[dianebrat]

I know, you're all thinking "how could there be an update?"

Apparently someone in the business did a quiet remastering of the series for the iTunes library and they have done a wonderful job, unlike the DVDs it's been remastered in the correct 4:3 ratio, it's color balance has been corrected and it looks pretty darn nice for the first time in a long time. Apparently even JMS wasn't told about it when asked on his twitter feed.

Best part? the whole series is currently $29.99 in iTunes, it is unclear if this remastered version will show up on other services for purchase at this time.

 

[morac]

The reviews are saying the iTunes version is widescreen and "terrible". Granted the reviews are from 1 and 2 years ago, so maybe it changed.

Edit:

Looks like it did as it says "remastered" in Apple TV, though that's from the individual episodes, not the "complete series".

Amazon apparently also got the remaster.

https://www.reddit.com/r/babylon5/comments/jl5g6t/just_saw_on_apple_tvbabylon_5_remastered/gb8rs9f

 

[dianebrat]

Yes, the remastering is new over the past few months.

 

[rloper]

I had the iTunes digital versions before and confirmed I have the Remastered version now. It also looks pretty good!

 

[gchance]

Streaming only? The DVD's are always available and never disappear from the earth.

 

[Rob Helmerichs]

Streaming only? The DVD's are always available and never disappear from the earth.

I have the DVDs, but they're not the greatest quality (the episodes were supposed to be shot so they would work either as 4:3 or 16:9, but many of the directors ignored that, resulting in non-optimal framings when shown 16:9; plus the FX were only done in the 4:3 frame, so the 16:9 is just a cropped version of the 4:3 for scenes with FX shots)...I would pay a reasonable price for a blu-ray set of the restored 4:3 version.

 

[dianebrat]

Streaming only? The DVD's are always available and never disappear from the earth.

As Rob states somewhat generously the DVDs are mediocre at best when compared to the "remastered" streaming releases, it was well worth $29.99 to get access to them on iTunes in addition to the DVDs I already own. Unfortunately B5 is pretty much an orphaned property thanks to the political infighting and petty attitude at WB so I doubt we'll ever see a BD release.

 

[gchance]

No, I totally understand. But these are on iTunes only, if they were on DVD or Blu-ray it would be much better. Being on iTunes they can be taken down at a moment's notice.

 

[eddyj]

It it was Vudu, I would get them.

 

[gschrock]

Huh, thought Babylon 5 was available for free with Prime on amazon, but guess not. I'd be kinda curious to see how they look, but not really worth shelling out the money for it given that I already have the dvd's. I doubt we'll ever see a reasonable release on media - HD is really out just because they don't have the elements necessary to do it, and I doubt there's enough market to do an SD release. I'm really surprised anything was done for teh streaming ones, and kinda curious where they got the sources to remaster what they did.

 

[dianebrat]

No, I totally understand. But these are on iTunes only, if they were on DVD or Blu-ray it would be much better. Being on iTunes they can be taken down at a moment's notice.

I have found of all the services I trust Apple the most because they swing a bigger stick and fewer of their items have gone *poof* into nowhere.

It it was Vudu, I would get them.

I am now leery of any of the UV partners since they do not seem to have anywhere near the stability of Apple and quite a few have gone *poof* over the years.

Huh, thought Babylon 5 was available for free with Prime on amazon, but guess not. I'd be kinda curious to see how they look, but not really worth shelling out the money for it given that I already have the dvd's. I doubt we'll ever see a reasonable release on media - HD is really out just because they don't have the elements necessary to do it, and I doubt there's enough market to do an SD release. I'm really surprised anything was done for teh streaming ones, and kinda curious where they got the sources to remaster what they did.

B5 dropped off Amazon Prime a while ago, I bet the incoming remastered stream was part of it.

If it were $29.99 per season on iTunes I'd agree, but $29.99 for all 5 seasons? that's dinner out and I'll happily give them my money for the far better quality than what the DVDs provide, while the DVDs were better than nothing, they were not well done and had a ton of errors with the unapproved widescreen release, this streaming rerelease is far better than the poor quality streaming that was just a dump of the DVD content. When you say "if there's enough interest to do an SD release" I'd consider this streaming upgrade as THAT release.

 

[Rob Helmerichs]

Unfortunately B5 is pretty much an orphaned property thanks to the political infighting and petty attitude at WB so I doubt we'll ever see a BD release.

Then again, that's what they said about Blade Runner for years (decades). And it was true.

Until it wasn't.

 

[dianebrat]

Then again, that's what they said about Blade Runner for years (decades). And it was true.

Until it wasn't.

In the past two weeks muttering of a BD release in the EU have started to pop up in rumor sites, so this could be a 2021 thing and I would be very happy about it.

 

[vertigo235]

Someone needs to do some of that AI powered up sampling to 1080p

 

[oscarfish]

I can almost guarantee that something cool will be re-released soon. I just recently watched all the B5 + Crusade + movie episodes. Too soon to watch again. But I won't wait 20 years to watch again next time.

 

[Craigbob]

Looks like B5 is coming to HBO Max late January!

HBO Max January 2021 Offerings: "Mad Max," "Babylon 5," and MUCH More

 

[gchance]

Looks like B5 is coming to HBO Max late January!

HBO Max January 2021 Offerings: "Mad Max," "Babylon 5," and MUCH More

WOW!!!

 

[john4200]

Looks like B5 is coming to HBO Max late January!

HBO Max January 2021 Offerings: "Mad Max," "Babylon 5," and MUCH More

I wonder if it will be the remastered version that this thread was about, or just one of the old versions that have been around for ages (since the third age of mankind).

 

[hairyblue]

I wonder if it will be the remastered version that this thread was about, or just one of the old versions that have been around for ages (since the third age of mankind).

I'm not sure. I'd had planned to buy Babylon 5 one more time on Blu-ray if it ever came out with better quality. I have the DVDs. I've rewatched the series 3 or 4 times over the years.

 

[ct1]

We bought the original TiVo Series 1 just to watch Babylon 5. (In mediocre SD..)