117 replies to this topic

[cutecouple]

Apologies to Keckler if this is redundant, but it seems to be a need.

To start, from the media thread: Trek Remastered Station List.

And, from the same site: CBS to HD Affiliates: No HD Trek For You. It seems to be a distribution thing. Until then:

Until the HD issue is sorted out, the CBS Paramount team will make 4:3 and 16:9 versions of each episode. The team will also make available full-length and shorter syndication-length cuts of the series. An eventual DVD release is also planned. What has many worried is the ambiguous statement about both 16:9 and 4:3 versions. It is unclear what this actually means. Are there cropped in “Pan and Tilt” versions to make people with widescreen TVs feel special? If so that ruins the original aspect ratio. Are the proper aspect 4:3 versions available in HD as well as SD? This is an issue that both TrekMovie and our friends at Digital Bits will be looking into.

My god, there'll be more edits and versions then there are of Star Wars.

[Harrison Fjord]

I love being able to watch House in full, 16:9 glory. But Trek was not shot in 16:9, it was shot full frame, and if you make it 16:9, it's one of two things - you've stretched the frame horizontally, which makes everything look flatter, or you've lopped off the top and the bottom of the image. The latter is probably the case, and 90% percent of the time, it probably won't matter too much, since the show wasn't big on headshot close-ups, but there are undoubtedly going to be times when some information will be lost that will be missed.

I'd rather watch it the way I used to watch letterboxed movies on my old TV - original aspect ratio, and if that doesn't match the dimensions of the screen, put some black bars in - in this case, on the sides, rather the tops and bottoms.

[Gilmel]

I agree. I want to watch television and movies in the aspect they were originally shot in, whether that be full screen or wide screen. I don't want reverse Cinemascope stretching or reverse pan and scan.

[nelamm]

I somehow doubt they'll crop it. Many classic movies are about 4:3 (widescreen movies were made popular to compete with TV in the 50's), and they clean them up and all, but don't stretch them. The same goes for DVD releases of old shows and the occasional current show that's still 4:3.

Interestingly, the Godfather movies were shot in 4:3 and then cropped (as was planned) for the original widescreen movie releases. So the 4:3 are simply all of the original footage, not Pan & Scan, and have more than the widescreen videos and DVDs.

By DVD release, do you think they mean HD/Blu-ray, or just a cleaned up regular release?

[Harrison Fjord]

I would hope they'd mean HD/Blu-Ray.

As for classic movies, I think one reason they haven't stretched them to date is that the vast majority of TVs are still 4:3.

I'm hoping that as people transition over to 16:9 in larger numbers they will be more informed about aspect ratios and will understand why black bars can be good or evil, and when to tell which is which.

There is something to be said for movies shot in 4:3 having more information in their standard video releases, but at the same time, it's not just about more picture for me, it's about director's intent balanced with original presentation. Back to the Future and its sequels were the same way, but I prefer to watch them letterboxed. It just feels right.

[Gilmel]

Just a heads up that I created a discussion thread for the remastered TOS episodes in the TOS subforum, since this thread seems to be more for when to watch instead of what was shown. If I'm mistaken about this thread topic, I apologize for the redundant thread elsewhere.

Edited by Gilmel, Sep 17, 2006 @ 1:43 AM.

[Quickbeam]

Question...please don't photon torpedo me if this is the wrong thread. It was the best fit for my query.

I am converting my library of VHS Trek (Original/TNG/DS9) to DVD. Most of my original Trek VHS tapes are the purchased Paramount single episode tapes which, thank ye Paramount, are not copy protected. The tapes have actually lasted well and the transfer successful. Somehow, I just realized I don't own #64 original....Tholian Web. Are single episodes still for sale? I'm happy with the quality of my dubbed DVDs and don't want to buy a whole year for one ep. I guess I could wait for it to cycle on TV. Short of that, any suggestions?

[Harrison Fjord]

Luckily for you, TOS was released in 2 episode DVDs. You may be able to find a copy of the VHS on eBay, but for not much more you can probably find a used copy of the DVD that had that episode and 1 other also. I don't know that you could walk into a store and buy it new, anymore, though, now that season sets are out.

[RealChic1999]

TOS scheduling is ridiculous. TV Land just changed their showing of it from 11pm to midnight...and don't get me started on trying to find TOS: Remastered on my local channel. They've bounced the time and day around so many times that I'm about to give up trying to watch it.

[dbrugg]

They are also running TOS early mornings on TVL. 6am, I think (I'm trying to get ready for work, so my focus is elsewhere when I notice these things).

