If the video codec was unchanged then an increase in bitrate would not deliver differant picture quality. I do not remember any complaints with the HDDVD version as to macro blocking or poor visual quaility. In fact if I remember correctly, there was not a lossless audio codec on the HDDVD so that the studio could provide the best picture possible. Given their direction then, why would there be any differance in video quality?
Now as for the audio, this has been hashed over here time and time again. Debate about wheather a true lossless audio codec would sound better then a lossey one. Technically speaking a true lossless audio codec done correctly with enough bitrate to support it should sound better then a lossey one on equipment that will support it.
Actually, the lossless audio thing for
Transformers was alleged to be a capacity not a bitrate issue. (30GB vs. 50GB)
Moreover, you're really twisting history saying that increased bitrates do not imrove PQ. Believe me, they do with MPEG2. They do with MPEG4/AVC as well to a point. What HD DVD proponents said all throughout last year (and the year before) was that HD DVD's 30Mbps was sufficient.
Transformers and "Nature's Journey" (VC-1) show that even if both are bit maxed out, the end video result is the same.
Back on topic...another truly credible review is out. This one is by Ralph Potts--he mentions the same thing that Joe Whip mentioned about bass response but gives exact specifics.
Transformers (Blu-ray) Official AVSForum Review - AVS Forum
I ran a few comparisons between the Blu-ray Disc and the HD DVD. Upon comparing the quality of the video I saw no discernible difference between the two. I compared the lossy Dolby Digital Plus and Lossless Dolby TrueHD sound tracks. After level matching I ran all of the aforementioned sequences. I powered up both players and cued up the beginning of each sequence. I watched them one at a time switching back and forth. There have been reports (two from writers whose opinions I respect) of a 6 to 10 decibel increase in volume on the TrueHD mix. I did not experience that in my evaluation/comparison. What I did notice was an improvement in low frequency reproduction. It seems as though the minor attenuation (for lack of a better word) of the bass present on the HD DVD is no longer present. The bass has better tactility and improved depth which can be felt not just in the room but within the body as well. The improvement here seems to be related to the deeper bass frequencies and is most appreciable in the scenes in the film that contain lower bass content. That is not strictly the case though. An example would be in chapter 18 where the cryogenic freezing apparatus where Megatron is being held has begun to fail. There is an alarm that begins to sound and the scene switches the control room. There is a low bass tone that accompanies that transition before the scene switches again. It was detectable on the HD DVD but on the Blu-ray Disc it could be felt as wave of punchy low bass energy. The beginning of chapter 2 (mentioned earlier) definitely had a more distinct and powerful low bass presence than on the HD DVD. I ran these scenes along with the others mentioned earlier in this review 3 times each and double checked to ensure that output levels were the same. I also ran these same scenes using the PS3 rather than bit streaming the audio from my Panasonic and Samsung players and the results were the same. I am satisfied that the Blu-ray version of Transformers does in fact offer an improvement in this area over the HD DVD. I want to be clear that the low frequency effects on the HD DVD are quite good and the difference here is not night and day but is certainly noticeable. As far as any appreciable differences in the overall sound quality I would say that if present they are minimal.
He gave it a 96 for audio and a 92 for video! :up (Ralph does not mark-up his stuff. His scores are generally in the 80's for most recent releases.)
As far as I know, its the same bitrate with better audio.
Elway, you were misinformed. Michael Bay went all out on
Transformers. Remember, he was the super Blu-Ray cheerleader.
Transformers comes to Blu-ray Disc featuring 1080p AVC encoded video that has an average bitrate of 32 mbps and lossless Dolby TrueHD 5.1 channel audio that has an average bitrate of 4.1 mbps.
HD DVD's maximum TOTAL bandwidth is less than 30 Mbps. The average VIDEO bitrate of the
Transformers disc is 32 Mbps. This isn't the bitrate doesn't matter VC-1 codec that everyone makes fun of. This is Blu-Ray's much preferred AVC.
