Star Trek: TNG to Boldly Go in HD

[Guydowood]

from thedigitalbits.com

Finally today, we've got a little something for you Trekkies. Consider it very Rumor Mill-worthy, as nothing has been officially announced (though that may change soon - more in a minute). But a lot of you have been asking us if Star Trek: The Next Generation - Remastered is ever going to happen. We've mentioned previously that tests on the feasibility of the project have been on-going at CBS for some time, and one of the key concerns has been cost. (Click here and scroll down a bit.) Well, today we've got an update for you...

http://thedigitalbits.com/#050911

(per request hit the link to read the entire post)

[Lope de Aguirre]

Good to hear!
I will give TNG definateley another chance in HD vwith remastered SFX (I grew up with TNG but only like a tiny portion of episodes nowadays).

I really hope that they will give DS9 a shot when TNG proofed to be succesful as Remastered project.

[miller_time22]

Well, it sounds like the gears are at least turning a little bit, even if it's taken a while. I consider this to be great news, even if it is just a rumour for the time being.

[benbess]

Great news!

But actually Voyager is my favorite Trek series. I think they should have faith in Trek fans. We'll shell out the dough to make it worthwhile...

[Milano]

I thought TNG was my favorite series, but it has to be a tie between Voyager and the last 3 or 4 seasons of DS9. Would love to see any of it on Blu-Ray!


a posting from another forum:

DS9 (along with TNG and Voyager) would be impossible to release on Blu-Ray without massive alterations. The effects and editing were all done on videotape, whose maximum resolution is so low that it would make a BR release impossible.

To release those three shows on BR, all of the effects would have to be done over again, from scratch. Just like they did with TOS. And since there are seven seasons, of three shows each, that they would have to do, I don't ever imagine this would happen, since it would take too long and be way too expensive.

As far as I know, Enterprise is the only Trek show that is airable in HD from the get-go. They could release ENT in Blu-Ray right now.

[nametag]

Originally Posted by Milano

I thought TNG was my favorite series, but it has to be a tie between Voyager and the last 3 or 4 seasons of DS9. Would love to see any of it on Blu-Ray!


a posting from another forum:

That post points out the problems that everyone has always known about these shows - edited with effects done on videotape. However, if these rumours are true then evidently Paramount have at least the confidence in their ability to do it, if the numbers stack up. If they can do it for TNG, there's no reason they couldn't for DS9 or VOY (aside from the fact they would sell less).

Anyway, interesting. I've been thinking about trying to get TNG on DVD one day as I've never owned it (watched most of the episodes countless times though). Given that they'll probably release each season at least a few months apart and probably not even start for like a year or more, I think getting the DVD would still be justifiable to me. Besides, I'd want to get a complete boxset over individual releases...

[arcadeforest]

Originally Posted by nametag

That post points out the problems that everyone has always known about these shows - edited with effects done on videotape. However, if these rumours are true then evidently Paramount have at least the confidence in their ability to do it, if the numbers stack up. If they can do it for TNG, there's no reason they couldn't for DS9 or VOY (aside from the fact they would sell less).

Anyway, interesting. I've been thinking about trying to get TNG on DVD one day as I've never owned it (watched most of the episodes countless times though). Given that they'll probably release each season at least a few months apart and probably not even start for like a year or more, I think getting the DVD would still be justifiable to me. Besides, I'd want to get a complete boxset over individual releases...

I would say go for it in reference to the DVD's considering you can pick them up on Ebay pretty cheap. I purchased the individual season releases for roughly $16-$28 per season back before Christmas (all in mint condition).

[arcadeforest]

Back to the post, great news and I will be the first in line when these eventually come out. Even with all the problems discussed about a bluray release I believe it will happen.

[Moviefan2k4]

Well, this is very cool news. Can you guys imagine what different shots from TNG would look like in HD? The transporter shots, Holodeck transitions, Borg ships, phaser fights...all of them would be even more impressive for Blu-Ray, provided of course they're done with the proper respect. The new FX would need to seamlessly blend with the practical setups, and that's gonna be a difficult thing to accomplish: making it seem more "epic" without insulting the fans who've loved "Next-Gen" since it first ran in the late '80s.