[ShoppingGirl]

Was I seeing things or is G4 or Spike going to run Voyager? I thought I saw a quick shot of Jeri Ryan as Seven between episodes on one of the networks, but I didn't get the whole message.

[cutecouple]

Apparently, SpikeTV will start with Voyager from the beginning next week in 9 hours a day, 5 days a week, something like 9 AM - 6 PM.

[ShoppingGirl]

Sweet. I don't know if my tivo can hold all of that, but I'm definitely going to cherry pick my favorites. Thanks!

[belsum]

Bummer that those marathon schedules aren't going to be swapped. I'll be on vacation during Bond week, and I would have loved to have Trek (yes, even Voyager) on during my lounging.

[cutecouple]

And it's just long enough to frustrate those with VCR's.

[naters22]

I just thought I'd let everyone know how they are doing the HD releases of the new remastered episodes. I purchased an HD episode on Xbox Live (they are now available in HD on the Live service). I bought the "City on the edge of Forever" ep. The "remastered" exterior shots during the intro and all the shots of the Enterprise circling the planet in all its HD glory are in widescreen. The actual stock footage (which has been cleaned up gloriously) is still shown in 4x3, not widescreen. It is a little jarring, but after a while you don't notice the switch between the two formats within the same episode.

It is almost embarrassing how much eye shadow Sulu was wearing when he pulls that cheesy grin at the beginning. And Spock looks like a frog (way too green), you can see where the makeup ends around his eyes. The closeups of his face made me hope there weren't any flies flying around the set. And Joan Collins still looked every bit as fabulous as she did in SD.

[pennyq]

I don't get Spike. What did they do to the episodes?

[Gilmel]

As far as I can tell, Spike has just syndication-edited them, or used the previously created syndication edit. I haven't noticed them doing anything else to the episodes, unless I'm missing something. They do play some slightly out of order when they're doing two-parters so that they can show both parts of the two-parters on one day (which once led to Ro-joins-the-Maquis airing right before Tasha-and-Data-have-sex), but I can deal with that because I like seeing both halves of a two-parter on the same day.

[Gilmel]

Is Spike no longer showing Trek on Fridays? The past two Fridays, I've tuned in during the afternoon only to see that Japanese show which looks like a cross between American Gladiators and Double Dare. Are they just doing special marathons these past two Fridays, or is this here to stay, does anyone know?

[belsum]

I watched the 5pm CST episode of Voyager tonight like normal. I have no idea about anything prior to that though.

[Gilmel]

Yeah, Voyager was on at 6:00 PST, but it wasn't on at 5:00 like it normally is. And TNG wasn't on at 3:00.

[chancellorjake]

I've missed my regular Trek viewings, on Friday afternoon, for the last three weeks, so I'm not sure what Spike is doing. Considering how they eliminated an hour of DS9, from the schedule, a few months back it wouldn't surprise me if they removed a whole day of Trek and replaced it with nonsense like MXC. If this is a permanent schedule change, I hate it, but then I hate most television scheduling.

[SunShine Gal]

I've missed my regular Trek viewings, on Friday afternoon, for the last three weeks, so I'm not sure what Spike is doing.

Is this the right thread to SCREAM IN? Or, can I cry? Spike has been messing with it's Star Trek programming and I'm about to go where no one has gone before! A couple of times this week Spike has replaced the Star Trek stuff with MXC or some such airtime filler. My science fiction fanjoy continuity is being toyed with. Their "lets test the market with other stuff during the star trek time slots" is losing them viewers. I'm finding other channels to have on my tv while I'm working. I'm not happy about it but what is there to do? They are gonna lose their ST fans and they're gonna feel it.

Not only has Spike been playing russian roulette with the Trek fans... G4 is all fucked up, too! G4 used to have 2 hours of TNG starting at 7pm central. Then they decided that 1 hour would do and they'd move it to 8pm only. THEN they 2.0-ized it! NOW it's not on the evening schedule at ALL! Furthermore, during bouts of insomnia I'd flip on TNG on G4 at 1am, they moved it to 2am, seen it moved to 3am... now POOF. It's gone. I want to grab some program scheduler by the test****s and tell him how unpleased I am!

Someone go find Troi and ask her if she can sense any TNG or Star Trek in this known universe! A friend told me that they've seen Star Trek TOS listed on TVLand. Has it really come to that? It's not like I don't have SOME episodes on tape but what the hell! When I can't find TNG available on tap I feel like time isn't standing still anymore... I know that sounded weird. I think I'm just upset. I'm not ready to let TNG go.

