Starship Troopers 4K UHD (1997) (20th Anniversary Edition)

[Geoff D]

You know what they say about assumptions.

[PeterTHX]

Originally Posted by Nicolawicz

No, it's assumable that it's the "4K remaster" in different formats. If it says nothing on the cover, it's practically lying by omission.

Give me a break.

Nobody (sane) buys Blu-ray/DVD combo packs expecting the DVD to have the latest and greatest.

The Blu-ray is a courtesy bonus, nothing more.
A way for the studio to get the extras on there without sacrificing the space on the UHD.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by PeterTHX

Give me a break.

Nobody (sane) buys Blu-ray/DVD combo packs expecting the DVD to have the latest and greatest.

The Blu-ray is a courtesy bonus, nothing more.
A way for the studio to get the extras on there without sacrificing the space on the UHD.

Aye, and with that point in mind the upcoming UK Harry Potter 4K boxset may be an indication of Warners taking steps to remove the movie BD from the equation, at least in certain circumstances where people may have one or more boxsets of the BD content already.

If HPs 1 and 2 do indeed get brand new 4K transfers as has been postulated (IMO they can't not be new transfers, it's that or upscale HD telecines that are almost two decades old) then the inevitable outcry will probably be lessened from them being the theatrical cuts rather than the extended, according to the run times on the UK boxset cover.

[Nicolawicz]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

But why even make that distinction when the actual 4K disc is inherently assumed to be what people are buying it for?

How do you know that? Since there's no standalone Blu-ray, many may be buying it just for the 1080p disc. Not to mention those who don't have a 4K player yet but want to "future-proof."

[Laserdisk]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

You know what they say about assumptions.

They are pretty ****ing cool?

[Staying Salty]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

You know what they say about assumptions.

I assume that doesn’t work as straight forward for you Brits.

[Rick Grimes]

Originally Posted by PeterTHX

Give me a break.

Nobody (sane) buys Blu-ray/DVD combo packs expecting the DVD to have the latest and greatest.

The Blu-ray is a courtesy bonus, nothing more.
A way for the studio to get the extras on there without sacrificing the space on the UHD.

A DVD combo is different... 2 different working groups and DVD was SD, while Blu-Ray is (shoulda been) the future.
BD and UHD BD go "hand in hand" and studios will continue to develop BD while pushing 4K BD (especially Sony).
My expectations are that the studios/distributors still give a shit about 1080p Blu-Ray. Evidenced with releases like Unforgiven and Close Encounters, where a new BD transfer is minted to sell to those who are future proofing or simply don't care for UHD at this stage (with seperate 40th BD release for CE3K).

Not sure what the case was in the US, but Blade Runner had a 1080p release same day as Blade Runner UHD. When this occurs, it should be made clear that the 1080pBD is an old transfer...

I worked out early that Blade Runner was going to be the old low bitrate transfer, when I saw pics of the US UHD back cover and the audio was exactly the same as the 2007 release. Starship Troopers was not clear.

Overall, I think studios are missing a great opportunity to market to UHD early adopters, future proofers and standard BD buyers.
Especially future proofers (like myself).
I am in no hurry to get a 4K TV and a UHD player (while TVs are refined, players are still first gen). I am very happy with my 1080p set-up, which I only got 2-3 years ago (top of the line Sony FHD and Panasonic BD recorder + several players)
However, I am buying new release films that come out on UHD/BD and I will only fork out for a UHD+BD release of an older film IF it has a new 1080p transfer.

By not having quality accompanying 1080p transfers with 2160p BD's, the future proofers will not be buying AND of course, those who still buy BD only.

Thus, like others on this site/community, I will check before I buy a UHD title of an older release. Many are asking "What's the new 1080p transfer look like?" and invariably, when the answer is "No new 1080p transfer" the poster either leaves or remonstrates "Why the frack not?", as their is a future proofing cohort who desire (and I believe deserve) an updated BD release. Otherwise, I worry that UHD BD will remain a niche market.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by Nicolawicz

How do you know that? Since there's no standalone Blu-ray, many may be buying it just for the 1080p disc. Not to mention those who don't have a 4K player yet but want to "future-proof."

There IS a standalone Blu-ray for Starship Troopers, just not some spiffy remastered version. So any newcomers wishing to buy the film will just default to that.

[PeterTHX]

Originally Posted by Rick Grimes

A DVD combo is different... 2 different working groups and DVD was SD, while Blu-Ray is (shoulda been) the future.
BD and UHD BD go "hand in hand" and studios will continue to develop BD while pushing 4K BD (especially Sony).

