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Last Samurai audio problem FIXED in newer copies!

post #1 of 29
12/26/06 at 9:05am
Thread Starter 
Just wanted to let you guys know, to do a little experiment I just recently (12/15) ordered a copy of Last Samurai HD DVD off Amazon.com. Knowing that this title was one of the release titles which had major audio problems (way too low audio), I wanted to see if it had been fixed.

Well, in short - it has! The copy I got has approximately the same volume as other HD DVDs I have. Just a heads up

I think I'll snag MDB and POTO at amazon and see if these are fixed as well.
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post #2 of 29
12/26/06 at 9:12am
I got a copy of POTO from buy.com last week, low audio still.

Probably not quite as much turnover at buy.com so it's possible I got an older copy.
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post #3 of 29
12/26/06 at 9:16am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by ShagMan View Post

I got a copy of POTO from buy.com last week, low audio still.

Probably not quite as much turnover at buy.com so it's possible I got an older copy.

Yeah, there are definitely a lot of low audio POTOs out there still (that is, if this title has even been repressed). I bought one at target in November and it was still messed up. I could tell it was an older pressing, though, as it had the super-sticky HD DVD security label that left glue all over the top. I would guess Buy has a much lower turnover than Amazon.
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post #4 of 29
12/26/06 at 10:57am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ruined View Post

Yeah, there are definitely a lot of low audio POTOs out there still (that is, if this title has even been repressed). I bought one at target in November and it was still messed up. I could tell it was an older pressing, though, as it had the super-sticky HD DVD security label that left glue all over the top. I would guess Buy has a much lower turnover than Amazon.

Btw, you can remove that sticky crud with "Goo Gone" and a paper towel.
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post #5 of 29
12/26/06 at 12:52pm
Until there is a way to buy the fixed version 100$ for sure, I won't buy at all.
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post #6 of 29
12/26/06 at 12:58pm
The only problem is that the volume is low. It is easily fixed by turning the voume up.
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post #7 of 29
12/26/06 at 1:02pm
No, it is NOT. No matter what you do you cannot fix the loss in dynamic range. I tried and tried and tried and it simply never sounded even close to the SD-DVD or HBO HD broadcasts. It was severely lacking in punch and depth. That is why it was only a Netflix rental for me.

If I can somehow buy the corrected version, I would do so immediately.
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post #8 of 29
12/26/06 at 3:18pm
I could have sworn that I noticed a copy of this that had a slightly different look on the back of the HD DVD case

I wonder if that is the way to find out if you have a fixed copy of TLS
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post #9 of 29
12/26/06 at 4:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ruined View Post

Just wanted to let you guys know, to do a little experiment I just recently (12/15) ordered a copy of Last Samurai HD DVD off Amazon.com. Knowing that this title was one of the release titles which had major audio problems (way too low audio), I wanted to see if it had been fixed.

Well, in short - it has! The copy I got has approximately the same volume as other HD DVDs I have. Just a heads up

I think I'll snag MDB and POTO at amazon and see if these are fixed as well.

Can you post a scan of the back so we can see if there is any difference between the old one and the new one?
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post #10 of 29
12/26/06 at 4:53pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by jmgonzalez View Post

I wonder if that is the way to find out if you have a fixed copy of TLS

The original pressing master ID #s were 7Y 80934V4.1A VD03 and VDO6. I think V4.1A is the encoding version. These codes are found around the spindle hole. I assume a newer master would be uniquely identified.

Perhaps the OP could tell us what his disc shows.

FYI, the audio mixing levels are controlled by the disc interactive layer, HDi. The HDi characteristics of a disc can be updated via persistent memory to correct the mixing levels as well as alter the disc menus. Apparently the instructions to effect this update can be embedded in a later title from the same studio. Last time I inquired, Amir stated that WHV has not released this magic title yet. Now if the OPs pressing master ID #s are the same as above, then perhaps they have.
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post #11 of 29
12/26/06 at 4:58pm
Ruined, can you scan the cover, front & back + spine?
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post #12 of 29
12/26/06 at 5:32pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Matt_Stevens View Post

No, it is NOT. No matter what you do you cannot fix the loss in dynamic range. I tried and tried and tried and it simply never sounded even close to the SD-DVD or HBO HD broadcasts. It was severely lacking in punch and depth. That is why it was only a Netflix rental for me.

If I can somehow buy the corrected version, I would do so immediately.

I never had that problem with my Denon 3806 and SVS Subwoofer.
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post #13 of 29
12/26/06 at 5:36pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by hawkeye3.1 View Post

The original pressing master ID #s were 7Y 80934V4.1A VD03 and VDO6. I think V4.1A is the encoding version. These codes are found around the spindle hole. I assume a newer master would be uniquely identified.

Perhaps the OP could tell us what his disc shows.

FYI, the audio mixing levels are controlled by the disc interactive layer, HDi. The HDi characteristics of a disc can be updated via persistent memory to correct the mixing levels as well as alter the disc menus. Apparently the instructions to effect this update can be embedded in a later title from the same studio. Last time I inquired, Amir stated that WHV has not released this magic title yet. Now if the OPs pressing master ID #s are the same as above, then perhaps they have.

