Top Gear Screen Comparisons - Scene Release PDTV Xvid Vs My Analog Capture x264

Simmo10

Member
Joined
Jul 21, 2009
Messages
16
Location
England
Just for fun here is a screen comparison from Season 12 episode 2 of the scene release vs my analog capture through S-video encoded with x264 set to CRF 18, visually transparent. I wish I could get hold of the source episodes but I can't find them anywhere but I still think mine looks good. By the way I don't think the Xvid rips are bad at all, good for size vs quality and playback options. My file is 1.38 GB with a bitrate of 3051 Kbps and AAC audio VBR at 192 Kbps. I just want the best quality I can get because I love this show. http://comparescreenshots.slicx.com/comparison/61404
 
Fun indeed.

There won't be any replacing of the season packs for anything below DVD/HD sources. Those who already have the files rarely will feel it necessary to re-download, and those who never had the files in the first place will experience slower downloads, not only for the double file size but also due to lack of seeders because the old people won't have the bigger files.

Compare it to iPlayer's vhigh settings...
 
Nice quality! I'd sacrifice bandwidth and storage space for those anyday.
 
Last edited:
Scene HD rips (720p) are usually around 1.50 GB in size, and obviously from a digital source. If you truely want to compete then you need a digital HD source.
 
Scene HD rips (720p) are usually around 1.50 GB in size, and obviously from a digital source. If you truely want to compete then you need a digital HD source.

Season 12 was very very very likely not taped in HD.
 
So far, only the Polar Special and S14 (perhaps 15?) have been filmed in HD.
 
In general, digital > analog

And what's the source for your encodes? Original recordings from back in the day?
 
Has BBC been showing earlier seasons on BBC HD?

I understand such broadcasts would not be HD, but I wonder if they might look a bit better than the SD broadcasts on BBC 2?
 
Has BBC been showing earlier seasons on BBC HD?

I understand such broadcasts would not be HD, but I wonder if they might look a bit better than the SD broadcasts on BBC 2?

That would only be the case if the original tapes provide significantly more detail than the SD broadcast could ... well ... broadcast. Would probably violate some BBC guidelines saying all HD content must be taped using certain HD modes.
 
In general, digital > analog

And what's the source for your encodes? Original recordings from back in the day?


I know, i'd love to have the digital source files to encode them, but I know I can't. I record the episodes to my sky+ box, then capture with VirtualDub through a high quality S-video lead using huffyuv & a high quality RCA audio lead using PCM. I record re-runs on BBC2 for older episodes.
 
I know, i'd love to have the digital source files to encode them, but I know I can't. I record the episodes to my sky+ box, then capture with VirtualDub through a high quality S-video lead using huffyuv & a high quality RCA audio lead using PCM. I record re-runs on BBC2 for older episodes.

So do these have original music or no?
 
Dunno about Sky UK but you can use a different receiver for Sky Germany some of which can record to external USB hard drives. The box you have might even have usb but it's usually disabled.
 
I just think that if you're going to use up 1.4 GB on an SD file, you might as well just use up an extra 100MB and go for HD, which is miles better anyway.
 
I just think that if you're going to use up 1.4 GB on an SD file, you might as well just use up an extra 100MB and go for HD, which is miles better anyway.

How exactly do you plan to make an HD download from the SD broadcast again?
 
Yes because i only record from BBC2, the episodes have original music on BBC Three aswel but have a big pink logo in the corner :lol:

Is it possible to get reruns from Season 1 through 9 from BBC2 or any other authentic BBC station with the original music intact? I can't stand these early BBC Xtra rips (time cut out too!) and the other rips that don't have the original music...
 
Is it possible to get reruns from Season 1 through 9 from BBC2 or any other authentic BBC station with the original music intact? I can't stand these early BBC Xtra rips (time cut out too!) and the other rips that don't have the original music...

Right now 9x3 is on the iPlayer, which means it was on BBCx some time last week.
 
Is it possible to get reruns from Season 1 through 9 from BBC2 or any other authentic BBC station with the original music intact? I can't stand these early BBC Xtra rips (time cut out too!) and the other rips that don't have the original music...

They seem to air recent series and random recent episodes, season 9 being the earliest I think.
 
Right now 9x3 is on the iPlayer, which means it was on BBCx some time last week.

I know I set that to record, the US special and it must of been a bit behind schedule because it didn't record the last 5 minutes even though I set my sky box to record 10 minutes before and after :(
 
Top