(2021-12-05, 08:16 AM)captainsolo Wrote:

(2021-12-05, 05:14 AM)wongfeihung Wrote: TPP - I own the MGM (UK) Blu-ray. Dolby Digital Audio English 224 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 224 kbps (according to DVD Beaver).

ASITD - I have a BD rip but not sure about the audio. The video is from the Shout release. The audio is DTS-HD MA 48000hz Stereo S24. Is there any way to tell between the original mono and any downmix?

TROTPP - I own the Fabulous (UK) Blu-ray. English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono. No idea how that compares to Shout's mono.

TPPSA - I have a custom rip with the mono re-edited and synced from the DVD. I seem to recall doing this one myself so it's probably not that great... LOL

The remixes have phasing errors and move effects and dialogue all around. The stereo versions I think were mostly down mixes  of the 5.1. The 5.1 was originally done by mgm for the dvd se boxset.
The mono on the original film should be the same as it’s still the mgm disc. Ditto for Return as the master was made for the dvd reissue and released on bd in Germany first before shout used it.
I suck at doing syncs myself so don’t worry. I would’ve tried something similar but I got so infuriated with the Shout Blu I turned it off and finished on LD. To me it’s a film where LD and dvd are the way to go. I still hope to one day see the long cut of Strikes Again with all the cut footage.

ASITD - the audio on my rip sounds like mono so hopefully that's what it is.

TPPSS - I think I ripped the mono audio from the DVD and synced it to the Shout master. It required some editing in places to keep the sync. I think I did an OK job on that. If you need that track let me know.

I don't have any laserdisc audios.

Keep hoping that someone like Eureka Classics will do a box set in the UK... but I wait in vein.

REVENGE has its moments, but the last time I watched it felt like a let down.

TRAIL is garbage, worth it only for the PPSS deleted scenes. I'd rather they'd done a series documentary or restored the scenes to the film they belonged to. Many of them (plaster cast on plane, hotel room "massage") were in the first cut - as evidenced by the closing credits - only to be cut at the last minute. Thankfully it seems as though the series' worst skit (with Harvey Korman as "Balls") was deleted early on.

CURSE and INSPECTOR CLOUSEAU I have nothing much to say about...

Resurrecting an old thread because I'm digging into the entire audio transfer history of the series.
This is far more convoluted than I originally realized. The mono mixes have been either high quality vault element transfers or lesser elements with wear. Sometimes they were reused but typically scrubbed to death. Sometimes the later remastered DVD monos could be better in areas. Then came the HD masters and Shout BDs with their problems. Now the Kino UHDs of the new 4K masters are a series of new problems.

Chronology: Initial pan and scan analog era video releases, letterbox LD remastered new transfer, 1999 DVD port of the LDs with anamorphic video and lossy audio plus flipper disc with pan and scan version, 2004 DVD boxset SE remaster with new scans clearly grain managed and monos that are a mix of scrubbing the LD mono or using a different source that's possibly better. Also had new pointless 5.1 remixes. HD masters with their problems, 4K masters with their problems.
I will update this as I rip the BD audio for further comparisons. I refuse to buy the screwy Kino releases and am merely reporting what others have found so far.

TPP
1983 LD-pan and scan boosted color and fuzzy. Audio is analog but an odd fake stereo the has the effect come and go in the left channel. Lot of hiss but I guess could sound okay if folded to mono-but the fake stereo attempt is really weird.
Letterbox LD-good transfer though framing is different. Mono seems untouched and very robust. Same source as the 1983 disc without any issues.
1999 DVD-port of LD master plus pan and scan flipper.
2004 DVD-image clearer with different color. Mono is the LD mono but scrubbed like crazy. All the high end is gone making it extremely muffled.
MGM/Shout BD-New transfer with more muted looking color, image distortion problem never addressed. MGM better encoded. APPALLINGLY noise reduced mono track which sounds muffled and lifeless. The worst sounding mono of any release. It's astounding someone though this was a good diea.
4K master-Image problem fixed thankfully. No mono because Kino sucks.

