prologue: DON’T (always) TRUST COMPANIES!

Following many HDTV and internet broadcaster advice, a “studio quality” transmission for an H.264 1080p transmission could be achieved with a bitrate of a mere 6mbps; if we use the Kush Gauge formula, we can see that this is true only if the motion factor is lower than average… for example, a 16/9 sport material at 29.97fps needs a 17.4mbps bitrate!


The Kush Gauge™ formula:

width x height x FPS x motion rank x constant = final bitrate in bps

(where constant is 0.07 for H.264/MPEG-4 part 10, or AVC)

Read more here: Restoration tips: Kush Gauge™

ANDREA’S COROLLARY TO THE KUSH GAUGE™

To calculate video bitrate for a codec different from H.264, the Kush Gauge costant value should be changed accordingly to the codec used.


Other lossy video codecs (apart H.264/MPEG-4 part 10, or AVC)

Even if AVC is widely used, also thanks to the x.264 open source encoder, there are many other codecs still in use nowadays; the main ones are:

• MPEG-2 – used in many DTV and HDTV broadcasting, in DVD and sometimes in BD
  
• VC-1 – used sometimes in BD; once used in HD-DVD
  
• H.265, or HEVC – new codec, used in particular for 4K/UHD
  

• 0.045 for HEVC
  
• 0.075 for VC-1
  
• 0.136 for MPEG-2 (software encoders)
  
• 0.116 for MPEG-2 (hardware encoders)
  

• 1 for low motion (e.g. news)
  
• 2 for medium motion (e.g. movie)
  
• 4 for high motion (e.g. sport)
  

THE SLICE TECHNIQUE™

What’s about this so-called “Slice Technique™”?
In few words: achieve the widest (highest) image possible adding a “slice” of another video clip.

Be more specific…
Well, sometimes there are two editions of the same movie, where one has more image on one side, while less on the other side, and vice versa. So I thought to use the missing “slice” of one joined together with all the other, to obtain the widest image possible. Indeed, it could be only (e.g.) 3% wider than any each version, but I much prefer a 100% wide image Vs a “mere” 97%… (^^,)
Of course, it’s quite difficult – sometimes impossible – to use this technique with every movie, because what must be taken in account are the dimensions (eventual image rotation, width and heigth of sources and chosen slice, eventual resizing and cropping, exact point of matching), colors (both versions should have the same color grading, or one should color match the other), video quality (grain, resolution/definition, different compression used in the sources, frame whobbling in a version not present in the other – in particular at the beginning and ending of a shot), etc.
In these examples, I used a vertical slice and two sources, but it’s possible to use an horizontal slice, or even multiple slices from various sources – obviously, in this case, a good result will be astonishingly difficult…
Hint: best results are from two versions with same resolution – like 2 Blu-rays, 2 DVDs, 1 Blu-ray and 1 HDTV.

EXAMPLE:


“Escape from New York” examples (attention: only preliminary tests, not used for final project)
comparison screenshots:
[Image: EFNY_test_201311190111_000001.jpg]
[Image: EFNY_test_201311190111_000143.jpg]
[Image: EFNY_test_201311190111_000774.jpg]
[Image: EFNY_test_201311190111_001152.jpg]
[Image: EFNY_test_201311190111_001747.jpg]
[Image: EFNY_test_201311222331_000156.jpg]
[Image: EFNY_test_201311222331_000333.jpg]
[Image: EFNY_test_201311222331_000451.jpg]
[Image: EFNY_test_201311222331_000816.jpg]

It looks like there’s more image at the bottom in some shots on the XXX Vs. YYY. It is possible to adjust that too?
It is not possible to use it, as the small “slice” on the bottom of the YYY is missing… like the following example:

see the missing piece at the bottom right? Unless there is some method to “invent” the missing piece using surrounding images… and I’m afraid, there is not (yet)! EDIT: if the corner is small enough, inpaint could be used; result may vary from quite noticeable to perfect, depending on source and size.

