Laserdisc to dvd Star wars conversion

Etewaf · Apr 24, 2012

Perhaps this is a bit naive, but does anyone else think that almost immediately after George Lucas dies those who end up taking over the companies will set in motion the remastering process? What better way to capitalize on his death than by releasing the true original versions of the films? Anyone know if there's ever been an official word on what will happen to the franchise when he passes away?

I personally can't even fully enjoy the Star Wars universe anymore because of all the controversy surrounding his constant edits and reedits. Heck, didn't he even re edit those Ewok films to a certain extent? Not to mention that once these discs go out of print you end up paying premium prices for them. Jeesh.

Michael Bergeron · Apr 24, 2012

One can only dream...

Not holding my breath though!

deadbolt · Apr 24, 2012

Just noticed this, coincidentally one of the first few links that popped up in google searching for 'laserdisc to dvd' too.

The Star Wars Laserdisc to DVD project

From what that site says the 2006 Theatrical editions are the superior versions..Wish I knew about them before today, I had several chances to get those particular individual and trilogy releases when they first came out!! :facepalm

-Carson

Timmythekid · Apr 25, 2012

Etewaf said:
Perhaps this is a bit naive, but does anyone else think that almost immediately after George Lucas dies those who end up taking over the companies will set in motion the remastering process? What better way to capitalize on his death than by releasing the true original versions of the films? Anyone know if there's ever been an official word on what will happen to the franchise when he passes away?
.

Not naive at all in fact. Itès become pretty clear that a LFL and at Fox, thereès just one guy holding that up - even that sycophant McCallum has said he would like to see the originals get release, but itès Georgeès call. It WILL happen, thereès too much money on the table for it to not happen.

Megatron · Apr 27, 2012

Etewaf said:
Perhaps this is a bit naive, but does anyone else think that almost immediately after George Lucas dies those who end up taking over the companies will set in motion the remastering process? What better way to capitalize on his death than by releasing the true original versions of the films? Anyone know if there's ever been an official word on what will happen to the franchise when he passes away?

I personally can't even fully enjoy the Star Wars universe anymore because of all the controversy surrounding his constant edits and reedits. Heck, didn't he even re edit those Ewok films to a certain extent? Not to mention that once these discs go out of print you end up paying premium prices for them. Jeesh.

His daughter is already taking over the company now

Timmythekid · Apr 27, 2012

Megatron said:
His daughter is already taking over the company now

How do you figure? She's occassionally a writer on Clone Wars, but I seem to remeber that writing is really where her head is at, and specifically not stepping into her dad's shoes. Whatever else he might be, Lucas is a very savy businessman and I would be very surpirsed to see him hand over the reins of a multi-faceted corporate empire to someone with no business experience. I would not be surpised to see him somehow ensure his kids receive an income stream from LFL in perpetuity, but control?

Megatron · Apr 27, 2012

ask the lawyers

deadbolt · Apr 27, 2012

You know, since the theatrical releases are out there in at least laserdisc/dvd quality, Lucas should re-release them on blu-ray except with all three on one disk since they'll easily fit.

Now that would be wonderful to have! :love

-Carson

Megatron · Apr 28, 2012

laserdisc sound still beats Blu-ray
they compressed the sounds in DVD and Blu-ray

Timmythekid · Apr 28, 2012

Megatron said:
laserdisc sound still beats Blu-ray
they compressed the sounds in DVD and Blu-ray

DVD is pretty limited and compressed, but BD master Audio is uncomressed, or at least lossless, no? In any event I've seen VHS, LD, DVD, LD2DVD rips, HDTV, and BD presentations and as far as technical abilities, BD is superior for my money - superior colour fidelity, superior resolution, superior audio presentation. It's just a shame that the program that's been put on the format is so messed up.

Megatron · Apr 28, 2012

trust me LD sounds better it raw sound..all the new pressings are form a new audio source which has lost some of its higher original sounds..If you get a chance to hear a LD on a LD player that has the high end sound out vers a BLU ray you will notice the difference..
They have put a lot of hype in BLU ray..to be honest its still not the same high rez of a movie you see in the theater or shot on a digital camera..its still compressed in resolution just no tvs out there that can show that rez yet and the size of the movies would be huge.. The size of Wall-e movie format is huge they even talk about the program the have to down sample the movie for Blu ray on there disc..

