[Ollie C]

Hi, just seen that they have released a box set with every episode in but it's on DVD, anyone know if it's due on blu ray? It's only just come out last month on DVD, could be ages I guess!

[lechacal]

Seems very unlikely. It was all shot on standard definition tape, wasn't it? What would be the benefit of a BR release?

[rebel_scum]

I read that as Commando.
It's been one of those mornings.

[BamBamMickey]

No chance of a Blu-Ray i reckon.
Great show.

[Ollie C]

Thanks for the responses, surely most things from that era were shot on standard defination tape? Loads of old films out on blu ray which made me wonder about this.

[Alan CD]

I've had the full set of Columbo on DVD for about a year and the SD quality is very good considering the pilot was filmed back in 1971.

Aspect ratio of 4:3 but that does'nt bother me because the episodes are so enjoyable.

Unlikely to be a blu-ray release - no need!

[BamBamMickey]

Agreed, the quality on Columbo DVD's is fantastic for it's age.

[DICKIEDUVET]

Would love some old TV shows on Blu, Imagine The Rockford Files Theme in DTS-HD Master Audio

[mikegambit]

Like virtually all US drama Columbo was shot on cinema quality 35mm film so a Bluray release would be just as beneficial as it is for Star Trek TOS.

I got the complete run of 70's Columbo from Japan several years before it was released in the UK and US - the Japs seem to be very keen on it so a Bluray release might appear there first although in common with Jap dvd's their Blurays cost a fortune too.

The dvd/magazine series was the first way to buy the 1989 onwards new Columbo episodes to completion and the later ones are still not out or have not been out long in the US

The "complete" boxset that was originally released here was all 45 of the 70's shows but the 24 modern ones were available in a French boxset a long time back and have only just recently appeared in a UK boxset and they are included in the 2 separate releases as season 10 even though they are not season 10 - the last 6 or 8 were spread out over a number of years

I suspect we might be waiting quite sometime for US and UK Blurays although if/when they do come they will offer improved definition every bit as good as any cinema film

[mikegambit]

Originally Posted by lechacal

Seems very unlikely. It was all shot on standard definition tape, wasn't it? What would be the benefit of a BR release?

The majority of US tv shows have been made on 35mm film since the 50's.
Even the recent releases of the Disney Zorro show from 1958/59 is on 35mm film.

Tape was reserved mostly for sitcoms.

US shows made after the late 80's were still made on film but they were edited on tape so most shows of that era are unsuitable for Bluray unless a lot of work is done by going back to the original unedited film.

Star Trek TOS is superb on Bluray but TNG,DS9 and Voyager wont be on Bluray anytime soon.
Look at the DS9 episode included on the season 2 TOS Bluray to see why

[Pincho Paxton]

I would love it, but I wouldn't be able to afford it.

[Jim Di Griz]

Theres just one more thing...

Actually I cant believe there is a thread about Columbo on blu-ray!

[mikegambit]

Originally Posted by Jim Di Griz

Theres just one more thing...

Actually I cant believe there is a thread about Columbo on blu-ray!

Thats how I felt when I found out the whole series was out on dvd in Japan all those years ago.

Set me back about £26 per dvd with just 2 episodes on each

[Jim Di Griz]

Originally Posted by mikegambit

Thats how I felt when I found out the whole series was out on dvd in Japan all those years ago.

Set me back about £26 per dvd with just 2 episodes on each

Are you insane?!

I thought Id wasted money here and there but this takes the dirty raincoat!

[mikegambit]

Originally Posted by Jim Di Griz

Are you insane?!

I thought Id wasted money here and there but this takes the dirty raincoat!

I love Columbo and the series was available in Japan a long time before it became obvious that the show would be released elsewhere - in fact at the time it seemed very unlikely that something like Columbo would come out in anything other than the "best of" type releases we originally had in the UK.

Then I paid £7.99 each for the mag/dvd releases but only from about issue 25 when they reached the revival episodes.

Some of the Jap discs were released in double packs but they were not much cheaper and I always got stung for customs on top.

The only thing I can think of that makes the Jap discs almost unique is that they contain the original version of the episode "Etude In Black" with John Cassavettes.
It was a 75 minute episode and Stephen Bochco got an Emmy nomination for that script -but the network decided to pad it to 90+ minutes and added several irrelevant scenes and extended some others - the long version even has additional credits at the end for the actors who only appeared in the padding. The long version was put into syndication and AFAIK is the only version included on the UK and US discs although I believe that like the Jap discs its a bonus in the French boxset.
The original version does play better

I even imported the book of the show - The Columbo Phile and that at least has become something of an investment even if the dvd's never did

[mattrixdesign2]

HD Columbo

Just thinking out aloud here, but if it is SD, then is there an argument to say they could release the series on BluRay but taking up for fewer discs than DVD, is this possible? Are the any TV series out there where by they cram more on a BluRay disc.

[mikegambit]

Originally Posted by mattrixdesign2

HD Columbo

Just thinking out aloud here, but if it is SD, then is there an argument to say they could release the series on BluRay but taking up for fewer discs than DVD, is this possible? Are the any TV series out there where by they cram more on a BluRay disc.

It's not SD - its made on film

[Alan CD]

Originally Posted by mattrixdesign2

HD Columbo

Just thinking out aloud here, but if it is SD, then is there an argument to say they could release the series on BluRay but taking up for fewer discs than DVD, is this possible? Are the any TV series out there where by they cram more on a BluRay disc.

I understand what you are saying - they could cram loads of SD episodes onto a disc, but then it would not be blu-ray, ie not high-def.

Nice to hear though that Columbo was filmed on 35mm. That means they could transfer to blu-ray as long as they still have the masters!

[mattrixdesign2]

Originally Posted by mikegambit

It's not SD - its made on film

was it, well thats good news for fans, I must admit I am not one of them.

[mikegambit]

I'm surprised that in this age of people seeking out perfect image quality via dvd and Bluray that so many seem unable to tell the difference between something shot on video or 16mm and something made on 35mm.

It was easy enough on VHS but with dvd its a cinch

Granted that the US move in the 80's to editing on video muddies the waters a bit as does the practice of releasing vhs tapes sourced from 16mm when the product was filmed on 35mm

[wengchiang]

As predicted there will be a complete Bluray collection from Japan in December with not only the original 70's episodes but the revival episodes too.
A wallet busting $650 .
Check out Amazon Japan for details.
And here.

http://www.avmaniacs.com/forums/show...48711&p=894333

[allanp]

ITV 1 have definitely shown Columbo in HD, even in 4:3 windowboxed as flicking between normall ITV 1 and the HD variant you could see a massive difference in quality.

[wengchiang]

Originally Posted by allanp

ITV 1 have definitely shown Columbo in HD, even in 4:3 windowboxed as flicking between normall ITV 1 and the HD variant you could see a massive difference in quality.

ITV have only shown some of the revival episodes in HD.
The 67-78 episodes are still SD only.

But it's those I'm most looking forward to in HD.

When ITV1HD first became a full time HD channel and they insisted on incorrectly labelling sd programmes as "upscaled HD" they did in fact show some Columbo in a compromised ratio on the HD channel where it was in between 4:3 and 16:9.

Not sure if the revival films are genuinely 16:9 but Universal have released some from around 1990 on dvd in 16:9 and 1990 is too early for proper widescreen on US tv.

From what I've read so far the Japanese boxset will be the correct 4:3 throughout.