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VERY disappointed in the TOS Season Two remaster dvd set

The reason I'm disappointed is this: No Blu-Ray.

Agreed! Since BR is now the only full HD format, Season 2 should have switched to this format.

Maybe by the time they get around to releasing the whole sumbitch on Blu-Ray, the packaging will be decent.

Some DVD sets have gone through about 5 or 6 different kinds of packaging (L&O is notorious for this) but they eventually got it right...
 
To clear up any confusion, the tops of the discs of the TOS second season remaster set do not have ANY type of graphic/silk screening at all(they are totally blank, except for the disc name and number in tiny lettering on the inside of the spindle as was done in the season 1 set).I went through ALL 8 sts my local Best Buy had and 2 sets at my local FYE and ALL the sets either had 1.extremely dirty/dusty discs with dust and/or fingerprints all over them 2.cases that were broken/broke in 2 as soon as you open them(including 2 that broke in 2 as soon as the Best Buy associate opened them)3. any number of discs that were full of scratches (a combination of scratches on both sides of the discs).Usually Best Buy doesn't usually refund the payment for dvd/dvd sets but once the store manager saw the quality of all 8 of the TOS season 2 remaster sets we had gone through, he had no problem refunding my money.He said he had never before seen such consistant poor quality used in any dvd or dvd set at any price point.

I've NEVER seen a set from ANY studio put together so cheaply with so many defects with such a large retail price as i've seen with the last two remaster sets.I suggest anyone still thinking of buying these sets either hold out for the eventual BlueRay editions,buy the original TOS nonremastered boxed sets, or dload the episodes off Amazon or XBL Video store instead.If you absolutely MUST buy the TOS remaster sesaon two set, MAKE SURE you open it at the store before you leave as you more than likely will also receive a set that's defective in some way.I've got suspicions these discs were repacked at some point and obviously with very little care.It's too bad because the remastered episodes themselves are EXCELLENT.It's painfully obvious that CBS/Paramount SERIOUSLY have been gettign worse and worse over the past few years regardign the quality and pricing of their Trek dvd sets.After this mess i'm hoping they fire whoever has been handling set/disc production for them, and select another entity that has FAR SUPERIOR quality control standards.

I'll bet because that's the point they were at in the remastering with the HD-DVD/DVD coombo sets. In otherwords, there's no silk screening because that siide would have held the HD-DVD version. No clue as to why quality control on what was pressed is so lax - again possibly because Toshiba was supposed to foot the entire DVD production bill; so when they backed out and dropped HD-DVD altopgether; Paramount took what had been completed to that date and just pushed them out to market.
 
I purchased my set also at Best Buy in NYC. I watched Amok Time and Who Mourns for Adonis. The discs freeze randomly. A scene will play fine then the action will freeze for several long seconds (15-20) then will resume, only to do it again minutes later. Sadly,, this happens randomly one scene that had a problem while play perfectly when watched again. I missed the 30 day return period, but I really don't know if BB would have exchanged it. The first disk is watchable, but the problem, in my opinion is very annoying. Unfortunaatelty, I am struck. I haven't checked out the other DVDs yet, but I have a feeling the problem will continue. I have a 3 month old Sony DVD Player, so I don't think it's the machine. Hope no one else has the same issue.
 
Hmmm, seems to be a little confusion here (sorry this is a month delayed – but life, etc.). This is what I said.

However, I am happy they didn't put it out in Blu-Ray, since I'm not ready to commit to that format. Star Trek made my decision to choose HD, but at least HD was a LOT cheaper than Blu-Ray for the same picture.

The responses were thus (spelling corrected because I’m a nice guy):

You realize HD-DVD is now a dead format; totally abandoned by Toshiba and its other backers. If you want HD (1080P) picture quality, Blu-Ray is now it for disc media. Since TOS-R was supposedly made to make the series viable to continue in syndication as HDTVs penetrate farther into the consumer base; it's (imo) ridiculous that Paramount hasn't redone the TOS-R Season 1 sets in Blu-Ray format; and also ridiculous that they didn't release a Blu-Ray version of Season two and Season three; and have only announced standard DVD versions of these sets.

But again, as far as HD-DVD vs Blu-Ray; FYI - Blu-Ray won; and any HD (1080P) format discs for new films will only be in Blu-Ray format.

Yes, I do realize HD-DVD was the losing format. My point was, I’m not ready to commit to Blu-Ray yet. I’m not going to spend twice the amount of money more than what I paid for HD-DVD for a format that may or may not have staying power. I only chose HD-DVD because Paramount decided to release Trek in that format and I wanted to see it in HD. If and when Blu-Ray gets down to HD price levels, I’ll probably get a player. That’s all I meant. I know HD –DVD is gone and the only way to watch DVDs in HD is to get Blu-Ray. Yep, never doubted that. As for Paramount’s decision to not put the series on Blu-Ray, maybe they’ve got the once bitten, twice shy thing going. But, for me (and only me), I’m happy to not go out and spend the $300 - $400 right now. I know, nobody would be twisting my arm, but it’s Star Trek. . .

