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WB considering HD update

Just got to Chrysalis on my S1 Amazon rewatch and this is the 4:3 remastered version despite the rest of the season having been the 16:9 DVD version. The drop shadow on the credits font is a little annoying but the SFX do look much better.
 
Interesting article here about the new remastering: https://www.engadget.com/babylon-5-remastered-hbo-max-digital-download-080058907.html

Some interesting comments in the article. Apparently it took 6 years to do all the remastering (and they still managed to mess up a couple of episodes! Can anyone confirm if they've been fixed for HBO Max?) and was a "labour of love" for all involved (hard to believe Warners would do anything out of love for B5!).

WB also "declined to comment" about a blu-ray release, though the article concludes that one is unlikely since it's going on HBO Max. That might explain why the rumoured blu-ray release has been associated with Warners UK – we don't have HBO Max over here. Though with less than 2 months before it's meant to be released according to that leaked info from the Danish website, we don't even have official pre-orders yet so I'm getting a little worried on that front!

Still, I'd be amazed if a blu-ray doesn't come out eventually - WB are going to want to maximise their profits as much as they can, especially if they really spent so much effort doing the remasters, and I imagine the audience for B5 is going to be mostly over-40s, who I imagine don't stream as much product as younger viewers do.
 
I know I won't be spending $14.99 a month for HBOMAX. That ridiculous price is more than two of my other streaming service payments. Just can't spend that much right now. I already own the DVDs and a backup DVD set. Plus I own it digitally on Vudu and Amazon, and I think iTunes as well, but I so rarely use iTunes I can't recall.
 
The discshop.se Bluray listing now shows a release date of 2021-12-31. This is looking increasingly unreliable.

On the flip side, the B5 listings on amazon.co.uk are now showing as 'Remastered' (again). I checked my purchase of SiL (which I purchased over a year ago), and it is indeed now in 4:3 format.
 
Bester said:
The discshop.se Bluray listing now shows a release date of 2021-12-31. This is looking increasingly unreliable.

On the flip side, the B5 listings on amazon.co.uk are now showing as 'Remastered' (again). I checked my purchase of SiL (which I purchased over a year ago), and it is indeed now in 4:3 format.
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WOW! Thanks for the update. I guess I can spend that money I was setting aside.
 
Looney said:
I know I won't be spending $14.99 a month for HBOMAX.
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I felt I needed to clarify something here so as to not seem like I am just being cheap. There is another more important reason I am not giving HBOMAX my $14.99 a month. That reason is that I am a movie theater guy. I LOVE going to see movies and what WB is doing with HBOMAX is an attempt to cut out that industry. If someone can give me evidence otherwise please do, but it makes sense to them economically to put an end to theaters. They don't need them with the power of streaming. The theaters are a drain on a fraction of WB's profits. Cut out the theaters and that fraction becomes profit. The same goes for physical media. Making a disc costs them money. Stop making discs and you control how, when, and for how much people see your product every time they want to see it.

My point is I really hate where all this is headed. They want you to pay them directly to stream their products. You have no control over it other than whether or not it is something you want to see and therefore choose to pay for. This is headed toward paying every time you want to watch any movie or show they make, aka THEIR dream come true. Couple that with the fact that now we here in the U.S. are being billed by streaming sites AND the internet providers for the amount we stream and it feels like lose / lose to me. ........... And yes I am going off on a rampaging tangent that I never should have started because you all know how weak I am and that I will probably eventually give in and start paying them $14.99 because my brain will think if I just do that they will think there is still interest in the show and then make something new for B5, even if it is just a new line of T-Shirts! ....... :wtf:

(Hmmmm appropriate emoji here? .... I want to laugh and cry at the same time.)
 
Well I think the HBO MAX addition means there likely won't be a physical media release for awhile, and I doubt it will be available in the U.S. SO someone needs to make sure a European release is NOT Region Locked. I'll support any kind of action that needs to happen to prevent Region Locking. I will help plan any covert mission required to prevent Region Locking. Look into my eyes! I really don't want a Region Locked U.K. Release. ;)
 
Looney said:
HAHA!!!! Maybe I'm not so crazy after all..... :dancing:
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I love you guys. I need to check this out, but I just had to say to Looney, "No. Sorry dude. You are crazy. But look at the bright side."
 
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I hear that the errors, i.e. Babylon Squared's missing tag, are gradually being fixed on the HBOMax versions. Maybe the corrections are the case of the blu-ray delay??

