The Descent - 2 different Blu-ray versions CONFIRMED (MPEG-2 vs AVC encoding) - Page 8

Originally Posted by DCIFRTHS

This is truly the only way to view this film. The US ending was horrible. I walked out of the theater with a bad taste in my mouth. It didn't make any sense to me .

When it was released on disk, I watched it at a friends house, as he missed it in the theater, and I was treated to the ending the way it was supposed to be.

Originally Posted by Blacklac

Forgive me, so the AUS disc has a whole different ending than both of the branched US endings?

Originally Posted by DCIFRTHS

Sorry. I didn't mean to imply that. I was told that the AUS ending was the "extended" ending, on the disk, released here in the states.

Don't click the button below if you don't want to know how the movie ends.

Originally Posted by BuGsArEtAsTy

I'm glad I didn't see it in the movie theatre. That would have been disappointing. However, when I did see that scene on the disc, I wondered if it was as a backup for North American audiences. Guess so.

Originally Posted by FoxyMulder

The one i have is MPEG 2 bought from Movietyme and far from sucking it looks excellent....Perhaps you dislike grain.

I will be interested to know though if AVC makes a difference to the image quality so i am looking forward to a comparison screenshot war between the versions.

There is absolutely nothing on the box packaging to suggest the codec used but the packaging does say 6.1 pcm uncompressed audio although the Playstation reads it as 7.1 although i don't have a receiver capable of uncompressed yet so can't say how it plays.

Catalog number on the disc says 20593 if that helps anyone.

Originally Posted by FoxyMulder

It's BVDL-004320A1 10/BVDL-004320B1 7 that i have. Only difference to Lyris is the very last numbers on each...The 10 and 7.

Originally Posted by msgohan

Darn, identical to the MPEG-2 package then.

Originally Posted by msgohan

Well... the good news is I managed to do the exchange and got an AVC copy! The bad news is I wasn't paying attention when I picked it up. I just made sure of the case type and top sticker, then shoved it into the stack of $5 HD DVDs I picked up. Meanwhile there's a massive gash in the front cover and the top of the acetate is cut off! I didn't notice until partway through unwrapping but I checked and there's no slice through the shrinkwrap, so it was hacked up before being sealed!





Here are all of the codes on the data-side rings of my AVC copy.

IFPI L322 A04 BVDL-004320A1 3
IFPI L322 A06 BVDL-004320B1 04

Finally two of us have the same trailing numbers on the BVDL code as this matches Deviation's AVC copy that he also just bought the other day.

Originally Posted by msgohan

Windows just shows the volume labels for both discs as LOGICAL_VOLUME_ID. AnyDVD can actually read them properly.

AVC version: 71843914_DESCENT_BD
MPEG-2 version: 78862892_DESCENT_BD

Just another difference you can only check out if you've got a BD-ROM drive, but interesting nonetheless

Originally Posted by msgohan

Another difference I didn't notice initially, the silk screen art on the AVC disc is much darker than on the MPEG-2 disc. Again probably nothing to do with the disc version as FoxyMulder's MPEG-2 disc pic looks more like my AVC disc than my MPEG-2.



And on the data side, the AVC disc has an added silver ring covering up most of the white backing. This isn't a BV vs EM difference as most of my Lionsgate EMs have it as well. Maybe it's totally random. FoxyMulder, your input is required!



The inserts are different between the BV and EM.
My AVC BV: 9855VQBLURAY3 and 9855VQBLURAY2
FoxyMulder's MPEG-2 BV: 9855VQBLURAY3 (and 9855VQBLURAY2?)
My MPEG-2 EM: 3000006864

Originally Posted by BuGsArEtAsTy

I'm glad I didn't see it in the movie theatre. That would have been disappointing. However, when I did see that scene on the disc, I wondered if it was as a backup for North American audiences. Guess so.

Originally Posted by Kriztoffer Swank

The other copy there is likely an AVC one as well, so if anyone's interested, I could make another trip back to pick it up--but ONLY if you guarantee you'll buy it, even if it turns out to be an MPEG-2 copy. Selling it if it isn't an AVC version is your problem. I may just buy it anyway, crack it open, make sure it's an AVC copy, and then sell it on eBay if nobody here is interested.

