Season TWO OFFICIAL TNG Blu-Ray Discussion Thread

Discussion in 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' started by JJ-R, Sep 5, 2012.

  1. FrontierTrek

    FrontierTrek Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    I'm absolutely not censoring criticism, otherwise I'd simply delete the comments. I'm stopping people going around and around in circles posting the same baseless comments over and over again. There's a clear difference.

    Words such as "crap", "ruined", "terrible" and "awful" are totally groundless.

    Of course, if you don't like the stills and want to judge the whole season based on your reaction to these stills, that's totally your decision. I can tell you without hesitation, you'll be missing out!
     
  2. Jaro Stun

    Jaro Stun Captain Captain

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    No it is not ridiculous to say those things.

    1.) Look at the picture posted by NewHorizon. Look at it for a while. And then tell, with all seriousness and objectivity that S2 is not a considerable downgrade compared to S1 TNG-R work.

    2.) In the comments on your site, many posters have expressed the same concern (of course, topic is S2, isn't it?) but only a few have been really abusive as far as I can tell. On the other hand you have nothing but kept praising S2, almost as if you were part of CBS marketing (pls take no offense). Sudden closure (instead of moderation) looks suspicious to say the least

    2.1) Either you have seen much more so far and just by a very curious chance all the good stuff remains hidden while PROMO shots (designed to look great and get audience hooked) are significantly sub-par when compared tom S1, or I have lost my mind, when I don't see the material to be anywhere near S1 quality.

    I have tested this on a person that a)has no interest in Star Trek at all, b) has never seen S1 before, c)has no interest in VFX or graphics in movies - so there is no bias and believe me, the person saw it immediately and reaction was similar to some posts on your site

    3.) The live action shots look great. The issue is clearly with VFX, and that is an objective statement, not overreaction.

    4.) The set may be loaded up to its ears with VAM (extras, gag reels whatever). I'm not buying it for those. I'm buying it for TNG episodes, and by default for the remastered VFX work (kindof goes with the assumption of getting the remastered product). VAM is nice icing on the cake, but not the cake itself. If the cake is tasting sour, icing will not fix that.

    5.) Don't get me wrong. Trek is important part of my life and I'm TRULY very disappointed by S2, to the point I may cancel the pre-order. It's still a TV show though, there are far more important things going on :lol:



    I really, honestly wish for two things now:
    A: Season 3 is back to the standard S1 was and this is really HTV hiccup and not change of heart on side of CBS in terms of quality / cost / ROI

    B: Seasons 4 & 6 will get better quality control, or supervision from CBS-D, and as a result will be consistent with CBS-D work

    Feel free to disagree, that's the great thing about internet and freedom of speech.
    Nobody is attacking you (personally), and as I wrote, I would even understand why you would be ordered to close comments and why you would comply. Otherwise I love your site and it's always fresh updates, sometimes the tax for pre-release material is political corectness with providers.
     
    Last edited: Nov 22, 2012
  3. Jefferies

    Jefferies Captain Captain

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    I think you guys are taking your dissapointment about season 2 a bit far. Personally, I agree that CBS-D appears to have done a far better, far more inspired and above all a far more dedicated job when compared with HTV. However, season 2 is still TNG in HD. Please don't forget how awesome that is. You have stated your opinion and a significant amount of people here even agree on many points. Repeating it over and over and heckling FrontierTrek or Mike Okuda, however, isn't going to make a jot of difference about your grievences and will only serve to discredit your criticisms.
     
  4. NewHorizon

    NewHorizon Captain Captain

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    What will I be missing out on? Are they feeding us fake screenshots in some bizarre reverse psychology marketing bid?

    If you're referring to the VAM, that's all well and good but I personally wanted to buy these sets on bluray because I don't own TNG on VHS or DVD...except for two episodes and Season 3. When I saw the screen shots of Season 1 and how beautifully balanced CBS-D's approach was this time out, I was sold. So when I see HTV coming along, ignoring the style established by CBS in Season 1, well...it's rather heartbreaking for me. This is the version of TNG that will be around for many years. Who knows if anyone will go to this length to update the series again.

