Author Topic: BluDragon encodes? (Read 2706 times)

RedSuisei · « **on:** February 16, 2011, 04:23:19 AM »

Dunno if someone already made this request before, so sorry if it's been asked before. I just went to BluDragon's site, and it seems they've been doing some encodes with better quality than what's here atm. Would be nice if someone would upload them here.

Most of their releases have nice DVD rip quality and Dual Audio. The catch, though, is that their filesizes are somewhat on the large side (varied, some are just ~1000kbps video and others are ~4000kbps video even for DVD rips), and R1 VobSub, which may not appeal to some people (including me). But seeing some screenshots, the quality is certainly better than the alternatives.

Regarding the subtitles, some of their releases are using .ass or .srt from other groups as well (credited in their site), such from OZC (which means they're still R1 subs, only not VobSubs). Also, it seems that you are allowed to remux their releases with another subs, since they wrote on their about page:

Quote

Q: Why do you use other groups subtitles.
A: It is alot easier to use other group subtitles. All the hard work and credit goes to them & is noted in the details of the encode. Feel free to use my encode if you want to make subtitles for it.

Now I may be misinterpreting it, but I'm guessing it's fine to use their encode with another's subtitle, so we should be able to avoid the drama happened recently (though, it may still come from the sub's source side).

Some of their releases I find worth noting (note that I haven't downloaded their releases, I'm just basing these from information on their site, if you want more info look up their site) :
+ Black Lagoon
Source : Blu Ray (encoded to SD)
Size : 3.37GB (S1) + 3.13GB(S2) = 6.5GB

Audio and Subs are using ones from OZC BR release, so it's not using VobSubs, it's the exact same .ass subs as the OZC ones.

+ Code Geass S1
Source : Blu-Ray (encoded to SD)
Size : 7.15GB

There's already their older release of CG here, but that's 720x400, while this one is 720x480 anamorphic. Not much larger either, the old one is 6.74GB. Subs are again from OZC, while their older encode have .srt from gg. Can't say which is better subtitles-wise.

+ .hack//SIGN
Source : DVD R1
Size : 13.7GB

Dual audio + one Isolated score (got no idea what this is). And 5 subtitles to choose, including 2 VobSubs, 2 .ass from AHQ, and .srt from Anime Supreme.

+ Macross DYRL
Source : DVD remastered.
Size : 4.94GB

Well, usually that size is for Blu-Ray source 720p movies, so I'm not really sure about this one, but from the comparison they give it looks much better than Gray Phantom release available here with more details/grain and less (or maybe even no) macroblocking. And no hardsubbed karaoke which seems to be troubling for some people (including me). If size is a problem for storage, just demux the audio tracks you don't need to somewhat reduce the filesize (this has four audio tracks; 2.0 English & Japanese, and 5.1 English & Japanese). Subtitles are VobSubs only, but someone can just remux G_P's or Live-Evil's subtitles to it (I got L-E's subs if someone wants it). Oh and, uncropped, which adds to my doubt. I'd say maybe give this the D slot, since THORA's Time of EVE with extremely large size also got D slot. Still, I'm still rather irked about this being uncropped.

+ Outlaw Star
Source : DVD remastered
Size : 14.6GB

Subs taken from OZC's, so again, no worries about VobSubs here. Though, this is rather large, OZC version is only at 8.68GB. But seeing Ergo Proxy at 11.1GB was accepted, I don't really see why this wouldn't since it looks better anyway.

+ Revolutionary Girl Utena: The Adolescence of Utena
Source : DVD Remastered
Size : 2.32GB

The alternative is COR dual audio version. Can't really say much except this has lots of subtitle tracks to it, and better video quality.

There might be more worth noting, but I'm suddenly too lazy to look them and check with the ones available here. Now, these releases are certainly on the large side, so I'm not so sure whether it will be really preferred to the currently available ones. Though, I think at least Black Lagoon and Code Geass release are definitely worth it since they're not much larger than the currently available ones here.

Link to BluDragon's site.

Zalis116 · « **Reply #1 on:** February 16, 2011, 07:40:50 AM »

If the new Code Geass R1 encode is uploaded, it'd be nice to get one of the single-audio DVD-rips that use gg's subs uploaded as well. (Or just add the corrected versions of gg's subs. as .ass to the files or attachments.) IIRC the Big-Guy version replaced gg's TV-rip on BBT, but was removed when the current gg-sub-including BluDragon release was uploaded. Currently, the only single-audio version on BBT is the SHS-Ureshii-Syndicate release, which is TV-source/XviD/hardsubbed/cropped to 4:3. It could be worth Group D if staff deem worthy.