[Monolithium]

If this is true, hopefully it will sell enough for Paramount to do the same for DS9.

[Milano]

Originally Posted by nametag

That post points out the problems that everyone has always known about these shows - edited with effects done on videotape. However, if these rumours are true then evidently Paramount have at least the confidence in their ability to do it, if the numbers stack up. If they can do it for TNG, there's no reason they couldn't for DS9 or VOY (aside from the fact they would sell less).

Anyway, interesting. I've been thinking about trying to get TNG on DVD one day as I've never owned it (watched most of the episodes countless times though). Given that they'll probably release each season at least a few months apart and probably not even start for like a year or more, I think getting the DVD would still be justifiable to me. Besides, I'd want to get a complete boxset over individual releases...

What else they had to say over there, though... was that TOS needed new effects to make it nicer for folks watching the series for the first time. Simply, TNG, VOY, DS9 could be upscaled and cleaned up? I dunno, maybe that's a better idea?

[-RONIN-]

I grew up with TNG so this would be so cool. I wonder how much they would charge for the complete series on BD?

[Moviefan2k4]

Originally Posted by -RONIN-

I grew up with TNG so this would be so cool. I wonder how much they would charge for the complete series on BD?

My best guess would probably be about $350 ($50 each x 7 seasons), but I suppose Paramount could go even higher than that. All I know is that the DVD seasons were over $100 each when they first came out, so I waited years for the price to come down.

[-RONIN-]

Originally Posted by Moviefan2k4

My best guess would probably be about $350 ($50 each x 7 seasons), but I suppose Paramount could go even higher than that. All I know is that the DVD seasons were over $100 each when they first came out, so I waited years for the price to come down.

Yeah that's what I was thinking as well. I didn't pick up the DVDs because by the time they fell in price BD was out so I figured Blu was only a matter of time.

[ChiefSequatchie]

I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who has Voyager has his favorite. I haven't got but the first two or three seasons of Voyager on DVD (all used off of eBay) as Trek DVD's are just to expensive for me. I don't understand why they routinely go for $30-$50 higher sometimes than other TVonDVD sets.

[Maggot]

I'd pay 100 bucks a season. I paid around that much for each DVD season when those came out.

[-RONIN-]

Originally Posted by Maggot

I'd pay 100 bucks a season. I paid around that much for each DVD season when those came out.

I'm way to fricken cheap to spend that much per season...lol I'll either hit a pawnshop hoping to snag one or wait for a sale if they end up being that much.

[FrodoBagginz]

I say they just forget about mastering in HD and just transfer all DVDs of the seasons to 1-2 Blu-Rays per season.

Amazon shows 49 discs for the entire series. At 2 Blu-Ray discs per season, that would be cut down to 14 discs. That would be a DEFINITE purchase for me. I'll sacrifice the HD quality for the DVD quality and tons of space any day for an older show like this.

Plus they could bundle the series up with TNG movies as well to have an ultimate TNG collection.

[KubrickFan]

Originally Posted by FrodoBagginz

I say they just forget about mastering in HD and just transfer all DVDs of the seasons to 1-2 Blu-Rays per season.

Amazon shows 49 discs for the entire series. At 2 Blu-Ray discs per season, that would be cut down to 14 discs. That would be a DEFINITE purchase for me. I'll sacrifice the HD quality for the DVD quality and tons of space any day for an older show like this.

Plus they could bundle the series up with TNG movies as well to have an ultimate TNG collection.

I hope not. First of all, the outrage would be enormous. People will complain that their series bought on Blu-ray won't be in HD. Second, the materials are there. It was shot on film, so I'd rather see a studio spend some money to do a Blu-ray release correctly, than half assed.

[The Apocalypse]

I do want this TNG to see a Blu-ray release. I liked it a lot, and too would have the studio spend money on doing it properly.