Star Trek: TNG confirmed for Bluray

Josey Wales

2012 is going to be a big year. It has been confirmed that TNG will be coming to Bluray. The good news is that CBS is returning to the original negatives for remastering. Should make for a much better quality than the DVDs.

Source

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoC-uO90Jc4

Amtmann

Interesting. I'll stick with the slimline DVDs myself. Seasons 3-7 have aged very well I think, except for season 5, when the cinematography went a little fuzzy for some reason.

The slimlines are down to just £10 on Amazon now. I must pick up seasons 1 and 2 soon...

Sad Professor

Great news. Although I'd interested to know exactly how they are doing this. Going back to the original film elements seems like a lot of work. Particularly with the visual effects. But I guess they found a cost effective way of doing it. It'll be interesting to see this sample disc.

The Black Oil

Pride Fighter

Great news. Cannot wait to get this

Kiith

So there's 3 episodes being released, as a seperate edition? Seriously?

Assuming this is a very cheap promo, and they are going to release the series afterwards, and assuming they don't charge a ****ing fortune (which they will), i'll probably buy it. A lot of if's though.

Klingon Hamlet

I'm not sure if I can handle the bodyhugging spandex uniforms of Seasons 1 and 2 in High-Def!

I don't like that the effects are being "recreated". TOS HD took some liberties and most but not all were effective.

George Lucas' obsession with updating old classics has clearly infected the minds of CBS, boo!

Sad Professor

The effects aren't being recreated, at least not according to CBS.

Transferring STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION® to high-definition presented numerous challenges – The series was originally shot on film and then transferred to videotape, which was used to edit episodes together. In order to create true HD masters, CBS is going back to the original uncut film negative – all 25,000 plus film reels of it – and cutting the episodes together exactly the way they originally aired. The visual effects were all shot on film and will be painstakingly recompositioned, not upconverted from videotape. The newly cut film will then be transferred to true high-definition with 7.1 DTS Master Audio. Denise and Mike Okuda are consulting on the project.

Now my understanding is that this isn't entirely true. Most of the effects (models, matte paintings, etc) were shot on film and then composited on video, so they can indeed be re-composited for HD. But in later years many of the effects were shot on video or done digitally. These effects will have to be redone. How they are going to do this, I don't know.

Klingon Hamlet

I know it's odd but I kinda dig the blurriness of TNG, there's something comforting about it:)

I remember going to see Generations and thinking yowza, that's a heluva lot more detailed!

(Pretty sure the NTSC-to-PAL conversion of the shows had a blurring effect too)

Cookie_Monster

The difference in the above photo is unbelievable! :eek:

I'm sure not every effect will not translate so well and may show up failings but that looks awesome!

filmbuffboy

I wonder if theyre just releasing the three episodes as a feeler for whether or not they will make any money if they release the rest. No doubt whatever they do, the box sets will be ridiculously overpriced, as were the dvd box sets when they first came out.

IvySlayer

I'd love to rewatch Best of Both Worlds in bluray.

Klingon Hamlet

Aw why didn't I think of this before? Clearly it was 1.33:1 format. Now the TOS updates were reformatted to 1.78:1, with minimal cropping, as they used 35mm cameras, so there was extra imagery on each side to be exploited anyway. Overall a more expansive image.

But TNG used 16mm as far as I know...meaning much more limited information...so either widescreen and looking cropped, or square-screen with annoying black panels on each side. Either way, FAIL.

Sad Professor

TNG was shot on 35mm as well.

I'll be surprised if they aren't doing a 16x9 version of the show (for future tv broadcasts), but I suspect the Blu-ray will use the original aspect ratio. Cropping causes too many problems.

seanp_25

Klingon Hamlet wrote: »

Aw why didn't I think of this before? Clearly it was 1.33:1 format. Now the TOS updates were reformatted to 1.78:1, with minimal cropping, as they used 35mm cameras, so there was extra imagery on each side to be exploited anyway. Overall a more expansive image..

The TOS Bluray was 1.33:1.
The remaster for TV was 1.78:1.

It will be the same for TNG I'd imagine. (Actually it's already been confirmed that the Bluray will be 1.33:1 and there'll be a 1.78:1 version for other media (I guess this means TV, Netflix, etc.)

Sad Professor

New trailer, which includes a before and after of a re-composited visual effects shot. Looks very impressive.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DZEcKM33YY

And apparently they couldn't find all of the original film elements belonging to Sins of the Father. So there will about 13 seconds of upscaled SD video in that episode. Not a big deal, but I suspect that's not the only episode with missing or damaged film elements. It wouldn't surprise me if a few episodes end up being be SD only.

Kiith

Footage looks good, but there's no way i'm buying 3 episodes. If/when they release the enter series, i'll consider it though.

Myrddin

Kiith wrote: »

Footage looks good, but there's no way i'm buying 3 episodes. If/when they release the enter series, i'll consider it though.

Agreed, entire series or nothing tbh.

Sad Professor

It probably wasn't made clear in the first post, but the entire series is being released on Blu-ray. The first season is due in the latter half of next year. This sampler disc is just to give people a taste. Though I think it was mostly for the studio's benefit to establish whether it was practical and cost-effective to restore from the original negatives.

Myrddin

Sad Professor wrote: »

It probably wasn't made clear in the first post, but the entire series is being released on Blu-ray. The first season is due in the latter half of next year. This sampler disc is just to give people a taste. Though I think it was mostly for the studio's benefit to establish whether it was practical and cost-effective to restore from the original negatives.

Ah I see, that's better. The difference is unreal, those aired versions are horrific quality in the early seasons.

Goldstein

Surprisingly impressive. I'm sold if the rest are like that.

