I'm not sure why Aloha From Hawaii looks so bad

[357mag]

I picked up Elvis Aloha From Hawaii which is on DVD and although I haven't watched it yet on my TV I did make an MKV file from it and tried watching some of it through Media Player Home Classic. It looks quite horrible. I'm trying to understand why as I have not had any issues in the past when it comes to watching a ripped disc on my computer.

The color is not good and the sharpness is also not good. And if you look at the edges of the picture (left edge and right edge) they don't look sharp and well defined. They look soft and blurry.

I've tried using different aspect ratios in Media Player Home Classic and it still looks very unsharp and generally bad.

I can only guess that there is something I have to do differently with this particular disc in order for it to appear the way it is supposed to.

Wonder what is going on with this disc as far as ripping it to a file and watching on my computer.

[smrpix]

"Aloha from Hawaii" was groundbreaking high tech for its day but older tube cameras and crude multi-generation 2" quad effects look pretty bad compared to todays digital recordings. The edges of the frame were never meant to be seen. Are you certain your problems aren't simply that you're noticing the technical limitations of the day?

[357mag]

No I'm not certain about that. But I do believe it should look quite a bit better. But again I think it will once I watch it on my TV.

And I used to have his 68 Comeback Special which I watched as a file on my computer and it look excellent and that was 1968.

I don't know why this huge concert has not been released on Bluray yet.

[jagabo]

I don't know why this huge concert has not been released on Bluray yet.

There's probably no high definition source. It was recorded on video tape, not film.

[357mag]

You don't need a high definition source. Have you seen Two Mules For Sister Sara? Or Elvis That's The Way It Is? Both of those look stunning. And there was no high definition back then.

All they need to do is use a modern restoration method and do a really good job with it and the end result will look fabulous on Bluray.

[hech54]

Who knows how many fly-by-night companies bought licenses to sell that at flea markets and truck stops....not knowing or caring what the source was.

[locotus]

You don't need a high definition source. Have you seen Two Mules For Sister Sara? Or Elvis That's The Way It Is? Both of those look stunning. And there was no high definition back then.

All they need to do is use a modern restoration method and do a really good job with it and the end result will look fabulous on Bluray.

Digital transfer of movies store in celluloide came from physical masters that maybe not available for some movies for some reasons.

[smrpix]

You don't need a high definition source. Have you seen Two Mules For Sister Sara? Or Elvis That's The Way It Is? Both of those look stunning. And there was no high definition back then.

All they need to do is use a modern restoration method and do a really good job with it and the end result will look fabulous on Bluray.

Both of those were shot on 35mm film -- better than HD quality. Aloha was shot on 2" quad videotape.

[jagabo]

You don't need a high definition source. Have you seen Two Mules For Sister Sara? Or Elvis That's The Way It Is? Both of those look stunning. And there was no high definition back then.

Both of those movies were shot on film. Movie film has been high resolution since the early 1900's.

All they need to do is use a modern restoration method and do a really good job with it and the end result will look fabulous on Bluray.

No it will simply look like upscaled standard definition TV video. Even in the best of cases it will not look "high definition". The modern restoration techniques you speak of all start with film, negatives and/or prints.

[357mag]

Is high resolution high definition? Terms everywhere and interchangeably used willy nilly. As far as Aloha goes mine is a genuine copy. Not a flea market ripoff.

But the fact that is has not been released yet on Bluray like Elvis on Tour has and the International Hotel film has is not really understandable, seeing that he was the best.

[smrpix]

But the fact that is has not been released yet on Bluray like Elvis on Tour has and the International Hotel film has is not really understandable, seeing that he was the best.

The answer is likely to be more legal than technical.

[hech54]

As far as Aloha goes mine is a genuine copy. Not a flea market ripoff.

You're missing the point. A factory pressed DVD could also mean the source used for the DVD was simply a VHS tape.....not the original film. It happens quite often.

[KarMa]

Maybe post some native resolution pictures? Also what do you mean by "made an MKV file from it"? Like is this a re-encoding or is just the original MPEG2 video in an MKV?