When are We going to see a Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea Blu-ray Release?! (1 Viewer)

[ScottRE]

49 minutes each. For me, the speed up is weirdly only noticeable in the first season. The color years not so much...

 

[Harry-N]

49 minutes each. For me, the speed up is weirdly only noticeable in the first season. The color years not so much...

That's a dealbreaker for me for sure. Speeded-up voices drives me up the wall, and there are certain voices that when sped-up, just sound ridiculous to my ears, like they just sucked on a helium balloon. David Hedison is one of them. Even Richard Basehart with his basso profundo sounds silly at a faster speed.


I recall back when Sci-Fi ran VOYAGE and TIME TUNNEL. I taped them and tried to enjoy them, but even their speed-up was too much for me.


No, I'll stick with the 20th Century Fox DVDs for the US. They're all the way I remember the shows and they look and sound great.



Harry

 

[ScottRE]

I hear ya. I actually don't know why the latter 3 seasons don't bother me.

I don't remember Voyage being sped up on the Sci-Fi channel. They were cut to shreds, but seemed to run at normal speed. The massive edits brought them in at 45-46 minutes. I remember getting some converted tapes from the UK that were sped up. Canada's Space: The Imagination Station ran shows uncut and at regular speed. Voyage clocked in at 50-51 minutes and sounded the same as SFC's airings.

I didn't watch Time Tunnel on SFC, I had them on uncut tapes that were going around back then. But I think all of the TT's prints were sped up in syndication in the later years. Encore Action ran sped up prints.

 

[bigshot]

I just checked an episode from the first season on the Irwin Allen box set. The voices are normal. They did a digital pitch shift with the PAL conversion, so the only difference is that they deliver the dialogue a tiny bit faster.


PAL conversion isn't the same as time compression on TV broadcast. Time compression is usually done very crudely because they squeeze stuff to fit specific time slots, not just apply the same correction to every episode across the board.

 

[ScottRE]

Actually, there is a pitch shift. Check the first season specifically. Perhaps it was done differently than the other three (which might explain why it doesn't bother me know those episodes), but I definitely hear it.

 

[bigshot]

The one I checked was Fear Makers and it sounded fine to me. Digitally pitching by 2% is no big deal. It's performed automatically in conversions of 24fps material to PAL. I think you're just reacting to the clipped way the actors were directed to bark out their lines in the first season. They mellowed into their parts as time went by, especially David Hedison.

 

[Jack P]

THe music difference is always noticeable to me on any PAL sped item and its why I never do foreign region releases unless I'm desperate. For me, it is essential to see and hear these programs as they were truly recorded and I frankly have never understood why this automatic tampering of the source material has been a standard feature from the get-go.

 

[bigshot]

When they digitally pitch it, the only difference is a imperceptibly slight difference in the tempo. I think you guys haven't seen PAL conversions since the digital era. I know exactly the sort of thing you're talking about back in the early 80s when they would broadcast weirdly interlaced episodes of Fawlty Towers, or on cable TV broadcasts where they were trying to squeeze two or three extra minutes of commercials out from a show designed for 27 minute program length... but they don't do stuff like that on DVDs. One extra frame a second isn't a big deal. I think that is a correction of less than 2%. That is easy to deal with.


I have over a thousand recent UK DVDs including plenty of stuff that started on NTSC, and I've never seen anything like what you describe. PAL conversions are transparent now, and even if the disk is native PAL, region free players like my Oppo can play back any disk flawlessly.

 

[Harry-N]

PAL speedup is 4% faster due to the mathematics of the different electrical systems, and to some people it's VERY noticeable to the point of being unacceptable. To others, it goes by totally unnoticed. It's very much an individual thing. And it's also very much a product of the DVD format, since those still use PAL and NTSC.


There can be a case made that in the Blu-ray era, there's no PAL speedup, but even that turns out to be untrue in totality. There are still cases of PAL-sped transfers being upconverted to Blu-ray, so I've always observed a buyer-beware attitude. There's even the recent and quite bizarre case of THE AVENGERS. The color Emma Peel season was released in the US on Blu-ray at a very reasonable price, but those who obtained it report that while the episodes are at the correct speed, the soundtrack was digitally pitched-up to match the old PAL speed-up. Just bizarre.


Those who are able to abide the speed-up are somewhat lucky in that they can partake of a great many series and movies unavailable here in the US. I'm not one of them - the incorrect pitch bothers me in the extreme.


Harry

 

[ScottRE]

The UK Lost in Space DVDs were very noticeable and there is definitely a pitch shift. Every time Dick Tufeld's "last week as you recall" starts up, I hear it.

 

[turtledove]

PAL speedup is 4% faster due to the mathematics of the different electrical systems, and to some people it's VERY noticeable to the point of being unacceptable. To others, it goes by totally unnoticed. It's very much an individual thing. And it's also very much a product of the DVD format, since those still use PAL and NTSC.


There can be a case made that in the Blu-ray era, there's no PAL speedup, but even that turns out to be untrue in totality. There are still cases of PAL-sped transfers being upconverted to Blu-ray, so I've always observed a buyer-beware attitude. There's even the recent and quite bizarre case of THE AVENGERS. The color Emma Peel season was released in the US on Blu-ray at a very reasonable price, but those who obtained it report that while the episodes are at the correct speed, the soundtrack was digitally pitched-up to match the old PAL speed-up. Just bizarre.


Those who are able to abide the speed-up are somewhat lucky in that they can partake of a great many series and movies unavailable here in the US. I'm not one of them - the incorrect pitch bothers me in the extreme.