LOL!

What format ARE you going to commit to? Black and white VHS?

As for high def, there IS no other disc format besides Blu-Ray!

Sigh. The other format that exists and is still very nice on an upconverting HDMI player is standard DVD. And, yes, I know, Blu-Ray is the only format for HD.
 
LOL!

What format ARE you going to commit to? Black and white VHS?

As for high def, there IS no other disc format besides Blu-Ray!

Sigh. The other format that exists and is still very nice on an upconverting HDMI player is standard DVD. And, yes, I know, Blu-Ray is the only format for HD.


The "other format" doesn't need to be commited to, since it's in place and has been for years. You have no choice.

You spoke of a high def format, and said you weren't ready to commit to it...despite it being the only game in town, and the direction the industry is moving in.

Just as movies are no longer being released on VHS, in time no more movies will be released on DVD. Blu-ray will be the only format. (And no, I don't own a blu-ray player yet and am not planning to get one any time soon. I just know what's going on.)
 
You spoke of a high def format, and said you weren't ready to commit to it...despite it being the only game in town, and the direction the industry is moving in.

Just as movies are no longer being released on VHS, in time no more movies will be released on DVD. Blu-ray will be the only format.

And those of us who skipped DVD, and are going straight from VHS to Blu-Ray sabed a lot of time and effort.

So, too, could someone skip Blu-Ray until the next format.
 
And those of us who skipped DVD, and are going straight from VHS to Blu-Ray sabed a lot of time and effort.

So, too, could someone skip Blu-Ray until the next format.
I have no problem with somebody skipping a format change. Makes sense to me. Anybody want to come over to my house and watch a movie on LaserDisc or HD DVD? But at some point, you are also missing life. If for nothing more than new software may only be available on the new format. Most movies are no longer released on VHS. Not only do you have to say you saved "a lot of time and effort," but you also lost watching most anything released in the past few years.

An extreme example would be when customers in my stereo store would say they were waiting for the next format of video cameras. I understand that, too, in terms of saving money, but, Mr. Customer, how do you plan to go back and re-create your three-year old's birthday party when you finally jump?
 
The "other format" doesn't need to be commited to, since it's in place and has been for years. You have no choice.

Sure I do, I can choose to not watch DVD. I can either watch an older format like VHS (players & recorders are still being made and sold), or choose between BRD or Standard DVD. Or digital download right to my set top box or game console, skipping the discs altogether.

When it comes to entertainment, there's always a choice.
 
Most movies are no longer released on VHS. Not only do you have to say you saved "a lot of time and effort," but you also lost watching most anything released in the past few years.

An extreme example would be when customers in my stereo store would say they were waiting for the next format of video cameras. I understand that, too, in terms of saving money, but, Mr. Customer, how do you plan to go back and re-create your three-year old's birthday party when you finally jump?


Huh? I have a digital camera. It's not HD, but it's digital, and video, so I won't miss my 3-yr old's party. I'll film it in standard definition. Because someone doesn't have the latest format, it doesn't mean they don't have any.

And I won't miss Star Trek, or Iron Man. You might miss out if you skip 2-3 consecutive formats, but if you skipped DVD, you'd be just fine, as VHS bridges to Blu Ray,

Oh, and some people don't obsess over collecting things in every format.

And missed out? Have you heard of Video On Demand? Have you heard of Cable TV or satellite? Have you heard of the... movie theatre?

Are you still on planet Earth?
 
And I won't miss Star Trek, or Iron Man. You might miss out if you skip 2-3 consecutive formats, but if you skipped DVD, you'd be just fine, as VHS bridges to Blu Ray,

Only if you had a 9" tv. VHS on any decent-sized set was unwatchable in the 80s, and anybody who had eyes went to laserdisc then. Geez, I was poor and even so, I took my movies seriously enough to go to LD.

Now with DVD it was misdirection and marketing. I'd heard about bluray before DVD was announced, so I held off, expecting bluray to come along around 2000 or 2001. Once it was clear that wasn't happening, then of course I went to the new format (though I kept and still have laserdiscs on some stuff, exp stuff that was altered for dvd or unrereleased.)
 
Most movies are no longer released on VHS. Not only do you have to say you saved "a lot of time and effort," but you also lost watching most anything released in the past few years.

An extreme example would be when customers in my stereo store would say they were waiting for the next format of video cameras. I understand that, too, in terms of saving money, but, Mr. Customer, how do you plan to go back and re-create your three-year old's birthday party when you finally jump?


