G1 DVD Rhino/Madman audio

My local Big W has stock of the Madman G1 DVD's and I'm thinking about getting them. I've read on transformers.wikia.com that the Madman G1 DVD's use Rhino's audio, it also says that Rhino's audio is not liked by the fans.

Is the audio just not liked because it's just not the original audio we grew up with or is it actually bad in some way?

They added some sound effects IIRC. You can change it if you go to the audio options and select "Stereo" instead of "Surround" I believe... although it doesn't work on EVERY disc.

And I think the season 3 sets gave you the actual option of "Original Broadcast Audio" which is good.

Personally I don't care if they change stuff, as long as they keep the original intact (like with Star Wars and E.T.).

The sounds are annoying, but you don't really have much choice since nobody else besides Metrodome have released an official G1 DVD set, and Metrodome use the same audio/video source. If they're on sale mate, might as well get them.


Its annoying because of Magno Sound & Video's "improved" audio track. They claimed the sound effects we hear in their new tracks were always there, but tvs and sound systems back then were too primitive or some bullshit like that.

LIARS.

Read more about them on the TF Wiki.

You mean you don't like the random "CRACK ... BOOOM!" anytime someone fires a shot?

The sounds in the Rhino DVD aren't as bad as everyone says they are. Seriosuly, they are a little irratating at first, but it doesn't "ruin the show" as some have said on here, my advice is to get the DVD's if you don't have them.

What I found most annoying is that it sounds like they removed part of the beat track for the Season 2 theme, or muted it somehow. And some of the added sound effects get in the way of the dialogue.

--Moony

Visit shiny NewCybertron!

SEEKERLETS will be returning soon!

For maybe a few weeks at least! I hope!

I've actually gotten used to them and even like them now.

You forgot the "SIZZZZZLE" after they fire.

The saddest part of all this is that there probably IS a release of the DVDs somewhere that's correct but good luck getting a straight answer. It's like the telephone game filled with people who really don't know what the originals sounded like or don't own the DVDs they're talking about dumping interference into an already poor signal.

Here's the real scoop: You're safe if you get the series on VHS. All of FHE's tapes are right, 13 of Rhino's tapes are right*, Malofilm's first four* tapes are right. Between them you have rougly 1/2 of pre-movie and the highlights of post-movie.

*1 - TFTM is also right, except for the Star Wars opening from the UK version (the DVD, is an acceptable alternative despite some artifacting in Unicron's opening scene). They also did a Blockbuster exclusive Dinobots tape that I could never acquire but presume to be OK because their other Blockbuster exclusive (MTMTE) was right.

*2 - Malofilm did a few "G2" branded tapes afterward, but I could never get ahold of them to verify their contents.

Wait, are you telling us that we don't know what we're talking about?


As far as I am aware, there have only been a handful of official english-language G1 DVD releases.

US:
- Kid Rhino: Released a remastered series of DVDs using production masters, some of which were unfinished so animation errors abound. On the plus side the visual quality is superior to the degraded broadcast masters. Magno Sound & Vision were hired to remaster the soundtrack, but they ended up inserting their own digital sound effects in an attempt to make it more appealing to contemporary audiences. Kid Rhino's version is the basis for most future DVD sets.

UK:
- Maverick Entertainment: They managed to release the first season before their license was yanked. It used the broadcast master video (not sure about the audio), so the video quality is much blurrier than most Rhino DVD-owning Americans are used to.

- Metrodome: Took over from Maverick, and in an unusual move, continued from where they left off, starting at Season 2. Used Kid Rhino's 'remastered' production masters (complete with animation errors) as well as their new 5.1 soundtrack (complete with new sound effects). In 2007 all DVDs and Metrodome's Transformers The Movie Remastered were re-released in a single boxset.

Australia:
- Madman Entertainment: Released DVDs in season-based boxsets. Season 1 used the same broadcast master video as Maverick's, but used the Kid Rhino audio. Season 2 onwards used the Kid Rhino video. In 2007 these DVDs were re-released in a single tin set with some artwork and a short comic by Simon Furman, Nick Roche and our very own Josh.


Of these official sets, only Metrodome's and Madman's are still in print.