[Help] "The Insider" (1999), Michael Mann

[Beber]

I would be fine with the scope version. That's the real framing. Open matte is just for broadcasting convenience and a bonus version to keep on the side.

[little-endian]

True, I have somewhat I faible for open matte versions, but there is of course the argument in favor to the original intended aspect ratio and visibility of course.

Just like with the different audio mixes*, I would always vote for giving the mature customers the choice. There is no good reason not to include that open matte one with the original colors encoded at decent bitrates on a second blu-ray.

* mentioning that, I for now synced the BD audio to that HTDV version. The surround part is very minor or almost neglectable, but when in doubt to be preferred over the included obscure 2.0 AC3 which eac3to and Audacity even fail to decode properly. If anyone wants to verify it, feel free to send me a PM.

[Beber]

The 1.78.1 does make sense for this one, though, as it reinforces the docu-drama feel of the whole thing since it's rather a TV format. I wouldn't sneeze at an open matte in 1080p either, for sure.

[little-endian]

Oh yes, that would be very nice indeed. I wonder what the source is for that open matte one. Some Web-DL or really a HDTV broadcast as the name implies. The latter would make it interesting as then I'd rather expect something like 720i30/1.001 as I'm not aware of any station transmitting progressive stuff at 24p or 24p/1.001 over DVB but who knows if the release group applied IVTC.

[little-endian]

So I finally jumped through some hoops including gift card purchase and ripping to check Apple's version of this movie.

Turns out that it's (unfortunately) not the open matte, but otherwise has the similarly decent color grading. Even a hint better I'd say, as the open matte one in direct comparison shows a slight greenish tint. Which however to me was not apparent at all when having the "regraded to the max" Blu-ray one next to it.

The Apple Web-DL, coming in 1920x808 (interesting that Apple seems to crop their videos before encoding) is a hint sharper than the 720p open matte and also shows less compression artefacts. No real surprise here, but neither is it night and day. Overall, I still prefer the OM so the search goes on for finding an OM source at higher resolution and bitrate.










(BTW, the "working from bed" - style/scene also has something)

[Beber]

You managed to rip it from Apple? You actually have a free-to-use file with no DRM?

[little-endian]

Yep, a file one can actually use in halfway decent players without paternalism after having spent (again) money on it for the sake of comparison, archival and appreciation of a movie. Crazy, isn't it?

[Beber]

Nice. What's the video bitrate? What about the audio?

[little-endian]

Nothing crazy but compared to Netflix' stingy bitrates (at least for HD content), pretty decent. Although I'm sure to have selected AC3, I got AAC. But for the audio part, I'd probably take the BD track here as well anyway: 

Metadata:
    major_brand     : isom
    minor_version   : 512
    compatible_brands: isomiso2avc1mp41
    title           : The Insider
    artist          : Al Pacino, Russell Crowe, Christopher Plummer
    date            : 1999
    encoder         : Lavf62.1.101
    description     : Jeffrey Wigand was a central witness in the lawsuits filed by Mississippi and 49 other states against the tobacco industry which eventually were settled for 246 billion. Wigand, former head of research and development and a corporate officer at Brown and 
  Duration: 02:37:46.83, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 9994 kb/s
  Stream #0:0[0x1](eng): Video: h264 (High) (avc1 / 0x31637661), yuv420p(tv, bt709, progressive), 1916x808 [SAR 1:1 DAR 479:202], 9831 kb/s, 23.98 fps, 23.98 tbr, 23976 tbn (default)
    Metadata:
      handler_name    : Core Media Video
      vendor_id       : [0][0][0][0]
  Stream #0:1[0x2](eng): Audio: aac (LC) (mp4a / 0x6134706D), 48000 Hz, stereo, fltp, 156 kb/s (default)
    Metadata:
      handler_name    : Core Media Audio
      vendor_id       : [0][0][0][0]
  Stream #0:2[0x3](eng): Subtitle: mov_text (tx3g / 0x67337874), 0 kb/s (default)
    Metadata:
      handler_name    : SubtitleHandler
    Side data:
      unknown side data type 24 (538 bytes)
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