Best Technology For Dragonbox And Level Sets?

[Ringworm128]

Recently I've been interested in getting the best picture out of game consoles using HDMI for newer consoles and RGB for older systems. During my research a thought popped into my mind? What if someone wanted to get optimal picture for Dragonball? What player, output, tv? ETC. I know it's subjective but I'm interested in what everyone thinks is the peak for watching DBZ,

[thejeremymenace]

Recently I've settled on the following playback stack:

• Windows 7/8/10
• ffdshow decoder
• madVR renderer
• MPC-HC player

I have ffdshow set to crop 8 pixels from the left and right (16 total) and scale horizontally for proper aspect ratio for any 4:3 DVD video. I also use ffdshow to handle any deinterlacing if needed using TomsMoComp as the deinterlacer. MadVR takes care of upscaling, and you can play with a lot of options there to suit your liking.

My playback media is a set of MKVs built straight from the Dragon Box DVDs, with text subtitles OCR'd from Funimation's subs and resynced to fit the Dragon Box video.

I'd love to share some screenshots but I'm away from home for the next few days.

As far as hardware, I output via HDMI to a 1080p Samsung TV

[Ajay]

Just to back up thejeremymenace: I use a near identical playback setup.

I have a 165Hz 1440p monitor, so the upscaling is a godsend. The smooth motion setting in MadVR also reduces motion judder during pans. Gives you nice fluidity without the garbage soap opera effect you get from interpolation on modern TVs.

[BlazingFiddlesticks]

Do the plugins come with MPC by defaut? I switched recenty.

[Kamiccolo9]

I stick it in a PS4.

That's the extent of my visual-tech knowledge. Use it well, I suppose

[Ajay]

Do the plugins come with MPC by defaut? I switched recenty.

They don't, no.

However, you can easily install MPC via the Kawaii Codec pack installer, which automatically gives you the large majority of what we're talking about.

[Ringworm128]

Sorry for necro posting, but I managed to find my perfect setup. A few days ago I bought a CRT with hardly any use which means it still has incredible color and sharpness. After hooking up the PS3 via component and tinkering with the picture settings I managed to get pretty good deep, bright color out of the Dragonbox without pushing it into orange brick levels of saturation.

[kei17]

Sorry for necro posting, but I managed to find my perfect setup. A few days ago I bought a CRT with hardly any use which means it still has incredible color and sharpness. After hooking up the PS3 via component and tinkering with the picture settings I managed to get pretty good deep, bright color out of the Dragonbox without pushing it into orange brick levels of saturation.

That's definitely the best way to watch it because the DBox footage must have been mastered with CRT monitors in mind considering its age. It often looks too bright on LCD monitors because of the lower contrast.

[ZodaEX]

Sorry for necro posting, but I managed to find my perfect setup. A few days ago I bought a CRT with hardly any use which means it still has incredible color and sharpness. After hooking up the PS3 via component and tinkering with the picture settings I managed to get pretty good deep, bright color out of the Dragonbox without pushing it into orange brick levels of saturation.

That's definitely the best way to watch it because the DBox footage must have been mastered with CRT monitors in mind considering its age. It often looks too bright on LCD monitors because of the lower contrast.

I'm pretty sure when they were mastering the Dragon Box footage they had CRT TVs in mind for the presentation more so than CRT monitors.

[BlazingFiddlesticks]

I can anecdotally affirm that the DBoxes look mighty fine on CRTs. No surprise, they were the default in 2003, but as their now an "option" it should be said.

[Ringworm128]

Sorry for necro posting, but I managed to find my perfect setup. A few days ago I bought a CRT with hardly any use which means it still has incredible color and sharpness. After hooking up the PS3 via component and tinkering with the picture settings I managed to get pretty good deep, bright color out of the Dragonbox without pushing it into orange brick levels of saturation.

That's definitely the best way to watch it because the DBox footage must have been mastered with CRT monitors in mind considering its age. It often looks too bright on LCD monitors because of the lower contrast.

I'm pretty sure when they were mastering the Dragon Box footage they had CRT TVs in mind for the presentation more so than CRT monitors.

Most professional stuff like mastering was done on monitors which means looking at one is probably the closest to what the people saw when they were making the Dragonbox. Also from what I've heard, RGB monitors are awesome regardless. I'm definitely getting one.

[DreamedArtist]

I say the best way to watch any of the DBZ stuff Is using a IPS fully professionally color calibrated and get the exact colors that it was ment to be seen in.

I moved from a gaming LCD monitor to an studio NEC IPS monitor with calibrator and my god the difference is day and night.
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2495066,00.asp I recommend if you got the money try an IPS panel to watch your stuff and you won't be upset with the outcome.

[Ajay]

I say the best way to watch any of the DBZ stuff Is using a IPS fully professionally color calibrated and get the exact colors that it was ment to be seen in.

Agreed.

I'm on this calibrated by this.

Definitely the most impressive image quality I've ever seen from any screen. Don't let anyone tell you IPS isn't worth it. I'd held off for so long because I value high refresh rate over anything else and there simply weren't any options out there for me until this monitor released.

One thing I will say is: I don't think many people realise that most screens out of the box are horrendously overbright with all kinds of awful tints. Even if folks don't wanna pick up a tool, it's at least worth running through something like this. You're still going by eye which isn't great, but it's better than nothing.

Regarding the Dragon Box, though. I used to think it lacked contrast before picking up the calibration tool. Definitely isn't even remotely as overblown as I once thought.

[SSGSS Goku]

For madVR, should I use FineSharp, LumaSharpen, AdaptiveSharpen, or SuperRes for the upscaling for the Dragon Boxes? And how high should the strength be?

[Ajay]

For madVR, should I use FineSharp, LumaSharpen, AdaptiveSharpen, or SuperRes for the upscaling for the Dragon Boxes? And how high should the strength be?

I personally don't use any of the refinement options as I think the regular upscaling methods work just fine. That said, if you're gonna use any of them, I found the SuperRes option to be the most beneficial. I just set it to scale it to my monitor's native resolution (1440p).

[DreamedArtist]

I say the best way to watch any of the DBZ stuff Is using a IPS fully professionally color calibrated and get the exact colors that it was ment to be seen in.

Agreed.

I'm on this calibrated by this.

Dude I almost picked up that monitor, Almost so close but the guy gave me an open box deal and took 280 off of the one I got so I was pretty happy and it is mint so win win but here is the calibrator I use

Spyder4 PRO Advanced Colour Calibration. This little guy does wonders for my job cause I do photography for Google and this thing saved my ass many times for every monitor I use <3 I think a lot of people never bother adjusting the monitor out of the box and pains me to see colors of orange tint and blue all the time when I go to peoples houses so I calibrate it for them LOL

[Vegard Aune]

One thing I will say is: I don't think many people realise that most screens out of the box are horrendously overbright with all kinds of awful tints. Even if folks don't wanna pick up a tool, it's at least worth running through something like this. You're still going by eye which isn't great, but it's better than nothing.

Oh yes, this used to drive me insane with my dad's old TV, which had all these image processing functions that couldn't be disabled. First thing I did when getting myself a new TV was turn off all the dynamic contrast, noise reduction, sharpness enhancement and all that nonsense, and adjust the brightness, contrast and colors until it looked right. I mean, it's hardly a perfect setup I've got now, and maybe I ought to try some of those guides you linked to, but at least my current setup is passable.
Also I work at an electronics store, and basically have to look at these hideously miscolored and overblown TVs all day... it is just ever so slightly maddening.