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Star Trek TNG Disks look Awful

#31
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2/11/08 at 11:51pm
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Re: Star Trek TNG Disks look Awful

I view these eps on an Infocus 4805 projector. This is a 480p native resolution device.

I have an HD-A1; but, due to handshaking problems with the Infocus DVI adapter, I'm running component. So these eps do *not* get upscaled. (In this case the benefit would be marginal anyway.)

The upshot is that I keep a separate set of User adjustments programmed into the 4805 just for TNG and DS9. I let the image go a little "flat" just to mask some of the horrid EE that shows up in the TNG first season. It also helps out a little with the overall loss of detail and the "stairstepping".

The 4805 has a "white peaking" adjustment that I normally keep at 10%. For TNG/DS9 this goes to 40% and my contrast/brightness controls (which are normally at 50%) end up at 38/42. This makes the picture at least somewhat tolerable for these shows.

I shudder to think how these transfers might look on a 1080p projector! (In fact, it's one of the reasons that I haven't upgraded to a higher resolution pj yet!)

Joseph
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#32
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2/12/08 at 8:40am
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Re: Star Trek TNG Disks look Awful

With ALL the major flaws of all these Star Trek TV releases, one has to wonder where the money for these criminally overpriced DVDs went, since it didn't go into any restoration or cleanup efforts.

If I can't watch on a CRT, I have to use the noise reduction settings on my television, and I switch to an S-Video input instead to further reduce the inherent image problems.

If it wasn't a "bargain", I never would have been able to afford DS9. The complete series set (just the seven previously released individual boxes sitting in a green tray) had a price tag that equaled seven boxes of an "average" priced TV show.

To all those who spent the absurd amounts of money getting them individually, which means spending (depending on where you bought them) up to $1200 per show...You guys must be seriously wealthy or seriously hardcore fans. Either way, I salute you!
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#33
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2/12/08 at 8:40am
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Re: Star Trek TNG Disks look Awful

I watched Damok the other night and it looked fine. No bleeding colors, blacks were solid. The image was a tad soft but otherwise no glaring problems. I would classify the image as good. Not great but certainly, not awful.

FWIW, I used a Denon 3930ci with Sony XBR2 60" SXRD. The player upscales to 1080p.
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#34
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2/12/08 at 10:18am
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Re: Star Trek TNG Disks look Awful

Nicholas Martin:
Quote:
If it wasn't a "bargain", I never would have been able to afford DS9. The complete series set (just the seven previously released individual boxes sitting in a green tray) had a price tag that equaled seven boxes of an "average" priced TV show.
I actually bought DS9 twice (one USA and one U.K.), and ended up giving the replacement North American releases to my son, who then sold them on Ebay. My main reasons for eventually purchasing the U.K. releases were 1) the boxes for the North American sets continued to arrive broken; 2) the boxes are much more sturdier and each comes with a fold-out booklet which is loaded with information; and 3) the U.K. versions of this series (and VOY) contain special features not included in their North American counterparts.

Quote:
To all those who spent the absurd amounts of money getting them individually, which means spending (depending on where you bought them) up to $1200 per show...You guys must be seriously wealthy or seriously hardcore fans. Either way, I salute you!
I spent approximately $1500 on DS9 alone. I wouldn't do that for just any television show. But I've been into Trek for over forty years. It's among my most favorite of shows. I won't be upgrading beyond the standard DVDs I currently own, either.
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#35
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2/12/08 at 11:08am
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Re: Star Trek TNG Disks look Awful

I bought DS9 as they came out, trying to find the best bargain each time. It was a lot of money, but spread out. I try not to think about the final cost.
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#36
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2/12/08 at 6:56pm
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Re: Star Trek TNG Disks look Awful

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nicholas Martin
With ALL the major flaws of all these Star Trek TV releases, one has to wonder where the money for these criminally overpriced DVDs went, since it didn't go into any restoration or cleanup efforts.

If I can't watch on a CRT, I have to use the noise reduction settings on my television, and I switch to an S-Video input instead to further reduce the inherent image problems.

If it wasn't a "bargain", I never would have been able to afford DS9. The complete series set (just the seven previously released individual boxes sitting in a green tray) had a price tag that equaled seven boxes of an "average" priced TV show.

To all those who spent the absurd amounts of money getting them individually, which means spending (depending on where you bought them) up to $1200 per show...You guys must be seriously wealthy or seriously hardcore fans. Either way, I salute you!

I paid around $300 for the complete sets of TNG, and DS9(after the price dropped a couple years ago). I bought the complete original series for $127.