Quote

+ .hack//SIGN
Source : DVD R1
Size : 13.7GB

Dual audio + one Isolated score (got no idea what this is).

Music and sound effects only, no dialogue.

Quote

And [Macross DYRL includes] no hardsubbed karaoke, which seems to be troubling for some people (including me).

Does it have softsubbed karaoke, though? Because not having the songs subbed at all would be bad for a movie that focuses on singing.

Quote

The alternative [for the Utena movie] is COR dual audio version. Can't really say much except this has lots of subtitle tracks to it, and better video quality.

COR's also has noticeably lower audio bitrates in AAC, whereas BluDragon's is AC3 straight from DVD.

RedSuisei · « **Reply #2 on:** February 16, 2011, 07:57:17 AM »

Quote from: Zalis116 on February 16, 2011, 07:40:50 AM

If the new Code Geass R1 encode is uploaded, it'd be nice to get one of the single-audio DVD-rips that use gg's subs uploaded as well. (Or just add the corrected versions of gg's subs. as .ass to the files or attachments.) IIRC the Big-Guy version replaced gg's TV-rip on BBT, but was removed when the current gg-sub-including BluDragon release was uploaded. Currently, the only single-audio version on BBT is the SHS-Ureshii-Syndicate release, which is TV-source/XviD/hardsubbed/cropped to 4:3. It could be worth Group D if staff deem worthy.

Which single audio DVD rip? If there's one, then I'd say it's also a worthy replacement for the current single audio SD slot, since the current one is just bad IMO (I mean, cropped to 4:3? Really?). Though, the wiki says that if a dual audio release prove to be superior in all aspects to the single audio alternative for a given slot, then only the dual audio will be accepted. I'm not so sure though whether BluDragon will be superior to the single audio.

Quote from: Zalis116 on February 16, 2011, 07:40:50 AM

Does it have softsubbed karaoke, though? Because not having the songs subbed at all would be bad for a movie that focuses on singing.

I don't think so, not really sure though since I haven't downloaded it myself. But if there's no karaoke, someone can try to remux with other subs that have softsubbed karaoke.

Daiz · « **Reply #3 on:** February 16, 2011, 12:29:23 PM »

Quote

Audio and Subs are using ones from OZC BR release, so it's not using VobSubs, it's the exact same .ass subs as the OZC ones.

If the audio in any of BluDragon's releases comes from OZC, I'd rather not have it on here due to the fact that it's most likely HE-AAC, thus in other words shit.

RedSuisei · « **Reply #4 on:** February 16, 2011, 01:51:22 PM »

Well, my Black Lagoon from OZC is HE-AAC for the English audio, but the Japanese audio is LC.

But hey, let's look at it this way: For Black Lagoon, OZC's releases are already accepted in the A and B slots. Say that the HE-AAC really are shit, they're still the only ones there in the A and B slot, why can't the C slot with the same audio, subs, and video source (albeit different encoding) be granted? The alternative to this is Exiled-Destiny, which is larger, DVD source, and while I haven't seen this particular release, from what I've seen of their other releases E-D's videos tend to be rather lacking. Which to pick?

Code Geass also has audio from OZC. I don't have OZC's Code Geass, so I don't know about their audio. But as with Black Lagoon, OZC version have been accepted for A and B slot, so again, I don't really see why this wouldn't.

Though, anyone interested in offering BluDragon's releases in the first place? Somehow it doesn't seem like there's much interest here.

mikezilla2 · « **Reply #5 on:** February 17, 2011, 11:47:13 PM »

iv expressed my interest in the torrent comments.

Xtras · « **Reply #6 on:** February 18, 2011, 12:11:26 AM »

Quote from: Daiz on February 16, 2011, 12:29:23 PM

Quote
Audio and Subs are using ones from OZC BR release, so it's not using VobSubs, it's the exact same .ass subs as the OZC ones.
If the audio in any of BluDragon's releases comes from OZC, I'd rather not have it on here due to the fact that it's most likely HE-AAC, thus in other words shit.

Just can't let it go eh? Believe it or not less than half of our releases use HEv2 (the ones that do have accompanying FLAC packs), and one of them is practically mono even in FLAC (as you yourself said).

Anyway, the OZC Code Geass and the japanese track on Black Lagoon are encoded in 256 Kbps AAC-LC.

RedSuisei · « **Reply #7 on:** February 27, 2011, 09:07:16 AM »

Bump thread. No one interested in uploading their releases? Weird, I thought since their releases look better than the ones available here I thought at least someone would try offering them.