How about using XXX as the main source and just adjusting the colors, instead of using the YYY?
It depends… if XXX color matched with YYY as color reference is better, then use XXX; if not, then use YYY – I must add that sometimes the best solution is to use XXX for some scenes and YYY for others… your mileage can vary!
Comments, improvements, corrections are welcome!

OVERLAP MATCHING

What is the Overlap matching?

When two images of different sizes are used to improve the final result.

Could you be more specific?

Usually this is used when two different versions of the same movie are available at different aspect ratios.

Let’s say you want to restore a movie that is not available in high definition, and you want to upscale a DVD or a laserdisc capture. If you are lucky, an anamorphic DVD is available, so a theoretical 720×576 (PAL) or 720×480 (NTSC) max resolution could be achievable. But, if the original aspect ratio of the movie is 2.35:1, then you have only 720×432 (PAL) or 720×360 (NTSC). Well, enough resolution left to do a decent upscale. However, if the DVD is not anamorphically enhanced, actual resolution drops to 720×324 (PAL) or 720×252 (NTSC).

But what if the only (or the best) available low definition sources are analog? In this case, a 2.35:1 original resolution in laserdisc could be at maximum 576×324 (PAL) or 576×262 (NTSC), while VHS could be 328×324 (PAL) or 328×262 (NTSC)… pretty poor…

So, how it’s possible to improve the quality of such low resolution sources? It’s easy! Overlap a pan&scan version of the same movie over the letterbox version! The P&S version of a laserdisc could be 576×576 (PAL) or 576×480 (NTSC), while VHS could be 328×576 (PAL) or 328×480 (NTSC). Can you see the differences?

EXAMPLE:

here you can see how a P&S version overlapped to a letterbox version, upscaled, have a better resolution than the latter; this will lead to better details in the center of the image, leaving less detailed image at the borders. It is also possible to use two letterboxed versions (like 1.66:1 and 2.35:1) – even if difference in details will be less than using a P&S version, it nevertheless improve definition a lot.
A lower difference in aspect ratios between sources makes the final resolution only slightly better, but often this avoids all the image cropping and variations that lie in the pan&scan version.

Can I use an open matte version instead of pan& scan?

It is often futile to use an open matte version with a letterboxed version both from the same format, as active image have the same effective vertical resolution; however, it is possible to use an open matte version of an higher resolution source overlapped to a lower resolution source.
So, for example, an open matte DVD (with higher horizontal resolution) overlapped to a letterbox laserdisc; or an open matte laserdisc or DVD (both with higher horizontal resolution) overlapped to a letterboxed VHS, will increase the details clarity of the final upscaled version.

What about high definition formats, like Blu-ray and HDTV sources?

in some rare cases, the open matte version of the same (or comparable) format of the letterbox version has a better resolution – due to several factors like different masters, encoding, bitrates etc. – in such cases, it’s possible to use the Overlap matching method, although usually with lower quality improvement in comparison to previous cases.

NOTE: consider that pan&scan cropping vary usually everytime between shots, and often during a single shot; so this method is really really hard to follow, much more than the “Slice technique”…

Top, upscaled DVD, bottom, upscaled DVD with HDTV overlapped:
[Image: matrix_083217.jpg]
http://s27.postimg.cc/fwskn8q8x/matrix_083217.jpg

same image as the previous second one, not cropped:
[Image: matrix_PLUS.jpg]
http://s22.postimg.cc/3ucfmeuj3/matrix_PLUS.jpg

WARNING: this is a very difficult technique, and could be really hard and time consuming to find out the perfect settings; I did this simple match in an hour, and both previous and next shots have completely different setting… be aware!
Comments, improvements, corrections are welcome!

1. Obtain the original full frame version – if still exist, and is possible to obtain it
   
2. Make a “patchwork” using different versions that exist in the consumer market.
   

Well starting out, here is the project I began on the OT a long, long time ago (to quote a movie). The original thread is here: http://originaltrilogy.com/forum/topic.c...pic/17002/

Project Info:

The basis of this project is to color regrade the Blu-ray (BD) to look more like the 1995 THX laserdisc (LD) and include as many diverse soundtracks as possible.

