Just Watched “What We Left Behind”. Why is HD DS9 footage in 16:9? Is CBS interested in HD DS9?

[trekfan_1]

I assume this a hoax or joke but I just ran across the following site "claiming" a remaster is in the works

https://www.thevulcanreporter.com/exclusives/star-trek-deep-space-nine-remaster/?amp

 

[DS9forever]

I assume this a hoax or joke but I just ran across the following site "claiming" a remaster is in the works

https://www.thevulcanreporter.com/exclusives/star-trek-deep-space-nine-remaster/?amp

I asked about this a couple of months back in another thread. Apparently that website isn't legitimate.

I would love the story to be true though.

 

[trekfan_1]

I asked about this a couple of months back in another thread. Apparently that website isn't legitimate.
I would love the story to be true though.

Yeah I figured. In the article they mentioned Star Trek Enterprise would be another series that would need a complete remaster which is incorrect. That was a red flag for me. After posting here I went online and consensus is they are indeed a dubious source of information

Nonetheless anyone aware if someone reached out to FX3X? If it's false (likely) I would assume FX3X would simply shoot it down. if true, (very unlikely ) , you would probably get "no comment."

 

[ialfan]

To answer the question about 16:9 I believe it was either in the doc or an extra/interview they mentioned at least the later seasons were protected for 16:9. Some of the original production crew worked on color correcting and reframing the footage for 16:9.

I’m okay with this and if DS9/VOY were ever remastered would prefer them in 16:9.

 

[Qonundrum]

With most TVs or even some blu-ray players having the ability to stretch and zoom, why not release them in their original aspect ratio and let the customer press the button to do the cropping automatically? That's the best place to do it and that way everyone who wants the original aspect ratio is happy and those who want it adjusted without the pillarboxing can be happy too.

Stuff filmed in 4:3 often looks laughable when cropped, and there's a reason why directors worked within the 4:3 framing to begin with - not just because it was industry standard at the time.

One example of bucking the trend was the 1983 miniseries "V". Kenneth Johnson kept 16:9 in mind when filming, which is why it translated so well. Now look at the 1984 "The Final Battle" on DVD. Chopped credits and foreheads look skewed. Watch side-by-side with the recent blu-ray release, which restored the full 4:3 ratio, to really see the differences and why resizing it can (but not always) cause problems, but it would cost tons more to go through every single scene cut to reposition properly to re-frame in an aspect ratio that was never intended to be and still sell the full effect, which is why most paraded "16:9" releases just use the cookie cutter method and chop out the top and bottom parts of the image to fit the middle section in indiscriminately. A found a 90s sitcom that had that done - at least their "AI" made the typeface look crisp and sharp, even if it did sod all to the actual videotaped actors and sets, which were still soft - especially when the matting also blows up image size... again, it's laughable...

 

[Qonundrum]

I assume this a hoax or joke but I just ran across the following site "claiming" a remaster is in the works

https://www.thevulcanreporter.com/exclusives/star-trek-deep-space-nine-remaster/?amp

I wish it wasn't a hoax. Especially if it is being done in 4K, which the 35mm film has enough native detail (sharpness, contrast, color) to be brought out in the higher resolution format. Unlike a decade ago, it's far easier to work with that much raw data... and DS9's sets and costumes were always so sumptuous compared to any of the other Trek shows of the era...

To my understanding, ENT did get a remaster of sorts, but anything with CGI was upscaled from its native resolution to 1080P - with predictable results. There is a slight amount of softness and jaggie artifacting, but nothing too terrible in of itself or especially when compared to 480i->1080P (or 480i->4K!), which have people looking like wax mannequins with overly-crisp hair and half-blurry uniforms and other items that reveal the modern AI involved... but any CG, whether standalone, or mixed with live action, would have been upscaled and not fully/properly remastered. But I digress; the mishmash of the looks in ENT blu still looks better than DVD when all is said and done, despite it all. Partly because DVD compression did a more to worsen the overall look, but it's neither here nor there...

 

[ialfan]

With most TVs or even some blu-ray players having the ability to stretch and zoom, why not release them in their original aspect ratio and let the customer press the button to do the cropping automatically? That's the best place to do it and that way everyone who wants the original aspect ratio is happy and those who want it adjusted without the pillarboxing can be happy too.

Stuff filmed in 4:3 often looks laughable when cropped, and there's a reason why directors worked within the 4:3 framing to begin with - not just because it was industry standard at the time.

One example of bucking the trend was the 1983 miniseries "V". Kenneth Johnson kept 16:9 in mind when filming, which is why it translated so well. Now look at the 1984 "The Final Battle" on DVD. Chopped credits and foreheads look skewed. Watch side-by-side with the recent blu-ray release, which restored the full 4:3 ratio, to really see the differences and why resizing it can (but not always) cause problems, but it would cost tons more to go through every single scene cut to reposition properly to re-frame in an aspect ratio that was never intended to be and still sell the full effect, which is why most paraded "16:9" releases just use the cookie cutter method and chop out the top and bottom parts of the image to fit the middle section in indiscriminately. A found a 90s sitcom that had that done - at least their "AI" made the typeface look crisp and sharp, even if it did sod all to the actual videotaped actors and sets, which were still soft - especially when the matting also blows up image size... again, it's laughable...

