Seinfeld, ever on Blu-ray?

[DetroitSportsFan]

Now that it's on Hulu, you can forget a Blu release.

[refnulf]

Yeah, the ads are rather annoying. Tried watching the first episode and there were ads before he started his stand up, another ad after and then they were in the diner. Was just testing but there's another 3 ads to go after that!

[StingingVelvet]

For me a 90's sitcom is the epitome of "DVD is good enough." Not saying that to mock anyone who thinks otherwise, but if someone like me thinks that then chances are the market for this on BD is very, very small.

[beechy]

Originally Posted by StingingVelvet

For me a 90's sitcom is the epitome of "DVD is good enough." Not saying that to mock anyone who thinks otherwise, but if someone like me thinks that then chances are the market for this on BD is very, very small.

I would of thought if there ever was a show that was the exception to the rule it would be this one
But I see your point
Most people that want to own this already would (I'm on my second lot probably most watched thing if ever purchased) and the percent of people that would upgrade are gonna be quite small so I guess there's no huge incentive
Out of interest was friends a big seller ?

[chip75]

Originally Posted by PrestigeWorldwide

I'd rather watch my Seinfeld DVD's than watch the HD versions with commercials.

I've been watching the HD versions in the UK. I'm not a fan of the framing, the DVDs are far superior, even if they don't have the higher resolution.

[alexpeden2000]

The Seinfeld dvd's a good quality though, much like Frasier. Friends looked horrible on dvd so the blu-ray was definitely welcomed.

The X-Files is another that has a big uptick in quality now that its 'slowly' becomming available in HD...

[Brad1963]

I think there is enough want for Seinfeld for a Blu ray release. Like I Love Lucy and M*A*S*H the show has never left the airwaves. I still have it on sometimes just to listen to while doing things around the house. I'd purchase it on Blu ray to keep.

[chip75]

Originally Posted by alexpeden2000

The Seinfeld dvd's a good quality though, much like Frasier. Friends looked horrible on dvd so the blu-ray was definitely welcomed.

I watched all the DVDs recently and they look great, even though the HD versions are HD, the DVDs look more like film!

Originally Posted by Brad1963

I think there is enough want for Seinfeld for a Blu ray release. Like I Love Lucy and M*A*S*H the show has never left the airwaves. I still have it on sometimes just to listen to while doing things around the house. I'd purchase it on Blu ray to keep.

I think the issue is that networks pay so much fro syndication the rights holders think that it may affect their value if they release BDs. They felt the same way about the DVDs, which took a while to appear. Honestly I don't think it makes any difference, the target audiences are completely separate entities these days. Only a small percentage of consumers want to own the Blu-rays.

[StingingVelvet]

As BD becomes more and more a niche market I really think TV shows are going to vanish most of all. I would guess most TV shows that aren't massive HBO productions or hit genre shows will be digital only relatively quickly.

[PrestigeWorldwide]

Originally Posted by StingingVelvet

For me a 90's sitcom is the epitome of "DVD is good enough." Not saying that to mock anyone who thinks otherwise, but if someone like me thinks that then chances are the market for this on BD is very, very small.

Friends got a blu-ray release. Seinfield would most likely sell better.

Originally Posted by chip75

I've been watching the HD versions in the UK. I'm not a fan of the framing, the DVDs are far superior, even if they don't have the higher resolution.

I watched the show in HD on TBS HD a couple years ago. I liked the framing. You're ultimately seeing more of the picture and I don't recall it looking odd.

[chip75]

Originally Posted by PrestigeWorldwide

I watched the show in HD on TBS HD a couple years ago. I liked the framing. You're ultimately seeing more of the picture and I don't recall it looking odd.

I'll have to do a few comparisons, the versions I've watched, just look like a centre crop of the 4:3 image.

[Infernal King]

The Seinfeld DVDs look TERRIBLE. And I'm usually very forgiving when it comes to DVD quality. I'd snap up an HD release in a heartbeat.

[Bates_Motel]

Originally Posted by PrestigeWorldwide

I watched the show in HD on TBS HD a couple years ago. I liked the framing. You're ultimately seeing more of the picture and I don't recall it looking odd.

Actually, you're seeing less.

Even so, "more" doesn't always mean better, if the framing and composition is compromised. Unbelievable and quite sad that people still just go "more more more" instead of wanting to preserve artistic integrity.

[chip75]

Seinfeld Episode 419 "The Implant" DVD to HDTV Comparisons

4-perf Super-35mm 1/4 Offset (Common Top) 1.33:1 - 1.78:1
Episode 419 "The Implant" Comparison

[PrestigeWorldwide]

Originally Posted by Bates_Motel

Actually, you're seeing less.

Even so, "more" doesn't always mean better, if the framing and composition is compromised. Unbelievable and quite sad that people still just go "more more more" instead of wanting to preserve artistic integrity.

From what I've read, it was filmed on 35mm, so you're seeing more in the HD versions. The original SD versions are cropped the sides. As far as the HD versions' ratio, maybe it depends on the channel. Pretty sure the HD versions that I saw on TBS HD showed more of the picture, not less. Otherwise, the vertical framing would have looked odd, and I don't recall that being the case. I suspect other HD channels are just zooming in on the old SD versions, claiming it to be HD when it actually isn't.

I got an offer for two free months of Hulu +, so I'm tempted to use it to compare the HD versions to my DVD's. Just got to stomach the commercials.

Edit: Ok, now I see the comparison above. Ewwww. What the heck? Wish I still had my old DVR so I could see if the TBS HD versions were the same. If it was filmed on 35mm, why crop it even more?

[chip75]

Originally Posted by PrestigeWorldwide

Ok, now I see the comparison above. Ewwww. What the heck? Wish I still had my old DVR so I could see if the TBS HD versions were the same. If it was filmed on 35mm, why crop it even more?

35mm is quite a square film format at 1.37:1. The 4:3 versions use most of the height and almost all the width, so when they go to make widescreen versions there isn't anywhere to go, so we get a bit of extra width, but we lose a lot of vertical information. When they make the masters they just tilt up and down slightly to accommodate the pertinent information in the shot, but generally they don't move that much vertically.

[PrestigeWorldwide]

Originally Posted by chip75

35mm is quite a square film format at 1.37:1. The 4:3 versions use most of the height and almost all the width, so when they go to make widescreen versions there isn't anywhere to go, so we get a bit of extra width, but we lose a lot of vertical information. When they make the masters they just tilt up and down slightly to accommodate the pertinent information in the shot, but generally they don't move that much vertically.

Thanks. I just watched an episode of the HD version of Seinfeld on Hulu and yep, they're cropped. I'll stick with the DVD's.

[yanksno1]

Is it on Hulu 4:3 in HD?

[pigmanjoe]

Originally Posted by chip75

Seinfeld Episode 419 "The Implant" DVD to HDTV Comparisons

Those are some great examples of how bad the cropping is on these 4X3 shows, especially the shots in the sauna and the double dipping. In cutting Teri Hatcher's chest and the bowls of chips, you're losing the entire point of those scenes.

I've been watching all of Seinfeld and some odd Friends episodes on my local channels, and everything is just too tight. In close-ups, no one has a chest anymore, and in medium shots, no one has legs. It's like a show made by an asexual director who only cares about facial expressions. Background gags, set dressing, characters on the periphery; they just don't matter now that we're in HD.

I'd love to have Seinfeld and the early X-Files on Blu, but not like this.

[StingingVelvet]

Oh man, those widescreen to 4:3 comparisons are gross. Unless the BD's are 4:3 I wouldn't buy them.