Doctor Who '05 - perhaps October? (1 Viewer)

[Tony J Case]

Hey folks - a quick update on the set. The British Board of Film Classification has released the specs on the extras for the forthcoming Series One Boxed Set due out in November, which include the following:

00:03:21:05 DESTROYING THE LAIR
00:04:49:05 DECONSTRUCTING BIG BEN
00:05:29:20 MOCKS OF BALLOONS
00:20:50:04 DESIGNING DOCTOR WHO
00:19:02:06 ON SET WITH BILLIE PIPER
00:11:41:23 CHRISTOPHER ECCLESTON INTERVIEW

The BBFC also notes an additional item, THE ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN JACK, run time 8m 29s, recently classified for the release but not listed in the main listing for the extras; it is likely a documentary feature/interview with John Barrowman.

 

[Peter_AFS]

Quick question: I'm assuming that since the show was produced for the BBC, it would be better to watch it in it's native PAL than an NTSC conversion. Would I be correct in assuming that since I have a region-free DVD player (HTPC) the region 2 DVDs would be better than their region 1 counterparts? Thanks!

 

[Michael Sliger]

The show was shot on Digibeta (not film) at 25i IIRC, which makes things a touch tricky for us here. Most likely with your equipment, the Region 2 disks are going to be a good choice thanks to the higher resolution of the PAL format and the lack of conversion artifacts (which really aren't much of an issue today, though I see them in the film inserts on the classic series disks). I do have some moderate deinterlacing issues with PAL TV products using my setup (Malata 520 DVD player in multistandard mode, 30" Olevia LCD flat panel which can input PAL signals). Those might also pop up with the player software that you are using on your HTPC, though I am sure that there must be at least one MPEG-2 codec/software package that will work well.

 

[AndyMcKinney]

Unless you have a multi-standard TV in addition to your multi-system DVD player, you'll still be watching an NTSC conversion, as your DVD player will be converting the discs from their native PAL to output to your NTSC television set.

A bona-fide R1 NTSC from BBC/Warner would provide a better NTSC picture as their conversion is done with broadcast-standard quality equipment, not the cheap decoder found in DVD players (or, indeed, in the stand-alone converters from Tenlab, etc.)

Of course, this is all moot if you have a TV/display that is capable of showing a true PAL picture (i.e. many/most/all? computer monitors and very few TVs - normally obtained through a specialist dealer as an import - that can be bought in the USA).

As for what I plan to do: I already have all the episodes on PAL-VHS tape from their original airings, so I've already seen (or have access to see) the episodes: that, coupled with the fact that the exchange rate sucks so bad right now, there's no way I'm going to pre-order this thing. I'm going to take a "wait and see" approach. Maybe Wordwide will release it next year in the USA, in which case we should get all the same extras and, most likely, a more reasonable purchase price. If not, the prices will probably drop quite a bit in the UK and the set can likely be had for quite a bit less in a good sale.

 

[RickER]

I watched some New Who on the BBC site, and i don't understand why the thing wont sell here. Cool ass looking show. I will buy a US DVD set even if it never finds a home on US TV. I would RATHER buy it on DVD then watch it on TV.

 

[Tony J Case]

Some more tidbits for you from OG:

We've received several reports about additional extras for the Series One Boxed Set, due out this November containing all 13 episodes from series one of the new TV series starring Christopher Eccleston. According to the British Board of Film Classification, the "Doctor Who Confidential Cut Down" specials -- the BBC3 documentaries shortened by removing all references to the original series and focusing solely on the new -- will be included, though the BBFC only reports the first seven have been cleared; however, it was reported earlier that all thirteen plus one additional special, that of the "extra" Confidnetial episode being specially produced for the DVD, would be on the discs.

Amazon.co.uk, meanwhile, is reporting additional extras including commentaries, "Billie Piper’s Video Diary," "Making Doctor Who with Russell T Davies," "Waking The Dead (Mark Gatiss' video diary)," "Exclusive featurettes: Destroying the Lair; Mike Tucker’s Mocks of Balloons; Designing Doctor Who,; Laying Ghosts – The Origins of The Unquiet Dead; Deconstructing Big Ben, The Adventures of Captain Jack"; "BBC Breakfast Interview with Christopher Eccleston" plus the Confidential specials, 5.1 surround sound, a collectors' booklet and subtitles. Additionally, the boxed set will feature a variety of pre- and post-broadcast trailers including the "Time Is Up" teasers, the "Saturdays at 7pm" series of trailers, the trailers aired in conjunction with "Strictly Come Dancing" and the "Countdown" trailer. Outpost Gallifrey has been told that there will be an official press release on the set's final contents later this month.

