[Mo Better Blues]

For me the cost is not an issue other than it should be worth the extra.

Your quote that the picture is only slightly better is pushing me ever closer to the DVD.
The sound is important of course but this alone is not enough for me.

So as I really do want the ease of watching it seems that my choice is made.

Thank you for your considered opinion.

[Mo Better Blues]

No more huffing and puffing, DVD set ordered from Amazon

[slitheen]

I have the BD set and the improvements are much more than just better compression (or lack thereof), contrast and colour. Heck, that much is clear on the screenshots on that digital bits page with the interview with New Video's Dan Kenny. Just look at the hair on D.K... and his face, or the rope detail on Chiana's sleeve. It is subtle, but the best example of upscaling I've ever seen. This little extra detail and lack of compression artefacting, as well as better colour and contrast, as well as the HD audio... heck, this is the best Farscape has ever looked and sounded. And until someone discovers 35mm negatives in the loft, it is the best it ever will look.

Compare these with DVD's on big screens or 4k screens, or whatever technology comes next and the BD's will soon be indispensable. A lot of people got put off by that early Blu-ray.com review, but it was incredibly unfair. Clearly he was comparing the PQ to 35mm sourced BD's, when the question should be how do they stack up to Farscape on DVD. And for my money, they're much better.

I got my set for £75... well worth it.

[irascian]

I have to disagree that this set is worth paying for over the DVD. Comparing the original DVD set to the Blu-ray set I can't see any difference - my own DVD player does a good job of upscaling a third rate picture thank you very much.

The release of this title seems to be the worst kind of cynical marketing. the box (cheap and nasty) talks a lot about the series being available in "high definition" and it isn't. It's crappy upscaled PAL.

Worse it's not complete the way the original DVD set was which included the mini-series, so that the last episode on the blu-rays contains "To be continued" with no continuation at all.

The much touted "new" retrospective documentary runs to a pitiful 36 minutes, with lots of repetitive soft focus clips which only serve to show the difference between HD (the talking heads) and SD (the upscaled Blu-ray clips)

The packaging is shoddy. They couldn't even be arsed to include an episode guide or synopsis. You get four "fat" Amray cases with slots for non-existent booklets, with only the Series One case containing anything - a catalog of endless tedious releases from the History Channel: errm what has this got to do with FarScape?

I love "FarScape" and paid the asking price in the hope I'd get something over and above the cost of the DVDs which I bought long before they got reissued for pennies. But this Blu-ray set was a complete waste of money unless you've never seen the show and want to watch it. If you already own the DVD set my advice would be to stick with that. The cost of the Blu-rays just isn't justified, and companies shouldn't be allowed to get away with putting such third-rate "rip off the fans" packages out at such a premium price.

[Indiana Jones]

I notice you didn't mention the audio which for me was the main reason to upgrade, the DTS-HD is a huge improvement over the standard DD5.1 tracks of the DVDs however I was never going to pay full price for an upscale set, I was happy to pay £20 to upgrade from DVD to BD though.

As for it not including the Peacekeeper Wars that's beyond their control as A&E don't hold the rights so I just went and ordered the German BD for £12

[irascian]

Originally Posted by Indiana Jones

I notice you didn't mention the audio which for me was the main reason to upgrade, the DTS-HD is a huge improvement over the standard DD5.1 tracks of the DVDs however I was never going to pay full price for an upscale set, I was happy to pay £20 to upgrade from DVD to BD though.

As for it not including the Peacekeeper Wars that's beyond their control as A&E don't hold the rights so I just went and ordered the German BD for £12

That's because I don't have a decent sound system to get benefits at the moment. Got an ugly wall-mounted Pioneer 50" plasma in the lounge with a good 5.1 system but it's being fed by a PS3 and has no HDMI input on the 720p TV so not great for picture viewing or sound viewing because of the PS3's poor audio output. In my study I have a much better HDMI 1080p TV with great PQ but only TV sound as there's no room for speakers.

I need to upgrade both systems, but it won't be cheap (removing the Pioneer plasma from the wall is going to be an expensive challenge given the mess the original fitting company made in getting it on there in the first place) and have had too much "down time" this year with less income than usual so stuck with the compromises.

For me PQ would be main reason to upgrade anyway and I just feel the whole "high definition" promise of the packaging is a massive con, as is not revealing on the packaging that the mini-series talked about in the new documentary isn't included on the discs because of rights issues. Those are of no concern to the buyer - the buyer just wants the whole set on Blu-ray and it should be made clearer that unlike the "definitive" DVD set equivalent that's not present here.

