From: wlrc@uhura.neoucom.edu (William R. Cruce)
Subject: Alien 3 disc flaws
Organization: Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine
Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1993 20:50:38 GMT

In article <86583@ut-emx.uucp> copold@panam.edu (Steve Copold) writes:
>In article <4792@vidiot.UUCP> Vidiot, brown@vidiot.UUCP writes:
>>
>>I just rented the Alien 3 laserdisc and as previously reported the
>quality of
>>the disc is crap.  What wasn't reported was the quality of the equipment
>used
>>for the transfer.  There is video cross-talk from another source, which
>can be
>>seen during throughout the first side.  I don't know about the second
>side,
>>since it hasn't gotten there yet (it is still playing the first side). 
>To
>>see the crosstalk the best, start the disc and STILL it right away.  Step
>>through the disc and you will see the diagonal lines rotating through the
>>video.  This is a result of another video source leaking into the Alien 3
>>video, at a rate that is drastically different.

I can see VERY faint horizontal light streaks in dark areas.  I have seen
discs with far worse streaks (crosstalk?).  Nothing diagonal though.

>>The other problem is non-linearity in the TBC that was used.  Look at the
>>black bands during the opening credits, when the video image is dark,
>making
>>it easier to see the bands.  Notice the vertical lines of various black
>>levels.  This is caused by non-linearity of the D-to-A converter in the
>TBC.

The "bands" I see are the above mentioned horizontal ones.  I don't under-
stand what flaw you are talking about


>I had posted this earlier, but let me say again that my copy of Alien3
>shows none of these problems. I play it on a CLD-M90 and view it on a
>Panasonic 31" Flat Screen. It contains no detectable levels of cross-talk
>and there is only a tiny amount of noise in a few of the darkest scenes.
>Perhaps there were different batches of pressings with varying quality.
>I've talked to a couple of rental places...They say it is a very popular
>rental and they have had no complaints to date. 

On my copy the video noise is fairly noticeable in the dark areas and
gets quite bad near the end of side 2 where the image is bathed in red,
always tough to reproduce on video.

>My only complaint is that they letterboxed it, but at the wrong ratio.
>This resulted in a small portion of the opening credits being
>clipped...And no, my monitor is not improperly adjusted. A small portion
>is actually missing. I don't think it has any real impact on the
>presentation, it's just irritating. Let me add that I've also heard
>complaints re: the surround sound. My copy not only has no audio
>problems, but has one one of the best surround mixes I've ever heard.

The image was clipped quite a bit on the sides.  On my monitor it has
an aspect ratio of 2.09:1 when it should be 2.35:1.  Several reviewers
have commented on the evident clipping in the credits and in some scenes
of computer monitor screens. I think the surround sound is quite OK -very
effectively used.

>So what gives here?

The discs (mine at least) was pressed by TECHNIDISC.  There must have
been tremendous variation in the pressings because some reviewers (e.g.
the one in LaserScene) complained a lot about video defects 'snow, snits
and occasional breaks in the video signal' whereas others did not.

It is apparent that the responsible person did not excercise sufficient
quality control either at the mastering (LBX and some noise) or pressing
(other noise and variations) stage.


-- 
Unauthorized duplication, etc. may result in civil liability, criminal pro-
secution, the wrath of the tall man or a bite from Ralph the Wonder Llama.
     William L.R. (Bill) Cruce       INTERNET: wlrc@uhura.neoucom.edu 
   Neurobiology Dept, NE Ohio U Coll of Med, POB 95, Rootstown, OH 44272 
Newsgroups: rec.video.releases