[UNSDB] Robotech HongKong Bootleg DVDs

From: "Burn" <Burn@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: <unsdb@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Fri, 14 Nov 2003 16:58:36 +0100
Hi everybody.

I recently bought two sets of HK bootleg DVDs off eBay. The Macross Saga DVD
Box included 4 DVDs for 40 Euros and the Invid Invasion Box was 30 Euros for
3 DVDs. Just in case someone's interested, here's my review:

-----------
Packaging:
- both sets come in a folded carton with a clear plastic sleeve

- the artwork on the cover of the macross saga seems to be a direct copy of
the original RC1 covers, AFAIK, down to the label "extra disc" on one of the
images

- the artwork on Invid Invasion has less variation, some Cyclones on the
outside and the same troopers on each inside "page" with variations on the
disc labels

- if you know the "Gasaraki" or "Patlabor WXIII" HK bootlegs, they are
pretty much of the same make...
-----------
Contents:
-They actually managed to get one complete original boxset on each DVD. I
can't tell the exact count of episodes as I am not at home right now as I'm
typing this. Details will follow.

- No Sentinels, sorry.

- No extras whatsoever. No animated menus, no BGM for the menus, just a nice
background image, that's all

- Interestingly, the cover of both bootleg boxes state that the audio is in
both Japanese and English, with optional English subtitles. This is simply
not true, English audio only, no subs, no Japanese (as if...  )
-----------
Quality:
- In one word: mediocre.

- Compression: no really visible signs of compression artefacts

- now for the worst part: in the Macross Saga DVDs there are frequent shifts
in brightness. I don't know however if this is due to the fact that the
material was not remastered or maybe that's even the case with the
legitimate RC1 release (I don't own them). Maybe someone else can help
here???

- On the cover it says "Dolby Digital". Well, depends on how you define
that. It's definitely not Digital Surround, nor ProLogic. I guess just dual
Mono, just like the US release.

- The visual quality of the Invid Invasion set is much better than that of
the Macross Saga. How it is compared to the ADV remastered versrion of
Mospeada I can't say, as I will only get THAT by the end of the month.
-----------
Summary:
While the quality of the material is mediocre, I have seen bootlegs far
worse than this. At a price of 40 euros for 4 DVDs (Macross set) and 30
euros for 3 DVDs (Invid Invasion) you simply cannot complain. It beats the
RealMedia files by a mile of course and IMO is definitely good enough to
watch. It sucks that there are no extras, but still good enough for me who
cannot afford to import the legitimate RC1 releases and is sick of the RM
files.
-----------

More details, episode lists per DVD will follow shortly. If you have any
questions that I haven't covered, feel free to ask...

-Burn
---------------------------
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[UNSDB] Robotech HongKong Bootleg DVDs

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