The Outer Limits is turning 50.... (2 Viewers)

[hanshotfirst1138]

Is the PQ any better than the R1 releases? I have a region-free Blu-ray player, so I would be able to play them. I know of course that the accursed flipper discs MGM used for R1 are naturally going to be more prone to scratching.

 

[Ockeghem]

Hanshotfirst,I can't see any differences in picture quality between either release. But the British packaging is IMO much better. The single-sided discs of the UK collection is what convinced me to purchase the set. Some discs in my North American DVD collection of the series would frequently freeze. I actually purchased three copies of the North American release and finally gave up on obtaining one that would contain no freezing discs.

 

[Craig Beam]

It should be mentioned that the UK discs will sound somewhat higher-pitched, since they're in PAL format. Honestly, that's the only thing that's kept me from buying them. I don't notice it as much with stuff I'm relatively unfamiliar with, but The Outer Limits? I've seen most of them WAY too many times not to be distracted by the audio difference.

 

[Ockeghem]

Craig,I can understand your distraction. What's very interesting to me though is that I have absolute pitch (in music), and yet the audio difference in the UK TOL sets doesn't distract me nearly as much as hearing any musical work that I know is written in a particular key to sound one half-step higher or lower (or even a smaller difference such as a quarter-tone either way). It could be that some people are more sensitive to differences in timbre while others are more sensitive to pitch. Just an observation.

 

[hanshotfirst1138]

Is that an inevitability with PAL, or just the product of bad mastering? The damn OOP R1 discs are so expensive. And not only does a Blu release seem impossible, but even a rerelease seems unlikely. It must not have sold well at all to have dropped OOP.

 

[Craig Beam]

One can also watch the entire series free of charge at Hulu. On my Outer Limits blog, I did a side-by-side comparison between an uncompressed MKV of the DVD and Hulu, and they look pretty much identical (see here). So there's always that option (you can't watch 'em on your TV, though, unless you've got an HTPC setup).

Interesting that they're out of print. I'd love to believe it means a blu-ray release is in the works....

 

[AndyMcKinney]

Is that an inevitability with PAL, or just the product of bad mastering? The damn OOP R1 discs are so expensive. And not only does a Blu release seem impossible, but even a rerelease seems unlikely. It must not have sold well at all to have dropped OOP.

Assuming they're working from film prints (rather than from NTSC tapes), then yes, speed-up would be extremely likely. Even as far back as the VHS days, there were some titles that got pitch-correction applied to them, but this sort of treatment was usually reserved for big blockbusters like Lord of the Rings.

if they had been working from NTSC masters, there would not be any speed-up, but the picture quality wouldn't be as good as working from film masters.

I, too, am amazed these are OOP (though, you can still find some copies of the "volume 1/2/3" and "seasons 1/2" versions on Amazon right now, especially if you don't mind using the marketplace sellers or settling for a previously-played copy).

I bought a complete set (vols 1-3 together in an outer slipcase) at a pawn shop last year for seven bucks. For that price, I figured "why not", even if a blu-ray does eventually come out!

 

[Gary16]

Maybe this will be of some help. I have all of the Outer Limits DVD releases (as well as laserdiscs and VHS) including the PAL DVD sets. Tonight I compared "The Man with the Power" from both the US DVD set and the PAL DVD set using the same region free Oppo player.

Visually they look the same to me on my big screen projected from a state-of-the-art digital projector. Since I'm not someone with perfect pitch I could not detect anything in the PAL audio that caused me to feel uncomfortable compared to the US disc (the music sounded fine and it didn't seem like anyone's voice was higher pitched).

I checked the running times and found that the US version of "The Man with the Power" is 50:47 while the PAL disc was 48:59 for the same content.

If they do decide to put these out on bluray (I hope) they definitely need to upgrade the audio quality since that's the weak point of these transfers as they come from the optical, not original magnetic tracks. However visually they look very good so the elements should still be in excellent condition.