[mar3o]

Originally Posted by Nicolawicz

But you're supposed to be buying "4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital." It's simply false advertisement. I think it's the first time they do this kind of crap. I guess after they've fooled enough people, they're going to sell the Blu-ray with the new transfer separately.

They did the same thing when blu-ray was new. They still do it sometimes. They include the new remaster on the blu-ray only, but the included DVD is the old disc. Nothing new here. Since when are studios consumer-friendly?

[mar3o]

Originally Posted by PeterTHX

Give me a break.

Nobody (sane) buys Blu-ray/DVD combo packs expecting the DVD to have the latest and greatest.

The Blu-ray is a courtesy bonus, nothing more.
A way for the studio to get the extras on there without sacrificing the space on the UHD.

Not true. I've bought many older horror film remasters from smaller labels that included the new scan on both the blu-ray and the DVD. Bigger studios, not so much.

I don't even own a UHD player yet. It would make sense to include the new remasters on both the UHD disc and the included blu-ray disc, so that those that don't yet own UHD players can still take advantage of the newer master on blu-ray, while future-proofing themselves for when they so buy a UHD player. Without that, people are losing some of the incentive of buying the new remasters, if they can't even see the remaster in any form without a new player.

Originally Posted by Geoff D

There IS a standalone Blu-ray for Starship Troopers, just not some spiffy remastered version. So any newcomers wishing to buy the film will just default to that.

Okay, but then so what's the incentive for those who don't own a player to buy the new remaster? Better to just wait since they can' t see the new remaster anyways. For me, I already own the old disc, so I can't even check out the new remaster until I get a player. For that reason, I was not in any hurry to buy it. I only bought it now because it dropped to under $10 briefly. Otherwise, there was no incentive to buy it right away.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by mar3o

Okay, but then so what's the incentive for those who don't own a player to buy the new remaster? Better to just wait since they can' t see the new remaster anyways. For me, I already own the old disc, so I can't even check out the new remaster until I get a player. For that reason, I was not in any hurry to buy it. I only bought it now because it dropped to under $10 briefly. Otherwise, there was no incentive to buy it right away.

There is no incentive for "future proofers" other than, you know, buying the 4K disc which is the whole point of this particular re-release, hence the "4K Ultra HD Blu-ray" nomenclature plastered all over it, hint hint. Y'all expect your way to be paved with an interim version of the new remaster but that's just not the way that the industry always works, as you yourself just pointed out re: DVD.

Hell, in the case of CE3K, a Sony 4K release which does come with the new BD remaster (because there's also a standalone BD remaster, see the pattern here?), we've ended up with a significantly poorer representation of the new master (IMO) AND it's had some VFX tweaks to boot which has got your ever-present Spidey sense of pre-buyer's remorse tingling like a mofo.

You know what they (and PeterTHX) say: be careful what you wish for...

[PeterTHX]

Originally Posted by mar3o

Okay, but then so what's the incentive for those who don't own a player to buy the new remaster? Better to just wait since they can' t see the new remaster anyways. For me, I already own the old disc, so I can't even check out the new remaster until I get a player. For that reason, I was not in any hurry to buy it. I only bought it now because it dropped to under $10 briefly. Otherwise, there was no incentive to buy it right away.

Seems to me the incentive would to NOT include it.


The bigger the difference between the 1080p and the UHD the more people will want to upgrade.

[Synchg]

ya'll wanna know what's probably more important that's left off the UHD release? the 2.0 sound mix, especially for older films that had a stereo track mixed for original release. Even if it was a meager 192bitrate encode that was taken off DVD release, it would be something! It has nothing to do with preference, but necessity. Living in small quarters or only being able to watch movies at certain hours etc etc. I was pleasantly surprised that Logan and Gods of Egypt UHD released came with a 2.0 mixed track. But no, Sony is way too HIGH END and modern for that archaic noise.

[Geoff D]

Lionsgate are one of the few who provide a 'late night' 2.0 mix, yeah.

[Rick Grimes]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

There is no incentive for "future proofers" other than, you know, buying the 4K disc which is the whole point of this particular re-release, hence the "4K Ultra HD Blu-ray" nomenclature plastered all over it, hint hint. Y'all expect your way to be paved with an interim version of the new remaster but that's just not the way that the industry always works, as you yourself just pointed out re: DVD.

Hell, in the case of CE3K, a Sony 4K release which does come with the new BD remaster (because there's also a standalone BD remaster, see the pattern here?), we've ended up with a significantly poorer representation of the new master (IMO) AND it's had some VFX tweaks to boot which has got your ever-present Spidey sense of pre-buyer's remorse tingling like a mofo.

You know what they (and PeterTHX) say: be careful what you wish for...

Unforgiven was a brilliant 1080pBD... And I guess we were spoiled a bit by studios. I thought that this would be the norm with older titles/new releases (especially if they had 1080p transfers 10yo).

