UK DVD release

[Crash]

I would think the disc content would be the same to stop them having to issue two actual runs of DVDs.It would cost them extra to do a separate set of discs for no real benefit.That set obviously was designed with the passing impulse-buyer in mind to maximise sales rather than for the SFXB hardcore Fleeter.

[FZeroOne]

I don't know for certain but I agree with Crash Override that, given the price point, this is aimed at a slightly different audience and almost certainly won't include the pack-in extras.

[Bladez636]

For those interested, back onto the topic of clarity. Here are some quick comparisons with the English DVD and the French DVD - which makes the Japanese version even pale - this is remastered. I'm working currently with syncing and editing the episodes with the remastered footage (w/ some customized cleaned from the Japanese DVD)Can just about see every little hair on Lamia's head with the new clarityThe main difference is you lose a little bit off the top of the resolution and as it seems off the right side too. Not sure if it was a pan and scan or just the type of masters the French had to work with.I'll be doing a blog entry soon enough on the remasterign

[Crash]

I haven't even had a chance to play my copy of those DVDs back yet. That is impressive though. The series looks so much more visually interesting and appealing down the right side.Awesome - glad you twigged about the picture quality on those.It's like the Japanese one is slightly out of focus.

[felice]

(Bladez636 @ Oct. 30 2012,05:21)QUOTEThe main difference is you lose a little bit off the top of the resolution and as it seems off the right side too. Not sure if it was a pan and scan or just the type of masters the French had to work with.Huh. That variation in the picture frame looks like two different scans of a film original. And there's no way a conversion from NTSC originals to PAL/SECAM could look as good as the originals, let alone better. Was Star Fleet originally shot on film rather than video? If so, and if the film still exists, a blu-ray version would be theoretically possible...

[Bladez636]

(felice @ Nov. 01 2012,06:49)QUOTE
(Bladez636 @ Oct. 30 2012,05:21)QUOTEThe main difference is you lose a little bit off the top of the resolution and as it seems off the right side too. Not sure if it was a pan and scan or just the type of masters the French had to work with.Huh. That variation in the picture frame looks like two different scans of a film original. And there's no way a conversion from NTSC originals to PAL/SECAM could look as good as the originals, let alone better. Was Star Fleet originally shot on film rather than video? If so, and if the film still exists, a blu-ray version would be theoretically possible...I doubt it still is....Well, the French PAL standard seems to have more cropped from it than the English PAL Standard - which is clearly in worst condition than either the original Japanese standard or the French one.Could be a scan - but I doubt that the footage has been untouched, it must have been remastered since I doubt that something in the 80's untouched would look that - If I didn't know it was made in 1980, I would be easily convinced if someone told me it was filmed in the last decade. Frankly the Japanese DVD is probably the best it gets untouched - whereas there it kinda has a dated feel to it. That film could still use some cleaning to be fair.

[Shane]

I think the french version looks good, but the contrast has been tweaked a fair bit, which saturates the image a little.There's no denying that it looks more detailed than the UK DVD, but they were stuffed way back in 1982 when the Japanese footage was converted to PAL. It's been cursed with a smeary video look ever since.For a dream blu-ray I'd still look to the Japanese film prints or negatives (If they even exist) as a source for a 4k remaster (Yeah, I know it'll never happen).

[Bladez636]

(Shane @ Nov. 01 2012,12:40)QUOTEI think the french version looks good, but the contrast has been tweaked a fair bit, which saturates the image a little.There's no denying that it looks more detailed than the UK DVD, but they were stuffed way back in 1982 when the Japanese footage was converted to PAL. It's been cursed with a smeary video look ever since.For a dream blu-ray I'd still look to the Japanese film prints or negatives (If they even exist) as a source for a 4k remaster (Yeah, I know it'll never happen).Either way, i'd still take that quality over the inconsistent quality given for the English masters.Smeary, not to mention how inconsistent the footage quality is - most episodes are rusty looking but ones like Episode 2, 7 or 12 have overtones of blue or green - some, like Episode 6, 13 or 19 are overtly rusty looking.A Blu-Ray would be extremely unlikely - if it could turn out as nicely as "Thunderbirds" did (just w/o the cropping) then that would be great to see. But it's just a pipe dream. I don't care much for Blu-Ray either way

[Crash]

Yep, the contrast is a little skewed but ... it's still *way* better.I think I'm gonna have to watch those discs.

[Bladez636]

(Crash Override @ Nov. 03 2012,01:59)QUOTEYep, the contrast is a little skewed but ... it's still *way* better.I think I'm gonna have to watch those discs.The one flaw is that the footage on the disc is still pretty grainy. When ripped to the computer to a format like AVI - it looks better, the grain is reduced drastically.Though considering I adjusted the settings so it wouldn't look muddled horribly when optimizing for DVD - it's still grainier than I had hoped even though its blended the grain somewhat in the characters faces and the blue space. I will be using noise reduction settings in Sony Vegas when editing that will hopefully help significantly. Hopefully I'd like it to be as clean as the Thunderbirds DVD (the blu-ray would be going a bit far)