I've never thought of the differences between VHS and DVD in these terms before, and I'm not sure of how to advise you here. Which title were you watching?

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Thanks for replying!! Unfortunately, can't remember the title (seen too many on VHS, heh =)

I don't know if it's true in most cases, or not, but with the very few DVDs I've seen, they look they they were shot on film as opposed to looking like they were taken on a video camera.

Just wondering if this is true in general with most DVDs out there in the market (that they have that film-quality look to them).

If that's the case, guess that's one reason for me to stick to VHS for a while since most all adult video tapes don't look like they were shot on film (except for New Sensations releases and several others)

Thanks if anybody knows...

Bruce

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Wow.... I just can't imagine what you're talking about. I don't doubt that you are perceiving some kind of difference in your eyes that makes you draw that kind of comparison, but I just don't understand it.

As someone who's been watching porn with frequent regularity for well over 13 years, I have seen my fair share of both VHS and DVD, and I've never experienced this phenomenon. All things being equal, there is usually significant picture QUALITY advantages to DVD over VHS--less video noise... much less ghosting... less degredation resulting from wear, etc. All of these things might lend an air of roughness or "dirtiness" that might contribute to your idea of raw video, I suppose. Rest assured though that in almost all cases, DVD is simply bringing you the original source in a much higher and more consistent quality. Video is still video, and no on is trying to make it look like film in the transfer. There are exceptions where the transfer to DVD is so bad that it is easy to see pixelation because of low bitrate, and this phenomenon might be what you're referring to. As Aybesea said though, it would help to know what specific title you are talking about.

Like I said, I don't doubt your feelings on the subject, I'm just confused as to what's making you feel that way. I would give DVD a few more tries before giving up on it... you'd be missing out on some serious quality improvements over VHS, to say nothing about DVD extras.

Mike L.

Edited by - MLyons on 11/27/2002 12:43:36 AM

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Mike L.

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Yes, I was never doubting the superiority of the DVD picture over VHS as far as picture quality, artifacting, and the fact that VHS quality severely degrades over time.

Was just trying to make the following point...

You know that with some VHS videos you rent at the store, it says specifically on the box that this movie was "shot on film." Those video tapes look distinctly "different" than regular adult VHS tapes shot on video (not that the quality is any worse per say)

This is analogous to the difference between watching a live show on television, versus seeing a movie in a theater (which looks "different" since it's shot on film)

With the very few DVDs I've rented, just noticed that they all looked like they were "shot on film" (and was wondering if most of them were like that)

Sounds like they're not, since from what I'm hearing, dvd version is just replicating the same source as VHS, but with superior sampling and such. So if it wasn't shot on film in the VHS version, definitely shouldn't look like it was shot on film in DVD version.

Sorry for the poor communication and confusion on my part..;)

Bruce

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Some of the DVD's that Gailon Douglass is producing at http://www.sexyvids.com (Hot Texas Amateurs) are fantastic! His two latest girl/girl DVD's are almost miraculously clear. Ditto for the DVD's from http://bubblegirls.com. First rate stuff!

I think it's fair to say that you can never know what you're going to get until you see it. And, because I have stopped buying tapes, for the most part, and I am copying my tape collection on to DVD's, I am not going to look back.

BC

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Of course, the camera equipment used, the lighting, the skill of the DVD author, and the amount of information that must fit on the disc (including features -- most authors run the DVD stream at the highest bitrate possible given the amount of video that needs to be put on the disc).

In other words, it's possible to make a DVD look better than a mint VHS copy given DVD's superior resolution. But it's also possible to make it much worse.

Personally, I've seen a lot of DVDs that definitely look like they were recorded with a video camera. Perhaps the difference you are seeing is the downconversion from professional digital video to analog VHS.

- Saki

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if you're willing to waste a few bucks, check out some of Caballero's DVDs to see examples of DVD transfer from plain old VHS copies. the quality is absolutely terrible.

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