DVDBeaver

Discuss internationally-released DVDs and Blu-rays or other international DVD and Blu-ray-related topics.
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David M.
Joined: Sat May 10, 2008 1:10 pm

Re: DVDBeaver

#401 Post by David M. » Sun Jun 06, 2010 4:34 pm

Not meaning to ignite this unpleasant episode again, but I really think it is time that a solution to this screengrabs debacle is reached. Nothing can come out of feuding for either side.

Can we at least agree on these points:

1. Gary Tooze and DVDBeaver do an overall great service to people shopping for rare and hard to find movies on DVD.

2. Contrary to popular belief, it is quick, easy, and inexpensive (perhaps even free) to take accurate, clear screen captures - if you know the right method. It can be done on a computer running Windows - it does not require expensive hardware.

3. Most people are not aware of video calibration (beyond setting basic controls like Brightness) and/or haven't had their TVs professionally calibrated with a measuring device, so what they are seeing on their TVs already has a layer of abstraction added to it compared to how the cinematographers intended. DVDBeaver nor DVD/BD producers can really do anything about this, beyond promoting imaging standards. However, almost no incorrectly configured TVs actually blur the picture (take that from a guy who calibrates and reviews TVs for a half-living, and also advises TV manufacturers' technical departments).

4. There is nothing wrong with saving screen grabs as high quality JPEGs. Once again, from an anal-retentive videophile and video compressionist: there is nothing wrong with saving screen grabs as high quality JPEGs. And again: JPEG IS FINE. And once again: compression is NOT the reason for those blurred screen captures. This is a misconception I see time and time again, in fact DVDBeaver's own "open response" page even fell victim to this. Over-compressed JPEG (and MPEG, for that matter) pictures look blocky, not blurred.

5. DVDBeaver issuing written recommendations is an entirely separate issue to that of the inaccurate images.

6. As a screen capture comparison site, DVDBeaver has a responsibility not to allow their process to abstract or filter the screen grabs they post - especially not selectively. Some of their captures are fine, whereas others are blurred - and that is a serious issue. It's the main reason why Mondo Vision, myself, and I believe at least one other DVD producer, have been outspoken regarding this issue.

It is quite likely that the methods DVDBeaver are using to take screen grabs could actually be replaced with quicker, more efficient ones, while at the same time showing the disc's contents exactly. I am completely willing to help solve the issue, because like I said - it would benefit everyone and there is no point in holding grudges over this going forward.

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mikkelmark
Joined: Sun Mar 15, 2009 10:00 am
Location: Denmark

Re: DVDBeaver

#402 Post by mikkelmark » Sun Jun 06, 2010 4:51 pm

Couldn't you maybe post how to correct it, and also a couple of screenshots that shows both from dvdbeaver and how they're supposed to be, so we can see the difference?

I'm very interested, my main review sites are dvdbeaver and blu-ray.com, and that's mainly because they show screenshots and I believe them more than whatever star rating system they give.

David M.
Joined: Sat May 10, 2008 1:10 pm

Re: DVDBeaver

#403 Post by David M. » Sun Jun 06, 2010 5:04 pm

Yes, that's probably the best way forward. I'll write an article in the next week or so when I have time that anyone can use.

jbaart
Joined: Fri Jan 01, 2010 7:16 pm
Location: Germany

Re: DVDBeaver

#404 Post by jbaart » Mon Jun 07, 2010 8:04 am

David Mackenzie wrote:Yes, that's probably the best way forward. I'll write an article in the next week or so when I have time that anyone can use.
Great, looking forward to it. Can you already give us an idea which software you'll use? I currently grab all my screenshots with VLC as it is free, fast and easy to use. I'm sure I'm doing things wrong when it comes to interlaced titles but other than that I have some hope they're done right ;) I grab five PNG screenshots of every new dvd I get to be able to compare it to other editions online and get a good idea about its picture quality.

Here are my caps of the controversial La vie de Jésus. They look more like the Beaver shots than those that MoC posted back then so I fear/hope I'm doing something wrong ;)

Image Image Image Image Image

David M.
Joined: Sat May 10, 2008 1:10 pm

Re: DVDBeaver

#405 Post by David M. » Tue Jun 08, 2010 8:54 am

I will make sure to test VLC out.

