So I guess I've done a pretty good job, then. But no they aren't the same. Both the Rhino and Shout Factory DVD releases have leftover mistakes from using the unfinished proof reels as their video source. These are errors fixed for the final broadcast, but not for the DVD's. My intention is to restore all the episodes to as-broadcast form (or as close as possible) while using the higher quality Rhino video in the process... NOT just swapping in broadcast tape footage. First video: 1) Reflector's flash is not on the DVD's. On DVD the shutter just opens and that's it. Second video: 2) Laserbeak's eyebeams are the wrong color 3) There should not be electricity in Optimus' hand 4) The lasers blasting Optimus are lacking color and underlay detail. 5) Laser colors from humans and Decepticons are swapped 6) Spike's eyes move to the left while blinking and Wheeljack's lights don't light up correctly.
All of seasons 2 and 3 have been restored to an as-broadcast state. Half of season 1, which needs the most work, is in the can. Using as much of the remastered footage as feasible by replacing specific missing or wrong elements through AVISynth scripting or (if I have to) manually fixing using GIMP. Some things cannot be repaired so the broadcast footage HAS to be spliced in. The sources for that is either Shout Factory’s replacements or the Japanese DVD release. And of course it’s all being upscaled to 1080p. Hopefully this will be the definitive version of the G1 series.
