×
  • remind me tomorrow
  • remind me next week
  • never remind me
Subscribe to the ANN Newsletter • Wake up every Sunday to a curated list of ANN's most interesting posts of the week. read more

Forum - View topic
ADV DVD video quality vs other companies


Goto page 1, 2  Next

Anime News Network Forum Index -> General -> Anime
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
kusanagi-sama



Joined: 22 Aug 2004
Posts: 1723
Location: Wichita Falls, TX
PostPosted: Wed Jun 08, 2005 10:34 pm Reply with quote
People have recently been saying that ADV has poor video quality on their DVD's.

Well, I might see what they have been seeing. It seems to be occurring randomly on certain releases, and it seems to occur especially on Peacemaker Kurogane (furthermore called PMK in the rest of the post).

While ADV's video is sharp, certain releases have color gradient issues. Both the NewType Mag DVD episode of PMK had color gradient issues, and the DVD of PMK also has color gradient issues. I didn't really think about it since most of the anime I have right now is from ADV, I just thought it was because of the way my DVD player transferred video across the component cables. However after watching both Fruits Basket and Please Twins, both of these were extremely clean, clear and sharp, with no color gradient issues, I surmised that ADV must have a problem with its DVD video transfer hardware (DVD Author and Encoder). ADV's author and encoder is M.O.F.C, and I'm under the assumption that FUNimation and Bandai have their own equipment

Oh, and the issue doesn't seem to show up with Elfen Lied.


Last edited by kusanagi-sama on Wed Jun 08, 2005 10:56 pm; edited 1 time in total
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message AIM Address Yahoo Messenger My Anime My Manga
Aromatic Grass



Joined: 31 Dec 2003
Posts: 2424
Location: Raleigh, NC
PostPosted: Wed Jun 08, 2005 10:53 pm Reply with quote
kusanagi-sama wrote:
People have recently been saying that ADV has poor video quality on their DVD's.

Well, I might see what they have been seeing. It seems to be occurring randomly on certain releases, and it seems to occur especially on Peacemaker Kurogane (furthermore called PMK in the rest of the post).

While ADV's video is sharp, certain releases have color gradient issues. Both the NewType Mag DVD episode of PMK had color gradient issues, and the DVD of PMK also has color gradient issues. I didn't really think about it since most of the anime I have right now is from ADV, I just thought it was because of the way my DVD player transferred video across the component cables. However after watching both Fruits Basket and Please Twins, both of these were extremely clean, clear and sharp, with no color gradient issues, I surmised that ADV must have a problem with its DVD video transfer hardware (DVD Author and Encoder). ADV's author and encoder is M.O.F.C, and I'm under the assumption that FUNimation and Bandai have their own equipment

Oh, and the issue don't seem to show up with Elfen Lied.


Yeah, I have noticed this through a lot of Newtype-USA DVDs. I've also seen Elfen Lied, and I agree that it doesn't show up there. (That makes a nice, clear picture for all of that graphic...stuff...)
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website My Anime My Manga
kusanagi-sama



Joined: 22 Aug 2004
Posts: 1723
Location: Wichita Falls, TX
PostPosted: Wed Jun 08, 2005 10:55 pm Reply with quote
I wonder if ADV knows about their replicator problems on particular DVDs?

Oh, and that NewType USA DVD sampler with that episode (3?) of PMK also had macroblocking.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message AIM Address Yahoo Messenger My Anime My Manga
DKL



Joined: 08 May 2005
Posts: 1960
Location: California, USA
PostPosted: Thu Jun 09, 2005 12:25 am Reply with quote
I'm not tech person, but I guess I can only limit myself to what I see...

okey dokey... FUNIMATION, FRUITS BASKET looks really clean mainly since it looks like a really high quality VCR tape or something, so you won't notice stuff like that gradient thingy

same goes with BERSERK from... anime works right?

but the problem is, the colors are dried out and stuff... it feels more ANALOG than digital

anyway, ADV has this transfers that really look like DVD quality, but the problem is they have stuff like that gradient thing, aliasing and shimmering *which was all over the AoD forums*

I've seen it on FUMOFFU, I've seen it in CRO High

... actually, FB and Berserk are pretty okay by me... For some reason, not seeing jaggy edges and having soft color thingies look nice to me... this is why I still like video tape some times... execpt for the crappy sound quality...

but to be frank, GENEON has the best if you ask me, TEXHNOLYZE and PARANOIA AGENT are very good examples of those... high end digital type transfers *or whatever*

GUNGRAVE is pretty boss too... well, a lot of GENEON's new stuff is wonderful

the colors aren't all drowned out, and the lines are crisp and stuff

as for ADV... they just need to fix it, but they seem to have the right idea... but really, sometimes you notice their issues even though it's suppose to be like a higher end transfer... thingy

yup, that was incoherent, but that's what I have to say *yay*
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
kusanagi-sama



