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Pre-Order Eureka: The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Available for Preorder (1 Viewer)

Ronald Epstein

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The Obsolete Man

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Great to hear. Long overdue!

Sales are probably going to suck because everybody interested bought the German release years ago.

I could be convinced to double dip if the extended episodes from season 4 were finally presented in HD, but I'm not holding my breath that Uni made HD transfers of those.
 

Ethan Riley

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Was the German release region locked? I wanted to get it when it came out but I remember being leery of either the price or the region confusion. This will be a day one purchase, if only to get rid of that awful eco-friendly packaging-- it's all jaggedy and out of sorts when you line all those sets up.
 

David Norman

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Was the German release region locked? I wanted to get it when it came out but I remember being leery of either the price or the region confusion. This will be a day one purchase, if only to get rid of that awful eco-friendly packaging-- it's all jaggedy and out of sorts when you line all those sets up.

No -- region free. English audio, English Subtitle, pretty good quality and cheap. I think it was on sale forever for $30-35 shipped. It seems like at one time Amazon.It even had it mispriced for a while for $25 shipped

The original 2013 Limited Edition was just a box with all the discs in invidual CD cardboard sleeves thrown into the box -- awful to be honest.

The 2014 repackage changed to normal cases with 5 seasons. I think this was at the same time the individual seasons were released and appeared they just just the same sets and put them is a box. Much better set than the 2013 release honestly
 

Ethan Riley

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No -- region free. English audio, English Subtitle, pretty good quality and cheap. I think it was on sale forever for $30-35 shipped. It seems like at one time Amazon.It even had it mispriced for a while for $25 shipped

The original 2013 Limited Edition was just a box with all the discs in invidual CD cardboard sleeves thrown into the box -- awful to be honest.

The 2014 repackage changed to normal cases with 5 seasons. I think this was at the same time the individual seasons were released and appeared they just just the same sets and put them is a box. Much better set than the 2013 release honestly

I can only imagine that the German edition may have better pq than whatever Mill Creek is coming out with here. German release had 18 discs vs. Mill Creek's 12...hmm...
 

David Norman

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I can only imagine that the German edition may have better pq than whatever Mill Creek is coming out with here. German release had 18 discs vs. Mill Creek's 12...hmm...

Depends on how filled the German Discs are and how they repack the files of the MC discs. If the German discs average low 30GB and the MC are filled to the brim, it's possible they could be identical though I'm not planning on going through the discs to check

OTOH based on MC records I'm not optimistic, but the German item is still in print and still drops to cheap often enough.
 

Ethan Riley

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Right...I might have to wait for reviews before I decide whether to get the MC version. I wanted the German blu but didn't realize all this time that it was region-free.
 

David Norman

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Right...I might have to wait for reviews before I decide whether to get the MC version. I wanted the German blu but didn't realize all this time that it was region-free.

Unless MC pulls off something out of character -- $30-35 German release vs $50 US release would seem to make the decision pretty easy.
Even if teh MC items drops to low $30's I'm not sure why I would be tempted (assuming I didn't already have the German set)

Best Preorder price on the US set seems to be Deep Discount at $48+tax -- I'm not sure I'd expect much lower until Christmas anyway since that's nearly 40% off list for a new release item
 

morasp

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I just pre-ordered from Deep Discount. Hope the PQ is good, the seasons I have on DVD seem to look pretty good.
 

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Thread necro for a quick review. This thread echoes the enthusiasm I had when I found out a US-spec Eureka box set was coming. I wanted to sign up so I could post this for potential buyers as a "Here's what to expect". This is the same review I posted to Amazon and Best Buy product postings so that hopeful buyers like me go in with full understanding of what they're getting.
------------------------------

REVIEW

It's... okay. Well, okay-ish, but only in the context of being able to own the entire series for such an ridiculously low price. If it were a dollar more I'd knock it, but it's hard to pass up a complete set for this price even with its glaring flaws.

Short version: If you want the complete series at an incredibly good price, and with slightly better video and much better audio than streaming offers, get this. Now. If you are a collector, Eureka fan/enthusiast who wants a pristine example of the series, or a videophile who won't tolerate bare-bones packaging, regular bouts of iffy video quality and lack of substantive extras, then don't waste your money.

Longer version...

Viewing setup: Samsung Blu-Ray player, Yamaha RX-A1080 receiver (also used for video switching), Sharp Aquos 1080p tv.

VIDEO (C-): Mill Creek has done a "meh" job of porting the series to Blu Ray. I say "meh" because the video quality is noticeably inconsistent. Most scenes have some level of video noise and there are regular bouts of some of the most horrible video noise and compression strobing I've seen in years. It's most noticeable in darker scenes, especially in seasons 1 and 2. It gets better with later seasons but never completely goes away. I'm presuming it's a combination of source material and how the compression algorithm handles grain in darker scenes. The few scenes that are absolutely pristine - beautiful detail, no grain or over-smoothing, and vibrant, accurate colors - make the remainder an extreme disappointment. It would be absolutely unacceptable if this were a presentation- or collector-level set. As a sub $40 option for the entire series it's tolerable, but only because it's slightly better video quality than streaming offers. The pristine scenes are a solid A to A+. Unfortunately, the bad scenes are obvious and often.

