Star Trek: TOS - Season 1 on Blu = AWESOME

Full Digital Bits review here...

Blu-ray Review - Star Trek: The Original Series - Season 1

Re: Star Trek: TOS - Season 1 on Blu = AWESOME

Wow, one can really tell you loved it. Wish i didnt have to wait 2 weeks, or so, for my copy.

It seems the menu is faster than the pre-restoration DVD season sets? Am i right? Moving menus are cool, the first 1/2 dozen times. Then they are a pain in the arse to wait for a menu you can work with...i just want to watch an episode...not a menu!

I for one, am VERY happy they have ditched the fancy, and very worthless packaging for this Blu-ray set. The standard Blu-ray case is PERFECT!

Thanks for your review Bill!

Re: Star Trek: TOS - Season 1 on Blu = AWESOME

Nice review Bill. Guess I need to ditch my HD-DVD now!!

Re: Star Trek: TOS - Season 1 on Blu = AWESOME

Thanks for the review Bill. Can't wait to get my copy!

Re: Star Trek: TOS - Season 1 on Blu = AWESOME

I wouldn't ditch the HD-DVD set yet, since there are features like the "Starfleet Access" PIP material for "Galileo Seven" that didn't go on the Blu-ray release.

I'll just be happier if the menus load faster and are more responsive than the HD-DVD. I had a lot of issues with the remote and the response time with that set.

Re: Star Trek: TOS - Season 1 on Blu = AWESOME

Ok, I am not big on DVD technology, but am a big Star Trek Fan.

I am confused because there are so many different versions of TOS !

There is regular DVD, DVD HD, and then there is Blu-ray !
Can someone please tell me the difference in these three and I know Iwill not go with blu-ray because I have no blu-ray player.

Re: Star Trek: TOS - Season 1 on Blu = AWESOME

I'm not well versed in Star Trek (though I was curious as to what the verdict was on this release so I checked out the thread) but I believe that there's...

Original versions are available in:
- DVD season sets
- a decade or so old individual discs that had two episodes per DVD

Remastered episodes (with the new CG effects) are available in:
- DVD season sets

Then the Blu-ray release has BOTH the original and remastered episodes.

HD DVD has the first remastered season (no original versions) but since that format is dead, there won't be a second or third season release.

Once again, I'm going off of memory and I don't own any of them so I could be wrong.

Re: Star Trek: TOS - Season 1 on Blu = AWESOME

Travis R is right with his analysis on the releases.

Try to go with the Bluray. The HD-DVD set is nice but its very glitchy and hard to get a copy which plays all episodes without lockups or picture break-ups. You can get a decent Bluray drive for the your home computer which will enable you to watch them and all the other great Blurays including the 6 TOS movies!!! Try and avoid buying any DVD's now as they are a dying format and Bluray is a long way ahead the difference is huge and TOS in hi-def looks amazing the picture looks better than ever there is so much detail to see which was missing in previous releases its almost like a new series.

This LG drive is the one to buy its amazing:LG Blu-Ray | GGCH20L : LG UK

Re: Star Trek: TOS - Season 1 on Blu = AWESOME

On DVD you had the original version:

2 episode per disc releases (with remixed 5.1 sound)

Season sets (original version with remixed 5.1 sound)

for remastered you have:

HD-DVD/DVD combo season one

regular DVD releases for season 2 and 3 when HD-DVD fizzled.

The blu ray releases will have the original broadcast audio available on the shows for the first time since laserdisc and VHS.

All DVD releases had reworked soundtracks that sometimes altered/added music cues and sound effects.

Re: Star Trek: TOS - Season 1 on Blu = AWESOME

Yeah, these guys are right. There are LOTS of different versions. But the Blu-ray I think can safely be called the "ultimate" edition, even with the few things that aren't included from previous sets, for the fact that it contains the highest quality versions of both the original broadcast episodes and the new "remastered" versions. Menus also do load faster and they're much simpler and easier to use - very intuitive.

Re: Star Trek: TOS - Season 1 on Blu = AWESOME

Hi Bill,

It would appear that there is a 'fly in the ointment' so to speak. I, as well as others are reporting playback problems pertaining to the seamless branching. Anytime there is a change in the angle, some are reporting a slight jump in the picture/audio and even worse some are losing the audio altogether, having to rewind slighly to get it back. I first noticed a problem at 10:21 episode 'The Man Trap" disc 1. The picture and sound jumps slighly. I haven't noticed this any where else but I admit I haven't watched the complete set yet. My Blu-ray player is a SAMSUNG BD-P1500 connected via HDMI to a YAMAHA RX-V565 (which I love, bye the way) I was wondering if you could check into this and possibly contact the studio about this issue.

Re: Star Trek: TOS - Season 1 on Blu = AWESOME

The only thing I have noticed is some subtle jerkiness in the video mostly seen in Enterprise flybys occasionally (I suppose that could qualify as a slight jump) but it is nothing extreme and there is no audio disruption.

The only audio problem I had so far is breakup in the audio for one of the Starfleet access segments. I was doing something and didn't play it over again to see if it was more than a one time glitch.

There is a small mistake with City On The Edge Of Forever. The segment where Spock is describing Edith Keeler's effect on history was touched up for the remastered version. And it is branched (2 angles) on the blu ray, but it appears that the segment on both angles is the remastered version.

