What Shows Are Safe To Assume Blu-ray Won't Matter?

[crushilista]

Be it that it was recorded using vhs tapes like some sitcoms or the source is just unable to do better then dvd. What shows either won't be coming to blu ray or wouldn't be practical to have on bluray?

I'm looking at dvd collections and deciding whether or not to buy them or wait till a possible blu comes out.

[StingingVelvet]

You second sentence there really makes me have no idea what this thread is about. Going just by your first sentence though, it seems like you are asking what shows will never be released on BD, so you should go ahead and get them on DVD?

If that's the case I would say almost any sitcom or 80's show and before that. A BD remaster for something like that is going to be very rare, though it does happen so you're never going to be 100% safe. I felt pretty confidant buying Magnum PI on DVD recently though, for example.

TV sells much worse on BD than movies, especially catalog TV. It's not going to get a ton more releases outside of new shows and classic genre stuff (sci-fi, horror, etc.).

[crushilista]

Thank you. I thought the same thing but the release of Dick Van Dyke and Andy Griffith threw me off. Don't want to pay 50 dollars for The Munsters or The Adams Family only for it to come out on a better format.

Also, I apologize for the lack of clarity in my first post. I've had a case of insomnia and am trying to fix my sleep schedule by pulling an all nighter. Fixed it up a bit.

[lilboyblu]

Originally Posted by crushilista

Thank you. I thought the same thing but the release of Dick Van Dyke and Andy Griffith threw me off. Don't want to pay 50 dollars for The Munsters or The Adams Family only for it to come out on a better format.

Also, I apologize for the lack of clarity in my first post. I've had a case of insomnia and am trying to fix my sleep schedule by pulling an all nighter. Fixed it up a bit.

Dick Van Dyke, Andy Griffith, The Munsters, Addams Family and shows from the 50's & 60's were recorded on film though. That's why they'd look better on Blu-ray.

I Love Lucy, Honeymooners, Twilight Zone, and Star Trek TOS are more examples on Blu-ray. Aside from their overall popularity, being film based recordings is probably another reason why they made it on to this format.

Most stuff from the 70's-90's was recorded on tape though, and likely won't look any better than what they do on DVD.

[StingingVelvet]

Yeah. Anything done on film COULD be remastered but I feel like the way the market is right now it's going to be done much less at this point. Lost in Space makes some sense because it's a genre show, but something like Columbo? Probably not.

Really though who knows, it's a total toss-up to some degree.

[ravenus]

I believe Batman The Animated Series was captured on SD video, so that's probably not coming to blu-ray. The majority of Simpsons series are released as upscales on blu-ray, and you may want to consider if it's worth getting them on blu or if you already have them on DVD to just run them through the upscaling function on your player/TV.

[cdittmer]

Originally Posted by StingingVelvet

Yeah. Anything done on film COULD be remastered but I feel like the way the market is right now it's going to be done much less at this point. Lost in Space makes some sense because it's a genre show, but something like Columbo? Probably not.

Really though who knows, it's a total toss-up to some degree.

Columbo has been released in Japan on Blu-ray. It looks great.

[blonde_devil]

Pretty much any sitcom up until 2000. Up to then, most were still done on video so you won't get any better resolution out of the blu-ray. Not that all of them are, lots of your older black and white were still done on film but if they were big they have been released already so anything else probably won't see an HD release. Also a lot of your 90's effect heavy shows since those were done on video too for the effects. X-Files is supposed to be coming out but I haven't heard any news for a long time. In a lot of cases, there isn't any film left to work with for an HD release. The 80's Twilight Zone is a perfect example - the dvd is as good as it is going to get as they simple don't have anything better to use.

[B72]

Sanford and Son

and it's a cryin' shame
THE best comedy sitcom ever
Season 1-3 are Gold

the DVDs make me think the masters are disintegrating as we speak

[NLScavenger]

Originally Posted by ravenus

I believe Batman The Animated Series was captured on SD video, so that's probably not coming to blu-ray.

Batman TAS probably could receive a HD transfer since animated series in past were often filmed on 16mm/35mm. The problem however is that the film materials often contain mistakes that were fixed when it was transfered and edited on tape. WB could dump the unedited 16mm material on Blu-ray/DVD and call it a day like Rhino did when they released the Transformers on DVD a decade ago, but that release of the Transformers contained a gazillion mistakes that were not on the broadcast tapes. WB could redo all the editing work, but I can't see that happening.