Now that the complete sets of Voyager(which I bought factory sealed on E-Bay for just over $400 last year) and Enterprise have dropped in price by almost half of what they were going for just a few months ago, I can see many Trekkies with an agenda for their federal tax return checks!

                          

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#37
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2/12/08 at 7:37pm
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Re: Star Trek TNG Disks look Awful

It's a shame the price tags weren't worth the video quality.

Earlier today I did some further experimenting with viewing on my LCD TV, and I'm glad the quality improves (slightly and gradually) as seasons go on, because, well, in the back of my mind I'm thinking I'm enjoying this but it's ugly.
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#38
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2/12/08 at 8:07pm
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Re: Star Trek TNG Disks look Awful

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nicholas Martin
...because, well, in the back of my mind I'm thinking I'm enjoying this but it's ugly.

This is why I've always dated up.

"Because he's the hero that Gotham deserves, but not the one it needs right now... and so we'll hunt him... because he can take it... because he's not a hero... he's a silent guardian, a watchful protector... a DARK KNIGHT."

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#39
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2/12/08 at 10:09pm
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Re: Star Trek TNG Disks look Awful

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ockeghem
Nicholas Martin:

I actually bought DS9 twice (one USA and one U.K.),the U.K. versions of this series (and VOY) contain special features not included in their North American counterparts.
Yes, I've dropped some serious coin on the series sets myself. From TNG to Enterprise at about $100 a season. Yes, I have them all and am currently collecting the HD TOS series. Ockeghem/Scott , those Voyager sets that look like proton torpedoes are nice. About a year ago I almost bought them just because I thought they were the coolest packaging I've ever seen. Damn we do get shafted in this country as far as quality of releases.

" I think it's time we go to plan B". "What's plan B?" "That's the one where we don't do something stupid".

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#40
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2/13/08 at 7:21am
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Re: Star Trek TNG Disks look Awful

Quote:
Originally Posted by troy evans
Yes, I've dropped some serious coin on the series sets myself. From TNG to Enterprise at about $100 a season. Yes, I have them all and am currently collecting the HD TOS series. Ockeghem/Scott , those Voyager sets that look like proton torpedoes are nice. About a year ago I almost bought them just because I thought they were the coolest packaging I've ever seen. Damn we do get shafted in this country as far as quality of releases.
Troy,

I initially bought the North American releases of DS9 and VOY. The DS9 boxed set (esp. Season Four) arrived damaged three times! Then one night, while watching the season that highlights both Odo and the Defiant, I was surprised (and disappointed) to discover that the special feature on the Defiant--which I had seen discussed on various Trek Boards--wasn't included in the set. It was then that I began researching the packaging and the special features online, and found out that the U.K. releases for these two series have such superior boxes and features.

I can't recall in which thread I wrote this, but I actually picked up two(!) seasons (seasons one and two) of the U.K. VOY for $5 more than I would have paid for one(!) season of VOY in North America. Here are three pics of the VOY sets that I am currently purchasing. I think this is the version you mention above:







BTW, I don't know if anyone has sprung for the Slimline editions, but I have tended to stay away from those for aesthetic reasons.
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#41
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2/13/08 at 9:30am
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Re: Star Trek TNG Disks look Awful

If I recall, the UK versions have extras the US ones don't because the extras were offered ONLY as "Best Buy Exclusive" bonus discs in the US.

Now, getting that DS9 complete series set a few years afterwards, I had no way of ever getting those extra discs, but damn I would LOVE to see them all.
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#42
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2/13/08 at 10:18am
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Re: Star Trek TNG Disks look Awful

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nicholas Martin
If I recall, the UK versions have extras the US ones don't because the extras were offered ONLY as "Best Buy Exclusive" bonus discs in the US.

Now, getting that DS9 complete series set a few years afterwards, I had no way of ever getting those extra discs, but damn I would LOVE to see them all.
Yes, I remember the bonus discs offered by that particular store. It never occurred to me that those extras would eventually turn up on the U.K. discs.
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#43
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7/8/08 at 2:36pm
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Re: Star Trek TNG Disks look Awful

Hi guys-

I'm glad a did a search and found this thread. As some of you know, I started a Star Trek The Next Generation Appreciation thread in the TV section. I've been revisiting my original DVD sets purchased when they first came out. So I've been viewing them in order and have seen Season 1 to 4 and nearly done with 5.