ASOTD
Pan and scan analog masters-?
Letterbox LD-print sourced but looks good despite wear, mono is left alone so has hiss and some slight dropouts and notable wear but sounds completely natural. I can't tell if it's a print or printmaster element that was used on the audio.
1999 DVD-port of LD anamorphic plus flipper p&S version. Audio seems the same except a tad thinner in places as if it may have been massaged some in making the DVD.
2004 DVD-Transfer is new, either same source or different source, Audio is surprisingly good with hiss intact and none of the major defects of the LD source. Much more high end present with clarity vs. the LD pcm. Hiss is normal and the noise floor is intact. However, it does feel a bit brighter and veiled in places compared to the LD. Especially the main title. This is kinda a bit of a draw. At points the old LD is better warts and all but overall the 2004 mono is better due to being a cleaner more detailed source.
BD-Remix is poor, stereo remix sounds better but too full and an in btween the 5.1 and mono. Mono is a lossless version of the 2004 mono and sounds very similar but may be EQd a bit differently. It's hard to say which is better, BD or 2004 mono.
Kino UHD-For some unknown reason now this film has mono pitch problems so this is useless.

Return
Original video masters-?
Pan and Scan digital audio LD-?
Letterboxed remastered LD-Very good looking master no major issues, clear seemingly untouched mono, the best source I think. Some light hum creeping in underneath things but otherwise extremely high quality no issues, hiss left intact.
1996 FHE VHS-LD on vhs in 1.33 with hifi mono that's a bit volume boosted. Sounds excellent still.
First DVD-port of LD remaster
2006 Universal DVD-New HD master, looks very good, mono sounds fine but 1996 LD still better. See note below:
Blu-ray-Universal European releases and Shout use HD master now in 1080p with same mono. Further comparison shows this track is extremely noise reduced or something else. The dialogue is extremely clean perhaps too clean. Hiss is nearly gone. Some sound effects and music cues are mixed differently with dialogue indicating this might have been a new mono mixdown from stems or an alternate mix source. Comparing with the 1996 LD mono clearly shows in all of these moments that the original mono was mixed differently and to serve the jokes. The lack of hiss is really apparent in the opening heist scene and all dialogue scenes.
UHD-new scan, presumably reuses Universal mono.

Strikes Again
1984 VHS hifi CBS Fox-Good solid transfer with some noise and hum inherent.
Letterbox LD-excellent disc, clear mono pcm. Same source as VHS but direct transfers without hum.
1999 DVD-port of LD master plus p&s flipper
2004 DVD-remastered transfer brighter smoother, mono actually sounds clearer than LD mono so it's possibly a new scan or different source. Yet it still sounds filtered where the LD isn't. The LD can sound a bit muffled comparing directly-but it isn't normalized so some of the sound effects are mixed differently in their levels in the LD mono vs the DVD mono. For example, when the hunchback disguise goes off with the explosions, the DVD mono has everything at a mostly consistent level. On the LD the effects build and fall off in loudness so the intensity is entirely different because they were mixed that way for comedic effect. Another is the piano smashing-on the DVD mono it's at the same level as the rest of the scene. On the LD it's loud and aggressively so which again makes the gag hit so much harder. After close comparison I think these are the same source it's just that the DVD mono has the hiss a bit more audible and maybe a touch of high end clarity-or it's just EQd that way. The LD mono in comparison might sound a bit rolled off in the high end but I think it's the mono mix untouched. The big thing is the mixing of the sound effects and music levels being much more punchy. The LD still has hiss underneath but it's much less present than the 04 DVD mono.
Shout BD-new scan with major issues, brightness issues and damage. Mono has bad pitch issues and so does stereo remix. 5.1 remix does not have pitch issues but is noticeably louder. The Mono is not only pitched down notably for entire film but also over processed with dialog taking on a harshness and overall the track sounds poor. It's as if someone took the 2004 mono and ruined it. The stereo remix is basically a processed version of the same defective bad mono.
Kino UHD-new scan, mono without pitch issues

Revenge
1984 VHS hifi CBS Fox-clear and good but has some noise and generational loss. Still second best audio.
Letterboxed LD-very good transfer, absolutely perfect mono with great dynamics, no issues. Direct transfer of master element. Easily the best.
1999 DVD-port of LD master plus p&s flipper
2004 SE DVD-new master, mono is good until comparison. It is notably noise reduced against the LD in the high end but still sounds good for what it is. This seems to be the first version of the different mono missing things. The Silver Hornet reveal music cue is missing.
2006 MGM DVD reissue-same transfer but mono has the audio partially fixed.
Shout BD-Same DVD era master source used, mono is partially fixed 2006 mono. Restored music cue seems almost flown in from different source, perhaps the remix. Still notably noise reduced. Dialogue scenes are extremely scrubbed.
Kino UHD-Apparently reverts to a version of 2004 audio with missing elements.