[Nocturnaloner]

Originally Posted by blonde_devil

Pretty much any sitcom up until 2000...

No, it depends on the source, always. I don't have an encyclopedic knowledge of the production chain of every sitcom, but the only instance in which an HD transfer wouldn't be possible is in the case that the entire production was done with standard definition video. Any sitcom up until 2000 covers quite a few that were shot on film, and those will always benefit from an HD transfer.

I feel compelled to jump in on these threads because damned if we're still not getting "is blu-ray really worth it?" questions in 2015. The answer is almost always yes, but it depends on the source.

[Moe Szyslak]

It's past time I complete my Tales from the Crypt collection on DVD. Waiting for blu is likely a lost cause.

[crushilista]

Originally Posted by Nocturnaloner

No, it depends on the source, always. I don't have an encyclopedic knowledge of the production chain of every sitcom, but the only instance in which an HD transfer wouldn't be possible is in the case that the entire production was done with standard definition video. Any sitcom up until 2000 covers quite a few that were shot on film, and those will always benefit from an HD transfer.

I feel compelled to jump in on these threads because damned if we're still not getting "is blu-ray really worth it?" questions in 2015. The answer is almost always yes, but it depends on the source.

In this case it isn't a matter of is bluray worth it but what show and movie transfers won't be worth plopping onto bluray.

Although I'd personally love bluray sets of shows I don't own even if it was just upscaled. It'd be nice to only worry about 3 to 4 discs for a series.

Originally Posted by Moe Szyslak

It's past time I complete my Tales from the Crypt collection on DVD. Waiting for blu is likely a lost cause.

Were they recorded on VHS? If so, may as well get the dvds and upscale it.

[Buscemi]

The DVD releases of Tales from the Crypt are obviously tape masters. This is most evident in Season 4, Episode 1 (None But the Lonely Heart), where tape damage is noticeable.

Meanwhile, I'd include the first 26 series of Doctor Who (yes, I'm not considering Eccleston Series 1 but rather Series 28 as the 1996 movie is technically Series 27 and because both series are set in the same continuity). These were shot on video so that would have to be upscaled (and it would be a massive undertaking too, something the BBC would probably not spend the cash to do).

[iank]

Originally Posted by Buscemi

The DVD releases of Tales from the Crypt are obviously tape masters. This is most evident in Season 4, Episode 1 (None But the Lonely Heart), where tape damage is noticeable.

Meanwhile, I'd include the first 26 series of Doctor Who (yes, I'm not considering Eccleston Series 1 but rather Series 28 as the 1996 movie is technically Series 27 and because both series are set in the same continuity). These were shot on video so that would have to be upscaled (and it would be a massive undertaking too, something the BBC would probably not spend the cash to do).

I don't think I'd rebuy them all anyway. I bought them all on VHS and then again on DVD. I could see myself re-buying a select number of seasons if there really was a significant improvement in PQ but aside from that I ain't doing it again!

[Thomas Guycott]

Originally Posted by crushilista

Were they recorded on VHS? If so, may as well get the dvds and upscale it.

For the record, when shows were recorded on SD video, it's not VHS, but professional quality formats like U-matic or Betacam.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by cdittmer

Columbo has been released in Japan on Blu-ray. It looks great.

Geez, I should take my thanks back and smack you a good one. The almost $600 price tag has kept me away from this but between a really good Amazon.jp sale price and then yen tanking a bit over the past couple years it looks like it's down to around $250 US (before shipping).

Boy, that's tempting.

[bigdaddyhorse]

Originally Posted by Thomas Guycott

For the record, when shows were recorded on SD video, it's not VHS, but professional quality formats like U-matic or Betacam.

Had to look up U-Matic and it's 3/4 inch tape. I know from helping old local cable shows that most stuff was on 1 inch tape which is far better than VHS, but probably not good enough to get more out of HD than a dvd could.

[nitin]

Originally Posted by cdittmer

Columbo has been released in Japan on Blu-ray. It looks great.

it's also coming to Australia.

[StingingVelvet]

Originally Posted by octagon

Geez, I should take my thanks back and smack you a good one. The almost $600 price tag has kept me away from this but between a really good Amazon.jp sale price and then yen tanking a bit over the past couple years it looks like it's down to around $250 US (before shipping).

Boy, that's tempting.

Not to me. Love me some Columbo but it's so far down the list of things I need a BD upgrade for, that price tag makes it an easy skip. If it ever came out here for <$100 though I would be all over it.