High Def Movie Quality vs. Size Question

[bzowk]

Hey Guys -

I've got a question about the quality vs. size of high def movies. I have a basic understanding about file formats including MKV and MP4. However, I wouldn't think that a 1.8g movie listetd as 1080p would be the same quality as a 10gb 1080p movie.

Example
I just did a search for "Bad Country" which returned the following popular HD results:
- Bad Country (2014) 720p BrRip x264 - YIFY 808.11MB
- Bad Country (2014) 1080p BrRip x264 - YIFY 1.64GB
- Bad.Country.2014.720p.BluRay.DTS.x264-PublicHD 5.00GB
- Bad.Country.2014.1080p.BluRay.DTS-HD.MA.5.1.x264 10.00GB

I can understand the difference between 702p & 1080P - but - what's the difference between the two groups? I know that some have subs and multiple audio streams built in surely it doesn't make it x8 bigger!

I play my movie backups on a raspberry pi running OpenELEC accessing a server SMB share. Most of mine are the larger 720p but due to 4k TVs coming out and other future things, I'm now getting 1080 when possible. If I were to download both the 4 files above and play, what difference would there be between both 720ps and 1080ps?

Thanks!

[bob5695]

objective difference: lower a/v bitrates a.k.a. more details discarded when compared to source
subjective difference: depends on one's eyes and ears, and on the devices one uses to play the files

[NIK]

I wouldn't think that a 1.8g movie listetd as 1080p would be the same quality as a 10gb 1080p movie.

It wouldn't be.


what's the difference between the two groups? I know that some have subs and multiple audio streams built in surely it doesn't make it x8 bigger!

The difference (excluding the subs and multiple audio streams) is the quality.


If I were to download both the 4 files above and play, what difference would there be between both 720ps and 1080ps?

Only you can answer that.

Seriously.

Quality is in the eye of the beholder. If you ran the files above through a spectrum analyzer then there are, for sure, measurable differences in objective quality.

But that doesn't mean that your eyes, viewing the files on your playback equipment, would be able to perceive the difference.

And, even if you were, that doesn't mean that you would necessarily consider the degree of difference worth worrying about. If it appears (to you) 5% better, you may or may not consider it worth downloading a file 1000% larger?

You really have to suck it and see.

[shirepirate]

one notable difference is you wouldn't be able to play some larger sized rips on your Raspberry Pi. it's not powerful enough.

[Danimal1q2w3]

I've found that for 1080p movies I personally am exceptionally, mind blowingly pleased at around 7 GiB per movie. I think that difference in bitrate between a 1080p movie at 2 gigs and 7 gigs is night and day, but that is how it appears when watching it on a 50 inch screen connected to my pc. I used to have a smaller screen and I didn't notice some of the bad quality, but on a much bigger screen, like i said, night and day. If I had my old TV still I would stick with 2-3 gig movies.