Is there another thread someplace called "Mega-Pissed: ST Void in the Universe"?

I might actually see if I can find Spike and G4 on the internet and see if I can complain. I'm just so tired of having to sign-up, log-in, join, be-a-member, and crap, then remember all those names and passwords just to tell them "you stink" which they won't read anyway. Sorry, my SunShine is a bit cynical right now.

Edited by SunShine Gal, Feb 16, 2007 @ 10:51 PM.

[Gilmel]

When was Spike putting MXC in the Trek slots other than Friday? The Friday thing was going on again yesterday, like it has for the past two weeks, where it's on from at least 3:00-6:00, but Voyager was on at 6:00. I only watch from 3:00 onwards and didn't notice MXC earlier in the week, but maybe it was on sometime between 1:00 and 3:00.

Edited by Gilmel, Feb 17, 2007 @ 11:33 AM.

[SunShine Gal]

Gilmel, before the twop data loss we had discussed program schedules a little. Your area might be different than some of ours. YMMV on some of this information.

I live in the central time zone. Twice recently, Spike replaced their monday star trek scheduling with other stuff. Now, fridays are trek-less also.

For a month or so it HAD been Monday-Friday:
1 hour of DS9
2 hours of TNG
2 hours of Voyager.

Before THAT it had been:
2 hours of DS9
3 hours of TNG

During the holidays they aired Bond movies and crap in place of Star Trek for at least a week. Could have been two.

Edited by SunShine Gal, Feb 17, 2007 @ 7:51 PM.

[Gilmel]

It was one week of Bond and one week of Voyager, but not in that order, if I recall correctly.

I'm in Pacific Time, so the difference in airing times from Central is an hour. But belsum said six posts up that she's in Central and they aired Voyager at 5:00 her time last week, which corresponds with 6:00 my time. So Fridays aren't completely Trek-less, at least not in all of Central time. I don't recall if I tried to watch Trek this past Monday, so I can't comment on that.

Edited by Gilmel, Feb 17, 2007 @ 11:31 PM.

[belsum]

I was home sick Monday and the Trek airings were on as listed by SunShine Gal. Seventh season DS9, 2 eps of random TNG, then 2 eps of second season Voyager. I was home sick again Friday and it was only the final Voyager. So that makes 3 Fridays in a row. I have no idea why Spike has decided we don't need more Trek on Friday.

[SunShine Gal]

I'm in Pacific Time, so the difference in airing times from Central is an hour. But belsum said six posts up that she's in Central and they aired Voyager at 5:00 her time last week, which corresponds with 6:00 my time.

Gilmel, Pacific time is 2 hours behind Central. It's 3:33 pm here, it's 1:33 pm where you are. Central's 5:00pm would be your 3:00pm.

I checked the direct tv online program guide for Spike today (Monday) and they aren't showing Star Trek listed today. Hmpff.

Edited by SunShine Gal, Feb 19, 2007 @ 4:51 PM.

[Gilmel]

Yes, I am well aware that Pacific Time is two hours behind Central Time.

I'm talking about airing times, not actual time. Pre-recorded tv shows, not live programs, shown in Pacific Time are aired correspondingly to Eastern Time. For example, things aired at 8:00 pm Eastern Time are also aired at 8:00 pm Pacific Time (unless you have a particular cable channel with Eastern Feed, but that's not the norm). And those things are aired at 7:00 pm Central Time because Central Time is weird and shows everything an hour early. (For example, we do not get My Name Is Earl at 5:00 pm Pacific; we get it at 8:00 just like Eastern, whereas Central gets it at 7:00.) Therefore, my point that what is airing at 5:00 Central on Spike is what is airing at 6:00 Pacific holds.

Just to clarify, currently, this is what I'm normally getting on Spike in the afternoons:
2:00 pm - DS9
3:00 pm - TNG
4:00 pm - TNG
5:00 pm - VOY
6:00 pm - VOY
Fridays have been the only ordinary (non-holiday) days lately that this schedule hasn't been the case for me.

I checked the direct tv online program guide for Spike today (Monday) and they aren't showing Star Trek listed today. Hmpff.

Probably because it's Presidents' Day and Spike takes whatever holiday excuse it can to show other stuff.

Edited by Gilmel, Feb 19, 2007 @ 6:18 PM.

[cutecouple]

Maybe Spike has an East Coast and West Coast feed?