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domino harvey
Dot Com Dom
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 2:42 pm

Re: DVDBeaver

#406 Post by domino harvey » Wed Jun 30, 2010 4:45 pm

Add Mantan Moreland to the list of things DVDBeaver loves, right below nudity

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Ashirg
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 9:10 am
Location: Atlanta

Re: DVDBeaver

#407 Post by Ashirg » Thu Jul 01, 2010 12:30 am

I wanted to make up for lack of Mantan Moreland in my other reviews. Sorry to upset you for not including any nude Moreland captures...

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swo17
Bloodthirsty Butcher
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 10:25 am
Location: SLC, UT

Re: DVDBeaver

#408 Post by swo17 » Thu Jul 01, 2010 1:34 am

I was actually kind of disappointed that Willem Dafoe failed to make an appearance.

HarryLong
Joined: Tue Nov 25, 2008 12:39 pm
Location: Lebanon, PA

Re: DVDBeaver

#409 Post by HarryLong » Thu Jul 01, 2010 10:44 am

But what's not to love about Mantan Moreland?

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domino harvey
Dot Com Dom
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 2:42 pm

I forgot we had a Mantan smilie

#410 Post by domino harvey » Thu Jul 01, 2010 11:16 am

:shock:

HarryLong
Joined: Tue Nov 25, 2008 12:39 pm
Location: Lebanon, PA

Re: DVDBeaver

#411 Post by HarryLong » Thu Jul 01, 2010 12:14 pm

Well it ain't a Gene Krupa smilie...

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Minkin
Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2009 11:13 pm

Re: DVDBeaver

#412 Post by Minkin » Mon Jan 03, 2011 4:39 am


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John Edmond
Joined: Mon Jan 18, 2010 8:35 pm

Re: DVDBeaver

#413 Post by John Edmond » Mon Jan 03, 2011 6:23 am

Profound Desires of the Gods was robbed, but I'm glad to see the Vlacil collection up so high (even with the poll's boxset bias).

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Alphonse Doinel
Joined: Sun Dec 06, 2009 12:42 pm

Re: DVDBeaver

#414 Post by Alphonse Doinel » Mon Jan 03, 2011 1:01 pm

Surprised that Fantasia didn't get more love. Disney really did a wonderful job with it, and it looks and sounds glorious.

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Saturnome
Joined: Sun Aug 12, 2007 5:22 pm

Re: DVDBeaver

#415 Post by Saturnome » Mon Jan 03, 2011 3:33 pm

Alphonse Doinel wrote:Surprised that Fantasia didn't get more love. Disney really did a wonderful job with it, and it looks and sounds glorious.
It could have been better though, and maybe that played a part in the votes - the "Fantasia World" bonus feature that was cancelled (It could have sent this thing straight into DVDBeaver's top ten!), the supplements on BD-Live (a horrible idea in my opinion)... The deleted "Clair de Lune" segment in HD straight on disc should have been a no brainer, though I guess it was part of Fantasia World.

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perkizitore
Joined: Thu Jul 10, 2008 3:29 pm
Location: OOP is the only answer

Re: DVDBeaver

#416 Post by perkizitore » Sun Jan 30, 2011 9:08 am


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Duncan Hopper
Joined: Mon Dec 21, 2009 5:16 am
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Re: DVDBeaver

#417 Post by Duncan Hopper » Sun Jan 30, 2011 9:27 am

Yeah, I can't move after watching that. :|

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colinr0380
Joined: Mon Nov 08, 2004 4:30 pm
Location: Chapel-en-le-Frith, Derbyshire, UK

Re: DVDBeaver

#418 Post by colinr0380 » Mon Jan 31, 2011 2:16 pm

*puts hand on hip, turns slightly towards camera* "I have not seen acting so stilted...and wooden...since viewing...Hilary Swank's last movie (*over lengthy pause for comic cymbal crash*). Though it is...on a par...with Avatar"

"Yes. Is that the one also starring Jamie Foxx..out on a stacked BluRay?"

