Why are there so many tv series stuck on dvd and not on blu ray

[James_Younger_Gang]

I used to resist buying dvd all the time thibkibg: Someday it will be on blu ray. I have noticed that aome tv series, most of thrm recen tv shows are stuck on dvd and are never released on blu ray.An example of this is the scream tv series. Also scream queens etc. Why does this happen? Most of these shows would rock on blu ray.

[charlieray1]

Many older shows (80's - early 90's especially) were edited on standard definition video. The Wonder Years is one that comes to mind. Blu-ray wouldn't help those visually since they were never hi-def.

[ElectricPeterTork]

Originally Posted by charlieray1

Many older shows (80's - early 90's especially) were edited on standard definition video. The Wonder Years is one that comes to mind. Blu-ray wouldn't help those visually since they were never hi-def.

70s to 2000, actually, especially sitcoms.

If it was a sitcom in the 70s or 80s, odds are it was videotaped. Oh, there were exceptions, but the majority of them are locked into SD video forever.

And the sci-fi dramas of the 80s and 90s... shot on film, edited on video, not worth the studios' time to reconstruct for HD.

[FourEyes]

Originally Posted by charlieray1

Many older shows (80's - early 90's especially) were edited on standard definition video. The Wonder Years is one that comes to mind. Blu-ray wouldn't help those visually since they were never hi-def.

Several months ago, I picked up the 15th anniversary Blu-Ray set of Farscape, which was upconverted from 480p to 1080p, and I gotta say it's pretty good for upscaling. It's not as good as real 1080p, but it's a lot better than DVD. Though, it probably took a while to get the upconversion algorithm right, despite the fact that it was probably the only cost-effective way to get this particular series on Blu-Ray.

[smithb]

Originally Posted by FourEyes

Several months ago, I picked up the 15th anniversary Blu-Ray set of Farscape, which was upconverted from 480p to 1080p, and I gotta say it's pretty good for upscaling. It's not as good as real 1080p, but it's a lot better than DVD. Though, it probably took a while to get the upconversion algorithm right, despite the fact that it was probably the only cost-effective way to get this particular series on Blu-Ray.

If remembering correctly, the Farscape blu-rays were from a PAL source. Therefore, they were upscaled from 576 to 1080, not 480 to 1080. Still not HD resolution by any means, but likely explains some of the visual benefits over the DVDs.

[Sidecarcollision]

Originally Posted by James_Younger_Gang

I used to resist buying dvd all the time thibkibg: Someday it will be on blu ray. I have noticed that aome tv series, most of thrm recen tv shows are stuck on dvd and are never released on blu ray.An example of this is the scream tv series. Also scream queens etc. Why does this happen? Most of these shows would rock on blu ray.

Because most shows sell better on dvd than blu ray, many studios have decided dvd is good enough, several series have been started to be released on dvd and blu ray, but later seasons are only released on dvd or blu ray (M.O.D.) if at all on blu ray, because the studio doesn't think it is worthwhile to release these programs in hd. I also suspect hd streaming affects these releases, where the studio assumes if someone has a blu ray player, they might just opt to stream the series on the players streaming apps, over owning the disc. Where as dvd player owners are less likely to have a streaming subscription, or tv app, and more likely to purchase the series as that might be the only way to watch the series. these are my observations as someone who works in a movie department and see the buying habits of the public. most people still only buy dvd after all. that is slowly changing though.

[LetsGetATaco]

Because they don't sell.

[buck135]

Originally Posted by LetsGetATaco

Because they don't sell.

That's the biggest reason. My favorite, Cheers, despite looking gorgeous on HDNet, is owned by....Paramount. Since Cheers doesn’t contain Transformers, it will never see a blu-ray release.

[MassiveMovieBuff]

Originally Posted by buck135

That's the biggest reason. My favorite, Cheers, despite looking gorgeous on HDNet, is owned by....Paramount. Since Cheers doesn’t contain Transformers, it will never see a blu-ray release.

Yeah Paramount is awful with releasing anything besides newer movies. So many titles that still need to come out from Paramount. I'd love Frasier on blu ray as well.

[ElectricPeterTork]

Originally Posted by MassiveMovieBuff

Yeah Paramount is awful with releasing anything besides newer movies. So many titles that still need to come out from Paramount. I'd love Frasier on blu ray as well.