 

[Ockeghem]

Gary16,Thanks. That was very interesting and informative. Although I own the TOL DVDs twice over and the VHS tapes of the series, I envy you your collection of TOL laser discs. Just as a word of clarification, when I say I have absolute pitch, I am talking about definite pitch relative to music (musical notes produced by cycles per second = Hz.) and not indefinite pitch (sounds produced by cymbals, snare drums, and the like, etc.). In other words, one need not have absolute pitch (as in music) to be able to discern that there is a difference in speed with regard to NTSC and PAL.

 

[Harry-N]

I'm one of the "very sensitive to PAL speed-up" people and find it most annoying and no matter what, I cannot enjoy it like that.

So I'll stick with my old, original S1 and S2 sets on flipper discs. So far, they still play fine.

Harry

 

[Ockeghem]

Harry,Here's to hoping you never have problems with those discs. I eventually did get a copy on my third try that was fine (at least until up to now). But since this is one of my grails, I had to have the British set as well. Happy viewing!

 

[Harry-N]

Scott - at least with the PAL discs, you get "control of your television" back sooner!

Harry

 

[Hollywoodaholic]

This series is currently airing on a retro channel in Central Florida called ThisTV. I have emailed an inquiry to them about the source of the episodes they are broadcasting because they do look like they have gone through some kind of re-mastering. It may just be an up-scaling, but if you look at the clips on the link below, you'll see what I mean. Something's been done to them. I asked them if they are getting HD quality versions of the show. That might bode well for an eventual Blu-ray release. Check it out:


http://www.orlando.thistv.com/view/series/1425/The%20Outer%20Limits%20(1963)

 

[Lord Dalek]

ThisTV just runs the dvd masters.

 

[filmlover]

while I would LOVE to see TOS in blu-ray, I would rather have a DVD Special Edition first.

What about all the interviews that were already done with the cast members?


http://www.emmytvlegends.org/interviews/shows/outer-limits-the-1963-65-abc


what about a featurette on the creatures, SFX and the make-up artists?


Just having this set in blu-ray would be nice. but I really think this series deserves a Collector's Edition...

 

[youworkmen]

while I would LOVE to see TOS in blu-ray, I would rather have a DVD Special Edition first.

What about all the interviews that were already done with the cast members?


http://www.emmytvlegends.org/interviews/shows/outer-limits-the-1963-65-abc


what about a featurette on the creatures, SFX and the make-up artists?


Just having this set in blu-ray would be nice. but I really think this series deserves a Collector's Edition...

So rather than buy the series in HD on Bluray you'd prefer the additional expense of another dvd release first?


I doubt many fans would go for that . The best outcome would be a Bluray release that also includes interviews etc.


I'm way beyond buying dvd boxsets of things I already have on dvd no matter how they tart them up.

 

[Mr. Handley]

Did anybody here actually buy the single-sided set that was available for a time at Australia Amazon? Just wondering if there were any issues with that particular set.


I wish that we'd get at least a single-sided DVD reissue released here.

 

[youworkmen]

Did anybody here actually buy the single-sided set that was available for a time at Australia Amazon? Just wondering if there were any issues with that particular set.


I wish that we'd get at least a single-sided DVD reissue released here.

The UK set is fine so if you're multi regional and can play the Oz discs then go for the UK releases . Both Oz and UK will have PAL speedup.

I sold my US set and bought my local one just to get rid of the dvd-18's which can be prone to faults.

Although I did spend 7 months last year watching 2 episodes per day of ER which on the UK complete set is nothing but dvd-18's.

I was pleasantly surprised to find not a single glitch through all 300+ episodes.

 

[Mr. Handley]

I don't have a multi-region player at this time. According to the comments on Australian Amazon, that set is Region 0 and will play on Region 1 players. I guess I can live with my flippers for now, but would jump at the chance to buy a new single-sided US release.

 

[filmlover]

of course I would love a blu-ray deluxe ultimate edition with the trading cards, and a sideshow 1/6 replica of the creature from the architects of fear! Just don't think that will happen!


In lieu of that, yes -I would double dip on a DVD SE with single sided discs, lots of behind scenes, interviews, etc.


But a blu-ray SE? oh, yeah, absolutely would prefer that. Somehow I think I have as much chance as getting that as a blu-ray box set of "my mother the car" in a authentic miniature of the famous automobile! (not saying I would really want that, just using that as a point of reference for probability)