    Sorry, but like I said...the screen shots sold me on Season 1. If the effects are somehow miraculously at CBS-D level by watching on a blu-ray player, then there is no point to the screen caps at all.
     
  5. Reeborg

    Reeborg Commander Red Shirt

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    OK, explain it to me. I mean, ff they make an "upscaling" in resolution (meaning number of points per letter) than the text will become bigger (= bigger font). So will this not be the same in this case??? Maybe I am wrong? You may correct me, if so.
     
  6. FrontierTrek

    FrontierTrek Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    OK, you're certainly under a number of misconceptions, so I shall address them.

    It is NOT a considerable downgrade. Season 2 is, of course, different in style to Season 1. CBS Digital went above and beyond the original mission statement for this project, adding in a whole lot of extra love and polish. HTV's marching orders were recreating the show in HD. They did that. It is NOT a downgrade.

    "Nothing but praise"? I've remained honest about my own personal feelings on the set from the outset. When I've felt it was deserved, I've offered praise. The same for criticism (just read the article and my comments about Drema IV...)

    Closure vs. Moderation is something I weighed up - the fact is I don't have time to moderate, it's hard enough rolling out all this content for everyone to enjoy, I don't have time to moderate asinine posts like the ones we were getting. The thread started out fresh and objective but in recent days has been plagued by the same commenters posting over and over again "HTV are crap" "I'm not buying this". There is nowhere to go with it after it gets to that stage.

    I'm reviewing the set right this moment, so I certainly have seen much more! And again, that allows me to give you a far more objective opinion about the quality than folks who are judging everything from a handful of stills!

    I'm fine with critiquing VFX shots if you can substantiate your criticism. "Crap", "Rubbish", "Terrible" are NOT useful objective statements. They ARE overreactions.

    Again - total misconception! There is no compliance at all... TrekCore is a privately owned site, reporting on this wonderful project. CBS would never "order" me to close comments - they LOVE hearing peoples' comments.

    And there is NO political correctness with "providers". I state how I find - if I like something, I say. I'm a fan - like the rest of you!
     
  7. Jaro Stun

    Jaro Stun Captain Captain

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    all the other points I would tend to agree on, but "It is NOT a considerable downgrade" I cannot chew.
    Whatever CBS-D did, based on published and available material, looks far superior. Thats the baseline I compare against, as that is the product I am going to get - whatever the HTV's orders and management were is of no consequence in the end.

    I have a small challenge though. If there is a far more visually superior material which you saw in the set, it would be great to post a still of that. I know you can't do it on your own, but you might approach CBS about it - at this moment they must know about the negative press and it would for sure help to promote the product and put the more negative emotions to rest, if such material really exists. Could you give it a try?

    (I'm not trying to catch you by word or whatever, I honestly want to get back to looking forward to this product)
     
  8. FrontierTrek

    FrontierTrek Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    I've been posting a number of shots which I was especially impressed by as I've been reviewing the season - especially "ELEMENTARY, DEAR DATA" - London on the Holodeck looks phenomenal! I posted this shot to our Facebook channel a few days ago from "THE CHILD", such an iconic shot, and so much detail pops off the screen:

    [​IMG]

    I'm also especially fond of the recreation of GRAVESWORLD from "THE SCHIZOID MAN":

    [​IMG]
     
  9. gaghyogi49

    gaghyogi49 Commander Red Shirt

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    I find the shot of Gravesworld particularly impressive, as it matches the original very closely but fixes some errors of the original shot. The planetary rings, for example, now cast a proper shadow on the planet, missing in the original shot.

    [​IMG]

    Jörg
     
  10. Jaro Stun

    Jaro Stun Captain Captain

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    true, those two look good, especially the shuttlecraft one. nice detail and vivid colors, Thx.