AUDIO (B): Audio is presented in 5.1 and is clear and free of extraneous noise. Dialog is clear, music has clarity and depth, surround is used effectively, and action scenes engage LFE acceptably well for a made-for-TV series. However, LFE use is both sparing and a bit thin, definitely not used to its full potential. The same is true for surround channels. They are present and do an acceptable job of enveloping the listener but could certainly be used to much greater effect. My presumption is that LFE and surround deficiencies are the result of the show's original production limitations, both budget and schedule. As it stands, they are more than adequate so long as you don't expect reference-quality audio. Not bad for a budget release.

One notable issue with audio is Mill Creek's bombastic studio intro at the beginning of each disc. Audio levels are jarringly loud, almost painfully so. On my receiver, comfortable listening level for episodes is -15 db. To get the same perceived level during the intro I had to drop the level to -30.

EXTRAS (C): Extras are limited to a few podcasts, interviews, and gag reels. They were obviously thrown together in haste and look to be a direct port from the German-language box set release several years ago. Okay for the set but not substantive enough to add significant value.

PACKAGING AND MENUS (C+): The box is simple printed cardboard with minimal labeling. Discs come in two boxes, six discs per box. The discs feel noticeably flimsy and appear physically thinner than most Blu Ray platters, so much so that I am consciously careful when removing discs lest I crack one.

Menus are minimalist with a simple static background and plain-text choices. Nothing fancy but they work.

OVERALL: I love Eureka. It's been a guilty pleasure of mine from the day the pilot aired. I was thrilled to see it on a US-spec box set, especially for the price. I should have been leery of it coming from Mill Creek but I let that slide. Unfortunately Mill Creek has lived down to its reputation for iffy video and barest of bare-bones offerings. It's acceptable given the extremely modest price tag, but only because it's A) a complete set at my fingertips for under forty bucks and B) offers slightly better quality than streaming. I can only hope SYFI or Universal sees fit to issue a reference-quality set at some point in the future.

Brad
 
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David Norman

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With Amazon.de shipping to the US cheaply again, I'd probably suggest looking that way.

More discs, episodes seem to be encoded at about 50% higher bitrate (9gb per episode vs 5-6), and their are some missing bits to the US set apparently --2 extended episodes (SD quality) and their commentaries plus the crossover episodes, and better packaging.

With a $40-45 recent shipped price from Germany again and if you're a fan I think it's now an easy choice
 

ManW_TheUncool

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Huh... never heard of this show before. What's the best way to sample it (hopefully for free... since it's not on Netflix or CBS All Access) to determine if I wanna buy the set (maybe the German import version)? Is it on Peacock since NBCUniversal owns Syfy? I don't currently have Peacock either and a quick google isn't clear...

Would probably just buy it on iTunes or something, starting w/ S1, if the digital version was similarly priced (or less)...

Thanks!

_Man_
 

David Norman

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Huh... never heard of this show before. What's the best way to sample it (hopefully for free... since it's not on Netflix or CBS All Access) to determine if I wanna buy the set (maybe the German import version)? Is it on Peacock since NBCUniversal owns Syfy? I don't currently have Peacock either and a quick google isn't clear...

Would probably just buy it on iTunes or something, starting w/ S1, if the digital version was similarly priced (or less)...

Thanks!

_Man_

If you've watched Warehouse 13, it's in the same vein -- not surprising since it's a spinoff, but very similar quality. Quirky humorous scifi
 

The Obsolete Man

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If you've watched Warehouse 13, it's in the same vein -- not surprising since it's a spinoff, but very similar quality. Quirky humorous scifi
Eureka and Warehouse 13 had nothing to do with each other outside of both being owned by Universal, aired on Sci-Fi (Siffy), and a couple of minor crossover episodes deep in their runs. Neither spun off from the other.
 

ManW_TheUncool

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Thanks, y'all, but I'm unfamiliar w/ Warehouse 13 as well -- pretty much never had access to Syfy before.

_Man_
 

David Norman

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Eureka and Warehouse 13 had nothing to do with each other outside of both being owned by Universal, aired on Sci-Fi (Siffy), and a couple of minor crossover episodes deep in their runs. Neither spun off from the other.

Got me there -- spin off wasn't the right word. Very similar styles in addition to the crossover episodes. Eureka is a bit heavier on the humor/quirk aspect, W13 a lot more on the fantasy/science fiction side.

Both are excellent in their own ways, but do seem to aim for the same general audience
 

The Obsolete Man

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Got me there -- spin off wasn't the right word. Very similar styles in addition to the crossover episodes. Eureka is a bit heavier on the humor/quirk aspect, W13 a lot more on the fantasy/science fiction side.

Both are excellent in their own ways, but do seem to aim for the same general audience
I always saw 'em as Siffy's entries into sister channel USA's Blue Sky programming initiative. They fit in perfectly with shows like Monk and Psych.
 

Ethan Riley

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With Amazon.de shipping to the US cheaply again, I'd probably suggest looking that way.

More discs, episodes seem to be encoded at about 50% higher bitrate (9gb per episode vs 5-6), and their are some missing bits to the US set apparently --2 extended episodes (SD quality) and their commentaries plus the crossover episodes, and better packaging.

With a $40-45 recent shipped price from Germany again and if you're a fan I think it's now an easy choice

Der heck with it! I went and ordered the German version from Germany as you suggested. It worked out to $43.79. Take that, Run of the Mill Creek!
 

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