I hope they don't stretch or crop TNG for the new series. We watch all kinds of 4x3 material on our widescreen set and we don't have a problem with the bars on the side.
Rumor: TNG-HD is a-coming
- Thread starter MrPointy
- Start date
I hope they don't stretch or crop TNG for the new series. We watch all kinds of 4x3 material on our widescreen set and we don't have a problem with the bars on the side.
Seinfeld was cropped for 16x9 when it was remastered, and airs in syndication that way. Personally I think it looks terrible too.
Now see I've also watched these on TBS. The early seasons don't look so good, but once you get to season three you wouldn't know the difference if you didn't know it was originally done in 4:3. YMMV.
True, but have they been released in the cropped widescreen format on home video? Not as far as I know.
But it's been two-and-a-half years since it completed it DVD releases. If they had started today, we honestly don't know how they would've been released. The cropped versions looked perfectly fine on HDNet.
Like I said before... I'd like for widescreen to be an option on home video releases. Just like multiple audio tracks.
I wouldn't mind if widescreen was included in addition to the original aspect ratio, but I'd much prefer a whole list of things before widescreen was a priority.
And, certainly those shows were released on DVD in their native aspect ratio -- those were SD releases. But if they were released to Blu-Ray, would they be the cropped versions? 1.33:1 shows I've seen on Blu-Ray so far have been pillar-boxed, not cropped. These include Star Trek, The Twilight Zone, The Prisoner, and Space: 1999.
And, certainly those shows were released on DVD in their native aspect ratio -- those were SD releases. But if they were released to Blu-Ray, would they be the cropped versions? 1.33:1 shows I've seen on Blu-Ray so far have been pillar-boxed, not cropped. These include Star Trek, The Twilight Zone, The Prisoner, and Space: 1999.
I bought the UK season 1 DVD set of Kung Fu, which I was dismayed to find had been re-formated to 16:9. It didn't even cross my mind to check the specs on the box before purchase.
Suffice to say, it looks terrible.
Suffice to say, it looks terrible.
Since filmed TV shows are shot full-frame, you'd have to chop off the top and bottom of the original to get 'widescreen.' I don't see how that would be desirable, especially with the tight framing that's frequently employed in TNG.
Well, I took a stab at them:
Full Res: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v438/Dac/TNGWidescreen1.jpg
Full Res: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v438/Dac/TNGWidescreen2.jpg
Yes, they are tricky shots. Yes, I did squash/stretch them and Yes, I did resort to using content aware fill to "widen" the image...but I'd say none of the critical information has been lost in the transformation. Everyone's face is still in shot, everyone's uniform is visible to some degree and, most importantly, Troi's cleavage is left unharmed.
So while my techniques may have been clumsy and haphazard, if this schmuck can do it, I dare say the folks over at CBS digital could as well.
EDIT: And Yes, these have been blown up to 720p. I did my best with some digital noise reduction, but as you can clearly see its nowhere near enough HD quality.
The version shown on TATV, the only ACTUAL footage we have seen aired this way, does not have the apparent stretching as obvious as your efforts. Also you are not taking into account the slight difference in aspect ratios between the filmed version and aired version. Ok shoot me, but I think it looks pretty damn good in ENT.
One of my favorite shows...and I think it looks way better this way.
RAMA
So that's what's required for a stretch 'n crop violation of the image to look good! Creativity! Why, thank you, I was beginning to wonder. I guess Ted Turner was also being "creative" when he colorized Casablanca back in the 80s.
Let's consider an analogy. I like strawberries. Some people may like strawberries with mustard. I don't like that, but more power to them. My problem starts at the point when these people clamor for strawberries to be made available only pre-drowned in mustard. Why don't these people decide to simply get a side order of mustard (i.e. hit the stretch button on the remote control)? Please don't spoil the strawberry experience for all the mustard haters.
And to be honest, I strongly believe that CBS is going to go the OAR route.
Agreed, although since the effects will probably be rendered in widescreen, it might make an interesting, if entirely supplementary, feature.
I like your style. We own all of these Blu-ray sets as well, and they're glorious, immaculate restaurations. Looking forward to the fifth and final Twilight Zone set in August! And hoping that they announce the second season of Space: 1999 soon. (When I watch this show, I always think that this is kind of what Star Trek: Phase II would have looked like.)
This is where the analogy falls apart. Care to show me where anyone said it should be released in widescreen only?
BillJ said:
I'm truly mystified by some people's stark "all or nothing" worldview.
^ Remastering TNG in HD is crazy expensive as it is. So expensive indeed that the cost was considered prohibitive for a long time. Doing two versions - 4:3 and 16:9 - is going to be even more expensive. Therefore, I highly doubt that CBS is going to do that, and I assume that we're only getting one version. I'd just like that version to be the proper one, please. If CBS decides to give us a choice, I'd happily be proven wrong!
Since they did Star Trek Remastered in 4:3 and 16:9, it may be that broadcasters are more inclined to buy widescreen programming in Europe and Asia. Which would make a widescreen version a forgone conclusion.
^ I don't know... By the time a broadcaster changes it over to 16:9, CBS is probably done with it. I don't see them taking what a broadcaster created afterwards and putting it on the Blu-rays as an option. Then again, stranger things have happened. At the risk of repeating myself: I don't know...
Really, all I want is peace, happiness, cherry pie and the chance to watch TNG in HD and OAR. If they make a widescreen version available as well, that's cool. Emphasis on "as well".
Really, all I want is peace, happiness, cherry pie and the chance to watch TNG in HD and OAR. If they make a widescreen version available as well, that's cool. Emphasis on "as well".
Why create the effects in 16:9 if they weren't offering a cropped version to some markets?
Yes. And the cropped version is being shown in England on CBS Action (which I imagine is owned by CBS).
OAR and England vs USA in 10 years
I wonder if in 10 years there will be so much 16:9 images that all older TV shows will be stretched to fill instead of pillarboxed?
That's interesting since in England it has been a very much 16:9 television viewing landscape since the 1990s when it was widescreen standard definition.
I wonder if in 10 years there will be so much 16:9 images that all older TV shows will be stretched to fill instead of pillarboxed?
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