ST:DS9 Blu-Ray Release Could Happen

[Arkadin]

well personally I would disagree with all that.
DS9 would certainly be the next ST series to come to bd after TNG if there is to be another series done.
Sorry, but I don't think in a million years Voyager would come out first.

[Disciple of Vedder]

I don't think it's extortion to say, "If the TNG Blus sell well enough." That's just common sense. They won't sink millions into remastering DS9 if the more-popular TNG series doesn't do well. I'm just glad DS9 is popular enough that its fate is already being bandied about. It's (just barely) my favorite Trek series and I would buy all sets on Day One, just as I did with the DVD sets, back when Day One= $99.99 each!

[Disciple of Vedder]

As an interesting sidenote, Wikipedia cited a source stating that DS9 maintained better ratings than Voyager on average. Of course we all know how many problems there are with the Nielsen rating system.

"Although DS9's ratings remained solid, it was never as successful as the syndicated Star Trek: The Next Generation, with approximately 6% versus 11% of US households watched during sweeps months. However, it continued to perform better than its network sibling Star Trek: Voyager which averaged around 5% according to the Nielsen ratings.[16]"

[HDMe]

Regarding the DS9 Tribbles episode... does anyone know how it was originally produced?

Given how TNG was edited on videotape... Was DS9 edited on videotape as well? And if so, how did they handle mixing the old TOS footage with the DS9 greenscreen?

I ask, because... It seems entirely likely to me that when creating that DS9 episode... they may have filmed DS9 new footage, but they might very well have used SD footage from TOS knowing that they were aiming for TV presentation of the day.

In other words... that DS9 episode might be the single most expensive one to truly restore to HD... because they might have to go back to the recently restored TOS footage in HD and use that along with HD footage from DS9 and re-composite those scenes.

I hope that made sense. I'm not saying whether it is a roadblock or not to making it happen... just pointing out that this single episode might be one of the more difficult/expensive DS9 episodes to restore if they have to re-do all of that work.

[Aragorn the Elfstone]

I really hope this happens. I've been watching DS9 for the first time on my Netflix Instant Video account, and it's become a favorite show of mine. But, admittedly, the quality isn't great - so to see the show in HD would be amazing.

I was going to pick up TNG anyway. This is just added incentive.

[nametag]

Originally Posted by Aristide Massaccesi

DS9 is my favourite Star Trek series, seeing it on blu-ray would be incredible. One thing though: DS9 switched to CGI during season 5 so they would have to completely re-do the SFX for the last two and a half seasons.

But they'll have to completely re-do the effects for the rest as well, like they're doing with TNG, because they're stuck in SD - am I right? So it makes no difference.

I'd LOVE this to happen. As Ronald D. Moore himself said - DS9 was the 'ultimate achievement' for the Star Trek franchise...

[Lope de Aguirre]

Originally Posted by nametag

But they'll have to completely re-do the effects for the rest as well, like they're doing with TNG, because they're stuck in SD - am I right? So it makes no difference.

No, on TNG (and eventually the first DS9 seasons) they mostly recomposite 35mm footage.
The FINISHED SFX were only on video but they SHOT the leyers with 35mm film.

The CGI of the later DS9 seasons are ONLY in SD and there are noe high resolution sources....

[Lope de Aguirre]

Originally Posted by HDMe

Was DS9 edited on videotape as well?

Yes.

Originally Posted by HDMe

It seems entirely likely to me that when creating that DS9 episode... they may have filmed DS9 new footage, but they might very well have used SD footage from TOS knowing that they were aiming for TV presentation of the day.

I do not know but you are right that it's possible that they took SD material of TOS to create te DS9 episode "Trials and Tribbleations".

[MTRodaba2468]

Originally Posted by PrivatePixel

Not surprising perhaps, but in some ways, this feels like extortion. Don't get me wrong: I enjoyed TNG when it aired initially, but for me, the series has not held up well in syndication and thus, I have no interest in purchasing this on Blu-ray because I know I'll never watch this. The release of DS9 should not be contingent on TNG's sales because if it fares poorly, DS9 is unlikely to see light-of-day on Blu-ray.

Well, the fact is that The Next Generation was, outside of the original show, the most popular Trek show. The whole process of bringing the show to HD, which is certainly an expensive process, has been for the purpose of syndication; TNG is still a popular show in that regard, and networks are more than willing to pay good money for HD content they can air in syndication. The Blu-Ray releases are just a bonus.

DS9, unfortunately, doesn't have the popularity that TNG has, which makes it a less than appealing candidate for undergoing an expensive process to bring it to HD, when you're looking at the bottom line. Frankly, I'm surprised that they're considering it based on how the Blus for TNG sell, since I didn't think it was believed that they'd make much of their money back from the video release, but from syndication. The same goes for Voyager and Enterprise.

