I wish I could help out, but the 97's seem to be the hardest versions to find. I have old VHS tapes that can't convert to DVD due to "Lucasvision" copy protection. I know that there are several broadcast etc. versions floating around, and I suggest you check the galactic trade federation site for more info on those. Other than that, I 'm waiting for the Max Rebo 97 superset. Hope this helps.

Thanks

Analog macrovision can easily be circumvented by buying an illegal device that costs about 20 dollars, but is still illegal even though hardly anyone uses vhs anymore. Just like copying nes games is still illegal,lol.

Of course there are more expensive stabilizers that can go for 50 bucks to hundreds of dollars.

The fullscreen '97 SE VCDs-on-DVD are still in a.b.sw if that's any use.

Oh yeah, I just remembered I have the '97 SE VCDs. I have been meaning to convert those to DVD for a while now. Quality would be nothing compared to a decent laserdisc transfer.

AxiaEuxine said:

I wanted to do an article for my website about all the changes, no matter how small ever done to the star wars movies. I need copies of the 97 Special Editions. Can ne1 help me out with this? tia

This guy has an extensive write-up of all the changes, complete with screen caps and audio samples.  Might at least get you up to speed on the changes.

http://www.dvdactive.com/editorial/articles/star-wars-the-changes-part-one.html

I've never seen the SEs,  so I don't know how complete a list it really is.

I sent Axia some discs of the 97 versions so unless he is still looking for other versions, the issue is settled.

I had the g'kar and i sent him my only copies.

I am not sure if i remember correctly but i think i also sent him my duplicate copy of the dark jedi set.

Seeing as i have a laserdisc player and the lasers, at the moment that is the best way to watch the 97 versions.

All the preservations have lacked in the audio, having to compress it down to ac3 at a low bitrate.  I cannot access the 5.1 on the discs because i have no rf audio out, but the digital pcm is really pretty awesome.

If only in stereo. Still beats dolby 2.0 on dvd any day.

skyjedi2005 said:

...that is the best way to watch the 97 versions.

Actually, I think the best way to watch the 97 versions is to watch them going into a trash can, where they belong.

See - and you guys thought Sky was the only one that made angry posts.

;-)

Anchorhead said:

I've never seen the SEs,  so I don't know how complete a list it really is.

Suddenly, I am jealous.  Especially the 04 version.  Man, I regret ever having watched/purchased them.

If the originals hadn't been locked away in the vault for all time there wouldn't be such hatred for the SE. I enjoy and appreciate both versions but feel that they should be available to all. Instead we are forced to live off VHS and Laserdisc.  I understand people's hatred for the changes, but the 97 SE was how I first encountered the films. If I hear another time that the 04 DVDs are the 1997 Special Edition I will go to the window and shout-"I'm as mad as hell and I'm not going to take this anymore!"

Thought about going for the GKar and etc. but saw Max Rebo's superset project and decided to wait it out. Have a really good WS VHS set in the meantime. (no LD player!) BTW do the 97 lasers only have a 5.1 track? I've heard that the theatrical release was DTS, but am not sure. What I'm really looking to do is recreate as closely as possible my orignal experience in 1997.

captainsolo said:

If the originals hadn't been locked away in the vault for all time there wouldn't be such hatred for the SE.

I can't speak for anyone else here, but where I'm concerned - I don't hate the SEs. However, I have zero interest in them.  I knew as soon as I heard about them 12 years ago that I was never going to watch them. It wasn't even a remote possibility. The original movies didn't need to be altered.  The Prequels needed to be written properly in the first place - or not at all.  Over the past 12 years George has made 6 more versions of the original three films.  All of that time, money, & energy should have gone toward making the three prequels - so that they could have been something other than weak &  poorly-acted cartoons.

The story, the look, the pacing, the characters, the locations, and the vast universe that Star Wars77 takes place in have all been in my head for over 30 years. Here I am on a message board three decades later still discussing that one film - it moved me that much.  I have no desire to try and force my brain to reconcile images, sounds, & a story that conflict with any of that. In fact, I find it very strange that fans of the films are willing to let Lucas gaslight them the way he does.

I'm 47 years old.  I didn't grow up in a world where everything is disposable.  If watching the original Star Wars on the official DVD from a couple of years ago is how I have to enjoy Star Wars the only way I've ever known it -  then that's how I will watch it, forever. Watching that copy takes me on the same adventure I've always gone on - and I enjoy it every time.

ChainsawAsh said:

There's a Dolby 5.1 track, but no DTS - but to my knowledge (and I could be wrong), the only difference between DD and DTS tracks on DVDs is compression (DD is more compressed than DTS).

That's what I thought, but then I ran across these on ebay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Star-Wars-DTS-Digital-Sound-disks_W0QQitemZ220446776564QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_Movies_Other_Formats?hash=item3353a6dcf4&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12|66%3A2|39%3A1|72%3A1205|293%3A1|294%3A50

Not sure what exactly this is, but it seems to be a DTS soundtrack for the 97 ANH-this is some kind of DTS CD precursor to DTS tracks on DVD I think.

Fang Zei said:

Do you guys think the '97 version should be included in the eventual blu-ray set? It would be nice to have a complete historical record of the theatrical releases of the movies. They'd have to make it at least three discs per film (one for the final version, one for the '97 and one for the unaltered), but since the transfers on each disc wouldn't take up all 50 gigs they could spread alot of extras over the extra space.

 It would be interesting to have if only for documenting where it all started to go wrong.  Honestly, I have Adywan's version if I want a souped-up version.  But I'll watch the OOT 9 times out of 10.

SilverWook said:

Someone on this board had access to some SE DTS discs a couple years back, but I have no idea if they could figure out how to play them back. The players used in a theater are proprietary and synch up to a timecode embedded in the film.

For discs produced before 2005, it is possible for certain pirate/hacker types to rip the audio off the DTS theater discs. I have no idea how, or what equipment is involved.

After 2005 the discs were encrypted, and this encryption has AFAIK never been cracked.

Fang Zei said:

Do you guys think the '97 version should be included in the eventual blu-ray set? It would be nice to have a complete historical record of the theatrical releases of the movies. They'd have to make it at least three discs per film (one for the final version, one for the '97 and one for the unaltered), but since the transfers on each disc wouldn't take up all 50 gigs they could spread alot of extras over the extra space.

Yes, definitely. The '97 versions didn't have the botched colors which make them so much better than the 2004 versions.

bkev said:

Dark Jedi did a LD preservation a long time ago.  May be worth asking him if he still has it.

Also, does anyone have the "Changes" article archived from starwars.com?

I am actually tossing around redoing this set as well,I have learned a lot since I did all these LD's way way back then.