Would be the initial, pre-1985 home video P&S master, not?

One would think, but I honestly have no clue.

From the Wayback machine:

davisdvd.com said:

What You Didn't Know: Despite popular belief, this was not the only transfer made of Star Wars. At some point, a second fullscreen video transfer was created from a 16mm flat print source. Since an anamorphic (2.35:1) 35mm print had been reduced down to a flat (1.33:1) 16mm print, this 16mm source featured different pan & scan decisions made during the print reduction. One main difference in this transfer was that Luke's macrobinocular POV shot of the Banthas was squeezed to actually show the Tusken Raider walking to the side of the frame. This video transfer was only shown on HBO and was never offered for sale or rent [ Special Thanks to David C. Fein ]

SilverWook said:

I've not seen the squeezed macrobinocular shot in any of the early home video transfers, only in the "HBO version". 

That shot is squeezed in the transfer used for the '82 CED and LD release, the '82 tapes and later Pan & Scan releases used a different transfer. So the info Mallwalker provided is probably true aside from the part that it wasn't offered for sale, the HBO broadcast would be interesting to have preserved as the CED and LD's were time-compressed.

silverwook, i have a way oof getting the full intro in dvd quality. It will cost a little money, but I'm willing to pay it if you think you can get me a copy of your betamax version.

SilverWook said:

I've not seen the squeezed macrobinocular shot in any of the early home video transfers, only in the "HBO version".

Thanks for finding that. :)

I too have seen this shot on my 1988 PAL VHS. as discussed here http://originaltrilogy.com/forum/topic.cfm/PAL-VHS-Archive-Collection/topic/3829/  in posts 8 and 10. The pictures are long gone. Sorry. In fact I have seen 3 versions of this shot, a slice in the middle of the screen, a slice to left or right and the squeezed shot discussed here in this thread.

Similarly, I did a screenshot page to highlight changes in another shot of Fullscreen releases  http://homepage.ntlworld.com/russdawson/gtf/swfull.html

Hey, I remember when I thought NNtN was funny!

SilverWook said:

Wish I still had a copy of this. Would make for a great cover?

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb4PBYQdJbs

That would make a great cover. If a high res can't be found, it wouldn't be too hard to replicate. 

Need a preservation to wrap it around first though :)

msycamore said:

SilverWook said:

I've not seen the squeezed macrobinocular shot in any of the early home video transfers, only in the "HBO version". 

That shot is squeezed in the transfer used for the '82 CED and LD release, the '82 tapes and later Pan & Scan releases used a different transfer. So the info Mallwalker provided is probably true aside from the part that it wasn't offered for sale, the HBO broadcast would be interesting to have preserved as the CED and LD's were time-compressed.

I cannot confirm the 82 CED but have checked and agree with the above. I have also checked my PAL VHS tapes and the 82, 88 and 89 versions all have the squeezed macrobinocular shot - BUT - they too are at PAL speed which is equivalent to the time-compressed NTSC versions....

davisdvd.com said:

What You Didn't Know: Despite popular belief, this was not the only transfer made of Star Wars. At some point, a second fullscreen video transfer was created from a 16mm flat print source. Since an anamorphic (2.35:1) 35mm print had been reduced down to a flat (1.33:1) 16mm print, this 16mm source featured different pan & scan decisions made during the print reduction. One main difference in this transfer was that Luke's macrobinocular POV shot of the Banthas was squeezed to actually show the Tusken Raider walking to the side of the frame. This video transfer was only shown on HBO and was never offered for sale or rent [ Special Thanks to David C. Fein ]

When reading this again, it doesn't seem to be correct. From what I have seen the '82 HBO/CED/LD transfer was made from the same source that the other pan & scan transfers - '82 US Betamax/VHS and '85 LD was made from. The same ugly splices, glue marks and damage can be found on them even though the transfers are different with its different pan & scan decisions and framing. It seems all video transfers from '82 to '89/'92 was made from the same IP/source until they digged up a different IP in '92, this one seems to have first been used on the '92 Special Letterbox Collector's Edition VHS then later used for the '93 SWE LD (technidisc), '93 Definitive Collection and '95 Faces.

Fingers crossed that your tape looks decent, but even if it doesn't, I would still like to make a preservation disc of it.