are the original series blu rays any good?
- Thread starter tmosler
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If you're asking if the blu ray's are significantly better than the pre-blu ray DVD's, I'd say no. There is a incremental improvement in the quality yes, but it isn't the different between night and day.
It's a matter of nuance.
No, they're asking if the hi def transfers were cleaned up as well as TNG, rather than how poorly Paramount scanned the movies.
The answer is yes, the TOS transfers look fantastic. The blurays allow you to choose the original effects or the CGI effects. It's a win for purists and those who want modern CGI.
I didn't have the DVD versions, so I cannot compare. But I bought the Blu-Ray version when they were cheaper. I like them, but have not seen the series with the unmodified effects. But the newer effects work well. The only problem I'm trying to resolve, is how to stop my Blu-Ray player from displaying angle messages when it switches to the modified effects scenes.
Yes, the TOS blu rays are beautiful--you see just well that series was produced. I had TOS tapes, laserdiscs, and DVDs, and none come close to the revealing quality of the series on blu ray.
If you're asking if the blu ray's are significantly better than the pre-blu ray DVD's, I'd say no. There is a incremental improvement in the quality yes, but it isn't the different between night and day.
It's a matter of nuance.
Is this a joke? Comparing the bluray res to the dvd's is not even fair. It's a matter of math, not really subjective.
This.
Though there are some really shitty Blu-ray's out there.
Star Trek on Blu-ray is absolutely worth the price and blows the DVD's out of the water.
The detail on the blu-rays is pretty insane. I love em.
I'm really sorry, but there must be something wrong with your eyes then, as the picture quality of the live-action footage is actually significantly better than the SD material on the DVDs. It really is the difference between night and day.
Resolution will see a bump (but not tremendous), and the shots will be inconsistent, as cameras vary (and some are less sharp and grainy than others - when the source is in less-than-stellar shape there's only so much that can be done to extract detail from it). Color depth will improve - simply because the number of colors present in blu-ray far exceeds that in a DVD or streaming HD (if you've seen the TOS-R episodes on Netflix or Hulu+). Audio? For the most part, it's cleaned and levelled. That's about it. They rescored some of the themes and incidental music, but it's a mono track. Only so much.
Each season is $45 at Best Buy this week.
I just bought season 1 and I've seen 3 episodes so far. They do look quite good, but the soft lighting and deliberate (I think) blurring of some shots detract from the clarity. That's not so much a transfer issue as it is the artistic choices made at the time, which retains a certain contemporary glamour.
From what I had read I expected to be blown away. I am impressed but not quite blown away because there is a LOT of grain (or is it the term snow?) throughout.
I understand that old film just won't look as good, but I also have the older James Bond movies on bluray and those look spectacular! I can put my face right up to the screen and those movies look like an oil painting. No hint of grain or pixels. Maybe the original film stock was better for movies?
With TOS I'm impressed with the colors and the clarity most of the time. The dialogue is a bit muted but I don't have a proper sound system, just the flatscreen so I can't judge properly. There is no sense of pixelization, but the "snow" throughout is a minor bother.
I do recommend them though, especially if you have never bought the DVDs.
Now if only I can find the angle control on my bluray player...
I just bought season 1 and I've seen 3 episodes so far. They do look quite good, but the soft lighting and deliberate (I think) blurring of some shots detract from the clarity. That's not so much a transfer issue as it is the artistic choices made at the time, which retains a certain contemporary glamour.
From what I had read I expected to be blown away. I am impressed but not quite blown away because there is a LOT of grain (or is it the term snow?) throughout.
I understand that old film just won't look as good, but I also have the older James Bond movies on bluray and those look spectacular! I can put my face right up to the screen and those movies look like an oil painting. No hint of grain or pixels. Maybe the original film stock was better for movies?
With TOS I'm impressed with the colors and the clarity most of the time. The dialogue is a bit muted but I don't have a proper sound system, just the flatscreen so I can't judge properly. There is no sense of pixelization, but the "snow" throughout is a minor bother.
I do recommend them though, especially if you have never bought the DVDs.
Now if only I can find the angle control on my bluray player...
The initial thread question seems like a trick question to me. Having watched the TOS Blu-rays I'd say that about 75-80% is TNG-R quality while you have about 25-20% live action footage one would have expected to have more resolution and detail from the original negatives (such footage is rather movie BR quality). But I don't use a flat screen but a front projector, thus those quality differences are easier to notice on a big screen.
The gain in resolution and picture detail is impressive, but I really don't like the encoding of some of the Blu-rays. When I select the original effects in the menu prior to starting the episode I expect to have the original effects from the start on and not with a few seconds delay. "The Ultimate Computer" begins with the new effects and then switches to the original ones, in "Wink of an Eye" I had the whole opening scene with the new effects before it switched to the original ones.
Bob
The gain in resolution and picture detail is impressive, but I really don't like the encoding of some of the Blu-rays. When I select the original effects in the menu prior to starting the episode I expect to have the original effects from the start on and not with a few seconds delay. "The Ultimate Computer" begins with the new effects and then switches to the original ones, in "Wink of an Eye" I had the whole opening scene with the new effects before it switched to the original ones.
Bob
You realize that grain is suppose to be there? On films with no grain, it means its been scrubbed out digitally and with it details.
I really can't agree with this statement at all. Beyond "the numbers", I guess it's all completely subjective in "the viewers eye" as it were. But, IMHO, there is indeed a significant increase in comparative quality. To call it an "incremental improvement" is way, way off the mark.If you're asking if the blu ray's are significantly better than the pre-blu ray DVD's, I'd say no. There is a incremental improvement in the quality yes, but it isn't the different between night and day.
It's a matter of nuance.
This.
LOL, TREK_GOD_1 - I'm glad I'm not the only one who's purchased TOS progressively, and repeatedly, on those formats!
It seems there is a difference in quality between episodes, although they are all quite impressive. I noticed some grain on the first few I watched randomly. But I just finished watching “Where No Man Has Gone Before” and it was stunningly clean and sharp!
In contrast I also just finished watching the first two Godfather movies and they are just about the worst quality blu-rays I have ever seen. From what I've read that was intentional. Supposedly. So you just never know what you're getting. Still I would rather have them as they were meant to be seen and not put through some questionable software alterations.
I wouldn't hesitate to buy the TOS blu-rays if the original poster is still debating, as long as the price is reasonable.
In contrast I also just finished watching the first two Godfather movies and they are just about the worst quality blu-rays I have ever seen. From what I've read that was intentional. Supposedly. So you just never know what you're getting. Still I would rather have them as they were meant to be seen and not put through some questionable software alterations.
I wouldn't hesitate to buy the TOS blu-rays if the original poster is still debating, as long as the price is reasonable.
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