[Steven]

What do you mean poor audio output? The PS3 bitstreams HD audio tracks to your receiver when using HDMI. Your receiver then does the decoding. Think you are pointing at the wrong culprit or have not set up your PS3's audio settings properly!

[ukcanuk]

Originally Posted by Steven

What do you mean poor audio output? The PS3 bitstreams HD audio tracks to your receiver when using HDMI. Your receiver then does the decoding. Think you are pointing at the wrong culprit or have not set up your PS3's audio settings properly!

Depends on the age of the PS3 - my launch PS3 won't bitstream HD tracks - I think it was one of the things that changed with the introduction of the slim?

[Indiana Jones]

The original couldn't bitstream but it could send HD audio as PCM.

[irascian]

Originally Posted by Steven

What do you mean poor audio output? The PS3 bitstreams HD audio tracks to your receiver when using HDMI. Your receiver then does the decoding. Think you are pointing at the wrong culprit or have not set up your PS3's audio settings properly!

My Yamaha DSL-A1amp doesn't have HDMI. all I seem to be able to get from PS3 using optical digital out is "ProLogic" according to the amp

[Steven]

Without wanting to go too far off topic, but:

PS3 Slim	HDMI	Optical
DTS-MA	Y	N
Doilby True HD	Y	N
AAC 5.1	Y	N
PCM 5.1	Y	N
Dolby Digital 5.1	Y	Y
DTS 5.1	Y	Y
PCM 2.1	Y	Y

, provided your receiver is compatible

--------------------------------------

Still not sure about the Blu-ray set but then again if they have lost the original films , the upscale job may be as good as it gets. Found this interview which explains some things: The Digital Bits - New Video's Dan Kenny on the Farscape Blu-rays. Peacekeeper Wars Blu-ray apparently being worked on as existing German release is poor?

Avid viewer of this show back when it was on terrestrial telly here, then somewhat shocked at the abrupt end to season 4. C'est la vie

[Indiana Jones]

My German BD is on the way so will be able to see how poor it really is soon but as long as its an improvement over the DVD I won't mind.

[Doctor Hades]

I think I'll wait for this to either drop in price or be reissued with Peacekeepers. Doesn't sound that great from user comments and improved audio is not enough for me either, especially as I only have a Sony surround sound setup that accepts co-axial/optical output anyway. I only want to watch the series from start to finish, having not seen anything but the odd episode, so picture quality isn't too important. May even pick up the complete boxset if it ever drops below £20 in the sales.

[HummerUK]

Amazon.co.uk: Farscape - The Definitive Collection (Series 1-4) [Blu-ray][Region Free]: Film & TV

£58.97 at the moment - tempting or what?

HummerUK

[Indiana Jones]

I thought I got it for a good price at £62 back in November, if you like the show and don't have it on DVD then the BD's are a must.

[HummerUK]

Just ordered from Amazon for under £43.00

HummerUK

[Indiana Jones]

Fantastic price, still not got any further into Season 2 than when I last posted lol

[rojgelf]

Originally Posted by Indiana Jones

Fantastic price, still not got any further into Season 2 than when I last posted lol

I think amazon price matched tescos, I was hoping for a 15% code to get a real bargain, but its not longer listed now its Tesco direct. Hopefuly it will be back but will the 15% codes?

[HummerUK]

Just watching the first episode and I am generally very impressed. Even the special effect / CGI shots look very good.

At £11.00 a season good value compared with my first DVD box-set which I think cost £99.00.

HummerUK

[Indiana Jones]

Originally Posted by HummerUK

Just watching the first episode and I am generally very impressed. Even the special effect / CGI shots look very good.

At £11.00 a season good value compared with my first DVD box-set which I think cost £99.00.

HummerUK

I collected them when they were first released as volumes, 4 maybe 5 episodes for £20 and now you can get all 4 seasons for £43

[Steven]

Originally Posted by Doctor Hades

I think I'll wait for this to either drop in price or be reissued with Peacekeepers.

As we are one year on, any news on this chaps? Just for the sake of uniformity, prefer my boxes to be complete. Am already looking on disgustingly at my Futurama and Arrested Development sets

[HummerUK]

You can get the Peacekeepers on BD but not a UK release which according to this thread is a rights issue.

http://www.amazon.de/Farscape-The-Pe...0763422&sr=8-2

EDIT: Just ordered for about £13.00 delivered.

HummerUK

[Indiana Jones]

Had my German BD sitting on the shelf ever since I got the 1-4 set, planned to do a marathon viewing then move straight onto Peacekeeper Wars but that fell apart along time ago lol