    I kind of like also the recent screenshot you posted on FB, even though it appears the aspect ratio was not done right.

    I would be interested how this looks:
    [​IMG]

    It has a nice and vivid colors on DVD cap, I hope it was maintained in HD, and not purposefully washed out like some of the other caps were.
     
  11. davejames

    davejames Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Agreed. There's nothing wrong with criticism, but it's getting ridiculous seeing the same exact comments repeated over and over.


    We get it already. You don't like the S2 effects work.


    Your point has been made.
     
  12. Maxwell Everett

    Maxwell Everett Commodore Commodore

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    New Horizon, if you can't tell these are two completely different shots, with noticeably different camera alignment to the model and lighting... and shot on two completely different film formats (8-perf VistaVision vs. 4-perf Standard 35mm) by two completely different VFX teams... then I seriously question your ability to objectively weigh-in on ANYTHING that comes out of this restoration effort.

    You are seriously out of your depth.
     
  13. NewHorizon

    NewHorizon Captain Captain

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    The shuttlecraft scene is mostly live action, which looks fine...however my issues with S2 are clearly evident in that pic too. The stars are low res and the ship in the background looks pasted in, poorly.

    Again...same ILM shot, but look at the difference.

    [​IMG]

    To me, it looks like they're trying to preserve the colors from the VHS transfer, because that's how it 'looked' rather than restore the true colors like CBS-D did. HTV went with the neon purples and red. The colors used by CBS-D were far more pleasing to the eye.
     
  14. BillJ

    BillJ The King of Kings Admiral

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    Still comes across as trying to silence those whose opinion doesn't toe the company line.

    I showed my wife the comparative shots above, "it looks like shit", was her opinion of the HTV shot. And it's starting to look like season two is going to be a massive step down when comparing it against the quality of season one.
     
  15. Maxwell Everett

    Maxwell Everett Commodore Commodore

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    They haven't been silenced. Their opinions are still there for all the world to see, right alongside those who had a favorable opinion of HTV's work. No one's posts have been selectively deleted. By your own logic, you would have to say that those whose opinion DOES "toe the company line" as you put it have been "silenced" exactly as much.
     
  16. Salinga

    Salinga Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Nope. Your both comparison stills even prove more, that I am right and the HD version of the starbase is pretty much the SD image, just with sharpened edges (there are many filters to unblur and sharpen a zoomed image) and a little touch up. But it is definatly not a rescan from original footage. Because it has no additional details compared to the SD image.
     
  17. NewHorizon

    NewHorizon Captain Captain

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    I am aware they are two different shots, although yesterday at first glance I wasn't.

    My point still stands, even that footage could have looked a lot nicer.

    Thanks for the info on the equipment used. I certainly defer to your expertise.

    I don't think anyone needs to be versed in camera equipment to know they don't care for what they see though...and I don't care for what I see.

    The later shot I posted does use the same ILM filmed shot, and the difference is night and day.
     
  18. throwback

    throwback Captain Captain

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    I look at it this way - my favorite series was ST DS9. This series, in my opinion, was the peak of the ST series. The first two series, TOS and TNG, set the stage for DS9. The last two series, Voyager and Enterprise, were forgettable failures.

    I want to see DS9 in HD. How will this come about? With the success of TNG. So, I will buy the seasons sets, and, by doing so, I am investing in an effort to bring DS9 to HD.
     
  19. Salinga

    Salinga Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    "Money corrupts" ;)
     
  20. Start Wreck

    Start Wreck Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    The screenshots and trailer look pretty fantastic to me. I can see the difference in contrast and sharpness now that it's pointed out, but otherwise, I probably wouldn't have noticed. Nor would I have noticed that they use the same placement of stars in three separate shots (honestly, who would?). The detail in the Borg cube looks great.
    The live action looks as good as expected.

    I don't think there's anything to worry about.