TOS on DVD

[seigezunt]

Maybe this should go in the Tech forum, but I just wanted to share that I recently got an HDTV for the first time, a d bluray player that upscales DVD, and we watched TOS last night, and almost fell out of my chair.

I know the bluray has its merits, but I think I can now wait for the exorbitant prise to go down.

We watched The Enemy Within, and it felt like Evil Kirk was in the room.

 

[Mike Okuda]

The old DVDs (made from the 1996 transfers) do indeed look great, when upscaled on a big screen. But if you get a chance, check out the 2006 HD transfers, now available on the Blu-ray disks. Not only is the image noticeably sharper and clearer, but the colors are much more vibrant and more realistic. It really does look a lot more like the original film. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

-Mike

 

[Doug Otte]

I know the bluray has its merits, but I think I can now wait for the exorbitant prise (sic) to go down.

Let's see - the DVD sets were first sold for around $100, I think. The BD sets are now $65.99 or $72.99 USD. That comes out to around $2.41 per episode for Season 1, or $2.81 for Season 2. And, the audio and visual quality is much higher than the DVDs, not to mention the fact that you can choose from either the original effects or the new effects on each episode. How is that exorbitant?

Doug

 

[Grant]

Exactly. Exorbitant compared to what?

$15 per episode when the first came to '1 epiode' VHS
$15 per episode when they first came to '2 episode' laserdisc.
$10 per episode when they first came to '2 episode' DVD

Now you can have them beatifully restored and cleaned, both mono & 7.1 sound, old and new FX included, loads & loads of extras, multiple languages, subtitles, interactive web content, convienent packageing----but we're supposed to think $65 is 'exorbitant' for the Blu-ray set?

29 hour long episodes at well under $3 a-piece. And when I bought the 1 episode VHS tapes for $15 a piece in 1984 or whatever----$15 was a lot more than it is now.

 

[seigezunt]

I was speaking of the $130 price tag that I saw at Barnes and Noble.

 

[Yeoman Randi]

The old DVDs (made from the 1996 transfers) do indeed look great, when upscaled on a big screen. But if you get a chance, check out the 2006 HD transfers, now available on the Blu-ray disks. Not only is the image noticeably sharper and clearer, but the colors are much more vibrant and more realistic. It really does look a lot more like the original film. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

-Mike

Mike, i have those original DVDs and have been extremely happy with them. Had not really thought too much about spending the extra money to upgrade to the blu-rays (although i do have a blu-ray player), but because you recommend them i will be putting them on my birthday wish list. Thank you for your opinion!

 

[Ziz]

We watched The Enemy Within, and it felt like Evil Kirk was in the room.

Is your TV one of the 120Hz ones? The higher refresh rate makes a lot of things look "live" that shouldn't look that way. 120Hz is really aimed at the sports fans. I find it makes everything else look...wrong.

 

[mostly_nameless]

We watched The Enemy Within, and it felt like Evil Kirk was in the room.

Is your TV one of the 120Hz ones? The higher refresh rate makes a lot of things look "live" that shouldn't look that way. 120Hz is really aimed at the sports fans. I find it makes everything else look...wrong.

I've got to agree on the 120hz. I had a tv with 120 for about an hour before I decided it had to go back and I got a 720p 60hz that looks better to me for a lot less money.

I think the remastered dvds look stunning enough. I probably won't splurge on the blu-rays until I can afford 3 blu-ray players (living room, bedroom, and one for my sister's house, so we can trade dvds). But TOS is one of the few things I will most likely double dip for when I do trade up.

 

[Mike Okuda]

Yeoman Randi: Blu-ray won't entirely replace standard-def DVDs for me. There are a lot of movies and TV shows that are (to me) just fine in standard-def, or that I just don't think are worth buying again.

But for some films and TV shows, the upgrade is (to me) entirely worth it. The original Star Trek falls into that category for me. Also, I was totally blown away by 2001: A Space Odyssey. 2001 was the first Blu-ray disk that I bought. I got it mainly so I could verify that the player and screen were working nicely together. I popped the disk in, intending just to watch the first 30 seconds. Denise and I were instantly mesmerized. We watched the entire film.

-Mike

 

[gastrof]

Just remember, guys-

Yes, it's true that if you get the right equipment, HD does "look real".

It's also true, tho' that it's NOT real. It's TV.

We put up with Standard Def for a long time, and it was okay.

Did I say "put up with"? Bah! We ENJOYED it.

Just because the tech guys come up with new advances, don't feel you "have to" be good little drones and "buy more", "consume! consume!"

Right now I've got digital converter boxes I use with a couple Standard Def monitors, and THEY are my TV sets in my bedroom and TV room.

In the living room I've also got a Standard Def cathode ray TV that came with a digital tuner. Guess what? IT WORKS!!! (And same thing with recording equipment. Digital tuner, although it only records in Standard Def.)

You can enjoy the regular DVDs of TOS for a long, long time. Yeah, Blu-Ray may produce a crisper picture on a HD set, but I can still see the picture and follow the story just fine in Standard Def. Do as you like, but don't feel you're missing out on essentials with the regular discs.

The stories are the same.

 

[Dar70]

^^^Agreed.

Exactly. Exorbitant compared to what?