Huh? I have a digital camera. It's not HD, but it's digital, and video, so I won't miss my 3-yr old's party. I'll film it in standard definition. Because someone doesn't have the latest format, it doesn't mean they don't have any.

And I won't miss Star Trek, or Iron Man. You might miss out if you skip 2-3 consecutive formats, but if you skipped DVD, you'd be just fine, as VHS bridges to Blu Ray,

Oh, and some people don't obsess over collecting things in every format.

And missed out? Have you heard of Video On Demand? Have you heard of Cable TV or satellite? Have you heard of the... movie theatre?

Are you still on planet Earth?
Funny how you cut out the first two lines of my post in your quote:

"I have no problem with somebody skipping a format change. Makes sense to me."

Sort of changes everything. :rolleyes:

And I'm glad you have a camera to document your child's growning up. Also note I never said you didn't. I was making an analogy, nothing else. Poorly stated in my post was the implication these folks had nothing of consequence to record their child's growth. My analogy might or might not have applied specifically to you.
 
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I sympathise with you, Kurgan. It's not just a US issue either. It's a lottery these days whether you get imperfect packaging. My refund is still pending with Amazon... they're sick of me returning product. If you have no complaints consider yourself lucky. I've purchased every DVD release since Paramount made the commitment to the format around '00 and it's never been this bad. I dread to think about the money spent really. In the early days I imported the 2 episode TOS per disc. Sold those on and upgraded to Season sets. All fine up to that point. Absolutely no problems with either the discs, compatibility or the presentation. The Remastered FX ones are an optional extra I wanted to sit alongside on the shelf. Interestingly the prices are dropping like a stone over here now HD-DVD is dead. I also figure the bargain bin prices give customers no reason to complain at the substandard quality control.

The worst example as got to be the TNG 20th Anniversary set... Lurid green DVD holders made out the same kind of sugar glass used by Hollywood stunt men! Handle with extreme care. It fractures simply taking the discs in and out and I have tiny girl hands! :lol:
 
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Guys; The only reason Season One was released on HD DVD is because Toshiba paid Paramount to do it. Toshiba wanted a flagship set for the format, and Season One was it.

But Paramount/CBS never had any commitment to high-def Trek one way or another. So with the death of HD DVD, future installments of TOS in high-def either went down the drain or have been delayed indefinitely.
 
Only if you had a 9" tv. VHS on any decent-sized set was unwatchable in the 80s, and anybody who had eyes went to laserdisc then. Geez, I was poor and even so, I took my movies seriously enough to go to LD.

Yes, that's right, we all went over to LD, which is why the format took off and was a huge success. . .

LD, while a step in the right direction, was still far from perfect. LD on my HD set looks just as bad as VHS. But, really, in the 80's (you know, when VHS got popular), nobody was bitching about picture quality until major companies were releasing stuff in SLP. Well into the 90's, VHS was just fine for the analog picture tube sets. It only suffered in comparison to DVD.

Besides, LD was great if you were collecting episodic TV series, where each episode fit on one side of the platter. But having to change sides and discs for movies really sucked, especially if all you wanted to do was just sit back and relax with a bottle of Rolling Rock after a long week at the quarry.

Having said that, I love my LD/DVD combo player, I get to run the whole Trek series on LD, so I can savor the original prints and sound mix. Ahhhhhhhhhhh. I get to trade mangled tapes for occaision laser rot, but it's still a nice picture. On my analog set.
 
^

yeah, VHS is better than nothing. Up till last year, I was still watching James Bond on VHS. I still have a couple tapes I haven't upgraded yet
 
VHS on any decent-sized set was unwatchable in the 80s, and anybody who had eyes...

Gee, that must be my problem... :confused:
Same here. Hell, I still watch VHS on my big old TV.

230 lines on a 525 tv is like watching super8 on a cinerama screen. It was 20 years ago, too. I'm an analog guy, but geez, that was analog crap.

EDIT - yyeah, I have REPORT TO THE COMMISSIONER and TAvenier's DEATHWATCH on VHS, cuz that is the only game in town for them. But I watch them from about 25 feet away with the clarity practically down to nothing.
 
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Had some time to think about it, and I have an even bigger gripe with the vhs era, that it ruined a number of films I had wanted to see because viewing them at such lousy rez kept me from being able to appreciate them or get through them. CALIGARI is one, that's for sure; Welles' THE TRIAL another. If I'd caught decent prints of these at revival houses I'd have been able to see them looking better than the 'going blind at a drive-in next to the freeway' washedoutedness of VHS.

As much as image-cropping, quality-cropping can be the death of some stuff, or at the very least a hindrance to enjoyment. Did you ever see a really bad 16mm print of BUTCH CASSIDY on late night? I started to. Fortunately, I knew it looked better than that, FAR better, and just shut it off, and waited for it to come back to theaters (they did that back then sometimes) to see it properly.
 
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