Jeyl · Apr 28, 2012

I myself would love to take over the reigns of Star Wars. I would produce a BluRay set that would put the Blade Runner set to absolute shame. An impossible task, but one I would love to try and make.

wannab · Apr 29, 2012

So what I got out of this thread (and link) so far is...

with what is available, the best version of the original release would be, the laser disc (raw) sound added to the DVD video that has been processed to be made anamorphic. That about it?

Doug

wannab · Apr 29, 2012

Jeyl said:
I myself would love to take over the reigns of Star Wars. I would produce a BluRay set that would put the Blade Runner set to absolute shame. An impossible task, but one I would love to try and make.

AMEN!

Doug

micdavis · Apr 29, 2012

wannab said:
So what I got out of this thread (and link) so far is...

with what is available, the best version of the original release would be, the laser disc (raw) sound added to the DVD video that has been processed to be made anamorphic. That about it?

Doug

I just play my laser discs (or their back-ups, and sometimes I give those away too). You guys should have planned ahead. I did.

Megatron · Apr 29, 2012

the two words that make Laser discs owners cry "Laser Rot"

wannab · Apr 29, 2012

micdavis said:
I just play my laser discs (or their back-ups, and sometimes I give those away too). You guys should have planned ahead. I did.

...but the DVD is better video quality than the LD (see the link earlier) so we are ahead on that front. We just need the LD sound and we are golden.

Doug

Darth Lars · Apr 30, 2012

James Kenobi 1138 said:
As awesome as it is, you know talking about pirated media on the RPF is not allowed.

Copying a movie from a media that you own to another media and keeping it to yourself is considered "fair use" in US and most elsewhere. It is the act of giving it to others that is "piracy".
Then, that many DVDs and other media come with text that tells you that all copying would be forbidden is another matter.. Such text often go beyond the law.

robn1 said:
The LDs look better than the DVD versions. I'd love to copy mine to my PC and maybe upscale them to HD, but neither of my LD players work.

There are different editions of LD and DVD.
The 2006 DVD editions had original versions on the second discs, and those were made from the same video tapes as the Definite Collection laser discs. The image quality on those DVDs should be better than the respective LDs.
However, there is some temporal smoothing in these copies that are not seen in others.

Treadwell said:
However, at LFL they never throw celluloid away.

Etewaf said:
Perhaps this is a bit naive, but does anyone else think that almost immediately after George Lucas dies those who end up taking over the companies will set in motion the remastering process?

There is a rumour that a colour-separated copy (separate reel for red, green and blue) of the the unmodified first movie exists, either in Lucasfilm's archive or owned by GL himself. Colour-separation means that the colours have not faded like on common colour film stock. Let's hope.

Timmythekid · May 1, 2012

wannab said:
...but the DVD is better video quality than the LD (see the link earlier) so we are ahead on that front. We just need the LD sound and we are golden.

Doug

No it isn't. It may be sourced from the same master tapes, but it seems to have been transferred to DVD via being run over by a forklift. It's non-anamorphic, heavily compressed (remember it's in essence a second generation copy of the master, not the master itself), and smells of poo. Okay, the last part I may have partly made up. In any event, it's better than the rips of the LD, but not better than the LDs themselves.

wannab · May 1, 2012

Timmythekid said:
No it isn't. It may be sourced from the same master tapes, but it seems to have been transferred to DVD via being run over by a forklift. It's non-anamorphic, heavily compressed (remember it's in essence a second generation copy of the master, not the master itself), and smells of poo. Okay, the last part I may have partly made up. In any event, it's better than the rips of the LD, but not better than the LDs themselves.

Looking at the comparison pics, it looks like the DVD is better to me. You just need to convert the DVD to anamorphic, add the LD sound and you have the best of "what's available". Gotta go with what I saw in the pics provided in that link. If you can post some visual evidence to the contrary, I'm willing to sway the other way. :thumbsup

Doug

Laserdisc to dvd Star wars conversion

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