Series 21 & 22 DVD

[Marc_NC]

I've got a question about the Series 21 & 22 DVD set. I thought about buying this one a while back, but started reading a lot of reviews on Amazon UK that referred to bad picture quality. I checked out the Region 1 "Vintage 2000" (aka series 21) from the library and the picture quality on it is not what I would call awful or even all that bad, but it is a bit...off. There are wavy line patterns sometimes, primarily on things like Clegg's suits, and the picture looks a bit "fuzzy" as well. It's particularly noticeable on the credits. The text is not sharp like on the other Region 1 release I've got (Vintage 1995). It's grainy and slightly out of focus.

So, to the question: how does the picture quality of the Region 2 release compare to the Region 1? Some of the Amazon UK reviews make it seem like it's just plain horrible, but some of them mention similar issues to what I see on the Region 1 release. Some of them make no mention of any issues, so it's hard to tell how good or bad the picture really looks. I've seen downloads of these episodes that actually look sharper than the Vintage 2000 DVD does, so I don't think it's a problem with the episodes themselves, but with the way the DVD was produced.

Also, the scene of the ladies dancing and singing at the start of "Elegy For Fallen Wellies" has been cut out of the Region 1 DVD (hence the reason I found a download of that episode). Is that scene intact on the Region 2 release? And are there any other cuts on either release?

 

[cciaffone]

I checked out the Region 1 "Vintage 2000" (aka series 21) from the library

What library? Here in NC?? Never found a SW disc here in Durham.

btw - why not take out the disc and copy it?? Or better, convert it
to a set of separate AVI files??

chuck

 

[Marianna]

Series 21 & 22 DVD set.

So, to the question: how does the picture quality of the Region 2 release compare to the Region 1?

Also, the scene of the ladies dancing and singing at the start of "Elegy For Fallen Wellies" has been cut out of the Region 1 DVD (hence the reason I found a download of that episode). Is that scene intact on the Region 2 release? And are there any other cuts on either release?

I just checked my copy of the Region 1 set, purchased hot off the press. "Elegy For Fallen Wellies" opens with the closed door with the sign notifying of a rehearsal in progress and continues with the ladies in flapper costumes singing/dancing accompanied by Edie at the piano. Further along, in the scene at Clegg's with Clegg, Truly and the whiskey bottle, I don't see any wavy lines. The picture quality is no worse than any of the other Region 1 discs, which is to say that the resolution is fairly sharp on the close-ups and a bit softer on the long shots. The text on the credits is very high-res.

On both Region 1 and Region 2, in the "See ya Compo" scene at the hillside, I noticed a distinct wavy effect on both Howard's and Clegg's jackets. That happens in high-resolution photos of plaid or checked fabric and also in photos of brick walls. Seems to be a limitation inherent in camera lenses. Regardless of that, I make those kinds of images in high-res in order to have everything else sharp, then reduce the resolution in processing only enough to eliminate the wavy effect, but not so much as to to lose the clear edges elsewhere in the image. Don't what causes it in a video or how it could be fixed.

My Region 2 version of the same episode opens with the police car coming around the corner to deliver the crate to Truly. The resolution on both the close-ups and the long shots seems a bit soft on the Region 2 disc. The resolution improves as I move back from the screen.

I'm playing them on an el-cheapo Samsung DVD-E360K Region Free DVD Player and viewing them on a Sharp 3234 32" LED 1080p 60Hz HDTV.

This is probably all about as clear as mud, but hope it helps.

Marianna

 

[Marianna]

Now that I know about yet another episode on Region 2 discs that's missing a scene, I'm committed to buying only Region 1 from now on. This will probably sound morbid, but I had thought about replacing my Region 1s with 2s to save trouble for my estate executor (hopefully 20 or 30 years in the future), since the Region 1s can't be donated to the local (US) public library. Instead, I'll attach a note to each case with instructions to not donate them, but to offer them along with my current region-free player to the first person who expresses an interest.

Marianna

 

[Marc_NC]

I think you may have your region numbers reversed Marianna (1 is the US discs, 2 is the UK discs), but I understand what you're saying. Sounds like the Region 2 (UK) release looks better than the Region 1, and at least it's uncut.

I think the wavy video effect has something to do with the way it's been transferred. I've seen that happen before when the video has been slightly enlarged or "zoomed in" during the transfer. That could also account for the slight fuzziness on the Region 1/Vintage 2000 release. Why they would zoom the picture in, I don't know.

When I first popped in the disc to watch "Elegy For Fallen Wellies" I knew something didn't seem right. There's a little bit of laughter left over from the end of the cut scene that you still hear, so I downloaded that episode (I won't say where) so I could see the opening. I guess they didn't have the US music rights for the song the ladies are singing. It makes the later jokes about Compo having the heart attack after seeing Nora in her outfit less funny as we never see her entire outfit without that scene.

What library? Here in NC?? Never found a SW disc here in Durham.

btw - why not take out the disc and copy it?? Or better, convert it
to a set of separate AVI files??

chuck

I don't know if the libraries in Durham have this, but my local library is part of the NC Cardinal system. A lot of libraries statewide have joined it in the last couple of years and if your library is part of it you can check out just about anything from any library that is part of the system. You put it on hold and it gets mailed to your local library for you to pick up. But even in a statewide system, I only found 4 LOTSW DVDs: Vintage 1995, Vintage 1998, Vintage 2000, and the 4-disc BFS set. Oh, and Vintage 1998 is apparently lost, because I put it on hold two months ago and it still says "waiting for copy," yet it isn't checked out by anyone.

The main reason I wanted to get the Region 2 DVD is because it has both series 20 and 21, while Vintage 2000 is only series 21. I'd have to buy Vintage 1999 to get series 20, and I can buy the Region 2 set cheaper than I can get Vintage 1999. I just wanted to try to find out if the picture quality is better or worse on Region 2, and it seems that it is better, so that's a win-win situation

 

[cciaffone]

so I downloaded that episode (I won't say where)

I see there are a fair number of SW MP4 and AVI files on ThePirateBay.

Fair number of the later episodes on kickass.to.

Lots on tvchaosuk.com as well.

Probably were a lot on the box, but that's long gone (as is
it's follow-on).

 

[Marianna]

I think you may have your region numbers reversed Marianna (1 is the US discs, 2 is the UK discs), but I understand what you're saying. Sounds like the Region 2 (UK) release looks better than the Region 1, and at least it's uncut.

Yes, you're right. Sorry. That's what I get for hurrying with one thing while my mind is on something else.

I think the wavy video effect has something to do with the way it's been transferred. I've seen that happen before when the video has been slightly enlarged or "zoomed in" during the transfer. That could also account for the slight fuzziness on the Region 1/Vintage 2000 release. Why they would zoom the picture in, I don't know.

That makes sense.

I just wanted to try to find out if the picture quality is better or worse on Region 2, and it seems that it is better, so that's a win-win situation.

The picture quality is certainly no worse. My perceiving it as better might be due to a difference in my distance from the screen. I moved around a lot while spot-checking the quality.

Marianna