Trail
Initial vhs/beta/LD in analog era. No letterboxed LD reissue.
1994 MGM VHS hifi reissue
1997 VHS reissue which likely has volume boosted hifi.
2004 DVD SE-new transfer and mono.
Shout BD-Seems to be same overall source. They sound nearly identical aside from volume differences-except that the sound effects seem a bit flattened again on the DVD and this BD mono mastering seems to be EQd a bit differently. If I had to guess I'd say the BD mono has a touch of extra noise reduction as well.
Kino refused to release a UHD. They teased a possible Blu-ray later.

Other films

Inspector Clouseau
early video releases, Japan only analog LD pan and scan, 1996 MGM VHS
MGM DVD-letterboxed with mono
Kino BD-Newer scan with mono

Curse of the Pink Panther
MGM initial VHS/Beta. LD was Japan only.
2004 DVD-new master, widescreen, mono
Kino BD-new master, mono

Son of the Pink Panther
MGM Letterboxed LD pcm Dolby stereo
DVD port
Kino BD-new master

Updated with notes on the BDs and my other captures. Most surprising were some of the variations and that the 2006 mono of Return may be a mono mixdown of some kind. I still can't point to a specific best choice on A Shot in the Dark and Strikes Again. I think the 04 DVD and Shout BD mono may edge out on ASITD because the source they used is damage free and has more high end clarity.
Strikes Again has positives on the LD mono and the DVD but I lean towards the LD. The Shout is useless due to the pitch problems. I don't have the Kino UHD so I have no idea what the quality of it's mono track is.
When these films got noise reduction-THEY GOT NR'D! It is massive at times.

Thanks for all your work captainsolo!

I'm planning to use my LD syncs to the Shout BD's and whichever other sources are deemed best to create a set of definitive audios for the UHD's. Also trying to get repalcement logos together as well (just need the correct one for Return)

Once I've got everything together I'll share it and people can mux with the UHD's.

(2026-02-13, 11:22 AM)alexp2000 Wrote: Thanks for all your work captainsolo!

I'm planning to use my LD syncs to the Shout BD's and whichever other sources are deemed best to create a set of definitive audios for the UHD's. Also trying to get repalcement logos together as well (just need the correct one for Return)

Once I've got everything together I'll share it and people can mux with the UHD's.

How will you deal with the DV layer muxing in the logo’s. Think it was only delays at beginning needed for the ld syncs here to match them to the available uhd’s from what I remember when doing my own. Just waiting on Return to release in March.

(2026-02-13, 11:30 PM)X5gb Wrote: How will you deal with the DV layer muxing in the logo’s. Think it was only delays at beginning needed for the ld syncs here to match them to the available uhd’s from what I remember when doing my own. Just waiting on Return to release in March.

Yeah they'll need to be HDR10 only - I've never been able to tell the difference anyway

(2026-02-13, 09:57 AM)captainsolo Wrote: Updated with notes on the BDs and my other captures. Most surprising were some of the variations and that the 2006 mono of Return may be a mono mixdown of some kind. I still can't point to a specific best choice on A Shot in the Dark and Strikes Again. I think the 04 DVD and Shout BD mono may edge out on ASITD because the source they used is damage free and has more high end clarity.
Strikes Again has positives on the LD mono and the DVD but I lean towards the LD. The Shout is useless due to the pitch problems. I don't have the Kino UHD so I have no idea what the quality of it's mono track is.
When these films got noise reduction-THEY GOT NR'D! It is massive at times.

Cannot wait for the video

If anyone knows the best audio tracks to use it's Captain Solo.

And Moshrom [blah-ray blogspot], also. But yes, he is our Plan B :-)