Star Trek: The Next Generation Blu-ray - Sampler Review

[Aristide Massaccesi]

Especially the later seasons of TNG had some excellent model FX work, so if they are doing new SFX shots like TOS-R, the quality of the FX will have to be better. I generally like the new CGI work they did on TOS-R, but there was some weak stuff throughout (the shuttle bay scenes for example, I prefer the old miniature) that was a bit distracting.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by blonde_devil

i wonder what episodes they will do as a test. if it is only 4, i am hoping "Best of Both Worlds" would be a part of it. It is a good episode, fairly effects heavy - would make a great showcase episode.

"Yesterday's Enterprise" please.

[Aristide Massaccesi]

Originally Posted by octagon

"Yesterday's Enterprise" please.

Yes, this is a must. Another episode I would suggest is season 2's "Contagion".

[Monolithium]

Originally Posted by octagon

"yesterday's enterprise" please.

+1701!

[Trekkie313]

I for one was never really sold on the new CGI ships in TOS. Partly because they have less detail than the 97' Star Wars remasters and I've seen much better renders online.

The rest of the effects were really good though.

[Troy73]

Originally Posted by octagon

"Yesterday's Enterprise" please.

Holy Crap!!! That would be awesome!!! Can you imagine the Enterprise engaging the Birds of Prey with updated effects? I feel aside from the crap CGI explosions that that scene holds up to this day. Also would like to see Redemption parts 1&2 and Unification parts 1&2. I think we may get the later since Spock is in it.

[Aristide Massaccesi]

Originally Posted by Trekkie313

The rest of the effects were really good though.

The new CGI mattes are especially wonderful.

[hipster.doofus7]

I don't know why people are so down on the CGI for the TOS remasters. Don't they realize that those CGI were made to purposely look fake? They weren't going for realism at all. Realistic looking starships would've been incongruous with the cheesy 1960s sets in TOS. They tried to make the CGI looked kinda cheesy, just to match the equally cheesy sets.

If people need any proof of this, then I direct them to the 6th season Deep Space Nine episode, Trials & Tribblations. That's the one where the time traveling DS9 crew got caught up with TOS-era shenanigans. Or even the 4th season Enterprise episodes, Through the Mirror Darkly. In that episode, Archer & his crew also got caught up with TOS-era shenanigans.

In both instances, the CGI for TOS era space stations and space ships were made to look very fake and cheesy. Even though both shows (DS9, ENT) clearly had the tech to render those CGI in a more realistic fashion, as evidenced by their normally stellar CGI work. The decision to make TOS-era ships look fake is an artistic choice, not a budget limitation.

There's no reason to fear that CGI ships that may appear in a TNG remaster will be cheesy.

[HD Goofnut]

The three best episodes IMHO, and I have watched all 7 seasons many times, are Best of Both Worlds parts I and II and Ship in a Bottle.

[bandit29]

Originally Posted by octagon

"Yesterday's Enterprise" please.

YES! + 100000

[Jinto]

My favorite episodes are The Inner Light, Darmok and I, Borg.

[Aristide Massaccesi]

Originally Posted by hipster.doofus7

I don't know why people are so down on the CGI for the TOS remasters. Don't they realize that those CGI were made to purposely look fake? They weren't going for realism at all. Realistic looking starships would've been incongruous with the cheesy 1960s sets in TOS. They tried to make the CGI looked kinda cheesy, just to match the equally cheesy sets.

I know they tried (and succeeded for the most part) to stay true to the original look of the starships, meaning for the Enterprise not adding all sorts of detail to the hull and keeping the models 'basic'. But there were some shots where the CGI model was overlit and it looked like a cheap CGI model instead of an approximation of what you call the original 'cheesy' model.

If people need any proof of this, then I direct them to the 6th season Deep Space Nine episode, Trials & Tribblations. That's the one where the time traveling DS9 crew got caught up with TOS-era shenanigans. Or even the 4th season Enterprise episodes, Through the Mirror Darkly. In that episode, Archer & his crew also got caught up with TOS-era shenanigans.

In both instances, the CGI for TOS era space stations and space ships were made to look very fake and cheesy. Even though both shows (DS9, ENT) clearly had the tech to render those CGI in a more realistic fashion, as evidenced by their normally stellar CGI work. The decision to make TOS-era ships look fake is an artistic choice, not a budget limitation.

The Enterprise model seen in DS9's "Trials and Tribble-ations" was not CGI, it was a physical model and it looked absolutely gorgeous. The CGI model of the starship Defiant in ENT's "Through a Mirror, Darkly" was as close to a perfect CGI rendition of the original Constitution class as I've seen. A lot of the shots of the TOS-R Enterprise matched that in quality, a number of shots did not. Obviously the TOS-R SFX work was created under more strain of time and budget.

When you say that a decision was made to make the TOS-era ships look 'fake' in TOS-R you are right in the sense that they tried to approximate the look of the original model and not deviate from that look by 'pimping' the Enterprise, but it was not their intention to make the ship look like a CGI model (it did in a couple of shots IMO) as that would create a contrast with the look of the show rather than match it and would thus defeat their intent.

[MerrickG]

Originally Posted by Anth

While this is superb news.

To be honest I would rather have Deep Space 9 on Blu-Ray first.

This is the pinnacle of the Trek franchise in my opinion.

Can I ask anyone in the know as it is a much newer show than TNG (its first season aired when TNG was in season 6) would these go through an easier transition to HD or do the effects need redoing for this too.

I remember some of the defiant battles in season 6 and 7 would be breathtaking in HD.

Originally Posted by Lope de Aguirre

I agree.



DS9 (and even VOY which was produced 1995-2001) has the SAME problems like TNG.

All Trek shows which are set in the 24th century were filmend on 35mm film but ALL of the post production (editing, visual effects) were done solely on video.

So yeah the SFX would have to be redone or the show would switch between 1080P and 480i (or p?). And even then they would have to cut the whole episodes again and probably even the sound effects and music would be mixed again just to be sure it matches the "new" cuts.

I agree DS9 FTW!!!!!!

That was my favorite Trek series and probably my all time favorite series period.

[MerrickG]

I know I will be in the minority but I like the idea of it getting reframed for 16x9.

All in all this sounds like a win for fans.

[Jinto]

Originally Posted by Merrick Gearing

I know I will be in the minority but I like the idea of it getting reframed for 16x9.

That would be terrible. If that happened I would just stick with my DVDs.

[JaseT]

I want all of TREK on blu....what should I do with my ST: TNG DVD season sets? They are still sealed.

[Trekkie313]

Originally Posted by hipster.doofus7

I don't know why people are so down on the CGI for the TOS remasters. Don't they realize that those CGI were made to purposely look fake? They weren't going for realism at all. Realistic looking starships would've been incongruous with the cheesy 1960s sets in TOS. They tried to make the CGI looked kinda cheesy, just to match the equally cheesy sets.

It isn't tangible, that's the problem...with the original models I could always tell the ships were actually on film. Even if they looked a bit sparse. The CGI ships I've seen so far don't have enough detail fleshed out on them to look realistic.

[Maggot]

Exciting news! The DVD's look so crappy and soft, even upconverted on these new plasma's and LCD's.

[JaseT]

Sell/trade now or wait?

[Trekkie313]

Originally Posted by JaseT

Sell/trade now or wait?

You mean your Season DVD's? I'd hold onto them.


Has anyone watch the BBC America HD? The TNG they show on there is much better than the DVD quality.