Sony Test Disc

ID: 00MW-0009

Price: 19,800 yen

Discs: 1

Sound: A-Mode

Running Time: 23 minutes

Released: Sony

The Hi-Vision Laserdisc equivalent of A Video Standard / Avia Setup Disc / Video Essentials DVD setup discs. The disc also comes with a blue filter for calibration.

In addition, it has sound test set-ups, resolution patterns (in 16:9 format only), color tests, etc. Additionally there is quite a bit of Hi-Vision footage from other Sony scenery discs (Fish Face of Okinawa, Alaska, Paris) as well as footage unique to this disc (more below)

I can’t comment much on the test patterns other than they can help you set up your system properly. I will say some of the test patterns with a lot of red in them have chroma noise and slight bleeding in the patterns.

Picture quality on the test footage is anywhere from very good to downright amazing. What’s good? The beach sequences (also used to test sound with white noise), Alaska shot scenes, the outdoor European scenes all stand out as good to very good.

Want amazing? One of the test sequences shows a young Japanese girl go from “plain Jane” (no makeup, etc.) to a high class model after a make up session. This whole sequence shows how amazing Hi-Vision can be. Close ups of the girls face reveals each and every pore and hair on her face, with very clean and neutral skin tones. The make-up is often shown in a multitude of colors on screen at once. The picture here is saturated and sharp. Just beautiful to watch, like looking out a window.

Another shot of a high speed riverboat running up a narrow and treacherous river shows that fast action can still come across nearly artifact free. Basically the equivalent of an MPEG motion test on DVD. There is basically no glaring compression artifacts and none that I can point out. I’d have to go frame by frame to pick out any problems.

There is also a clip from Fish Face of Okinawa that is just also amazing to look at.

While demo clips on this disc are minimal, they just amazing.

Sound is limited to the demo sequences, and is presented in the A-Mode format only. Great sound, very clean and lively with surround channels getting some action to them along with the subwoofer (especially during the river run!). I can’t find a problem here at all.

A great HDTV test disc by any means, and although “test” footage (i.e. demo material) is limited, I’m glad I own this disc. Just amazing !