Season TWO OFFICIAL TNG Blu-Ray Discussion Thread

[MickJo1701]

groundhog wrote:

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Any way they postpone the release if enough noise is made by fans? Or fix it for the complete series set?

If CBS do read these forums and take notice, they could do something to prevent this occurring for seasons 4 & 6 but you can bet its too late for season 2, its cocked and locked for release next month.

[Maxwell Everett]

throwback wrote:

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I am in agreement with people here that the work so far seen for the second season is terrible.

Hyperbole isn't very constructive. These Season Two shots we're seeing aren't "terrible." They're just not up to the high standards set by CBS Digital on Season One. I have no problem with people expressing their disappointment with with these images (I've expressed my disappointment too), but to label these shots as "terrible," the people at CBS who may be reading this thread are just going to dismiss your comments entirely.

Stay level-headed, despite any frustration you may have... and try to use more accurate words to describe what you're seeing. We likely can't change what's been done, but we can maybe encourage them to re-focus their attention toward making sure the remaining seasons look better.

[TheSeeker]

^Well said.

[throwback]

Did you read my full thread?

"I am familiar with the restoration process from the documentaries made to describe how they restored the first Star Wars trilogy. One of the first things they worked to reduce was the matte lines. If this restore company, who are working on season two, can't be bothered to remove the matte lines, what else they can't be bothered to remove?"

I did provide an example of where they could improve. This failure to do so looks even worse on them. On their website, they tout themselves as leaders in digital restoration.

High Technology Video is a leader in the business of high definition telecine mastering and artifact free standards conversion.
The company's predominant focus is mastering feature films and television shows for domestic and international distribution. HTV also performs electronic restoration of images, as well as various types of duplication and audio work.
HTV is the only place in the world that can transfer 70mm and 65/70mm in real time, in both high definition and standard definition. It is a rapidly growing company with major studios and many independent companies as clients.

http://www.htvinc.net/content/conten...out-htv&hx=553

We are committed to providing our studio and network clients the highest quality and execution," says Jim. "Our team demands top performance at every level and on every project. That's our promise to our clients - that's our DNA.

-Jim Hardy, CEO

http://www.htvinc.net/content/conten...ut-htv&hx=2500

I suggest that you too read their website, and then compare what they say to what we see.

For me, to describe what I see wrong, would be difficult. It's instinctual. I don't think CBS cares what hardcore fans say. They will care when we interact with them on a more physical level, as what happen with the audio issues on the first season set.

[NewHorizon]

Maxwell Everett wrote:

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Stay level-headed, despite any frustration you may have... and try to use more accurate words to describe what you're seeing. We likely can't change what's been done, but we can maybe encourage them to re-focus their attention toward making sure the remaining seasons look better.

Well, the simplest way I could put it would be to tell whoever is working on Seasons 4 and 6 to watch Season 1 and do THAT.

No matte lines, no blurry stars or planets, no washed out lighting.

Just stick to the style and quality of Season 1 for the remainder of the Seasons.

[Jefferies]

What this whole thing comes down to me for, is a major problem that this project seems to have with quality control. The audio issue from season 1 seems like a trifle by comparison.

What I don't understand is how HTV-Illuminate was allowed to continue with this kind of performance. Most of us here are lay people when it comes to the technical aspects of the remastring but most of us are able to see immediatly that the work this company has delivered when compared to what is possible through CBS-D is lack-luster at best. Now if we can see that right away, why didn't someone at CBS overseeing the work from HTV-Illuminate? They should have cought this months ago and told them do a better job and if they weren't capable then some more drastic action should have been taken. Now it's at a point as many people have said where these mistakes cannot be corrected any more. What a shame and what a waste of an opportunity.

CBS should let some of us pre-screen some of the work. We would do it for free and we would not miss these gaffes. This would save everyone a lot of trouble and in this day and age should be easy to do.

[NewHorizon]

Jefferies wrote:

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What this whole thing comes down to me for, is a major problem that this project seems to have with quality control. The audio issue from season 1 seems like a trifle by comparison.

