Star Trek TNG DVDs-Studio used an add grain/Screen effect?

[Wile_E]

Anybody out there use Sony Vegas 6, and are familiar with the Add Noise/Grainy/Screen effect? Anyone here also have any of these DVD's?

Well I bought Seasons 1-3 boxsets of Star Trek The Next Generation from a friend. After careful examination of the transfer quality, it looks like the studio added an artificial grain/screen effect. Every episode looks like you are looking through a "screened door". It is sort of a pattern that looks like is overlayed. Or it could be from a grain diffuser plate that is placed between the film and the scanning device, when scanning in the film. All surfaces have this pattern on them, instead of being smooth. This is NOT macroblocking, nor do I think it is a result of MPEG2 compression or too low of bitrate. This grain pattern also does not move much. If you watch closely a specific area, while the camera pans, the grain pattern remains mostly constant and does not follow motion.

Why would a studio use such a nasty looking effect? To me, it is very annoying. I would post stills, but it wouldn't do it justice. You have to see it in motion. The effect in Sony Vegas (Add Noise/Grainy/Screen/Animate) is very very similar to what I'm seeing on these commerical DVD's.

[NiteLite]

Wile_E,
I have access to 3 complete sets of TNG (all 7 seasons), mine and two others.
I have watched all of mine several times and the others most all of them. I have high quality DVD players and TV. I am postive this effect has not been added to Star Trek TNG. I am aware of the effect used sometimes to add grain to a film. Some Indys and some newer movies for whatever the reason the powers that be chose to use it. Also tint is used many times to get a green (Matrix) or silver (Many titles) tint. But TNG is spotless in transfer in the three I have seen. I'm sure you have ruled out your player and TV so why you are getting the "screen door" effect (my terminology also) I dont know.
They may have come from a defective run in which case I would contact the studio about replacement...or something.
The three I have access to were bought in different years but I dont know any production dates of the sets. Mine look perfect. In fact I was a little suprised at how good the transfers were considering the series was started back in the eighties. Sorry to hear that about your discs.
NL

I hate the effect too. Even if it is suppose to look like it was made in the early 1900's. I want a clear picture.

[vhelp]

That is a supper dupper terminology catch.. "The Screen Door Effect"
(or, SDE) hehe.

Yeah. That is what I have on my "Jean-Luc Picard Collection" 2-DVD set.

Did you remove the plastic wrap completely ?? Mine is still on, because
I like to keep things as fresh as possible, ..so I tend to do my best in
keeping them on. Anyways..

The reason I asked, is because on my 2-DVD set, there is a little stamp
on it, that says, "Made In Mexico". I was hoping that you still had it,
so that we could conclude that certain ones' are produced in Mexico,
and that *that* could be one idea why. And if so, then that is just a
profile or preference on their part. Who knows' why. They just do for
(as NiteLite said) "..the powers that be.." hehe.

Oh, by the way, ahh.. did you happen to notice that Procoder has this
effect (default'wise) when you encode Pure Interlace source ??

Actually, I don't think this is so bad. You only notice it when you
are watching a pc monitor, but on TV, you don't really notice it, unless
you really look for it.. honestly, I don't see it on my tv

Also, to add.. (maybe a little mixture of OT here) ...

I am starting to notice that some hardware MPEG capture boards seem to add
this as well. So I don't think it is all that bad. Really. And, I think
it adds to the "Quality factor" in some way, else why would they use it.
However, this SDE seems to lead to some sort of "spacial" or "convoltion"
type filtering, based on my experience with such filtering. And, in my
ADS DVD Xpress hardware capture board, it offers this. It is obviously
helping the final MPEG in some way, as long as its not too over-
board. And, on my Xpress board, this is a "hardware filter", which
really does add to the quality, and I am starting to like it. I am just
begining to embrase it, w/ respectable levels of params.. if you know
what I mean. Hope that made sense to you all, hehe But, from what I
can tell, the Xpress has two different types of these filters to use.
But only one seems to be usable in a given software app. With the excetion
of a .reg tweak, it may be the only thing to bring *both* to play. Only
tests will prove. Till then..

@ Wile_E

- If you would like, (just so that we have consensus) perhaps we could
post a few PICS and maybe a really short VOB demo. Just to be sure.

What do you think ?? Is it worth it ??

-vhelp 3511

[BJ_M]

yes - post some screen caps of this please ..

i only saw this in procoder 1 , not the current version

[vhelp]

Yes, this is in Procoder v1.5 that I have. And the source I found this
on was with my DV cam footage. But, fwiw.. when I use a tripod in my
shoots, this is very good for it. However, I can't speak for those
"pure interlace" sources that are from captures off of TV, such as
NEWS; GAMES; INTERVIEWS; etc. Only clean sources like DV cam footage.

-vhelp 3512