Joined: 22 Aug 2004
Posts: 1723
Location: Wichita Falls, TX
PostPosted: Thu Jun 09, 2005 6:42 am Reply with quote
I was looking at AoD for reviews on PMK, so:

Quote:
Video:
Originally airing in 2003, the transfer for this show is presented in its original full frame aspect ratio. With the show taking place in older times, there's the standard color palette used for it and the colors in general are fairly muted and earthy. There aren't a lot of really vibrant moments and even things like the bloody scenes are done with dark reds and not bright shades. Some of the night time backgrounds, which use a bit of a softer set of blues to it, showed a bit of blocking in a couple of scenes but not too much that was distracting. The main problem that comes across with the transfer is inherent in the source with the amount of color gradation that's visible. It's not in every scene but there are a number of sequences where it shows strongly, particularly with the darkly colored kimono's. Colors in general look really good and cross coloration is blissfully absent as well as being very minimal in regards to aliasing.


So, essentially, the color gradient issue is due to the original source, not ADV's fault.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message AIM Address Yahoo Messenger My Anime My Manga
Keonyn
Subscriber



Joined: 25 May 2005
Posts: 5567
Location: Coon Rapids, MN
PostPosted: Thu Jun 09, 2005 8:03 am Reply with quote
DKL wrote:
I'm not tech person, but I guess I can only limit myself to what I see...

okey dokey... FUNIMATION, FRUITS BASKET looks really clean mainly since it looks like a really high quality VCR tape or something, so you won't notice stuff like that gradient thingy

same goes with BERSERK from... anime works right?

but the problem is, the colors are dried out and stuff... it feels more ANALOG than digital

anyway, ADV has this transfers that really look like DVD quality, but the problem is they have stuff like that gradient thing, aliasing and shimmering *which was all over the AoD forums*

I've seen it on FUMOFFU, I've seen it in CRO High

... actually, FB and Berserk are pretty okay by me... For some reason, not seeing jaggy edges and having soft color thingies look nice to me... this is why I still like video tape some times... execpt for the crappy sound quality...

but to be frank, GENEON has the best if you ask me, TEXHNOLYZE and PARANOIA AGENT are very good examples of those... high end digital type transfers *or whatever*

GUNGRAVE is pretty boss too... well, a lot of GENEON's new stuff is wonderful

the colors aren't all drowned out, and the lines are crisp and stuff

as for ADV... they just need to fix it, but they seem to have the right idea... but really, sometimes you notice their issues even though it's suppose to be like a higher end transfer... thingy

yup, that was incoherent, but that's what I have to say *yay*


On some of those titles it's not so much the color is drowned out, it's that it is simply the way the colors were done by the animators. You don't always want bright, vibrant colors. A muted palette has alot of uses artistically and can exist for reasons other than a video transfer.

Generally tape quality isn't going to effect color so much as clarity and graininess of the image anyways. As for funimation, they may not have the greatest titles, but the titles of theirs I own are very good quality. Not to mention I think Funimation tends to have some of the best packaging, especially noticeable with their FMA releases, which has pretty vibrant colors in it as well if you ask me. Now GSG doesn't really have alot of vibrant color, but in that particular title it really wouldn't work, but it's still there in some scenes.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website My Anime My Manga
DKL



Joined: 08 May 2005
Posts: 1960
Location: California, USA
PostPosted: Thu Jun 09, 2005 10:42 am Reply with quote
actually, I don't know the proper term...

but still, FUNIMATION titles I've seen look really ANALOG *Fruits Basket included*

a good example of an old title that uses somewhat washed-out colors, but feels DIGITAL, are the DISNEY RELEASES like NAUSICAA (a very good example)

I don't like the one for KIKI though, it looks terrible even though it feels digital *which is too bad considering it's one of my favorite movies*

there's aliasing and shimmering everywhere on that one... plus when you watch in ENGLISH, the digital altering of some pictures just murders the video quality

so yeah, my vocabulary is limited to ANALOG and DIGITAL Confused
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
kusanagi-sama



Joined: 22 Aug 2004
Posts: 1723
Location: Wichita Falls, TX
PostPosted: Thu Jun 09, 2005 11:02 am Reply with quote
My guess is that you have a really old TV. I don't see what you see in Fruits Basket, and its my belief that the colors used in FB are intentional, and it really isn't necessary to have bright flashy colors to have a good story.

Which connection are you using to your TV from your DVD player?
Coax <--worst (only on VCRs or DVD/VCR combos)
Composite (L+R Audio+Video)
S-Video
Component (Y+Pb+Pr) <-- best
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message AIM Address Yahoo Messenger My Anime My Manga
DKL



Joined: 08 May 2005
Posts: 1960
Location: California, USA
PostPosted: Thu Jun 09, 2005 11:10 am Reply with quote
actually, I have a crappy ass TV, but then I have a mini-DVD player, and the LCD is just fine...

