Remastered TNG in widescreen?

[2takesfrakes]

I am very much a purist, when it comes to TNG, so I'm unsettled and uncertain, where any "remastering" is concerned. I'm all for cleaning up scratches and grit and I'll even tolerate minor adjustments to the soundtrack, to bring out elements that might've been unintentionally drowned out, for example. But I'm reticent to invest in such a purchase, myself.

 

[JWPlatt]

You'll have to decide which urge is stronger - purism or completism.

 

[2takesfrakes]

Whenever I purchase entire seasons of other STAR TREK series, I go with whatever's cheapest. I'll buy them used ... I don't give a shit. But I'll never pay retail for it. TNG, though? That's something else. All of the bells ... the whistles ... everything top shelf. It's such a luxury, having my beloved series being treated like the jewel in the rough of this franchise, which it is and has always been! Yes, I know it's only entertainment ... but I like it. I love it. I want some more of it ...

 

[Lance]

Abomination!

True.

 

[Doug Otte]

One thing I have noticed now I'm watching TNG in HD is the moving stars behind the ringed planet in the opening sequence from season 3 onwards. I'm guessing it was because of the new opening sequence - I'm just amazed they couldn't match up the moving stars better. I have never noticed it before and now I see it every single time!

I hate to be that guy, but I noticed it when Season 3 first aired and I watched it on VHS that I recorded from SD cable.

 

[2takesfrakes]

I hate that into change from Season 3, on. On the one hand, I get it, on the other hand, though ... it looks so rushed, so fake and terribly crammed together. The stars not matching up are the least of its problems - the entire revised sequence looks like bovine excrement. The previous seasons had a very charming opener, for the beginning, I've always felt. But if it HAD to be changed, why be all like, "we want it different, but we don't want to pay for it, either." It looks extremely half-assed. The original version was very pretty ...

 

[DonIago]

I find the revised sequence more visually interesting than the original, myself, but the stars not matching up is particularly noticeable. OTOH, it's a half-second in the middle of an opening credits sequence that after a few episodes most people probably aren't paying attention to in any case...

 

[retroenzo]

You like watching a distorted image?


Abomination!

Could be worse. Did you see what they did to the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series to make it widescreen?

 

[retroenzo]

I find the revised sequence more visually interesting than the original, myself, but the stars not matching up is particularly noticeable. OTOH, it's a half-second in the middle of an opening credits sequence that after a few episodes most people probably aren't paying attention to in any case...

Yeah I like every thing else about the opening sequence too. But the starscape grabs my attention every time now. Thinking back, I do remember chatting to a penpal years ago and he mentioned it. I know I looked but had no idea what he was on about.

 

[TheSeeker]

I hate to be that guy, but I noticed it when Season 3 first aired and I watched it on VHS that I recorded from SD cable.

Same here. Of course I always saw the person walking across the observation lounge windows from day one as well and was shocked there were people out there that didn't notice it until the Blu-Ray release.

 

[Doug Otte]

I find the revised sequence more visually interesting than the original, myself, but the stars not matching up is particularly noticeable. OTOH, it's a half-second in the middle of an opening credits sequence that after a few episodes most people probably aren't paying attention to in any case...

I always liked the revised sequence. Back then, for TV, it was stunning. Although I noticed the change in the starfield viewpoint, I treated it as a seque between two sequences.

 

[tomswift2002]

I am very much a purist, when it comes to TNG, so I'm unsettled and uncertain, where any "remastering" is concerned. I'm all for cleaning up scratches and grit and I'll even tolerate minor adjustments to the soundtrack, to bring out elements that might've been unintentionally drowned out, for example. But I'm reticent to invest in such a purchase, myself.

This upgrade is worth it. You have to remember that from 1987-1990 the series was being converted from film to analog composite video and edited in composite. And even from 1990-1994 when the series was done on digital videotape it was still being edited in the composite realm, with the sfx being done in the component realm and then converted to composite for inclusion in the final master. Even the current DVD reissues still use these composite masters. Composite always adds noise to each succeeding generation. But the Blu-Rays use masters that were edited completely in the component and digital realms, so the episodes look quite shocking. And, aside from Season 2, the sfx don't look like they came from VHS at the SLP speed.

 

[NewHorizon]

I am very much a purist, when it comes to TNG, so I'm unsettled and uncertain, where any "remastering" is concerned. I'm all for cleaning up scratches and grit and I'll even tolerate minor adjustments to the soundtrack, to bring out elements that might've been unintentionally drowned out, for example. But I'm reticent to invest in such a purchase, myself.