$15 per episode when the first came to '1 epiode' VHS
$15 per episode when they first came to '2 episode' laserdisc.
$10 per episode when they first came to '2 episode' DVD

Now you can have them beatifully restored and cleaned, both mono & 7.1 sound, old and new FX included, loads & loads of extras, multiple languages, subtitles, interactive web content, convienent packageing----but we're supposed to think $65 is 'exorbitant' for the Blu-ray set?

29 hour long episodes at well under $3 a-piece. And when I bought the 1 episode VHS tapes for $15 a piece in 1984 or whatever----$15 was a lot more than it is now.

This is true. Still though some people do not want to spend $195 on a tv series they already own in standard definition, just for more vibrant colors and clarity. Theres nothing wrong with waiting. I waited on the standard versions and got them for $32 a season.

Seigezunt, they wil of course come down even more. I would say in about 2 years.

I myself am very happy with my standard dvds for now. Afterall its the closest to what I saw on tv for years. I will buy HD versions in probably a few years from now.

 

[seigezunt]

We watched The Enemy Within, and it felt like Evil Kirk was in the room.

Is your TV one of the 120Hz ones? The higher refresh rate makes a lot of things look "live" that shouldn't look that way. 120Hz is really aimed at the sports fans. I find it makes everything else look...wrong.

Yes it is. I had no idea that was something to look for or not. It is a little odd, because it makes some things look shot on video. But I find tweaking the settings helps. In terms of the TOS dvd, though, it looks great IMO. Watching my TNG dvds, it looks pretty much the same as standard def.

Just remember, guys-

Yes, it's true that if you get the right equipment, HD does "look real".

It's also true, tho' that it's NOT real. It's TV.

We put up with Standard Def for a long time, and it was okay.

Did I say "put up with"? Bah! We ENJOYED it.

Just because the tech guys come up with new advances, don't feel you "have to" be good little drones and "buy more", "consume! consume!"

True, true. I don't have the greatest eyesight in the world, so I probably would be just as happy. Part of the back story to this is I became a dad last year, and my mother got it in her head to get us stuff to, as she said, allow us to relax more. This season her big idea was, we need to get a new flatscreen TV like hers. I couldn't talk her out of it, so we tried at least to get the best one we could.

My point was, I can wait on the bluray discs, seeing how great the dvds look. But it's true, you don't need to break the bank and upgrade. TOS was great on my little 13-inch black and white when I was growing up.

 

[Grant]

Who in god's name buys any DVD/Blu-rays at Barnes & Noble?

That's like wearing a sign that says 'rape me' !!!

They will be $65 or less at Amazon or Best Buy and less when they occasionally go on sale.

Please don't rip yourself off at B & N

 

[seigezunt]

Who in god's name buys any DVD/Blu-rays at Barnes & Noble?

That's like wearing a sign that says 'rape me' !!!

They will be $65 or less at Amazon or Best Buy and less when they occasionally go on sale.

Please don't rip yourself off at B & N

and I think they are even less at Wal-Mart.

 

[Yeoman Randi]

Yeoman Randi: Blu-ray won't entirely replace standard-def DVDs for me. There are a lot of movies and TV shows that are (to me) just fine in standard-def, or that I just don't think are worth buying again.

But for some films and TV shows, the upgrade is (to me) entirely worth it. The original Star Trek falls into that category for me. Also, I was totally blown away by 2001: A Space Odyssey. 2001 was the first Blu-ray disk that I bought. I got it mainly so I could verify that the player and screen were working nicely together. I popped the disk in, intending just to watch the first 30 seconds. Denise and I were instantly mesmerized. We watched the entire film.

-Mike

LOL Mike! i could just picture it, you're both standing in front of the tv, and slowly, ever so slowly you start to walk backwards, with eyes glued to the set, until you both finally sit and not move for two plus hours!

 

[Chrisisall]

I decided it had to go back and I got a 720p 60hz that looks better to me for a lot less money.

I think the remastered dvds look stunning enough.

I have the same kind of TV, and I LOVE it!!! Remastered TOS, Alias, Serenity- all just beeee-youtiful!!!

I was totally blown away by 2001: A Space Odyssey. 2001 was the first Blu-ray disk that I bought.

The day Star Trek TMP Director's Cut is released on Blu-ray is the day I will consider buying a player for it.

 

[Hober Mallow]

Maybe this should go in the Tech forum, but I just wanted to share that I recently got an HDTV for the first time, a d bluray player that upscales DVD, and we watched TOS last night, and almost fell out of my chair.

Now imagine that picture that made you fall out of your chair... and imagine it with much much better resolution. Blu-ray blows away the upscaled DVDs. Should you ever get a glimpse of it, you may have to seek medical attention.

We watched The Enemy Within, and it felt like Evil Kirk was in the room.

I've seen the upscaled DVDs. They look good, but they don't even compare to blu-ray.

 

[Grant]

I've seen the upscaled DVDs. They look good, but they don't even compare to blu-ray.

I too, had the regular DVDs and an upscale player and yes, the blu-rays blow them out of the water.

But, it's going to take a lot more people actually watching the Blu-rays to get everybody to see the difference and understand it's not just hype.

 

[Captain Robert April]

I only go to Barnes & Noble and Borders for the rare, hard to find stuff (used to have Tower Records on that list, before the bean counting bastards pulled the plug on the place). For mass market titles, Wal-Mart, Best Buy, Sam's Club, and Target.

 

[Chrisisall]

But, it's going to take a lot more people actually watching the Blu-rays to get everybody to see the difference and understand it's not just hype.

I'm waiting for double-helix Blu-Sona 3-D ray.