I dunno, it's kinda obvious even on a lame TV... you just look at it, and it's there

but to be honest, I do like the quality on FB mainly since there aren't any of the distracting issues you'd get like the ones on ADV's releases... *as far as my eyes are concerned*

for proof on FUNi's quality though, I'll direct you to a thread in AoD

here:

http://forums.animeondvd.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=1011837&page=4&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1

more specifically, here: (see the post by Slerch666)

http://forums.animeondvd.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=1004833&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Keonyn
Subscriber



Joined: 25 May 2005
Posts: 5567
Location: Coon Rapids, MN
PostPosted: Thu Jun 09, 2005 11:30 am Reply with quote
Really? I see nothing wrong with Kiki's and the quality always seemed quite good for a reworked piece of animation of its age. I've not seen Fruits Basket, my judgement of Funimation is based solely on Fullmetal Alchemist and Gunslinger Girl as those are the only Funimation titles I've really watched or own to date.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website My Anime My Manga
DKL



Joined: 08 May 2005
Posts: 1960
Location: California, USA
PostPosted: Thu Jun 09, 2005 11:35 am Reply with quote
actually, with KIKI, I thought it was just me, but after seeing NAUSICAA and PORCO ROSSO

I was really surprised to find out that I was right *Porco is alomost as old, Nausicaa is a lot older*

not only does the quality suffer when they digitally replace things *like the sign for Kiki's shop*

but they made the DVD a pain in the ass... for some reason, I can't switch between languages or turn the subs on and off

but by all means, the KIKI DVD felt really... you know, high resolution and crap

I dunno, I can only describe what I see... and for the most part, it doesn't matter if I had a good quality TV or set-up or not, I have the mini-DVD player, and I more or less point out the same things...

as far as FUNi is concerned, I really have no problems with the video looking so... analog-ish, I'm just pointing out the obvious *but yeah, it could be just me, I dunno... if you like it though, than you like it*

anyway, I won't NOT buy anything even if the video quality isn't so hot *I did get the US TOEI releases... now THOSE are analog, but not distracting to me*
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
kusanagi-sama



Joined: 22 Aug 2004
Posts: 1723
Location: Wichita Falls, TX
PostPosted: Thu Jun 09, 2005 11:37 am Reply with quote
As for the dual angles on FUNimation DVDs, they are nice, but I do notice that the english version angle of the openings are sharper and more vivid than the Japanese version. I like how FUNimation also does an english version of an opening or closing song depending on how well it sounds in English.

Burst Angel's closing song done in English sounds just as good as the Japanese version.

Tenchi GXP's opening in English wasn't as good as the Japanese version.

Due to these dual angles and dual audio openings, FUNimation's video quality will be lower than that of Geneon, Bandai or ADV.

I do have a 27" JVC I-Art flatscreen TV with at least 600 scanlines, so I notice the difference in video quality on DVD, and on one non anime DVD, which was Minority Report, they did a direct transfer of the 35mm film, so the film was grainy instead of nice and sharp.

DKL wrote:
but they made the DVD a pain in the ass... for some reason, I can't switch between languages or turn the subs on and off


That is actually due to the fact that your DVD player is incompatible with the authoring process they used. BTW, what brand and how old is your DVD player
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message AIM Address Yahoo Messenger My Anime My Manga
DKL



Joined: 08 May 2005
Posts: 1960
Location: California, USA
PostPosted: Thu Jun 09, 2005 11:41 am Reply with quote
I actually appreciate the dual OP and ED... that was pretty cool... but it's obvious that the video will be lowered... but I dunno, I'm fine with it

for KIKI:

umm... I used 3 players, on old one, one newer mini-DVD and the newest one I have...

none of them will let me make the switch... it's just for KIKI though, I never encountered this kind of problem with any other DVD

maybe it's becaause they have to load the stuff that was digitally replaced?

I dunno, I'm lazy and I hate it when it's a pain to do things *I am THAT lazy*

so to change languages and turn the subs on and off... I had to go back to the main menu and stuff... which is totally lame Sad
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Kruszer



Joined: 19 Nov 2004
Posts: 7992
Location: Minnesota, USA
PostPosted: Thu Jun 09, 2005 2:14 pm Reply with quote
I have some of ADV's titles but I've only really noticed a few pooor quality transfers the worst being Robotech which was also playing really glitchy on my old player. The older titles like that one I don't expect to look fantastic though as the original material was videotape rather than digital as most of the newer stuff is mastered in now. The newest stuff I've bought like Elfen Lied, Madlax, Full Metal Panic Complete Collection, and the RahXephon Complete Collection seem fine though.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message My Anime My Manga
DKL



Joined: 08 May 2005
Posts: 1960
Location: California, USA
PostPosted: Thu Jun 09, 2005 3:14 pm Reply with quote
wait, then what's ROBOTECH REMASTERED? How's that?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
Reply to topic    Anime News Network Forum Index -> General -> Anime All times are GMT - 5 Hours
Goto page 1, 2  Next
Page 1 of 2

 


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group