That's awesome! I always heard that TNG, DS9, VOY and some of ENT were orginally shot on video instead of film and therefore made it impossible to upgrade to HD. I wonder what changed?
I read the article over at TrekMovie and was not impressed. Up-rezzing? You have got to be kidding me. I also wanted to point out that all of the special effects models, planets and starfields in TNG were all shot on film. The separate footage was then scanned onto video and composited together. Phasers, tractor beams, energy creatures or effects animation were the only things that originated as true video effects. So the question someone needs to be asking is this: Did Paramount and production save any of the original film elements? If they did than they can just rescan, recomposite and reedit everything and use their trusty computers to add the video effects back in rather than completely redoing or botching up the old. But for me this news is neither here nor there. I am not buying another version of anything for a while. This fan is sick of having his bank account raped by these people. However, I might entertain the thought of upgrading to HD in a couple of years but not until the dust settles from the format wars. For now they can talk about this all they want to but they are wasting their time with me. I won't be stuck later with the HD version of Betamax collecting dust on a shelf in the basement.
I already have a complete set of TNG on DVD, I don't need another. Besides which, as I said in some other thread on this BBS, until these friggin HD DVD players get real cheap, this is a moot point with me anyway.
The classic fan argument. Who says you have to buy it? Why should others who might want it be denied because you can't afford it? Reducing a horrific crime like rape to something as petty as this is pathetic. Get some perspective.
What about the regular live action footage? Im assuming that was shot on video also. The DVDs look horrible on my HDTV. More then likely they won't start with TNG until after they are done with TOS, so we're looking at at least a couple of years before any of this even begins. Another year to get season one on HD-DVD or Blueray. By then the format war will be over and a winner clearly defined.
Nope, was shot on film. These points have already been discussed in some detail in various posts on this board, the latest thread is here: link Suffice it to say that at least SOME of the original film stock remains, as evidenced by the bits used for "These Are the Voyages" which was of course in HD. I'm of the position that this will most definately happen, probably within the next 5 years. I'm excited to hear that it's already being discussed. And yes, the current TNG DVDs look horrible on my HDTV too. I hear some of the more expensive upscaling DVD players may do a better job.
I guess this confirms that they kept the original film elements, which was the logical thing to do. I certainly hope they go ahead and create the HD version, as it also is the logical thing to do. This also means that DS9 & VOY may get the HD treatment eventually.
Of course once they start it is going to take a lot longer than TOS will. Just due to significantly larger number of episodes TNG has. The price will be higher too. I wonder if they would take the same approach in terms of the order of the episodes. Working on the favorites first. One advantage this would have is many of the people who did the effects and editing on TNG are still around to consult.
It's a classic fan argument because it's a good one. How come Star Trek seasons are 3 times more expensive than other ones? Why the hell is Enterprise over $100 a season when I can by 24, the Sopranos, and just about ANY OTHER show on television for a fraction of the price. FINALLY The Next Generation went down to $50 a season and I was able to buy the entire set all at once... but seriously man, the Voyager seasons I bought are still upward of 80 to 110 dollars a season. It's ridiculous and we definitely have bitching rights.
I walked away from this discussion because it was never my intention to stir the pot but I think I need to clarify my original statement before this goes any further. The price means nothing to me. I don't have money to burn but I will throw cash at something if I want it badly enough. But my stupidity with money is neither here nor there. My original statement was about my concern with Paramount producing a product that may or may not be viable in three years... like betamax or laser disc before. Instead of waiting until a standard HD format is established I just feel they are throwing products at us without any fore thought or concern for their customers. I also get the impression that they are throwing us an HD bone and if they need to later down the road they will just toss out a blue ray one too. Some of us are not going to keep buying set after set and they need to be a little more aware of that when establishing a marketing/business model for a product. If the TNG sets come along in maybe three to four years (after the studios decide which format they want to go with) than I am all for that but rushing this project along (like the TOS sets) before they need too is not something I am interested in. I would rather wait and be cautious than end up with another box of useless players and products wasting away in the basement. Hopefully that ramble was a little more coherent than the last one.
I may be in a minority but I am a hardcore trek fan who is not interested in DVDs, so I don't care how much they charge for the DVD/HD-DVD/Blu-Ray sets. What I like to see is the HD version of Trek shows on some HD channel like HDNet, UHD, SciFi-HD, etc. I have been enjoying Enterprise on HDNet greatly and hopefully we get to see TOS-R on some HD channel soon. So Paramount/CBS, bring on the TNG-HD and charge whatever you want for the DVDs
As someone who doesn't yet own TNG on disc, I find this very interesting... although for it to be compelling I'd want to see fresh transfers. I would imagine the CBS folks will find selling an 'upressed' picture would be a hard sell compared to playing the regular DVDs in an Oppo player.
I still dont think this will happen any time soon, if at all. I just dont see the demand. We are not exactly crying out for an "up rezzed" version of TNG. Also, its going to take forever. They are currently knocking out the TOS at the same speed that they produced the original show. One a week. Are we going to wait another 7 years for the TNG stuff to be remastered? I think not.