There’s more picture on the left and right of the 4:3 cropped image. The frame can be opened up as shown in the remastered footage since it’s all/mostly filmed 16:9 safe versus TNG that had lighting and other equipment in the footage.

I agree I would not want a widescreen release that just crops the 4:3 image down even more.

 

[kkt]

I'd just as soon have the show in the aspect ratio that it was shot for. Even if they gave some thought to making it 16:9 safe, a good 4:3 image was their primary product.

 

[Pikirk_Janesisko]

To my understanding, ENT did get a remaster of sorts, but anything with CGI was upscaled from its native resolution to 1080P - with predictable results. There is a slight amount of softness and jaggie artifacting, but nothing too terrible in of itself or especially when compared to 480i->1080P (or 480i->4K!), which have people looking like wax mannequins with overly-crisp hair and half-blurry uniforms and other items that reveal the modern AI involved... but any CG, whether standalone, or mixed with live action, would have been upscaled and not fully/properly remastered. But I digress; the mishmash of the looks in ENT blu still looks better than DVD when all is said and done, despite it all. Partly because DVD compression did a more to worsen the overall look, but it's neither here nor there...

Why don't they do this in order to remaster DS9? Just scan the film mixed with shots from the videotapes containing VFX. It would be a bit jarring seeing HD image mixed with blurried low-res, but it's better than nothing. Besides, wouldn't it be cheaper to do this rather than redo all the VFX from scratch?

 

[ichab]

After seeing that HD battle scene Id love to see DS9 given a proper remaster. I'd even buy the whole set and I haven't bought a blu ray or DVD in years.

 

[DS9forever]

DS9 season 3 is currently airing on British television. It looks fine for its age, Jonathan West's cinematography was a big improvement over whoever it was worked on seasons one and two.

 

[Jonesy]

This has probably been said before, but there is just no money for it. The TNG remasters on blu ray did not hit the sales target that CBS was expecting. Because of that, it shut down any further discussions about a DS9 remaster or anything else. Plus, DS9 apparently will be even more expensive to remaster than TNG. Until some financial incentive comes around - and I should add not "just cause" - it won't happen.

 

[fireproof78]

This has probably been said before, but there is just no money for it. The TNG remasters on blu ray did not hit the sales target that CBS was expecting. Because of that, it shut down any further discussions about a DS9 remaster or anything else. Plus, DS9 apparently will be even more expensive to remaster than TNG. Until some financial incentive comes around - and I should add not "just cause" - it won't happen.

Exactly. It might not be for me, but honestly this big push for the upgrading visuals doesn't make cents or dollars. Maybe it will get cheaper, and make more sense as streaming upgrades but that's a long term investment that I don't see CBS pulling the trigger on when money can be put in to current productions and make money that way.

 

[WHF]

I'm not so sure it doesn't make financial sense to remaster. To remaster all 176 episodes it would cost less than a season of Discovery. An extra 176 episodes of HD streaming content for less than what it would cost for 15 new episodes. The question then becomes would 176 old episodes generate as much revenue as 15 new episodes? I don't know the answer but it's a question worth asking.

 

[Charles Phipps]

I'm not so sure it doesn't make financial sense to remaster. To remaster all 176 episodes it would cost less than a season of Discovery. An extra 176 episodes of HD streaming content for less than what it would cost for 15 new episodes. The question then becomes would 176 old episodes generate as much revenue as 15 new episodes? I don't know the answer but it's a question worth asking.

I mean, I'm watching the old version on Netflix now.

 

[KennyB]

I'm not so sure it doesn't make financial sense to remaster.

I'm pretty sure it doesn't

 

[Therin of Andor]

TBecause of that, it shut down any further discussions about a DS9 remaster or anything else. Plus, DS9 apparently will be even more expensive to remaster than TNG. Until some financial incentive comes around - and I should add not "just cause" - it won't happen.

Quark will be financing the holographic interactive version.

 

[Timelord79 (he/him)]

This is one of the instances where so wouldn’t mind the company doing something like a Kickstarter project.
The scale of cost/income rates justifies a financial commitment.
But mostly risk free for the consumer, because of the goals are not met, they get their money back.
If goals are exceeded the end result will be better than what the bean counters would green light normally.

 

[fireproof78]

I'm not so sure it doesn't make financial sense to remaster. To remaster all 176 episodes it would cost less than a season of Discovery. An extra 176 episodes of HD streaming content for less than what it would cost for 15 new episodes. The question then becomes would 176 old episodes generate as much revenue as 15 new episodes? I don't know the answer but it's a question worth asking.

It would surprise me if it hadn't been asked and found to be lacking in terms of financial incentives, or that it would not pay for itself in the short run. Creating new content is the current goal.

 

[RedAlert]

Well ... Today, is really awful to see DS9 on a HD TV