A few days ago we
posted the press release from the San Diego Comic Con, that the new remastered-for-hi-def version of the original
Star Trek series (with re-done special effects and audio) would be coming to HD DVD on
November 20th. Loads of you have ooohed and aaaahed over this release, or the box art for it, but frankly many of you are cringing over the $217.99 SRP cost, and a few of you have told us that you don't think the extras on this release are in line with the galactic price tag. But the biggest question we've gotten from many of you is "what about Blu-ray?" Since Paramount is one of a few studios that support both of the hi-def home video formats, HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc, there have been people wondering why the press release only mentions HD DVD.
Enter "HollywoodinHiDef.com", a website sponsored by Sony, Fox and Disney, "among other companies", to promote the Blu-ray Disc format that these studios exclusively support. They have hired our old friend Scott Hettrick to run the site; he's the former editor-in-chief of trade magazine
Video Business, and former editor at
Variety, too. A few days ago, Scott
posted a story called "Blu in the Face", speaking of the recent accomplishments of the Blu-ray format. In it, he brings up the
Star Trek HD DVD announcement, and tells us that it's not going to be format-exclusive after all. Here's a quote from Scott's story:
Paramount did announce last week what initially appeared like a potential HD DVD exclusive -- the first season of the original "Star Trek" TV series. But Paramount execs quickly noted that while the series will initially be released only on HD DVD, a Blu-ray version is in the works as well.
A day later, another friend of ours spoke in more detail about his experiences at the San Diego Comic Con, including the
Star Trek HD DVD announcement at the "Star Trek: The Remastered Original Series panel". Bill Hunt of The Digital Bits
gave us his two cents:
...It should be noted that, all through this panel, those on stage referred to HD-DVD and "the other format." But they never indicated whether a Blu-ray Disc was being planned, and never actually mentioned Blu-ray by name. Inevitably, someone in the audience finally asked them directly about Blu-ray Disc during the Q&A session that followed (and, interestingly, there was a smattering of cheers and applause from the audience when the question was raised). The panelists admitted that one was currently "under consideration," presumably for 2008. They also revealed that Seasons Two and Three were expected to start production this week. They further revealed that tests had been done for a possible future Star Trek: The Next Generation - Remastered effort.
Interesting info there; thanks Bill! There's a lot more to Bill's info, including fan reaction to the extras (similar to the e-mails we've seen here at TVShowsOnDVD), and reaction to the cost as well. We recommend you head over there and read it in full. And, if you're following the hi-def format war, you should read Scott Hettrick's article in full at the HollywoodinHiDef website.
Blu-ray versions of Season 1, hi-def home video versions of Seasons 2 and 3, and maybe even a hi-def version of
The Next Generation. Lots of interesting info there, and we'll keep an eye out for developments on all of these. Stay tuned.
