The Terminator 2 DVD Release Discussion Thread

[TV's Frink]

So I'm starting this thread in response to a discussion we've been having in ThrowgnCpr's T2 fanedit thread, regarding the quality of the various DVD releases of T2.

viewtopic.php?f=17&t=6626&start=74

The audio was a bit surprising to me. One of my first questions in the ITW thread for this edit was if there would be full 5.1 audio. Throw indicated yes, but as with other upconverted 5.1 edits, I heard dialogue in the rear speakers. Now, it is possible something was set incorrectly on my setup - my receiver was set to "auto decode." But I tried several different modes and I heard dialogue from the rears in all modes. I should ask, Throw, if this is indeed an upconvert. It seems very likely that I simply misunderstood the ITW thread. Wouldn't be the first time

No, this is indeed how it is mixed on the Ultimate Edition DVD. I was pretty grumpy about the mixing of the channels. I did check the audio from the Extreme DVD (someone sent me a sample) and while it was better, it had weird inconsistencies that I didnt like. Sometimes the channels were nicely separated, while other times things mixed into channels in a weird nonsensical way. In the end I stuck with the UE audio, because I had it already, and it was consistent. T2:HOF is not an upconvert. All in all, I am really disappointed with the T2 DVD releases. I guess I should have tried working completely with HD video (though my PC probably would have slapped me), but audio wise, I have no idea what the best source is, and how much of an improvement it is.

The Ultimate Edition had the dialogue mixed in the rear channels? That's just bizarre. I rented that version once but it was before I had a 5.1 setup. I've never noticed the oddities you mentioned in the Extreme version, but to be fair (and as I've mentioned previously), I am often a lazy viewer/listener. Unless I intend to post something about it on a forum, of course.

Is the Ultimate Edition still available? I like my Extreme copy (especially for the Cameron commentary and the enhanced viewing mode), but I remember from my rental that the Ultimate Edition had an amazing "film school in a box" feature.

 

[joebshmoe]

perhaps throw would be so kind as to merge posts from his thread here.

 

[Uncanny Antman]

I just took a chunk at random from the UE and split the audio...no rear channel dialogue at all.

Throw, was your copy like that all the way through?

Or if it was only certain scenes, point me in the direction of what scene to check.

 

[ThrowgnCpr]

well, i know the music was mixed everywhere, but it seems there was no dialogue in the rear channels. I dont have a surround setup, so I just separated the channels of the original and my edit and did a quick check on my pc. no dialogue in rear channels in the original, though the edit has dialogue in the rear. i really dont understand how that happened sorry guys

though the dialogue doesnt mix into the rear channels, everything else is mixed pretty heavily, iirc, and the Extreme DVD still had weird mixing issues (though may not have had dialogue in the rear channels).

 

[TV's Frink]

though the dialogue doesnt mix into the rear channels, everything else is mixed pretty heavily, iirc, and the Extreme DVD still had weird mixing issues (though may not have had dialogue in the rear channels).

I can confirm the Extreme DVD does not have dialogue in the rear channels. I still plan on watching HOF at some point, no fear...I will probably also try to find time to watch the Extreme DVD again and see if I can pick up on some of these weird mixing issues.

Taking this even further off topic, I understand many of you can't do surround sound due to either cost or living arrangement. But if you can do it, and haven't yet, absolutely do it! Surround sound changed my life. It even made The Phantom Menace enjoyable :wink:

Of course I hadn't discovered fanedits at that point....

 

[Tubes]

I concur with Frinkahedron. Surround (even Dolby Surround and Pro Logic) is awesome. My well worn Star Wars laserdisc with PCM audio got tuns of playtime on my old Pro Logic 4.0 setup because it sounded so damn awesome.

As far as Terminator 2 DVD's, the Extreme Edition didn't split for some reason when I worked with it. Hence why Final Judgment is a stereo edit. Video looked fine enough to my eye and I never had an issue with the audio mixing.