Yup, and in part it all comes down to the parent company CBS wanting to rush and push it out as quickly as possible. I know they need to make a return on their investment, but to take an amazing opportunity like this and screw it up with haphazard quality is such a huge disappointment. The folks at CBS-Digital are the right folks to be handling the work. They have a very strong vision and the talent to pull it off. HTV-Illuminate has a very different vision that clashes with the beautiful efforts CBS-Digital put into Season 1. I would really like to know if CBS is listening and that they will make every effort to prevent this from happening to Season 4 and 6.

[BillJ]

Have we seen Mike Okuda comment on any of these concerns? I don't think he ever commented on the audio issues with season one.

[Ghostface1701]

BillJ wrote:

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Have we seen Mike Okuda comment on any of these concerns? I don't think he ever commented on the audio issues with season one.

If he values continued employment, you won't hear anything from him until the blu-ray releases are in the distant past. From personal experience, I know you can't be seen to be biting the hand that feeds you.

[LOKAI of CHERON]

NewHorizon wrote:

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I would really like to know if CBS is listening and that they will make every effort to prevent this from happening to Season 4 and 6.

I rather doubt we'll get an official statement from CBS on this as it would be an "admission of guilt" as it were. Presumably, this could potentially damage sales.

[BillJ]

LOKAI of CHERON wrote:

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I rather doubt we'll get an official statement from CBS on this as it would be an "admission of guilt" as it were. Presumably, this could potentially damage sales.

Unfortunately, the average consumer probably won't care about the downgrade in quality. Plus, we don't know what's going on behind the scenes. HTV-Illuminate could have a lesser budget for season two than CBS-Digital had for season one. If CBS cut the budgets for this project the rest of the seasons could be in line to look much different than season one, regardless of whose producing them.

[NewHorizon]

BillJ wrote:

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If CBS cut the budgets for this project the rest of the seasons could be in line to look much different than season one, regardless of whose producing them.

I'm doubtful this is a case of budget cuts. HTV-Illuminate took the same stock shots from Season 1 and changed them to their 'vision' rather than try to match the look established by CBS. This was artistic choice on their part. Again, I have my suspicions that this comes down to Dan Curry guiding the team to do make things look the way he feels they should look. I know he worked on the show back in the day, but just because it looked blurry and soft in the 90's due to the tech doesn't mean it has to look blurry and soft in HD with matte lines intact.

[LOKAI of CHERON]

I've already said it, but all this is just so terribly disappointing. It's not the end of the world as others have stated, but nevertheless... [sigh]

[NewHorizon]

LOKAI of CHERON wrote:

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I've already said it, but all this is just so terribly disappointing. It's not the end of the world as others have stated, but nevertheless... [sigh]

No, certainly not the end of the world...there are far more important things going on in my life than a botched blu-ray release. It's a major disappointment for me personally though. I don't have a huge disposable income, so when something special like this comes along...something we've essentially been waiting 20 years to see happen...I take the time to squirrel away some money.

When TOS:R was announced, I put money away for that but as soon as I saw how inconsistent the quality of the CGI was from episode to episode, I quickly diverted that money back to life and never bothered buying TOS:R. The way I see it is, I'm working hard for a paltry 10 dollars and hour. If CBS or whoever expects me to part with that money, essentially 8 to 10 hours of work for me...then the product HAS to be of consistent quality to earn the money I have worked so hard to earn. I guess I'm not their target audience, the type who will buy anything with Trek on it, and that saddens me. I always hold the faintest hope that there are companies who still exist that have greater respect for the consumers.

Oh well. If we get no reassurance that Seasons 4 and 6 will be up to the standards of Season 1, then I guess I'll wait another 20 years for the next upgrade.

[Flake]

Well I am looking forward to the season 3 thread where we will be back to normal

Some really juicy VFX work to look forward to in season 3

If anyone can make the 4ft model look good, its CBS-D. I wonder what the 4ft model will look like in season 4?

Ultimately outside of this thread and Trekcore comments I feel these VFX issues will go unnoticed.