Ideally, all the Trek shows would undergo the process if needed to be put out in HD (and I've never been a huge Trek fan, for that matter; however, the franchise is a pretty damn important one that should be preserved). Unfortunately, it's not a guarantee it will happen. However, if good sales for these send a message, I'm all for it happening.

[Clark Kent]

I would not get my hopes up for DS9 showing up on Blu-ray.

[ChuckT43]

My prediction; ALL trek will eventually find its way to Blu. It's too big a franchise not to. It may take time for the costs involved to go down but one day it will happen. For years you could read posts of people saying STNG would never happen and here we are. Just my view.

[MerrickG]

Originally Posted by Filmmaker

I'd pay $20 more than SRP for this, the second best TREK series behind TOS!

Correction: Its THE BEST Trek series EVER!!!

[Smart]

Originally Posted by Arkadin

just read a tweet by Michael Okuda--who is very involved with ST bd releases--that was a response to this tweet--
"TNG just tempts me to go Blu-ray ... if it were DS9 I would already have bought a theater with digital projector"
Michael's response tweet was "We'd LOVE to do DS9 on Blu-ray, if sales of TNG are strong enough."
so there you go. The possibility of a DS9 blu-ray release seems to exist based on the success of TNG--which obviously isn't that surprising.
still--great news that they are already considering doing DS9.
michael okuda info--
http://www.startrek.com/database_article/michael-okuda

Awesome news.

I prefer TOS/TNG, but I'm going through DS9 and will go through VOY and ENT after that. So I can't speak for the whole show yet.

[Petra_Kalbrain]

The only problem is that many, myself included, are waiting for the complete series of TNG to be available as one neat collection before buying. That may hamper their intentions for DS9 given the apparent lack of individual season sales.

[Jezza]

Originally Posted by Petra_Kalbrain

The only problem is that many, myself included, are waiting for the complete series of TNG to be available as one neat collection before buying. That may hamper their intentions for DS9 given the apparent lack of individual season sales.

I doubt any complete set will present anything new that doesn't appear in the season sets. More than likely it'll just be all the season discs put inside another box and if the current UK and German DVD complete sets are anything to go by the you certainly don't want a complete set.

Also, why would you wait for a complete set? Even if one does come out it'll be several years from now, so you'd be better off buying each season set and also have the reassurance that DS9 will probably make its way to Blu-ray.

[Blu-man08]

Originally Posted by Monolithium

And now I will definitely be buying all seven seasons of TNG.

This. DS9 is my favorite Trek series beneath TOS.

[BJ Blazkowicz]

I'd love to see DS9 on blu. Hate to be a downer but does anyone else feel that seasons of Trek on disc are always massively overpriced? I think they know that trekkies are pretty hardcore dedicated fans who are willing to shell out the cash so they take advantage of that.

[nametag]

Originally Posted by Lope de Aguirre

No, on TNG (and eventually the first DS9 seasons) they mostly recomposite 35mm footage.
The FINISHED SFX were only on video but they SHOT the leyers with 35mm film.

The CGI of the later DS9 seasons are ONLY in SD and there are noe high resolution sources....

But are these 'layers' of SFX-on-film actually being used? I thought they were re-creating the SFX for TNG using CGI - That's why lots of the model shots etc look different? Wouldn't it be relatively the same amount of work required for DS9 as a result?

[Lope de Aguirre]

Originally Posted by nametag

But are these 'layers' of SFX-on-film actually being used? I thought they were re-creating the SFX for TNG using CGI - That's why lots of the model shots etc look different? Wouldn't it be relatively the same amount of work required for DS9 as a result?

Yeah 90% (or even more) of the time they use the original physical model footage.
Although they are mostly re-creating the planets with CGI (which they would not have to but the CGI planets look BETTER than the original shots).

And hinestly: I do not know which technique is mor expensive or time consuming.
I guess doing new CGI would be more expensive but I do not know.
What I do know is that when physical model footage is existent, a) they should use it cause it's the original and b) I prefer the look of physical modesl over CGI

How expensive and time consuming new CGIs for DS9 will be does also depend on the fact if the old CGI models and animation files still exist.
When not they really what have to start from scratch. When the original files are still stores, they could easily do FullHD textures for the existing models and scenes and re-render them. That should be easy and relatively cheap.

[Petra_Kalbrain]

Originally Posted by Jezza

I doubt any complete set will present anything new that doesn't appear in the season sets. More than likely it'll just be all the season discs put inside another box and if the current UK and German DVD complete sets are anything to go by the you certainly don't want a complete set.

Also, why would you wait for a complete set? Even if one does come out it'll be several years from now, so you'd be better off buying each season set and also have the reassurance that DS9 will probably make its way to Blu-ray.

Two reasons...

#1. Spacing. I'm running out of storage space REAL FAST. Complete sets tend to take up quite a bit less room as the packaging gets condensed most of the time.

#2. Price. Usually, a complete set will price out at a slightly better price for all of the content... like buying in bulk.