Still cautious though, always remember the first rule of acquisition:

Once you have their money, you never give it back. :pac:

radiospan

7 comparisons here: http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/94362/picture:4

CYHSN

Been waiting for a star trek series to be released on blu ray for ages, this is awesome! I wonder what the price lag will be though?

FGR

I know the purists will hate me for saying it but I wish they went and worked on getting it to a 16:9 ratio.

Ah well.

seanp_25

ForegoneReality wrote: »

I know the purists will hate me for saying it but I wish they went and worked on getting it to a 16:9 ratio.

Ah well.

The Bluray is 4:3 for the purists.

The version being made for TV, iTunes etc will be 16:9.

(like was done with the TOS remaster a few years ago)

G-Money

I wonder will DS9 be put onto Blu-Ray also? I guess they might wait and see how TNG does first.

seanp_25

G-Money wrote: »

I wonder will DS9 be put onto Blu-Ray also? I guess they might wait and see how TNG does first.

It'll be another few years.

Did I read somewhere that the plan was to release 2 TNG seasons per year? Or was that just for 2012?

Myrddin

seanp_25 wrote: »

It'll be another few years.

Did I read somewhere that the plan was to release 2 TNG seasons per year? Or was that just for 2012?

If so I'll not bother, 6 years or so until there's a complete collection? Sure QFHD will be on the horizon by then. It's a never ending cycle of upgrading

G-Money

Two seasons per year is a long wait, although I imagine restoring from the negative is a time consuming and painstaking process.

Myrddin

EnterNow wrote: »

If so I'll not bother, 6 years or so until there's a complete collection? Sure QFHD will be on the horizon by then. It's a never ending cycle of upgrading

Yeah EnterNow because TNG is 12 seasons long :o

I knew something didn't add up there 3 years is long, but doable.

jcf

G-Money wrote: »

Two seasons per year is a long wait, although I imagine restoring from the negative is a time consuming and painstaking process.

Not too bad, 3 years and we'll have all the good seasons

downwithpeace

Sad Professor wrote: »

This sampler disc is just to give people a taste. Though I think it was mostly for the studio's benefit to establish whether it was practical and cost-effective to restore from the original negatives.

Not completely the same but MGM did something similar with SGA, fans choice Blu-Ray release, sort of a test the market thing.

CYHSN wrote: »

I wonder what the price lag will be though?

I've been wondering that too, main issue that I see is people (Fans) will spend a fair bit even if they only buy one season.

filmbuffboy

These box sets are definately going to be over the 100 euro mark on release. I remember back when they first released TNG on dvd I spent 100-110 euro per season buying them all. YOu can now get TNG on dvd for a tenner per season or even cheaper second hand!

Even though its gonna cost me a fortune to repurchase it all, I cannot wait!!!!!

Kiith

There's no ****ing way i'll pay €100 for a series of anything, nevermind a 15 year old show. Even if it is Star Trek.

It's be €30-€50 a season, max.

Myrddin

Kiith wrote: »

There's no ****ing way i'll pay €100 for a series of anything, nevermind a 15 year old show. Even if it is Star Trek.

It's be €30-€50 a season, max.

Same here, I'll likely not bother until they've dropped drastically in price.

Kirby

Same. 40 quid max. Anything more just isn't worth it.

Theboinkmaster

What about Deep Space 9?

downwithpeace

Theboinkmaster wrote: »

What about Deep Space 9?

If TNG is a hit then probably but don't see it being done before all of TNG Blu-Ray has been released.

Eye of Orion

personally I think there will only be a few good episodes worth watching in HD, will avoid the episodes where beverleys great great granny's ghost comes back to haunt her and the likes....

Myrddin

Eye of Orion wrote: »

personally I think there will only be a few good episodes worth watching in HD, will avoid the episodes where beverleys great great granny's ghost comes back to haunt her and the likes....

Don't you mean there will be a few episodes not worth watching in HD?

filmbuffboy

the vast majority of episodes will be worth watching in HD, with the exception of a few god awful ones which make you wonder how they ever thought it would be a worthwhile ep!

downwithpeace

Eye of Orion wrote: »

will avoid the episodes where beverleys great great granny's ghost comes back to haunt her and the likes....

Star Trek: Murder she Wrote

Beefy78

TNG won't be any cheaper than the TOS Blus are. So €60ish I'd guess. I'm not sure that they'll drop in price much over time either. This is a much bigger, and more expensive, task for the studio than most Blu-Ray conversions are and they'll be looking to get as much money back as possible. They need to do it though as the SD versions will stop earning them money from syndication otherwise.

I don't like spending more than £25/€30 for a box set at most - HD or not - but will likely support this. At least from S3 onwards.

seanp_25

The price of the Season 1 Blu-ray is already listed as £51.99 (~€62): http://www.sainsburysentertainment.co.uk/en/Films-TV/Blu-ray/Star-Trek-The-Next-Generation-Season-1/product.html?product=E11057492

Release date also seems to be listed as July 23rd.

Kiith

Don't think i'm willing to pay €60 a season for this.

downwithpeace

Amazon have it listed now as well for £52.49 Region Free, Play have it as €74.49.

Bit steep really so I'm going to hold off and see if it drops or shop around.

Myrddin

Far too dear, I'll hold off until it's in a slimline box selling for 10.99 or something low like the way the original releases dropped over the years.

filmbuffboy

It'll be a long time before they're selling for 10.99.

Myrddin

filmbuffboy wrote: »

It'll be a long time before they're selling for 10.99.

Owning all the dvd sets, I can wait. It'll be an even longer time before I pay the guts of €80 for them.

Beefy78

The TOS Blu-Rays have held their price and so will these.

downwithpeace

Beefy78 wrote: »

The TOS Blu-Rays have held their price and so will these.

That's a good point, look out for sales.