Harry

The problem with the audio on The Avengers is down to sheer incompetence on the part of Studio Canal , who with the best intentions wanted to pitch shift the filmed episodes so they ran with 24p audio but when initially preparing the HD masters that were used for the 50th Anniversary releases they pitch shifted the wrong way so instead of them running 4% lower they ran 4% higher. The UK colour Rigg dvd's to this day have this chipmunk sounding audio on the menus which were never corrected. The episodes themselves were returned to normal as in 25p speed and it was this audio that accompanied the US Bluray release but they did eventually correct it and the recent UK Bluray release is as it should be.


Pitch shift has never bothered me. Here in the UK I heard Captain Kirk at 25p for 30 years before I got the US dvd's and heard him at 24p for the first time. It was noticeable but I got used to it within a few minutes.

I've spent 17 years hearing Kirk at 24p so when I hear UK broadcasts they now sound odd to me but not so much that it would affect any buying decisions

 

[Harry-N]

It doesn't matter *how* THE AVENGERS got fouled up. The point is that it did. It's a Blu-ray with pitched-up voices - and for no good reason.


DVDs were an entirely different matter and film material was consistently sped up in the UK, and this not acceptable to we who are sensitive to such things.


Harry

 

[bigshot]

It is very simple to digitally pitch shift without affecting speed. Most PAL conversions do this as a matter of course.

 

[turtledove]

It doesn't matter *how* THE AVENGERS got fouled up. The point is that it did. It's a Blu-ray with pitched-up voices - and for no good reason.


DVDs were an entirely different matter and film material was consistently sped up in the UK, and this not acceptable to we who are sensitive to such things.


Harry

Doesn't really matter if its acceptable to you either does it? The point is the error exists.

Many people don't notice or are lucky enough for it not to bother them.

You'll have to shell out for the UK Blurays then.

Both Rigg seasons currently on Amazon UK at £37.99

 

[Harry-N]

It doesn't matter to me at all. I have all of the Emma Peel episodes on DVD. And at the correct speed.

And I have no need to hear David Hedison sounding like a chipmunk. Again the US DVDs are at the correct speed.

Harry

 

[smithbrad]

Well, at least for those that want the best of both worlds, video and audio quality, the UK blu-rays of the filmed Avenger's years exist. Fortunately, for some of us, we don't hear the pitch issues and have more options when it comes to finding the best releases available.

 

[Mark Collins]

I hate to bring this up. I only do so to help other Voyage fans I bought all my Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea as they came out at Best Buy. Best Buy did not sell season 4 when it came out. I had to buy it from Amazon. BB had a great sale on all seasons of Voyage Time Tunnel and the last two seasons of LIS a few years ago for 10 bucks and I picked up some sets.

This year I saw some great deals at Fox on Voyage and bought the show again. The inside of the case on season 4 was busted inside with loose discs and disc rot was evident. Season 1 also has disc rot and would not play. Season 2 and 3 looked ok but I only open one volume from each season and sent the other two back to Fox for refund. I received replacements for season 4 and 1 which took 6 weeks to get. I received the same result demanded my money back and after much debate with Fox and to their credit I received all my money back.

The same sales are on again at Fox. I read one review from a guy 16 days ago who is having problems with season 1. Who has the time to do a marathon viewing of 30 episodes to make sure the episodes are ok in season 1 or order season 4 with broken cases and be told once you break the case open you own it which is Fox policy.

I ordered on black Friday season 4 from Amazon. I had the same broken cases with disc rot evidence.

Amazon in the past has always been very good to me!!! No problems they took back Voyage with full refund. I just want to say if you want Voyage go to them and if you have problems you will be taken care of. Dealers with great prices I would stay away from given the problems with the Voyage discs.

The disc rot is more evidence that Fox needs to Blu-ray this set! I am just happy that I have a collection that plays and feel sorry for those who may go to ebay and buy the whole collection and run into problems later down the road.

I have been helped here at HTF. The most recent the Civil War. I just felt I should return the favor.

Fox BD Voyage!!! I do not want to hurt Voyage sales which could hurt the chances for a BD release but I cannot keep silent. I will not speak on the subject again.

Mark

 

[turtledove]

It doesn't matter to me at all. I have all of the Emma Peel episodes on DVD. And at the correct speed.

And I have no need to hear David Hedison sounding like a chipmunk. Again the US DVDs are at the correct speed.

Harry

But that means not only are your Avengers in standard definition they're also crap quality into the bargain - as were all the A&E dvd's in comparison to the Studio Canal restorations.


Thorson era currently only £39.99 on Bluray from Zavvi

 

[Harry-N]

But that means not only are your Avengers in standard definition they're also crap quality into the bargain - as were all the A&E dvd's in comparison to the Studio Canal restorations.

I'll accept that your opinion is that the old DVDs are "crap quality", but they play fine, do not have lack of contrast, and everyone speaks at the correct pitch. They've served me for almost two decades and until someone does a proper Blu-ray release, I'll remain happy with what I've got.


Fellow VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA fans, please forgive me for getting this thread off on a tangent. No-one's going to convince me to buy those Blu-rays of high-talking Patrick MacNee (I can see them on Hulu.com if I perversely wish), and thus this is my final mention of that series in this thread. Please refer and AVENGERS posts to the proper thread.


Harry

 

[bigshot]

I keep saying this, but I'll say it again. When they do PAL conversions which require a time change, they digitally pitch the sound to sound natural. Characters do not talk in a higher pitched voice, they just say the words a little faster. The chipmunk voices are how they used to do it over ten years ago.


You shouldn't assume that the pitch has been changed just be cause the time has.


By the way, I have the a bunch of the Network blu-ray sets and they are some of the best looking TV disks I've ever seen.