And if we're really unlucky, they'll farm it out to VEI, who will use only the worst SD masters available for their Blu Ray discs, like they did with Nash Bridges.

[HD Goofnut]

Originally Posted by buck135

That's the biggest reason. My favorite, Cheers, despite looking gorgeous on HDNet, is owned by....Paramount. Since Cheers doesn’t contain Transformers, it will never see a blu-ray release.

Or Star Trek characters.

[CinemaScope]

Originally Posted by LetsGetATaco

Because they don't sell.

So true. There's plenty of series that had the first season or two released on DVD, & then nothing. There's plenty of stuff I'd like to see on DVD, let alone Blu-ray.

[Takeshi666]

Originally Posted by CinemaScope

So true. There's plenty of series that had the first season or two released on DVD, & then nothing.

Cough, Weird Science, cough.

[AgentOrange]

Originally Posted by LetsGetATaco

Because they don't sell.

...and that's proably the biggest reason.

Being shot or edited on tape is obviously a reason too, but we have come to a point where studios don't even put out NEW shows on blu-ray. Actually we've been there for awhile. There are classic shows they COULD reconstruct from the original film elements (Deep Space 9), but they won't bother. Which is a shame, because even Netflix benefits when they remaster a show in an HD format.

[manfromatlantis]

Originally Posted by AgentOrange

...and that's proably the biggest reason.

Being shot or edited on tape is obviously a reason too, but we have come to a point where studios don't even put out NEW shows on blu-ray. Actually we've been there for awhile. There are classic shows they COULD reconstruct from the original film elements (Deep Space 9), but they won't bother. Which is a shame, because even Netflix benefits when they remaster a show in an HD format.

Deep Space 9 or any sci fi show is not a good example because its not simply a case of going to the film elements and doing a new transfer. All the special effects need recreating from the ground up which is why it costs so much.

But something like Frasier is like Friends and could easily be transferred to HD with the minimum of fuss and cost. But by the same token these are the shows that don't really improve in HD. They don't need to look pristine like a sci fi show where the visuals are more important.

Before I die I would like a Bluray box of 24 and Alias , both of which I believe were made at the right time and just past the editing on tape era.

[willbfree]

My guess is that some HD shows are released on DVD rather than BluRay simply because the licensing fees to put something on a BluRay disc are much higher than the licensing fees for DVD.

[darkness2918]

Doesn't matter to me. If I like a show enough & DVD is all that's available I have no problem getting the DVD.

[Gizz]

Originally Posted by darkness2918

Doesn't matter to me. If I like a show enough & DVD is all that's available I have no problem getting the DVD.

Same here. And to be truthful DVD is so much cheaper here in the UK we are getting Magnum P.I. complete on Blu Ray and it will cost £ 169.99 I just got the complete collection on DVD for £ 29.90. I have no problem with buying TV shows on DVD however I do own a few shows on Blu Ray but I have picked them up after they have gone down in price. The Star Trek TV shows on Blu Ray were just to expensive on Day of release.

[darkness2918]

Originally Posted by Gizz

Same here. And to be truthful DVD is so much cheaper here in the UK we are getting Magnum P.I. complete on Blu Ray and it will cost £ 169.99 I just got the complete collection on DVD for £ 29.90. I have no problem with buying TV shows on DVD however I but new films only on Blu Ray.

yea for new release films obviously I also get BDs lol. But TV shows or movies not available on BD or where the BD is OOP & crazy expensive I have no problem getting DVDs in those cases. That's quite the price difference for Magnum P.I. I would also have gotten the DVD in that case. I still need to get the last 3 seasons of Hercules: The Legendary Journeys on DVD.

[Gizz]

Originally Posted by darkness2918

yea for new release films obviously I also get BDs lol. But TV shows or movies not available on BD or where the BD is OOP & crazy expensive I have no problem getting DVDs in those cases. That's quite the price difference for Magnum P.I. I would also have gotten the DVD in that case. I still need to get the last 3 seasons of Hercules: The Legendary Journeys on DVD.

We here in the UK never got Hercules: The Legendary Journeys on DVD at all. I think the last film I got on DVD that was new out was The Veronica Mars film it never came out on Blu Ray here in fact a few of Kristen Bells films never came out on Blu Ray here just DVD so that what I picked them up on big fan of hers.