Babylon 5 The Complete Series 48 Dollars Shipped!

[AdamWestFan]

Region 2 but still a great deal:

https://www.zavvi.com/dvd/babylon-5-...s/9942610.html

[TheLaughingMann]

I scored these secondhand from GoHastings during their last big sale (prior to their closure). Dirt cheap, but the quality on some of the disks is a bit questionable. I have yet to watch them to test, but I am hoping in some form that they have been tested well enough on GoHastings's end to be saleable. It's definitely a rare Sci-Fi show worth enjoying, like Farscape.

[weir]

Originally Posted by TheLaughingMann

I scored these secondhand from GoHastings during their last big sale (prior to their closure). Dirt cheap, but the quality on some of the disks is a bit questionable. I have yet to watch them to test, but I am hoping in some form that they have been tested well enough on GoHastings's end to be saleable. It's definitely a rare Sci-Fi show worth enjoying, like Farscape.

If they are anything like the US DVD's the transfers are disappointing, to say the least. The show was broadcast in 1.33:1 and the SFX were also 1.33:1. WB decided to go "widescreen" since that was the rage. It created a lot of problems, especially with sequences which they need to take from tape because the source was damaged. So now you have a 1.33:1 tape source blown-up to 1.78:1 with a lot of cropping.

Heck, I'd like to see a proper release of the show in it's original intended ratio. The SFX were done on a Commodore Amiga and then New Tek's Video Toaster. Good luck in getting WB to pony-up the costs to redo all those. If the original broadcast masters still exist, put them on DVD in all their "pan & scan" glory.

[TheLaughingMann]

Originally Posted by weir

If they are anything like the US DVD's the transfers are disappointing, to say the least. The show was broadcast in 1.33:1 and the SFX were also 1.33:1. WB decided to go "widescreen" since that was the rage. It created a lot of problems, especially with sequences which they need to take from tape because the source was damaged. So now you have a 1.33:1 tape source blown-up to 1.78:1 with a lot of cropping.

Heck, I'd like to see a proper release of the show in it's original intended ratio. The SFX were done on a Commodore Amiga and then New Tek's Video Toaster. Good luck in getting WB to pony-up the costs to redo all those. If the original broadcast masters still exist, put them on DVD in all their "pan & scan" glory.

I was referring to the physical quality of the disks themselves, sorry. Some are genuinely used while others look clean. I can expect that the A/V quality of the show will be a tossup, but for the price I paid, it's good.

I would give for a proper re-release.

[weir]

Originally Posted by TheLaughingMann

I was referring to the physical quality of the disks themselves, sorry. Some are genuinely used while others look clean. I can expect that the A/V quality of the show will be a tossup, but for the price I paid, it's good.

I would give for a proper re-release.

Big misread there, sorry. One advantage to the R2 set is you get the original Gathering pilot from 1993 in addition to the new TNT version with an all new score. They should look better too since this is the PAL release. WB actually took the PAL versions and converted them to NTSC for the US DVDs! They didn't even go back to the source, if you can believe that.

After you watch a few episodes, let us know how you feel the transfer is.

[TheLaughingMann]

Originally Posted by weir

Big misread there, sorry. One advantage to the R2 set is you get the original Gathering pilot from 1993 in addition to the new TNT version with an all new score. They should look better too since this is the PAL release. WB actually took the PAL versions and converted them to NTSC for the US DVDs! They didn't even go back to the source, if you can believe that.

After you watch a few episodes, let us know how you feel the transfer is.

I apologize. My original post should have said I bought the Region 1/US versions of these.

Now, I did consider the R2 versions at one point because of how cheaper it would have been (even before this low price point). But I ended up deciding to get the R1 set one of two ways: Either to wait for a golden opportunity (such as a sale on all of them when they could have been cheap), or to save up enough cash to get them in good quality.

I've read reviews on the quality of the R2 sets from years ago and didn't find any that were favorable.

I then checked Zavvi up above at the link and the set seems to have been in circulation since 2007 (least by the first review posted, it was around since 2012). Unfortunately, there's no negative reviews to indicate the A/V quality of the set.

But in all of my research online, I haven't found anything to indicate that the sourcing to the DVDs over the past few years had given way to a proper re-release of the show. So, I think that if you're not the type to nitpick graphics or cropping issues, you can still appreciate the show as a whole.

This, arguably, is the best we're going to get.