My copy has the above ID# except it ends in VD09. I haven't actually played the movie yet, but while doing an A to B comparison with the SD-DVD, I did not feel the audio had to be boosted. So I'll put it in now to check again...and indeed, the volume seems a bit "low" on TLS, at least during the first 10 minutes. Compared to Batman Begins. But maybe my copy of TLS is louder than the previous versions.

I got my copy from Amazon right before Christmas, so if Amazon has "newer, louder" versions, I didn't get one, or the low volume version is _really_ low volume.

shinksma
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post #14 of 29
12/26/06 at 8:06pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by hawkeye3.1 View Post

The original pressing master ID #s were 7Y 80934V4.1A VD03 and VDO6.

My copy:
Outer circle: 7Y 80934V4.1.A VD09
Inner circle (reversed): 7Y 80934V4.1.B VD09

The above poster has the VD09 as well and says sound level is fine. Looks like that may be the difference in the repressing. I wonder if this disc also corrects the other two launch discs with low volume?

Don't have time to make a scan tonight, but I can tomorrow. However, my cover is identical to the one on DVDEMPIRE both front and back. The # on the spine is 80934, which I am guessing is not different either. Its also worthwhile to mention that I haven't played any of the newer Warner movies.

I would go with AMAZON for the VD09 version which seems to have levels corrected.
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post #15 of 29
12/26/06 at 8:29pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ren28 View Post

Btw, you can remove that sticky crud with "Goo Gone" and a paper towel.

Thanks for the heads up! I hate those Warner super stickers! lol. It takes me like 10 minutes to get it off.......I should get me some of that "Goo Gone".
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post #16 of 29
12/26/06 at 11:36pm
wow i bought this movie a couple of hours ago and it sounded awesome and looks good to. maybe cause i also bought goodfellas and compared to it, it looks alot better lol
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post #17 of 29
12/27/06 at 12:37am
I just received my copy from Buy a week ago and it's the VD06 pressing. Perhaps I'll just buy the Blu-ray version since it's not a reference quality disc anyway.
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post #18 of 29
12/27/06 at 1:02am
mine is

7y 80934v4.1 vd09


let me add i got it at target like around 7 pm tuesday. and it looks awesome and sounds awesome definatly tier 1
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post #19 of 29
12/27/06 at 1:33am
sorry for the crappy pictures




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post #20 of 29
12/27/06 at 3:24am
I have the vd09 from target as well. I have to go 10db higher on my system to get the sound to match every other hd-dvd/dvd I have.


I remember the first time I watched it. I bumped up the volume 4 or 5 times during the movie and wondered what was wrong with my gear. Then I remembered that I had read that the audio was low on this. I dont really care either way but, I doubt there is any difference with my newer vd09 vs. the vd06.
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post #21 of 29
12/27/06 at 7:09am
Who owns the rights in Europe? Perhaps it will be corrected for an HD-DVD release over there.
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post #22 of 29
12/27/06 at 11:09am
Quote:
Originally Posted by DMRSX View Post

I just received my copy from Buy a week ago and it's the VD06 pressing. Perhaps I'll just buy the Blu-ray version since it's not a reference quality disc anyway.

Speak for yourself. I still think it's one of the best looking discs out there and sound terrific even if I have to turn my volume up a little for the TruHD
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post #23 of 29
12/27/06 at 1:23pm
So now there is doubt about this? What's the truth? And is the BD release also suffering from low audio?
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post #24 of 29
12/30/06 at 2:48am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Matt_Stevens View Post

So now there is doubt about this? What's the truth? And is the BD release also suffering from low audio?

I told ya, I have one with VD09 on the disc and the volume is the same as all my other HD DVDs. The dynamic range is excellent - in fact I had to turn it down during the battle scenes. Buy it from AMAZON and you shouldn't have a problem. I have POTO and MDB also on order from there and we'll see how those turn out.

Note that I did own an old pressing of POTO at one point and I know how low it was - I had to turn it up like +10db at least to get proper levels.
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post #25 of 29
12/30/06 at 7:21am
For the dualies* out there, the Blu-ray version of The Last Samurai has what I would call "normal" audio level. I will add that the 640 kb/s standard Dolby Digital encode sounds terrific.


* dualie is a new word I made up for those of us that buy movies, not formats, and have the required hardware for that hobby.
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post #26 of 29
12/30/06 at 10:49am
The drift I am getting from the different posts is that someone cannot tell whether a copy in the store is the original version or the recent version simply by looking at the outside jacket.

Is this correct?
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post #27 of 29
12/30/06 at 10:50am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sony#1 View Post

The drift I am getting from the different posts is that someone cannot tell whether a copy in the store is the original version or the recent version simply by looking at the outside jacket.

Is this correct?

Yup.
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post #28 of 29
12/30/06 at 6:17pm
I just received my copy from buy.com two days ago and it is vd03/vd06. My HT gear is back at school so I haven't watched it yet, is the dynamic range really lacking or is it just a volume issue? I can live with a volume issue, but knowing I'm not getting the dynamic range is going to eat at me every time I watch the film.
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post #29 of 29
1/1/07 at 10:51pm
Thread Starter 
Damn, I think I made an error. Maybe I left Dialog Normalization on?

To verify that TLS was a new pressing, I checked the file dates in explorer with the 360 drive hooked to my pc: all of them were 4/3/2006. Therefore, it looks like though this is a new pressing, it is the same authoring as the first. So, until further notice don't buy anything; I'll let you know what else I can find out with further testing.
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