Originally Posted by Ruined

I wouldn't stress over AVC vs MPEG2 on this title. Both are crappy looking transfers IMO, and though AVC has more film grain it also makes the chroma errors in the transfer (i.e. easily visible during credits) more pronounced.

Originally Posted by Kriztoffer Swank

Considering the AVC version is one of the most filmic and beautiful HD transfers I've seen, I'd say it is worth tracking down.

Originally Posted by Whiggles

Agreed. It astounds me that anyone could call the AVC encode of THE DESCENT "crappy". Then again, some people are happy with [insert title of crummy-looking BD here]...

Originally Posted by Ralfi

I just bought the Australian version today, but only realised after bringing it home that the back cover only states "DTS HD 5.1" & "DD5.1" (No PCM!). It's probably MPEG 2, knowing how we get shafted down under....

The thing is, it's a BD-50 disc, so i'm wondering if there is infact a PCM track on it & it's just not mentioned on the back cover....

I'm wondering if I order the Original Unrated Cut from amazon, will I be getting the best picture quality version to go along with the PCM audio, which I know it will have???



EDIT:
I've now tested the disc & discovered some good news for Aussies!

To my surprise, the audio IS actually DTS-HDMA, & the video codec is AVC, so i'm relieved now...no need to import imo.

So the audio stated on the back of the Australian versions' cover (DTS HD) is incorrect. It is DTS-HDMA (5.1, according to my PS3), along with the Dolby Digital 5.1 track stated on the cover.

Hope this helps.

Originally Posted by kingkong650

Just to add to what Ralfi said, I already had the US MPEG-2 (ordered from amazon in early 2008 before I knew about these 2 different versions) and after reading about the Australian version being AVC, I ordered myself a copy.

It arrived the other day, i've compared the two and i'll just say that it is head and shoulders better than the US MPEG-2 version. The grain is back and the PQ looks great. I'm pretty amazed at the difference to be honest. There is also no chromatic aberration on the credits or the rest of the lettering in the film, unlike the US AVC version. It's a BD-50 Blu-ray disc as well. However it doesn't have as many extras as the US version, its missing the US ending (sad I know) and it doesn't have spanish subtitles. The colours in certain scenes seem to me to be an improvement on the MPEG-2 version as well IMO. I wouldn't be surprised if this release wasn't the equal, or perhaps better, than the US AVC version. I'd love to see an image comparison done between the australian version and the US AVC version.

Originally Posted by Ruined

This AUS disc sounds like the one I want. Too bad its so darn expensive right now!

Originally Posted by raoul_duke

I'll assume that the Australian disc in the correct 2.35:1 aspect ratio, as the DVD was cropped to 16x9.

its missing the US ending (sad I know)

Originally Posted by msgohan

Another difference I didn't notice initially, the silk screen art on the AVC disc is much darker than on the MPEG-2 disc. Again probably nothing to do with the disc version as FoxyMulder's MPEG-2 disc pic looks more like my AVC disc than my MPEG-2.



And on the data side, the AVC disc has an added silver ring covering up most of the white backing. This isn't a BV vs EM difference as most of my Lionsgate EMs have it as well. Maybe it's totally random. FoxyMulder, your input is required!



The inserts are different between the BV and EM.
My AVC BV: 9855VQBLURAY3 and 9855VQBLURAY2
FoxyMulder's MPEG-2 BV: 9855VQBLURAY3 (and 9855VQBLURAY2?)
My MPEG-2 EM: 3000006864

Still have to compare CRCs of files and check out the JAR structure. Google told me you can extract it using WinRAR to see the directories inside. Also need to make sure both discs are Region Free.

Originally Posted by butsu

I didn't buy it yet cause many said this previous version cannot playback on many BD player even after FW. update,so this one I must.

Originally Posted by PooperScooper

?? You forgot the smiley.

larry

Originally Posted by kingkong650

Nah, just an english habit of deadpanning I haven't got rid of yet.