Comparison of Netflix and DVD quality

[Shalashaska]

I took a screen cap from Netflix to compare with a DVD screen cap I found on TrekCore.

The lighting and quality looks a lot different...

As you can see, the Netflix version has less of a purple tint and IMO, looks a bit clearer and less grainy, but unfortunately, it suffers from interlacing when there's movement on the screen.

Is this just a problem with my laptop, or is it more to do with the Netflix version?

Which do you think looks better?

 

[Kor]

My TV has really irritating interlacing on DS9 whether I watch it on Netflix or on DVD.

The DVD screenshot you found may also be affected by the settings of whatever software player was being used by the person who took the screenshot. The DVD screenshot is missing those messed up lines on that guy's shoulder in the lower right corner, though.

Kor

 

[BillJ]

Both look incredibly blurry.

 

[Shalashaska]

Oh, what I would give for a Blu-ray remaster of DS9!

 

[BillJ]

I just picked up Enterprise on Blu-ray. It blows away the Netflix HD offering.

 

[Tosk]

There's a noticeable difference in quality between the region 1 and region 2 DVDs as well. That may account for some of what you can see there. (If the Netflix is the region 1 transfer, and your DVDs are region 2.)

Edit: Not so much after all. Disregard.

 

[STEPhon IT]

Is this just a problem with my laptop, or is it more to do with the Netflix version?

Which do you think looks better?

There's interlacing in picture for both my region 1 dvd and Netflix, an issue I have to get used to. NTSC was the worst broadcasts the U.S. ever had, I am so glad our standards are high def. I have to say, besides the transfers, the production designs and the cinematography was pretty good.

 

[Shalashaska]

There's a noticeable difference in quality between the region 1 and region 2 DVDs as well. That may account for some of what you can see there. (If the Netflix is the region 1 transfer, and your DVDs are region 2.)

I used a proxy for American Netflix to take a screen cap and the DVD screen cap was taken from TrekCore, whichever transfer they used.

 

[Tosk]

I used a proxy for American Netflix to take a screen cap and the DVD screen cap was taken from TrekCore, whichever transfer they used.

Turns out I was wrong anyway (at least at far as that ep is concerned.) I compared the R1 and R2 DVDs of Dax and they're pretty damn close. But also, the Trekcore cap isn't accurate to either of them. Here's an update of your image I made to confirm...

 

[Shalashaska]

Turns out I was wrong anyway (at least at far as that ep is concerned.) I compared the R1 and R2 DVDs of Dax and they're pretty damn close. But also, the Trekcore cap isn't accurate to either of them. Here's an update of your image I made to confirm...

Interesting.

Did you take that screen cap on your computer? What region DVD is in that picture?

 

[Tosk]

I ripped my R1 DVD and then screencapped it using VLC.

 

[Tracy Trek]

I actually think the DVD version looks better. But it's just a very slight difference.

Have you started Deep Space 9 yet?

 

[Shalashaska]

I actually think the DVD version looks better. But it's just a very slight difference.

Have you started Deep Space 9 yet?

Not yet, just planning ahead is all

 

[Shalashaska]

So let me get this straight.

If I watched the Netflix version on a CRT TV, not only would it look a lot sharper than being stretched out and upscaled on a 40 inch HD TV, but would the interlacing problem be eradicated?

 

[Tracy Trek]

Not yet, just planning ahead is all

There will be references to TNG's Best of Both Worlds in the first episode of Deep Space 9.

 

[TheSubCommander]

I took a screen cap from Netflix to compare with a DVD screen cap I found on TrekCore.

The lighting and quality looks a lot different...

As you can see, the Netflix version has less of a purple tint and IMO, looks a bit clearer and less grainy, but unfortunately, it suffers from interlacing when there's movement on the screen.

Is this just a problem with my laptop, or is it more to do with the Netflix version?

Which do you think looks better?

DVD for me.

So let me get this straight.

If I watched the Netflix version on a CRT TV, not only would it look a lot sharper than being stretched out and upscaled on a 40 inch HD TV, but would the interlacing problem be eradicated?

I would think you would get more out of playing your DVDs on a BluRay Player and a 40" HDTV. BluRay Players tend to increase sharpness on DVDs. Mileage varies on a case by case basis, though.

 

[Who1]

Netflix's interlacing problem is rampant for DS9 and Voyager. We should complain to them now, it takes a long time to get problems solved.
Side note: some of Netflix's season 5 Voyagers are UPN's broadcast cuts which are missing scenes.

 

[Shalashaska]

DVD for me.



I would think you would get more out of playing your DVDs on a BluRay Player and a 40" HDTV. BluRay Players tend to increase sharpness on DVDs. Mileage varies on a case by case basis, though.

Upscaling a DVD and stretching it from 480 pixels to 1080 pixels on a larger screen will only make it look worse.

It will look a lot blurrier and grainy on an expensive LCD/LED TV than it would on a smaller 480i CRT TV, the same resolution that DS9 and Voyager were originally rendered at.

 

[TheSubCommander]

Whatever you say. Looks fine on my HDTV and Bluray.

 

[Shalashaska]

Anyone know the cheapest place to get the region 1 complete set for DS9?

The price difference between R1 and R2 is crazy.