http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/5893/thesiegeus.jpghttp://img156.imageshack.us/img156/1343/thesiegeau.jpg

17.05Mbps MPEG-2 | Blu-ray | United States | Fox | 2009-06-09
34.12Mbps AVC | Blu-ray | Australia | Fox | 2009-08-05

USA bitrate and frame size/type graphs
http://img30.imageshack.us/img30/6214/siegeusbitrate01s.pnghttp://img21.imageshack.us/img21/4733/siegeusframesize.png
http://img30.imageshack.us/img30/9223/siegeusframetypecount.pnghttp://img193.imageshack.us/img193/4571/siegeusframetypesize.png

Australia bitrate and frame size/type graphs
http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/9099/siegeaubitrate01s.pnghttp://img21.imageshack.us/img21/2811/siegeauframesize.png
http://img30.imageshack.us/img30/6185/siegeauframetypecount.pnghttp://img197.imageshack.us/img197/6048/siegeauframetypesize.png
Screencap comparison - Mouseovers here (http://comparescreenshots.slicx.com/comparison/14121/) (click Stop on this thread to not waste time downloading from both servers)
http://chidragon.thedessie.com/bdcomp/thesiegecomp/0-01-52_A.pnghttp://chidragon.thedessie.com/bdcomp/thesiegecomp/0-01-52_B.png
http://chidragon.thedessie.com/bdcomp/thesiegecomp/0-02-49_A.pnghttp://chidragon.thedessie.com/bdcomp/thesiegecomp/0-02-49_B.png
http://chidragon.thedessie.com/bdcomp/thesiegecomp/0-05-53_A.pnghttp://chidragon.thedessie.com/bdcomp/thesiegecomp/0-05-53_B.png
http://chidragon.thedessie.com/bdcomp/thesiegecomp/0-06-43_A.pnghttp://chidragon.thedessie.com/bdcomp/thesiegecomp/0-06-43_B.png
http://chidragon.thedessie.com/bdcomp/thesiegecomp/0-20-54_A.pnghttp://chidragon.thedessie.com/bdcomp/thesiegecomp/0-20-54_B.png
http://chidragon.thedessie.com/bdcomp/thesiegecomp/0-55-02_A.pnghttp://chidragon.thedessie.com/bdcomp/thesiegecomp/0-55-02_B.png
http://chidragon.thedessie.com/bdcomp/thesiegecomp/0-56-21_A.pnghttp://chidragon.thedessie.com/bdcomp/thesiegecomp/0-56-21_B.png
http://chidragon.thedessie.com/bdcomp/thesiegecomp/0-56-41_A.pnghttp://chidragon.thedessie.com/bdcomp/thesiegecomp/0-56-41_B.png
http://chidragon.thedessie.com/bdcomp/thesiegecomp/1-42-21_A.pnghttp://chidragon.thedessie.com/bdcomp/thesiegecomp/1-42-21_B.png

The "Martial Law Edition" DVD was released on 2007-05-15. Judging by the 2007-05-01 author dates on the US Blu-ray, I believe they were originally intended to be released in tandem. Why the Blu-ray was delayed for so long is anybody's guess...

So. 34Mbps AVC versus MPEG-2 at literally half the bitrate. Gee, I wonder which is better? Yeah. The predicted frames of the AVC encode beat the I-frames of the MPEG-2.

Aside from the obvious advantages during high-motion shots, mostly what the AVC buys you is actual reproduction of the grain/noise present in the master. The low bitrate MPEG-2 ends up turning it into a veil of mushiness over the picture throughout the movie.

Kinda tough to demonstrate that with screencaps since it's the shifting nature that's most noticeable.

Note that the Australian release is locked to Regions B and C, and I imagine the various EU releases are locked as well. But the Brazilian release uses the AVC encode and is Region A. Not sure about Mexico. Maybe only the US and Canada got shafted with the MPEG-2 disc.

US has the inferior PQ blu-ray. 17 mbps mpeg-2 sheesh. Ok maybe its not too bad if you have a 20 inch "HDTV" ;)

You know they say don't complain if you have a pretty good HT system. Its your fault if you see the crap :D

But the Brazilian release uses the AVC encode and is Region A.

So is the Hong Kong release, easy to pick up from YesAsia.com; not only do the Brazilian and Hong Kong releases feature the quality transfer, and are region-free, but they also contain all the extras from the Martial Law DVD, plus another.

The Siege is also available on Blu-ray in Hong Kong. Which is region A.

http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-by-49-en-15-the+siege-70-3h0l.html

Though its hard to say if it is the MPEG-2 or AVC encode.

The Siege is also available on Blu-ray in Hong Kong. Which is region A. Though its hard to say if it is the MPEG-2 or AVC encode.

Dude, I just said it was the same encode as the Brazilian disc (AVC) right above your post. :rolleyes:

Cover art is pathetic. Just terrible. Screen caps show us that static shots look pretty much the same, while shots in motion are superior, easily, with the AVC encode.

Once a great movie, though now completely unrealistic because of tragic occurrences in history. The "we brought it on ourselves" plot angle always bothered me, but since 9/11 it just pisses me off.

There is not actually much in it, but the AVC encode is better.

Dude, I just said it was the same encode as the Brazilian disc (AVC) right above your post. :rolleyes:

You are right. Somehow I completely missed that post! :eek:

So is the Hong Kong release, easy to pick up from YesAsia.com; not only do the Brazilian and Hong Kong releases feature the quality transfer, and are region-free, but they also contain all the extras from the Martial Law DVD, plus another.

Another...?

The Play-Asia link lists only DD and not lossless (DTS-MA)

http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-...e-70-3h0l.html

Another...?

The YesAsia link lists only DD and not lossless (DTS-MA)

:confused:

http://www.yesasia.com/us/the-siege-blu-ray-hong-kong-version/1020507102-0-0-0-en/info.html

Sound Information: Dolby Digital 2.0, DTS-HD Master Audio, Dolby Digital 5.1

The additional extra is the "Inside the Mind of a Suicide Bomber" featurette from the UK "Definitive Edition" DVD.

Another...?

The YesAsia link lists only DD and not lossless (DTS-MA)

Yeah, what hlwl and msgohan said! ;)

Yeah, what hlwl and msgohan said! ;)

Fixed it, I meant the Play-Asia. YesAsia does list the lossless track.