Now if only they'd release the set in the US. Ah well - thats why I went region free!

 

[Jonathan Kaye]

Not quite; it was indeed shot on Digibeta, but at 50i, then "filmised" to 25p in post-production. Thus, the DVDs should play fine on an HTPC, provided the monitor is set to refesh at a multiple of 25Hz.

 

[AndyMcKinney]

Yes, on a computer monitor, as you say, but not on your garden variety NTSC television set, which is what one would assume most people plan on using, in which case the discs would have to undergo PAL-to-NTSC conversion in the player, which works okay but will not look as good as a R1 set from Warners where a broadcast-quality conversion would be done at the authoring facility.

I can't justify the expense when I already have PAL VHS tapes of the episodes that can tide me over until a proper NTSC version is released. The cynical side of me is confident that there will not be a US broadcaster signed on even by the end of 2006 and that hopefully, Worldwide will finally decide to just go ahead and unleash the DVDs on North America sometime next year.

For those of you without foreign contacts for the episodes, I would suggest waiting until these things go on sale. A set this expensive will most certainly end up being discounted in the UK a few months after release. Good markdowns can be had for several shows online through such places as Amazon UK, MVC, HMV, etc.

 

[Jonathan Kaye]

Andy, no-one's disagreeing with you that a broadcast-quality PAL-NTSC conversion watched on an NTSC TV will always be superior to one done 'on the fly' in a DVD player! The question was about watching the DVDs on a PC, with its built-in ability to set the monitor to a particular refresh rate.

 

[Mikel_Cooperman]

I'm wondering why they are releasing them here either. What is the holdup. I have seen the show and want to buy them. I can get the non region discs but I would really like more people to see this new version of Who.
Is their a legal holdup?

 

[Tony J Case]

Naw, nothing that convoluted. The BBC just wants to have a US network run the show first before the market is 'diluted' by a DVD release - or so I've heard.

Yeah, it's lame - but it makes sense.

 

[TheLongshot]

Except that a lot of Who fans are downloading episodes. If they want to show it on TV here, they really need to get moving and make a deal.

Jason

 

[Tony J Case]

The BBC webpage just posted a whole bunch of screen grabs from the menus for the box set:













It looks to be a 3D virtual fly around inside the Tardis, kind of like the old school Star Trek DVDs.

 

[Tony J Case]

And GOOD NEWS from Outpost Gallifrey:

Noted within the press release is the fact that "BBC Video is planning to release series one on DVD in February 2006." Outpost Gallifrey has checked with BBC Video today and has been told that they will be releasing the Series One Boxed Set in Canada on February 14. (While there are no US distribution plans for this boxed set due to a lack of a broadcaster, the fact that the DVD is in Canada's NTSC format, shared with the US, suggests there should be a relative ease in acquiring it.)

 

[Mark Lx]

If this is officially not in the US, it won't affect our classic releases in February, right? I sure hope not.

 

[AndyMcKinney]

Nope, and since the US exchange rate with Canada is much healthier than with the UK, it won't be as blasted expensive to import a Canadian version.

Add to that the fact that it will be NTSC out-of-the-box (with a much better conversion than is possible with any DVD player's built-in converter) and I think it should be a no-brainer that this is the version for us Yanks to import rather than the (undoubtedly) more expensive UK-PAL one (unless they licence it to BFS and they skimp on extras or something).

 

[RickER]

I am ready, give it to me, and hello Amazon.ca!

 

[Mikel_Cooperman]

You beat me to the news and good news it is and with the news of the spinoff-Torchwood, today is a great day for Doctor Who news.
Anxious to hear others opinions after they have seen it.

 

[Jake Yenor]

"I am ready, give it to me, and hello Amazon.ca!

I thought the same thing so I went and attempted to register an account but it didn't have any USA states to pick so I am guessing they don't ship out of Canada.

 

[RickER]

jake, just go to your Amazon page, then hit the Amazon.ca link at the bottom, then order. They will send to you. Two years ago i bought the Twin Peaks Pilot from Amazon Canada, no problems. A friend has bought from them this year, no problems as well.