This time though is a first on a Toshiba HD-DVD upscale player and a 50" plasma. And while I didn't read all the earlier comments, I have to say they do look bad, especially after having seen the crisp new remastered Star Trek TOS! Soft image and pale colors. Some shimmering and jaggies too on some effects shots.

But the main thing I wanted to mention is that I noticed at the start of Season 5, some episodes were not anamorphic. Now before you jump on me, what I mean is that the menus are anamorphic, they are 4:3, and the black bars do show up on the sides. But on Redemption Pt 2, the episode fills the 16x9 screen in anamorphic mode when all other sets, in the same mode, the image is 4:3, but with black bars on the side. I tried the disc on my old Pioneer DVL-700 DVD/LD combo player also set for anamorphic discs, and it properly displays the image with black bars on the sides on a Sony 23" LCD.

Only Redemption Pt 2 did this on the Toshiba HD-DVD player. I am up to The First Duty now, and it also fills the screen! So what I do is reset my display for 4:3 and it squeezes the image. This is odd because at 22 minutes 45 secs into The First Duty, the image pops out to anamorphic mode and I reset my monitor to "full" mode so the image is un-squeezed. Then 5 minutes later, its not anamorphic again, then at 36 minutes in, the image goes back to anamorphic for the rest of the episode.

I can only conclude that the disc has some iffy mastering the Toshiba can't deal with. Anyone else noticed this?

Thanks, Nelson
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#44
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7/8/08 at 4:56pm
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Re: Star Trek TNG Disks look Awful

TNG looks great on my 27" Sony Vega monitor. It looks like garbage on my 32" widescreen LCD. If you have a traditional CRT television that is decent size, I'd actually recommend watching it on that instead.

                          

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#45
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7/8/08 at 7:18pm
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Re: Star Trek TNG Disks look Awful

Season 4, The Way of the Warrior, DS9
on Samsung BD player on Samsung 52" LCD in original 4:3 aspect is very good to outstanding to me. There is the slightest hint of graininess, but very acceptable.
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#46
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7/8/08 at 9:00pm
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Re: Star Trek TNG Disks look Awful

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nelson Au
Hi guys-

I'm glad a did a search and found this thread. As some of you know, I started a Star Trek The Next Generation Appreciation thread in the TV section. I've been revisiting my original DVD sets purchased when they first came out. So I've been viewing them in order and have seen Season 1 to 4 and nearly done with 5.

This time though is a first on a Toshiba HD-DVD upscale player and a 50" plasma. And while I didn't read all the earlier comments, I have to say they do look bad, especially after having seen the crisp new remastered Star Trek TOS! Soft image and pale colors. Some shimmering and jaggies too on some effects shots.

But the main thing I wanted to mention is that I noticed at the start of Season 5, some episodes were not anamorphic. Now before you jump on me, what I mean is that the menus are anamorphic, they are 4:3, and the black bars do show up on the sides. But on Redemption Pt 2, the episode fills the 16x9 screen in anamorphic mode when all other sets, in the same mode, the image is 4:3, but with black bars on the side. I tried the disc on my old Pioneer DVL-700 DVD/LD combo player also set for anamorphic discs, and it properly displays the image with black bars on the sides on a Sony 23" LCD.

Only Redemption Pt 2 did this on the Toshiba HD-DVD player. I am up to The First Duty now, and it also fills the screen! So what I do is reset my display for 4:3 and it squeezes the image. This is odd because at 22 minutes 45 secs into The First Duty, the image pops out to anamorphic mode and I reset my monitor to "full" mode so the image is un-squeezed. Then 5 minutes later, its not anamorphic again, then at 36 minutes in, the image goes back to anamorphic for the rest of the episode.

I can only conclude that the disc has some iffy mastering the Toshiba can't deal with. Anyone else noticed this?

Thanks, Nelson

I would'nt doubt it Nelson, I started this thread and it's odd but the earlier Seasons look better than the later. Look at Seasons 1-3 and compare them to 5-7. The DS9 Disks won't win any awards either but they look better than the TNG Disks especially the later seasons.
My DVD Collection

The Megaplex

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#47
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7/8/08 at 9:02pm
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Re: Star Trek TNG Disks look Awful

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave Scarpa
I would'nt doubt it Nelson, I started this thread and it's odd but the earlier Seasons look better than the later. Look at Seasons 1-3 and compare them to 5-7. The DS9 Disks won't win any awards either but they look better than the TNG Disks especially the later seasons.
And Voyager in it's later seasons looks even better than DS9 in it's later seasons.

" I think it's time we go to plan B". "What's plan B?" "That's the one where we don't do something stupid".

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