Video:
2010 Blu-Ray (Theatrical Cut) video color regraded to the 1995 THX laserdisc

Audio:
1. 1995 Laserdisc Dolby Digital 5.1. This soundtrack is a rare 70mm mix that was used to test Alien in the Sensurround format before it was abandoned for conventional Dolby Stereo 70mm (track 2). This soundtrack was accidentally put on the 1995 laserdisc when it was thought it was the standard Dolby 70mm mix. It contains different sound effects, musical cues and dialogue.

2. 2010 Blu-Ray (Theatrical Cut) Dolby Digital 4.1 remixed to Dolby Digital 5.1 with mono surrounds. This soundtrack represents the original Dolby Stereo mix as heard in theaters on a 70mm film presentation.

3. 1992 Laserdisc PCM 2.0 Dolby Stereo/Surround. This soundtrack should be the closest to the original Dolby Stereo mix as heard in theaters on 35mm film.

Subtitles:
English (PGS subs from the existing BR)
Spanish
French
German

Pics:

Final MKV Pics


BD/BD regraded to the 1995 LD


Thanks
jonno: For another capture of the laserdisc and for the CE LD's PCM 2.0 (And his knowledge)
spoRv: For the THX LD's Ac3 5.1
Doombot: For testing
Feallan: For testing

Definition of fan restoration categories:

1) Fan Restoration

Attempts to restore a film version, that had a full retail BROAD digital release*, to be as closest as possible to its original theatrical release, using best sources available.

This may include video taken from commercial releases, or TV broadcasts, and may consist of one or several of the following works: color regrading, frames/scenes replacing, aspect ratio correction, removal of scratches, tears, spots and dust, sounds/dialogs replacing/correction, entire soundtracks replacing etc.

It could also include restoring theatrical or director’s cut where the BROAD digital release* includes only the extended edition, or viceversa.

• aspect ratio different from theater release - like open matte, full screen, UAR, hybrid, VAR etc
  
• modified color grading - with incomplete reference like trailer or film cells, or custom
  
• modified audio track - using elements from music soundtrack
  

NOTICE: Finally the project jumps to the 'In Progress' subforum here: http://fanres.com/showthread.php?tid=96

You can still check this post for information about the process, but any advances will be posted there.



Well, somebody had to start, so let it be me.

I love this movie, as it mixes the original Cube with time travel, parallel realities and all that sci-fi stuff I like.

Surprinsingly it hasn't been released anywhere on blu-ray that I know of, while the others have their release (Cube Zero is at least in Germany).

I have a 1080i HDTV mkv from the SilverHD channel which unfortunately displays a huge semi-transparent logo, as you can see in the picture below.

[Image: vlcsnap-2015-01-03-21h18m02s41_zps57a2e831.jpg]

So, anyone has a better source or is interested in this movie at all?

Hi folks, what do you think of the site? Do you like the name? fanres stands mainly for fan restoration, but res could be also used for resolution, and some other words... http://www.scrabblefinder.com/starts-with/res/

What about the overall look? I know it's the usual, classic theme, but after I tested a lot (and I mean it!) everyone had some problem... so, should I continue to search for a better theme, or it's good as is? Of course, I could always change the color, which one do you prefer?
Logo: do you like it?

Thanks for the feedbacks!

I own the JP trilogy on DVD, and, even if I was aware of the two deleted scenes on JP2, I haven't thought about to use them to make an extended version, until yesterday, when I discovered there is a TV version with those scenes reinstated... at least, now it's possible to know where those scenes should excactely be positioned!

I wonder if the JP2 BD has those scenes in HD or not; if not, I thought it's always possible to PaNup the NTSC DVD (or BD, as they should be the same) and the PAL DVD to obtain a better quality upscales for them, to be mixed with the BD.

Opinions?

The Dark Sky US Blu-ray release has a few problems. One of the hitchhiker's photographs at the beginning of the movie does not fade to black and one of Sally's laughs/screams at the end of the film is repeated and out of sync. The UK version does not have these problems and it has a better encode.