With TNG on bluray, there is honestly no cause for uncertainty. To put it simply and not get too far into the technical details, the show was shot, on film, it's in HD. Unfortunately to save time, the show was 'edited' in SD. All they've done for the TNG remastering is go back to the original spools of film, rescan them in HD, and edit them all back together using the meticulous notes from the original production staff. All of the special effects were shot on film in HD too, so all of that has been put back together as well...with the added benefit of being scanned into a computer so there are no matte lines or image degredation from piling 50 layers together.

It's how the show would have looked if corners hadn't been cut to save time and money back in the 90's.

 

[2takesfrakes]

Thank you, for all of the technical and background information, gentlemen! I just want TNG to continue to be presented with its content as it original aired. I do not want to reward the studios for taking absurd license with it, just because the passage of time makes the original seem less relevant (ie: Who's going to complain?). But it is sounding more like TNG was given the Red Carpet treatment, with this 'remastering' ― and that makes happy. I'm feeling emboldened by this to dip my toe in, with the 1st Season ... and see how it goes, from there. It is my hope that I, too, will become a True Believer in the remaster approach. But I'll just have to take that one at a time ... again, you have my thanks!

 

[tomswift2002]

With TNG on bluray, there is honestly no cause for uncertainty. To put it simply and not get too far into the technical details, the show was shot, on film, it's in HD. Unfortunately to save time, the show was 'edited' in SD. All they've done for the TNG remastering is go back to the original spools of film, rescan them in HD, and edit them all back together using the meticulous notes from the original production staff. All of the special effects were shot on film in HD too, so all of that has been put back together as well...with the added benefit of being scanned into a computer so there are no matte lines or image degredation from piling 50 layers together.

It's how the show would have looked if corners hadn't been cut to save time and money back in the 90's.

In the 80's and 90's not every special effect was shot on film. Stuff like phaser beams (and I believe the orbital shots of planets) were created at 480i levels, so those were never on film.

As for matte lines, in the 80's and 90's had the show been done on film there could very well have been matte lines, plus there would've been some degradation as the production would've been using an optical printer for compositing the film together. Think back to TOS and how the Enterprise had matte lines in "The Corbomite Maneuver" or when it orbited a planet. Or in Star Trek IV you had a garbage matte line around the Bird-of-Prey as it swooped under the Golden Gate Bridge.

 

[ChristopherPike]

Controversial for sure, but I'd happily accept TNG in widescreen if it were sympathetically reframed. I say that as somebody who's happy the original 4:3 intent is out there and prioritised. Would work a lot better if there were actually more to see to the left and right of centre.

Always thought they ought to have attempted widescreen on the TV Movie edits, since they effectively had to be different than episodic broadcast anyway.

I actually wouldn't mind seeing an official release for TOS remastered FX in 16:9, whether the live-action had to be cropped - as seems to be broadcast on CBS Action in the UK - or a frame switching back and forth, as per IMAX. The screen opening up from 4:3 to 16:9 anytime a redone effect appears basically.

Conversely, early episodes of Enterprise definitely contain more picture in 4:3, when clearly filming had already begun but a decision hadn't been made yet whether to fully commit to widescreen or not. So they went back and cropped the likes of Broken Bow.

 

[TheSeeker]

But it is sounding more like TNG was given the Red Carpet treatment, with this 'remastering' ― and that makes happy. I'm feeling emboldened by this to dip my toe in, with the 1st Season ... and see how it goes, from there.

It really did get the red carpet treatment. It looks amazing and I would totally recommend it. On top of including the original DVD bonus features, there is also a ton of new bonus material, not to mention the hilarious outtakes we are finally getting to see.

 

[Tallguy]

It was okay... but we have a big-screen TV, if I put a pillow on the floor in front of the TV, it would have been the same experience. I was hoping to see something, perhaps, remastered for the venue.

How do you watch Casablanca or The Wizard of Oz? For that matter do you watch The Wrath Of Khan to fully fill your 16x9 screen?

 

[BillJ]

Thank you, for all of the technical and background information, gentlemen! I just want TNG to continue to be presented with its content as it original aired. I do not want to reward the studios for taking absurd license with it, just because the passage of time makes the original seem less relevant (ie: Who's going to complain?). But it is sounding more like TNG was given the Red Carpet treatment, with this 'remastering' ― and that makes happy. I'm feeling emboldened by this to dip my toe in, with the 1st Season ... and see how it goes, from there. It is my hope that I, too, will become a True Believer in the remaster approach. But I'll just have to take that one at a time ... again, you have my thanks!

There's a disc called The Next Level, which has three remastered episodes on it. "Encounter at Farpoint", "Sins of the Father" and "The Inner Light". It's a cheap place to start.

 

[2takesfrakes]

That does sound like a very good place to start, actually! And I'm sure I wasn't the only one unaware of its existence, so thanks, a lot. I haven't gotten the remaster, yet, as there was no rush ... this works out, much better.