*turning to face interlocutor while keeping eyes fixed in the same position* "Hey now...that's right. Though the BluRay image is weak and I wasn't a fan. Pass."

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willoneill
Joined: Wed Mar 18, 2009 10:10 am
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Re: DVDBeaver

#419 Post by willoneill » Mon Jan 31, 2011 3:10 pm

After watching that, were it not for people's comments here, I would be concerned that someone spiked my water with PCP. Also, why does the male character pronouce blu-ray like a dirty frenchman?

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matrixschmatrix
Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 11:26 pm

Re: DVDBeaver

#420 Post by matrixschmatrix » Mon Jan 31, 2011 5:42 pm

Haha, that program is awesome, you can make any block of text into a really strange and stilted movie- the pronunciations are weird because it's a text-to-speech program.

That's the first time I've ever seen anyone use it for anything other than a joke, though.

Thomas Dukenfield
Joined: Thu Nov 04, 2010 6:42 pm

Re: DVDBeaver

#421 Post by Thomas Dukenfield » Fri Feb 04, 2011 3:47 am

I'd had never figured Gary for a guy that would bother putting that much gel in his hair every morning, but I guess you should never prejudge.

Well, looking at the Beaver release calendar, there's an absurd amount of stuff I would want coming out on blu-ray around the world in the next 3 months. For the sake of my wallet, I should just stay away from that calendar link. On top of all of the Criterions I won't be able to afford, there's Holy Mountain, Taking Off, Alice, L'Age D'or, Ozu, et al, on blu-ray?!? Fuck.

David M.
Joined: Sat May 10, 2008 1:10 pm

Re: DVDBeaver

#422 Post by David M. » Fri Feb 04, 2011 12:05 pm

As promised, how to take accurate screen shots from DVD with VLC Media Player.

Step 1. Go to "Video" and choose "Snapshot".

Step 2. That's it. VLC will have output a .PNG file in your C:\Users\YOUR LOGIN NAME\pictures\ folder as a .PNG image, with decent quality scaling applied to "unsqueeze" the picture. I'm not sure where it will put the files on Mac or Linux systems, but hopefully you'll be able to find them.

VLC outputs PNG images by default, but it's fine to convert to high quality (low compression) JPEG. DVDBeaver have misunderstood this point in the past. Once again, JPEG is fine so long as it's not overcompressed, in fact, PNG would probably be overkill for DVD captures.

All I did was start VLC, pop in a disc, and take the screen capture. You might want to make sure any Deinterlacing or other Post Processing features are shut off, in case they interfere. Like I said - all I did was start VLC, load the disc, and go to Video > Snapshot.

I urge any other sites still taking (sometimes) blurred screen captures to use VLC so they can give readers an accurate idea of what's on the disc - it's free and so easy!
Last edited by David M. on Fri Feb 04, 2011 1:54 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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Michael Kerpan
Spelling Bee Champeen
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 1:20 pm
Location: New England
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Re: DVDBeaver

#423 Post by Michael Kerpan » Fri Feb 04, 2011 12:13 pm

David Mackenzie wrote:I'm not sure where {VLC} will put the files on Mac or Linux systems, but hopefully you'll be able to find them.
I believe you can choose any save location you want in the Linux version (and perhaps other versions as well). If I'm making lots of screen caps for a film, I create a new directory (using a file manager) and then set the save location to the new directory in VLC. This setting is sticky -- so you have to change it the next time you use VLC, or any new screen captures will also go into the previously-selected directory).

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Anthony
Joined: Mon Feb 14, 2005 1:38 pm
Location: Berkeley, CA

Re: DVDBeaver

#424 Post by Anthony » Mon Feb 07, 2011 11:06 am

I love these video newsletter recaps. What is a Snooki? ](*,) I wish I didn't know the answer to that question. Sometimes, ignorance truly is bliss.

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Minkin
Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2009 11:13 pm

Re: DVDBeaver

#425 Post by Minkin » Mon May 02, 2011 2:58 pm


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