blu-ray) **
  (audio tracks OK, subs to be found)
  
• No Escape - HDTV, LD audio available (not on Blu-ray) ***
  (audio tracks OK, subs supposedly too, second source needed for logo removal)
  
• Oblivion - HDTV Open Matte 16:9 ****
  (bad English audio available, third source found, this time seems perfect!)
  
• Panic Room - HDTV Open Matte 16:9 **
  (audio tracks OK, subs to be found)
  
• Pirates of the Caribbean quadrilogy - HDTV Open Matte 16:9 *
  (thread: https://fanrestore.com/thread-1487.html)
  
• Predator - HDTV Open Matte 16:9 with bigger frame size than BD *
  
• Predator 2 - HDTV Open Matte 16:9 with bigger frame size than BD *
  
• Predators - HDTV Open Matte 16:9 *
  
• Prometheus - HDTV Open Matte 16:9 ***
  (thread: https://fanrestore.com/thread-1593.html)
  
• Resident Evil 1, 2, 3, 5 Open Matte 16:9 *
  
• Resident Evil 3, 4 regraded using a direct color reference *
  
• Resident Evil 6 regraded using a non-direct color reference *
  
• Ring, The - DVHS Open Matte 16:9, color grading different from BD ****
  (audio tracks OK, subs to be found)
  
• Ring 2, The - HDTV Open Matte 16:9 ***
  
• Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves - HDTV Theatrical Cut, color grading different from BD, LD audio available ****
  (audio tracks OK, some subs to be found)
  
• Robocop (2014) - HDTV Open Matte 16:9 *
  
• Saint, The - HDTV (not on Blu-ray) *
  
• S1M0NE - HDTV (not on Blu-ray) ***
  (English, German, Italian available)
  
• Screamers - HDTV Open Matte 16:9 (not on Blu-ray) ***
  (audio tracks OK, subs supposedly too)
  
• Sphere - HDTV Open Matte 16:9 regraded *
  
• Supernova (2000) - HDTV Open Matte 16:9 **
  (all audio and subs tracks ready; second source needed for logo removal)
  
• Terminator 3 - HDTV Open Matte 16:9 ***
  (English and Italian tracks)
  
• Thirteenth Floor, The - HDTV Open Matte 1.87:1 (OAR 2.35:1) *
  
• Timeline (2003) - HDTV Open Matte 16:9 ***** RELEASED
  (a remastered edition with improved video quality and bigger frame in progress)
  
• Time Machine, The (2002) - DVHS (not on Blu-ray) ****
  (audio tracks OK, subs supposedly too)
  
• Titan A.E. - HDTV (not on Blu-ray) ***
  (English and German available; color grading different from web, which is the "right" one?)
  
• Total Recall (1990) - BD regraded using LD as reference *
  (English and Italian tracks OK, LD to be captured)
  
• True Lies - DVHS, DTS LD audio available (not on Blu-ray) **
  
• True Lies - HDTV + WEBdl Open Matte 16:9, DTS LD audio available (not on Blu-ray) **
  (English and Italian tracks OK, LD to be captured)
  
• Village, The - HDTV (not on Blu-ray) **
  (just English available)
  
• Waterworld - DVD Extended Edition, HD-DVD may be used to replace theatrical parts *
  (all audio and subs available for the theatrical cut; as far as I know, the extended cut is available only in English)
  
• X-Files, The - Fight The Future - HDTV Open Matte 16:9 regraded *
  
• X-Files, The - I Want To Believe - HDTV Open Matte 16:9 *
  

• 2010 - BD + add few shots from BD trailer
  
• Men In Black 3 - BD + add the "Flaco" shot from BD trailer
  

• The 13th Warrior - HDTV Open Matte 16:9
  
• Alien Hunter - WEB
  
• Armageddon - regraded to DVD/HDTV
  
• Beach, The - HDTV Open Matte 16:9
  
• Bewitched (2005) - HDTV
  
• Demolition Man - regraded to DVD/HDTV
  
• Fantastic Four - HDTV Open Matte 16:9
  
• Fight Club - HDTV Open Matte 16:9
  
• Flushed Away - HDTV
  
• Ghost Rider - HDTV Open Matte 16:9
  
• Indiana Jones trilogy - HDTV
  
• King Kong (2005) - HDTV Open Matte 16:9
  
• Percy Jackson & the Olympians 1 & 2- HDTV Open Matte 16:9
  
• Pianist, The - HDTV
  
• Robin Hood (2010) - HDTV Open Matte 16:9
  
• Tron Legacy - HDTV + BD Open Matte 16:9
  
• Troy - HDTV Theatrical Cut, Open Matte 16:9
  
• Underworld 1 & 2 - BD Open Matte 16:9 regraded
  
• Underworld 3 & 4 - HDTV Open Matte 16:9
  

• Alien Raiders
  
• Blind Fury
  
• Cube 2
  
• Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man (HDTV still got open matte version, though)
  
