Region1 vs Region2 Picture Quality

[Tempest]

Just a simple one really.

Do you feel there's any noticable difference (if viewed side by side) between a Region1 or 2 DVD ?

Also, does it actually make any difference on a PC screen where you are not stretching the image to fit any particular shape/screen ?

Thanks

[GuyMH]

While many of the forum members will say that there is no significant difference between region 1 and region 2 picture quality, I would have to say that I definately prefer the quality of a PAL transfer over that of an NTSC disc. I didn't feel there was anything wrong with NTSC images until I placed a region 2 disc in straight after for comparison purposes. I was a little suprised to find the PAL picture was sharper and with less shimmer.

[KeyserSoze]

i was going to say something about the PC screen

i notice no difference on PC, only on TV

i dont know how PAL and NTSC works, but cant you buy a TV which handles NTSC without those black lines across the screen and jerky movement like a PC monitor ?

[Michael Brooke]

Since a DVD's region code has nothing whatever to do with the picture quality, it's clearly a trick question and I claim my £1 million prize! :D

[Idle Child]

Originally posted by Tempest
Just a simple one really.

Do you feel there's any noticable difference (if viewed side by side) between a Region1 or 2 DVD ?

actually, i do feel there is a noticable differnce in picture quality, and i'd say that PAL's generally superior to NTSC.. for instance, on my particular TV (toshiba 33 inch), no matter what colour, brightness, or contrast setting i fiddle about with, i always find that flesh/skin colours are pinkish and off, sometimes unnatural i'd say.. it's been bothering me of late. I slip in a R2 disc and dont see this effect.

Originally posted by Tempest
Also, does it actually make any difference on a PC screen where you are not stretching the image to fit any particular shape/screen ?

Thanks

ah, however, on my PC (mulitregion hard drive hacked hiatachi advent) when panning across [moving from left to right or vice versa] in a scene the picture breaks up and can not be rendered perfectly, the lines break slightly.. this phenomenon has a technical term which eludes me. again, this doeswn't happen with R2 or R4 discs when watched in the DVD ROM drive..

but you know, R1 discs have usually superior extras and more for your money.. but, if push comes to shove, sometimes R4 (PAL) is the winner region as it's PAL and usually cheaper and equal to or better extras than R2..

[Apex]

Oh dear, here we go again...

First off I assume you mean difference between PAL and NTSC, not R1 and R2?

Doesn't really matter though, every disc has to be considered individually, as more than just the picture format affects the quality of video, from the company that do the transfer to the print used etc...

But if we are talking two PAL and NTSC discs of the same film, both mastered from the same print done by the same company etc, etc... then PAL will show greater resolution (because it intrinsically has greater resolution) than the NTSC - but it will run at the wrong speed....

[Michael Brooke]

Apex is right - it's swings and roundabouts.

And aside from the points raised above, you also have to take into account your equipment and how it handles PAL and NTSC - true multistandard equipment will by definition make a much better fist of it than a bodge job whereby NTSC is converted into imitation PAL for displaying on PAL TVs!

[Radge]

Don't usually post, but thought I'd get my bit in.

I have a Sony WEGA TV which takes both NTSC and PAL signals and when running an NTSC disc there is noticable jerkiness or black lines present. However if you use an NTSC to PAL converter this is where the jerkiness will come from.

Technically PAL has a better resolution than NTSC something close to 100 lines better and NTSC has a faster frame rate.

Cheers boys

[Radge]

Maybe I should read before I post next time ;-)

[MikeToone]

The Master copy has a lot to do with it and it does not necessarily mean that PAL will always be better.

I have seen good NTSC compared to PAL and vice-versa, The Abyss being a good example of this, where I thought the NTSC version was better than the PAL version.

Also to make matters even more complicated you now have Progressive Scan which works with NTSC discs.

Have yet to see a DVD player in action with Progressive Scan, but this again could potential improve the quality of NTSC discs.

[Grumpy]

I can't say I notice any difference, all I know is that I prefer DTS sound and uncut versions.

[mackam supa stars]

:eek:

[P1]

Originally posted by Grumpy
I can't say I notice any difference, all I know is that I prefer DTS sound and uncut versions.

I would have to second that.

Although even uncut versions and DTS cannot save some films.

I wasted a couple of hours watching planet of the apes.....

[tj_director]

i have a 43" Toshiba RPTV, and i've really started to notice a distinct difference between R1(NTSC) and R2(PAL) titles.

Off course there are the occasional times where an NTSC title can look so good, that when you see the PAL version there really isn't too much between them. New Line Titles are the perfect examples, their transfers are simply breathtaking sometimes. But even still i can now spot a PAL title a mile off, the difference is quite noticable. PAL mainstream DVDs can just look so damn good!! i imagine the US are missing out a bit.

but yes, there is a difference. In terms of specifications, PAL is supposed to have more lines of resolution than NTSC anyway.

A good way to compare smoothness, is to watch the credits roll on a NTSC title, then on a PAL title. The latter should run up smoothly :) or down in the case of Se7en!!

[cat]

My dvd player converts NTSC for my PAL only tv so PAL discs usually look much better! Especially noticeable on darker films - Nightmare B4 Christmas ( reg 1 ) looked awful but the region 2 version looks fabulous... one exception seems to be City of the Lost Children which, despite being NTSC, looks beautiful.... just as well really cause it still hasn't been released over here :rolleyes:

[Madm@tt]

Personally I see so little difference (Loewe Aconda 32") I don't think it's worth worrying about.

PS - I get no "shimmer", "black lines" etc. and I see no difference between a PAL and NTSC transfer of the same quality.

[Robocop]

check out this linkhttp://www.bulletsnbabesdvds.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Sections&file=index&req=viewarticle&artid=10

[Michael Mackenzie]

On a computer screen, I feel that there is a noticeable difference in detail. A great tester is the "Dimension Films" logo that appears at the start of the Scream films -- compare the PAL and NTSC versions of Scream 3 ones side-by-side (both are anamorphic) and you do see a noticeable improvement with the PAL one. On a TV, I feel I'm hard-pressed to notice any difference. Bottom line is, don't buy a disc just because it's PAL or NTSC, but if both discs are the same content-wise, take the PAL (because it looks better and is available locally).

[cervaro]

The only time I will actively consider ordering a PAL over an NTSC disc (or vice-versa) is when one has an anamorphic print and the other doesn't. I don't care which it is because I only notice a severe degradation in image quality when zooming up letterbox prints on a widescreen TV.

I think too many people are suckered into the PAL is better camp by always assuming the better resolution makes NTSC look naff. I've watched TV in the US and can't say I really noticed a difference, but then I was watching the programme, movie, etc. instead of obsessing myself with looking for shear, or sound pitch, or number of lines, etc.

[Matt Sandbrook]

I'm kinda more bothered about films running at the wrong speed than the little bit of picture quality :S That little 4 % (or whichever figure it is) makes a whole load of difference in the musical department. So I'm tending to go for Region One discs now.

[lorenzo]

Well as the lucky owner of a DLP projector and a progessive DVD player I can categorically say that NTSC is better than PAL when progressively scanned (IMO of course!). Moreover, I can't tell the difference between 5.1 and DTS sound (possibly preferring the former :rolleyes: ) so if I notice a difference in image quality then that is saying something (or maybe me eyes are better than me ears - but i do wear glasses).