ST, TOS DVDs. How to buy?

I had the complete OS in the 2 ep per case format and was very happy with it. Then My house was burglarized. :eek: I want to re-accquire, but I have the choice of the 2 ep per case version or the set of 3 seasons. I have heard that the set of 3 is inferior in audio and even video, but it would sure be more convenient. It seems the sets would be a little less money too. Have I heard correctly that the 2-ep packaging has better quality? Any thoughts?

I know what DVDs are, but what the hell is ST, TOS, and OS?

Um, if you don’t know, your opinion probably won’t be helpful to me. A geek like me will know that it stands for Star Trek, the Original Series. I am asking about the fine points between different editions on DVD. Thanks for playing!

Eh. Buy em used off Amazon. Digital Media tends to stay excellent, or be worthless. Amazon Marketplace tends to weed out “worthless”.

It’s cheap, & in good shape.

Yeah, but I’m one of those “The Collector” fanboys. “Oh Noes! I’ve broken the seal!”

I was asking about the techncal merits of the two editions. I have heard tell that the 2 ep/DVD has better pic and sound than the season sets. This is the question I want answered, and I think I made that clear in the OP. I can buy either one.

I don’t have either set, but all the reviews state that the sound is somewhat improved (Dolby 5.1 instead of mono) while the video quality is exactly the same.

Plus, on the “lunchbox” season sets, you get commentaries, documentaries, and other nice goodies. And they take up less room – 4 eps per DVD, instead of 2.

Can you even buy the 2 ep/DVDs anymore? I thought they went out of print.

Having not seen more than a few minutes from either set, I can’t speak to technical merits. One thing that you might be able to investigate on the web, though – I read somewhere that when they were prepping the season sets that they planned to change the S1 theme (which has a soprano singing wordlessly along with the melody) to the theme from later seasons (which has the same music but no singer). My facts might be wrong, but if that’s true it’s the type of thing that would give some collectors pause.

–Cliffy

Wow. I think I will get the “lunchbox” if the sound is better an there are extras. Thanks to all.

And by wow, I meant, wow, fanboys are crazy, and wow, the DVD producers are crazy to incite the “Wrath of Fans”. :smiley:

Well, you’re either going to want to rush out and buy them now, or you’re going to want to wait for what’s supposed to be coming next. A buddy of mine just sent me an email and pic describing changes that they’re going to be doing to a future release of the TOS.

I don’t know what his source is for this, but I can say that based on the pic he sent, they’re spending some bucks on this. (The problem is that the effects will be rather jarring when compared to the quality of the rest of the program.)

Tuckerfan it sounds like George Lucas got his hands on the rights to the show.

[Lucas] “Now Star Trek will reflect what I really wanted to see as a kid.” [/Lucas}

Which raises the question, how much can be changed without destroying the original creation? I wouldn’t be happy about this as a fan, but I’d be rabid, foaming at the mouth, going Brody on somebody’s ass furious if I was the director and it was done without my consent.

whoa, hold on, are the gonna try really singing the words? to the theme? 'cause some friends and i tried that once… we didn’t get further than the second syllable before laughing so hard it felt like we did 20 million sit ups the next day.

didn’t nichelle nichols try singing it once in the series… perhaps they should just add that in.

[Ensign Ricky] Oh. Crap. [/Ensign Ricky] It’s real.

And yes, there’s a picture. Roddenberry must be spinning in his orbit.

I think it’ll be interesting to watch. Remember, they’re not sweeping the old versions under the rug, Lucas-style (yet). These new effects aren’t even available for purchase. I’ve been expecting someone to do this for a long time, and I look forward to being able to enjoy the story without being distracted by the flashlight-through-cellophane-on-a-dirty-print effects.

Just my $0.02.