• Ice Pirates
  
• Independence Day
  
• Innerspace
  
• Lawnmower Man
  
• Split Second
  
• Solaris (2002)
  

• Terminator 2 - DVD Full Screen
  
• Total Recall - DVD Open Matte
  

So, this is an idea I have been toying with for the last couple of years, started at one point, and am now finally coming around to getting back to it...

As some of you know, due to some copyright BS, after the theatrical run of the film and the initial rental VHS/DVD release in the US, the sculpture has been CGIed... more info here for those that don't know what I'm talking about...

Anyway, I posses a copy of that first DVD and a nice HD version from the BD that came out a few years back, so this project is very doable. I intend on "patching" in only the sculpture back onto the HD footage, after I have upscaled the DVD, and given it some "TLC" to match as closely as possible to the HD footage.

I already have most of the footage processed and it's now just a matter of finishing assembling it all, rendering the project and... well, that's it for that part, LOL

However, I do have some issues with the BD release. So, yes, it's a decent release. The picture is pretty sharp and detailed, most film grain is retained, and the picture is artifact-free (no scratches, film specs, etc.) BUT, I believe that the color timing is just slightly off and that the contrast is also slightly off and some of the blacks look too dark as a result, to the point of being unnatural. I have an old 1080i HDTV broadcast from before the BD was released, that uses the old HD transfer directly from film (still has scratches, dirt and other film specs) which has the original color timing (and perfectly matched the first DVD release, which is why I know it's the old master) and would make blending the "patched" footage seamless, BUT there is some massive macroblocking here and there in the footage and the image is a little softer than the BD. Not because it's an upscale, or because it could have used a higher bitrate, but because I think the print was softer due to generational loss or something... anyway, I digress...

I've been going through all of it and am testing to see if I can easily match the color-timing of the BD to the original as that would be the best outcome in terms of PQ. Am still kinda busy with life, but slowly getting to all of this within the last few days. Got all my sources together, the sculpture part of frames ready to be patched in, and now just need to do some tests to make sure it all looks right in motion so time to start some test renders

Now, this covers the "uncensored" part, but there is also the "extended edition" that I've really wanted to do over the years... BUT, I NEED HELP WITH A SOURCE HERE PRETTY PLEASE... I have all of the extended/deleted scenes, as they were included on the DVD (albeit, the DVD only had a commentary track with it) and on the BD... The ones on the DVD are already on my computer, along with the film. However, I managed to rip the film off my BD, but NOT the extended/deleted scenes because the disc is scratched there thanks to my kids

Is there anyone here that could demux the extended/deleted scenes from the BD and share them with me? The length is 47 minutes and 4 seconds and it's an SD source, so it's not a huge file. There are TWO reasons that I need it (for those of you wondering):

- first, I will get much better PQ results if I upscale the footage using two different sources, as they will help "fill each other in"

- second, and MOST important, the DVD only contains a director's commentary track during these scenes. On the BD they fixed this and included the original audio as a first audio track and the commentary track as a secondary track. I need the audio to be able to do a true extended edition.

For the extended edition, I plan on using the HDTV footage exclusively, because I think the overall softer image will blend better with the upscaled extended/deleted scenes, which are rather rough in quality and I believe that if I used the BD as the main source, the transitions would be too jarring...

I will post some screenshots comparing the HDTV vs BD soon...



SIDE-NOTE: To "my" people's in the community, it's good to finally be able to resume working on these kinds of things. I really missed it these last few months, missed a lot of you, and am looking forward to getting back into the "groove" of things... Will be catching up on stuff that some of you are waiting on to be completed, as well... so... yeah. Peace

Hi! I'm Davicroquette, i'm almost 28, i hope my fans projects are interested you!

Hi,

I was wondering, has anyone here considered converting the 1991 "Partial Restoration" laserdisc of "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" onto DVD's? 

I realize this version has since been superseded by the criterion "Restoration"; but the 1991 "partial restoration" is the cut of the film I grew up with, and is the cut of the film I prefer, for a number of reasons.

So, I just was wondering if anyone here has ever considered this, and, if anyone would be willing to do such a project.

Thanks!

Jessica.