Video Quality Observation/Question

[redwein]

I have watched several movies on Vudu and I have to say that the overall video quality is excellent. I have noticed something though and I was wondering if anyone else has. It seems that for the very detailed part of the picture, the quality is outstanding, but for areas where there are large expanses of low detail and similar, though not identical color (e.g. the sky), the pictures looks noticeably blocky. This is going over HDMI to a 1080p TVs. I'm assuming that the compression just gives lower preference to the lower detail portion of the images to save space. Is that accurate?

[NA9D]

Re: Video Quality Observation/Question

I notice the same thing with just about any digital media be it on satellite, cable, DVD or Vudu. The fact is that the digital color gamut is just not sufficiently large enough to allow accurate shading in low light conditions or in areas where there is shadowing or nearly imperceptible changes in color. I even see it on broadcast HD.

It also could be in the source material Vudu gets from the studios.

Keep in mind that a DVD is compressed already but is something like what - 3 or 4 Gig in size? Maybe more - 7 or 8 maybe. Vudu gets everything down to about 1.5 Gig. Yeah, they are using H.264 which is a far more efficient compression/transport mechanism than MPEG-2, but it's still going to have some compression artifacts. I've just resigned myself to the fact that no matter what I do I will see the artifacts in any digital media.

[redwein]

Re: Video Quality Observation/Question

Actually I'm happy with the tradeoff. It was more just a curiosity. Like I said, the detailed portions of the image are amazing to me. About the other digital media, I have both Comcast and DirecTV and don't really notice anything like that. I was watching CSI:Miami last night in HD and marveling at how gorgeous the colors of the sky and water were.

[Nded]

Re: Video Quality Observation/Question

....snip..... I was watching CSI:Miami last night in HD and marveling at how gorgeous the colors of the sky and water were.

That's something us Florida residents take for granted...

[RonV]

Re: Video Quality Observation/Question

I have both Comcast and DirecTV and don't really notice anything like that.

I can see artifacts on DirecTV's HD service. They are really apparent when Sunday fooball games are running and you tune into Discovery HD. They still play bandwidth balancing games to give the sports folks the best pictures....

[redwein]

Re: Video Quality Observation/Question

I can see artifacts on DirecTV's HD service. They are really apparent when Sunday fooball games are running and you tune into Discovery HD. They still play bandwidth balancing games to give the sports folks the best pictures....

I have both DirecTV and Comcast and it does seem that HD quality is better on Comcast (in San Jose, anyway) than DirecTV. That's one of the reasons I am switching. I'm now only keeping DirecTV for NFL Sunday Ticket and for our RV (until they come up with an in-motion cable solution ).

[mag12203]

Re: Video Quality Observation/Question

Hi I am a new member and owner of the Vudu box. I read a lot of information about the picture quality being almost as good as or better then DVD. I rented a couple of movies already, I Robot, Hot Fuz and X Men, and I did see the the kind of picture quality I expected. I play DVD's on an Oppo player so I am comparing that kind of quality. The selection is fair and I can be patient for it to get better but the picture really matters. I have the Vudu hooked up to HDMI to a Onkyo SR 674 receiver any my television is a rear projection Toshiba.

[NA9D]

Re: Video Quality Observation/Question

I did see the the kind of picture quality I expected.

Is that a good thing?

[mag12203]

Re: Video Quality Observation/Question

typo. I do not see the kind of pic quality I expected.

[NA9D]

Re: Video Quality Observation/Question

typo. I do not see the kind of pic quality I expected.

OK. What was lacking in the picture quality? How can it be improved? Try renting 300 and tell us if that is good.

[redwein]

Re: Video Quality Observation/Question

He may be referring to what I mentioned in my original post on this thread. I'm not complaining but the artifacts I described are certainly not present on any DVD I have ever seen. Of course I'm not surprised or bothered by it because I think the overall picture quality is great and I value the instant play capability more than any improvement in picture quality from what it is. In fact, I may prefer the SD movies even when HD is available if the HD movies can't start instantly.

[NA9D]

Re: Video Quality Observation/Question

I figured it might be some of the banding or other artifacts. That's why I am curious. I guess I've resigned myself to it. When I had Dish Network I saw that sort of thing all the time.

I did watch Pitch Black on Friday night and that had some really dark scenes that had some significant banding. It could have been in the source material though as 300 had a lot of dark scenes and I didn't see any artifacts in that movie. So I am interested in anyone's comments on what they feel is lacking in picture quality..I tend to notice a lot of artifacts, but as I've stated before I've grown to accept them in the digital world. Maybe that's a bad thing!

Anyhow, HD content should be instant if you have a fast enough network...

[mag12203]

Re: Video Quality Observation/Question

The only way I can describe it is the color is not as natural as as on a DVD. I will rent 300 this weekend and try to give a you specific feedback. Again I am used to the Oppo DVD player and I was able to tell the difference with other players instantly.

[NA9D]

Re: Video Quality Observation/Question

Well, it wouldn't surprise me if color looks different on different sources. Redwein suggested some sort of calibration utility or video to be included with the Vudu which is not a bad idea. I would like to get a better handle on what you describe though. Unfortunately, 300 might not be a real good candidate for that as the colors in 300 aren't very natural anyhow!

And don't take offense to this, but when has Hollywood ever used natural color - at least recently. Look at TV shows - CSI Miami always has the orange tint to it. CSI New York the blue tint. Battlestar Galactica is always sorta shadowy and dark. 300 has a limited color gamut or some sort of odd lighting that gives it an ethereal feel to it.

I know it's very subjective, but the folks at Vudu definitely want feedback and your comments are really valuable!

Jon

[mag12203]

Re: Video Quality Observation/Question

I agree that a calibration feature would be important so that members/customers would know they are get the best video/audio output the Vudu box is capable. I looked at the preview of 330 and it is not a movie that I can evaulate for color. Do you have any other suggestions so that I can compare?