The fixes are subtle on that segment (and the earlier segment showing the tricorder scene in properly branched with both versions) so it's not too much of a biggie.

But it was a surprise because the first thing I checked out for City is one of the most subtle touch ups that I was half sure would go unnoticed. That would be the beam out and credits at the last act. The mist coming out of the Guardian freezes and un freezes as the group beams out and the credits are superimposed.

The remastered versions maintains the moving mist throughout everything. I half expected it would be overlooked but it wasn't and it was all properly branched.

I expected that the complex nature of this release would make for some bugs. I am glad that they are few (at least as far as I can see) so far.

Re: Star Trek: TOS - Season 1 on Blu = AWESOME

Anyone checking out the BD Live extras?

Down the shore and forgot to bring my set with me.
curious if anyone is watching the convention footage, and if it will somehow be accessable later through the blu ray

Re: Star Trek: TOS - Season 1 on Blu = AWESOME

My understanding is that a few models of player - Pioneer in particular - are having trouble with the seamless branching. With luck, a firmware update will correct this. That seems to be the only major issue people are reporting to me.

Re: Star Trek: TOS - Season 1 on Blu = AWESOME

Thanks for chiming in Bill. I just got off the phone with SAMSUNG level 2 tech support about this issue. They are not sure that the problem can be fixed with a firmware update or not. I was told to give them a few days and call back. For those with SAMSUNG's I will report what I find out.

Re: Star Trek: TOS - Season 1 on Blu = AWESOME

Bill,

Since your player doesn't have playback problems. Could you tell me which one you have?

Re: Star Trek: TOS - Season 1 on Blu = AWESOME

My Sony 300 and Sony 350 have no issue playing these discs. No problem changing angle on the fly either.

Re: Star Trek: TOS - Season 1 on Blu = AWESOME

I have a PANASONIC DMP-BD35 Blu-Ray Player on the way. Hopefully this player handles the seamless branching properly.

Re: Star Trek: TOS - Season 1 on Blu = AWESOME

I have the Panasonic DMP-BD55.

Re: Star Trek: TOS - Season 1 on Blu = AWESOME

Very nice. I just got my Panasonic DMP-BD35 and can report that all is well. I am playing "the Man trap" episode and not only does the image look better than ever, I am experiencing no play back problems at all. My Samsung is out of here. I will be selling it tomorrow.

Re: Star Trek: TOS - Season 1 on Blu = AWESOME

Slightly off topic, but I did not want to start a new thread. I have a question about Bill's comments in his initial impressions of the new Star Trek movie (at the Bits) that it respected all the previous continuity, including the Enterprise series. While Archer is no where to be seen as the Enterprise begins its maiden voyage, is continuity respected because of Nero's actions that open the film (trying to avoid a spoiler here)?

Re: Star Trek: TOS - Season 1 on Blu = AWESOME

May 12th saw a huge dose of Trek hit shelves.

My question is this:

Paramount released 2 "Best Of" DVDs, one for TOS, one of TNG.

They're only about $10 for four episodes, and I wanted to know if the episodes included on the best of TOS DVD were the remastered versions or the originals, because the packaging didn't mention it.

I'm not a fan of TOS, and couldn't afford to (almost blind) buy the season 1 Blu-ray, but to sample the series in its remastered form would be nice on DVD.

Anyone know which versions are on the disc?

Re: Star Trek: TOS - Season 1 on Blu = AWESOME

The TOS "Best of" set does, indeed, feature the new Remastered Episodes with the new CGI SFX.

Re: Star Trek: TOS - Season 1 on Blu = AWESOME

Thanks. I'll pick it up today.

Re: Star Trek: TOS - Season 1 on Blu = AWESOME

Still no word on a firmware fix for those of us having problems paying this set. I'm not sure if Pioneer is even aware of it as I e-mailed them and got a generic "update your firmware" reply. Gee, thanks.

You can also add the Samsung BDP-1000 to the list of players that won't play this set properly. Using the latest firmware, the BDP-1000 will skip back a chapter when it reaches a branching point. It does it every time.

Clearly this is a problem and equally clearly it will not be resolved unless someone makes the higher ups aware of it. Not just the BD player manufacturers but Paarmount/CBS as well.

Unless I missed it these glitches haven't been mentioned on The Digital Bits or ANY website. Just because it affects only a few models of players is no excuse. Please Bill, post these problems on TDB and make the powers that be aware of the situation.

Thanks!

Re: Star Trek: TOS - Season 1 on Blu = AWESOME

I noticed in The Squire of Gothos that there is an audio glitch with the mono sound. In Chapter 2 when Kirk is introducing his crew, the sound level suddenly drops for a couple of minutes. It's not like this in 5.1 nor on the old dvd 5.1. Could this be how it originally was before a remix?

Did anyone other than a previous poster notice the mistake on "City on the Edge of Forever'"? The scene where Spock is showing Kirk the effects of Edith's life on history has the angle button engaged but you can't toggle between the original effects and the remastered effects...the original effects are gone. This seems to be a mistake in pressing but it could be my player. Can anyone else see the original effects angle?

nice review, Bill.
Thank you!!!
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