Is there anyway i can't tell which codec is used on Blu-Ray titles before i buy them because i just caught that deal at BB.I got Underworld2 & House of flying daggers.Both was Mpeg2 which sucks.Superman returns is in VC-1 which look far better than mpeg2.
BluRay releases come in MPEG2, MPEG4 and VC-1. Practically all US HD-DVD releases are in VC-1. Most Japanese and (I think) European HD-DVD's are in MPEG4. I go to highdefdigest.com for reviews that include the technical specs of the discs. There you can see what codec is used and if the disc is single or dual layer. For example Superman Returns is a dual layer BD 50 disc encoded in VC-1 - hence the excellent video review: http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/supermanreturns.html Not all MPEG2 transfers are poor. See the review for Tears of the Sun: http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/tearsofthesun.html Overall, the VC-1 and MPEG4 transfers usually get good marks for picture quality.
Thxs guys for your help thats all i need to know but i might check out tears of the sun.I should have give it more time before i judge mpeg 2 to early because both Underworld 2 & Flying daggers was first gen release.
I'm not bashing Blu-Ray but i think Sony made a poor choice to use that codec.I think PSP UMD movies was mpeg4 which look really good on that system,i question why they didn't use mpeg4.
I seen that James Bond:Casino Royale & Open Season was going to be the first Blu-Ray to have MPEG4 avc codec i can't wait to see how its going to come out.Plus open season comes out tomorrow.
Actually there have been several BluRay discs already released with MPEG4 AVC. Examples: The Great Raid - released 9/19/06 http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/greatraid.html Eight Below - released 9/19/06 http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/eightbelow.html Gone in 60 Seconds - released 10/17/06 http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/gonein60seconds2000.html Glory Road - released 10/17/06 http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/gloryroad.html X-Men The Last Stand - released 11/14/06 http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/xmenlaststand.html Speed - released 11/14/06 http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/speed.html The Wild - released 11/21/06 http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/wild.html Rising Sun - release 12/5/06 http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/risingsun.html etc... Disney/Buena Vista and Fox are the studios that release most discs with AVC/MPEG4.