The jury's still out with CE3K. Despite the 16 bit v 24 bit lossy (on both 4K and 1080p). Many are praising the new transfer. And the audio.

Was hoping we were being treated right with older catalogue UHD titles coming with improved transfers (and Blade Runner and Starship Troopers were 2 very old transfers).

Oh, and Blade Runner had a standalone release in Oz... Yet as we all know, it's the same crappy VC-1, low bitrate HD DVD port on a 25GB disc.
For those new to BD, I pity them and their viewing shock, compared to transfers we have now for old titles, Blade Runner in 1080p simply will not pass muster.

Originally Posted by PeterTHX

Seems to me the incentive would to NOT include it.


The bigger the difference between the 1080p and the UHD the more people will want to upgrade.

If BD was not included on UHD, I wouldn't have bought the 20-30 UHD titles I own.
I'm only doing it knowing, one day, I will go 4K. I'd like to be prepared. Hence, future proofing. And I'm not the only one.

You mean the shittier the 1080p transfer, the more people want the upgrade. I bought the Goodfelleas 4k scan 1080p transfer. As it was very good. Probably won't upgrade to UHD (won't be upgrading that many titles to UHD, but that's another story).

[Geoff D]

If it's any consolation you DO get the newer remastered 1080p disc with the Sony 4K releases of Fifth Element, Leon, Crouching Tiger, CE3K, Ghostbusters and Labyrinth but again I reiterate that this is because those new discs ALSO received a standalone release. (Unforgiven and Goodfellas from Warners and ID4 from Fox also include the fresh BDs, though in Europe Goodfellas just comes with the shitty old BD.)

But getting a newly remastered 1080p disc which is exclusive to the 4K package has, to my knowledge, happened the grand total of ONCE: Unforgiven...and that's from another studio. Point being: Sony are not remastering the 1080p BDs just to include in the 4K pack and there is absolutely no precedent from them for doing so.

[Rick Grimes]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

If it's any consolation you DO get the newer remastered 1080p disc with the Sony 4K releases of Fifth Element, Leon, Crouching Tiger, CE3K, Ghostbusters and Labyrinth but again I reiterate that this is because those new discs ALSO received a standalone release. (Unforgiven and Goodfellas from Warners and ID4 from Fox also include the fresh BDs, though in Europe Goodfellas just comes with the shitty old BD.)

But getting a newly remastered 1080p disc which is exclusive to the 4K package has, to my knowledge, happened the grand total of ONCE: Unforgiven...and that's from another studio. Point being: Sony are not remastering the 1080p BDs just to include in the 4K pack and there is absolutely no precedent from them for doing so.

Yeah, I heard that. It's a shame. Unforgiven, I'm assuming, was an anamoly.
Was hoping for so much more (like you Geoff, I've got Fifth Element and Ghostbusters "Mastered in 4K" transfers: Which makes it near impossible to justify a UHD buy! ).

Anyway, perhaps every now and then consumers will get a newly minted 1080p transfer with the UHD. I'm hoping for Terminator 2 to do so, considering it has 3D, BD and UHD releases from the new 4K transfer, coming 31 Oct./1 Nov.

It's a real shame though that studios might be bailing on 1080pBD, when we don't get new transfers for 10yo BDs.

[StingingVelvet]

Call me an a-hole but I hope they do more and more UHD exclusive remasters, because that will push more people to upgrade. That's how it is with video games, right? Want to play the hot new games then you gotta get the new Xbox or upgrade your PC or whatever. I feel like if they never did that then most consumers would just be happy with lower quality and cheaper. Can you imagine how many UHD upgrades could result from Disney releasing the original Star Wars cuts on UHD only? I would love for that to happen. It won't of course...

[ROSS.T.G.]

Originally Posted by StingingVelvet

Call me an a-hole but I hope they do more and more UHD exclusive remasters, because that will push more people to upgrade. That's how it is with video games, right? Want to play the hot new games then you gotta get the new Xbox or upgrade your PC or whatever. I feel like if they never did that then most consumers would just be happy with lower quality and cheaper. Can you imagine how many UHD upgrades could result from Disney releasing the original Star Wars cuts on UHD only? I would love for that to happen. It won't of course...

Yup, this is how I was converted. I was started to run into issues with my 1080p projector and thought the time was right. I felt silly buying new releases on standard BD and seeing Unforgiven get an exclusive UHD release made me jelly. But the Blade Runner UHD release is what did it for me. I have much more confidence in the format now, I'm sure with sales growing the next Star Wars instalment will get a UHD release. I do believe we will see SW getting a UHD release, I just hope it doesn't take as long as the BD release.