I haven’t bought the TOS Blu-rays yet and I have a few questions about them. Everyone calls the new versions of the TOS episodes “remastered versions”. Is that what how they are actually labelled in the disc menus or is there a different name for them? I’ve heard that it’s possible to switch back and forth between the original special effects and the new special effects in the middle of the episode. Is it possible to do this during the special effect or just before the special effect or at any time? Is there any delay or is the switch instantaneous? The 2004 TOS DVD release had a partial-color and full-color version of The Cage. Since the Blu-ray release has a remastered version of every episode, does that mean it has 4 different versions of The Cage? Does the “Where No Fan Has Gone Before” unaired pilot episode include any dialogue that wasn’t in the broadcast version? Is it longer of shorter than the broadcast version?
The unaired WNMHGB is slightly longer than the aired version--it has 1 line of new dialogue and a different opening narration. It has a couple of different shots during the fist-fight that are a little more brutal. It is possible to toggle back and forth between old and new FX but there is a slight delay and if the altered shot is very short it sometimes doesn't switch in time. After watching the episodes for the story I went back and watched them with my Blu-ray "display" button on. My display would show when a particular scene had an alternate shot by having a "1" appear in the "angle" section (where it was normally blank when no alternate shot was present.) That would let me know exactly where a altered shot was located. Not needed of course for exterior space shots since 99.8% of those have old and new versions. But hundreds of live action shots were altered as well. Many I didn't notice till I used the method I just mentioned. Example---a couple of times they added a reflection on the briefing room table top when those triangular monitors came on. Time disolve FX were smoothed, most mattes replaced, some phaser beams replaced, the "agonizer" device and the 'Booth' were enhanced, etc, etc. Super fun to watch for every change. The Cage contains the all-color version with new and original Fx and the B&W version with original Fx only (I think)
You're confused about the word "remastered." That's okay, though, because most people in this forum are as well. On the blurays you have a choice between episodes with original FX or what is on the disc called "enhanced" FX. Both versions are remastered in HD. The remastering has nothing to do with the new FX. All of the episodes, whether they're viewed with new FX or original FX are all remastered. Nor is there any distinction between remastered and "original." The remastered episodes with the old FX are the originals -- just remastered. Two. Well, I guess three actually. The color version with new FX, the color version without new FX, and the original home video color/B&W version with opening Roddenberry commentary. The color version is in HD, the other one is in SD and just a transfer from the old VHS.
You sure about that? They both looked HD to me. (Although my TV display said the hybrid version was 60Hz not 24Hz like it normally does for filmed content, so maybe it's 1080i or an upscale?) The extended version of WNMHGB doesn't have the dirt/scratch removal done to it, but the transfer looks pretty good anyway. Re: FX switching. I get a delay when I press the angle button, using a PS3. Often I have to rewind a bit to force it to 'jump tracks'. It's not instant, annoyingly. It's a good feature, though.
Yes the B&W version is SD, it's got Roddenbery's video taped intro with it in the same title (it's the first chapter mark) on the disc. It may be stored as 1080i on the disc, but it's an SD source originally.
Well, not a direct transfer from the VHS. It looks better than that. More of a direct transfer from the source the VHS tape was mastered from. The version on the DVD/BD is still better than the Laserdisc of the same print. But yes, Standard Def.
That's my favorite part of it, that it actually looks like what it is -- a transfer from a 16mm film.
I bought the season 1 blu-ray, years ago; and the sound mixing was TERRIBLE. You had to turn it down so the music wouldn't blast you away; and then turn it up to hear the dialog. It was distracting, hard to watch. Very frustrating, I wanted them as a showpiece for the show. And they're jut tough to watch because of the sound mixing.
It's kinda true; I've always jerked my levels around to make most modern home theater mixes tolerable; if you can boost the level of your center speaker, do it; it works wonders. My other TOS-specific solution is to listen to the mono soundtrack with the new visual effects.