The other thing I've seen mentioned is the ordering of the episodes in seasons 1 and 2. I've only seen someone post the season 1 ordering on Twitter, and it's interesting: the placement of Legacies in its chronologically correct position - between Babylon Squared and Chrysalis - leads me to believe it's deliberate. What is the ordering of season 2 like?
 
deaded said:
Looney said:
HAHA!!!! Maybe I'm not so crazy after all..... :dancing:
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I love you guys. I need to check this out, but I just had to say to Looney, "No. Sorry dude. You are crazy. But look at the bright side."
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Wait deaded! You said "Look at the bright side" and then didn't tell me what the "bright side" is?!?!?!?!?!?!?! :eek: :eek: :eek:

:LOL::guffaw::LOL:

Does anyone want to start a betting pool on what month or date any issues will be fixed? :LOL: ;)

And I am letting everyone know that I now know what two weeks of living on a frozen tundra are like and what it can do to a TOTALLY NORMAL and NON-CRAZY mind. :p :LOL: :LOL: :guffaw: :guffaw: :guffaw:

Is it crazy to laugh at one's own jokes and at one's own emojis? :wtf:

:LOL::p:LOL:
 
Oh, yeah. Sorry. I was looking for it and got distracted. But anyways, yeah, the bright side is now, nothing can drive you crazy! You are already there and have a parking spot. That's something.

Frozen tundra? Are you in Texas or Wisconsin? My sister is in Dallas and sent me some CRAZY pictures of the snow at her house one foot deep! I was thinking we might need to send the Rangers in.
 
Something's afoot: JMS has just tweeted for former Foundation and Netter special effects folk with B5 assets or those who have been doing the 4K renders on YouTube to get in touch with him:

https://twitter.com/straczynski/status/1376029585309978627

Might be jumping the gun to suggest it's to do with a full 4K remaster, but who knows?

(JMS has ruled out it having anything to do with Eaglemoss models, who built their Star Trek ships using CGI reference models, which I have to say has disappointed me a bit, but of course I'd rather it be for an SFX remaster!)
 
Springer said:
Something's afoot: JMS has just tweeted for former Foundation and Netter special effects folk with B5 assets or those who have been doing the 4K renders on YouTube to get in touch with him:

https://twitter.com/straczynski/status/1376029585309978627

Might be jumping the gun to suggest it's to do with a full 4K remaster, but who knows?

(JMS has ruled out it having anything to do with Eaglemoss models, who built their Star Trek ships using CGI reference models, which I have to say has disappointed me a bit, but of course I'd rather it be for an SFX remaster!)
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Not a remaster.
 
Triple F said:
Springer said:
Something's afoot: JMS has just tweeted for former Foundation and Netter special effects folk with B5 assets or those who have been doing the 4K renders on YouTube to get in touch with him:

https://twitter.com/straczynski/status/1376029585309978627

Might be jumping the gun to suggest it's to do with a full 4K remaster, but who knows?

(JMS has ruled out it having anything to do with Eaglemoss models, who built their Star Trek ships using CGI reference models, which I have to say has disappointed me a bit, but of course I'd rather it be for an SFX remaster!)
Click to expand...
Not a remaster.
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Okay, well that's a shame. May I ask what it is related to then?

JMS surely knew when he tweeted about it that people would likely home in on one conclusion.
 
Okay, well that's a shame. May I ask what it is related to then?

JMS surely knew when he tweeted about it that people would likely home in on one conclusion.
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In truth I don't know what it is, just know what it isn't. Basically talking with someone who knows but the bugger won't tell me. All I know is it's not a remaster or Warner related, jms has been having a few email conversations with fans stepping forward, and even fan models are something that's being looked at!? Outside that, don't have a scoobies. Time will tell, I guess.
 
I love these secretive rumblings. I have a strong prediction on what this could be about, but I'M NOT SAYIN NOTHIN' UNTIL IT IS CONFIRMED..... or denied. When he chooses to enlighten us you'll just have to trust me when I say my prediction about why he is looking into this is correct.... or incorrect. You know I'm not shy about telling everyone when I'm wrong. :LOL:

Going back to The B5 Events Extravaganza, one thing I was greatly reminded of is how much I want to see more of the B5 Universe, aesthetically speaking. While contemplating the questions I was going to submit to Jason Davis prior to the event I was thinking in particular about the visual Universe of B5 as well as finally getting to see and hear from so many faces whom made the magic happen. I read people talking about dated visual effects and it makes me think that if they are dated shouldn't they be easier to recreate? I don't mean recreate specific shots from the show, but new visuals with the same exact style, quality, and aesthetic. My point is that I would love to see new tales set in the B5 Universe using the exact same visual effects technology, practical effects, and sets that were originally used. I know that would never happen, but I feel that while appearing dated to modern eyes it is a uniquely beautiful and original visual Universe they created that is part of the story and I wouldn't want to see it any differently. I don't know how I would feel if the show were rebooted and the Universe didn't look the same.

Long story long, I love the "fan models" and I am so glad JMS is reaching out to what was done then and not what could be done now for whatever mystery idea he is looking into. I mean what could be done now WITH what was done then is what he is looking into. Yeah, yeah, I make sense. ;) :LOL:
 
Looney said:
I read people talking about dated visual effects and it makes me think that if they are dated shouldn't they be easier to recreate? I don't mean recreate specific shots from the show, but new visuals with the same exact style, quality, and aesthetic.
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Funnily enough just uploaded the re-rendered opening sequence from Acts of Sacrifice and included 3 new scenes at the start using the original models (25 seconds roughly) - would have added more to tie it all together a bit better, but first time doing it and didn't want to add too much.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4G6a6lhC3w&t=3s
 
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