Al_Sleeper · « **Reply #8 on:** February 27, 2011, 10:14:19 AM »

Try poking Macros74

.

macros74 · « **Reply #9 on:** February 27, 2011, 10:18:07 AM »

Quote from: Al_Sleeper on February 27, 2011, 10:14:19 AM

Try poking Macros74 .

No way...
Getting everything from FileServe, and letting all the offers stand on hold for weeks...

mikezilla2 · « **Reply #10 on:** February 27, 2011, 03:06:02 PM »

ponders if its possible to poke macro in to taking requests

RedSuisei · « **Reply #11 on:** March 01, 2011, 07:12:57 AM »

In the offers page, I see that a remux of Henshin's Macross Plus OVA got rejected with a note "Will take bludragon's", so I guess if someone offers that now it should get accepted pretty quickly?

Dragon80 · « **Reply #12 on:** March 01, 2011, 10:08:36 PM »

i just made some new screenshots to compare for the Toki no Tabibito | Time Stranger movie

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/32397

if a resized is needed i will make them.

dragon191 · « **Reply #13 on:** March 01, 2011, 11:29:05 PM »

Quote from: Dragon80 on March 01, 2011, 10:08:36 PM

i just made some new screenshots to compare for the Toki no Tabibito | Time Stranger movie

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/32397

if a resized is needed i will make them.

It's not really needed to resize, as the difference is quite obvious. That it's been rejected is just really stupid.

Cuan · « **Reply #14 on:** March 02, 2011, 07:16:35 AM »

Is this supposed to be 3:2, or did BluDragon just forget to set the correct aspect ratio?

Desbreko · « **Reply #15 on:** March 02, 2011, 09:54:34 AM »

I would assume the screens were just taken at the encoded resolution rather than the display resolution, since they're meant for comparing encoding. Stretching them out to 16:9 would be pointless anyway since the two versions would still have different frame sizes and wouldn't be any easier to compare.

Dragon80 · « **Reply #16 on:** March 02, 2011, 02:18:34 PM »

the Toki no Tabibito | Time Stranger screenshots are taken in MPC in PNG. so they are the encoded resolution. i cant find the right size that BS&NTA used on there encode for the resized.

kathy025 · « **Reply #17 on:** March 07, 2011, 05:03:19 PM »

Quote from: RedSuisei on February 27, 2011, 09:07:16 AM

Bump thread. No one interested in uploading their releases? Weird, I thought since their releases look better than the ones available here I thought at least someone would try offering them.

Not "their". BluDragon is a mighty 1-man army!
BluDragon does offer his own encodes to BBT.
BluDragon a.k.a. Dragon80 is in your thread.

RedSuisei · « **Reply #18 on:** March 13, 2011, 03:07:47 PM »

Hmmm, well, Dragon80, mind offering your own encodes? It would be best if you offer them yourself, since you know about your encodes the best.

Dragon80 · « **Reply #19 on:** March 16, 2011, 06:52:49 PM »

All the info on the files can be found on BluDragon's site. The only thing thats not posted is the audio bitrate. Sometimes their are compare screenshots to other encodes on Baka. Most of the work is already done. The last offers was InuYasha movies 1, 2 & 3. They sat in the offer slots for over 45 days to replace the old R1 encodes. I just don't have the time to let them sit that long when i could go on to something else. By the time they was approved i didn't seed 1kb. So feel free to make an offer of any encode.

Plus the way the anime is encode. Mostly uncropped & unfiltered is not prefered, because of the large file size they are mostly rejected anyways. Look at Toki no Tabibito | Time Stranger offer and the screenshot compare pictures. But the offer was: Rejected Will keep with current. What does that mean anyways. It gives no real reason why the old DivX5 is better. Its like keeping your old clunker car when someone offers you a better car for free. Don't get me wrong it doesn't matter.

But like Enzedder commented on the post "Shits and giggles and someone bored enough to download the release. Find the same spots as the screenshots in the current release and use them as comparisons."

But also like OnDeed commented on the post
"Just technically speaking, if you don't filter the source (I mean stuff like shaprening, smoothing, color boost; there don't seem to be clear issues like rainbowing, chroma shift etc there) and encode with decent bitrate and more or less sane setings, there is no way a divx encode could meassure up to todays h.264 (assuming x264) rip. Look at that red/black (#2) frame - that's how xvid/divx falls appart. Or the destroyed detail in the girl's hair in #4 - snafu in dark/low contrast parts (bonus points for motion) is basically gauranteed with those kinds of encodes.

So compares was posted and the old DivX5 version had more memorys attached to it. So it lives on till someone else offers a different encode other than BluDragons.