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Baobab Archiver

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Join date
22-Jan-2017
Last activity
18-Feb-2024
Posts
158

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Post
#1326058
Topic
The A-Team Broadcast Restoration (Released)
Time

Thinking about this project again the other day, as it was put on the back burner due to lack of sources.

Here is the current state of things:

I still have the UK VHS release of Mexican Slayride, plus the restored scene that was shared on the spleen.

I also have all the season 2 teasers from the spleen, plus the season 3 teasers from the UK DVD set.

Finally, I have the audio music edits from an off air source, but the quality is average due to the age of the recording.

So, funnily enough, I actually have everything that’s missing (as far as I’m aware), just need to decide if it’s worth taking the plunge with the editing, using less than perfect sources.

The VHS I have of the pilot is of a very high quality (amongst the best VHS commercial releases I’ve seen in all honesty), but it has macrovision so my dvd recorder won’t record it. I’m trying to see if there’s anything I can do it get around this. I’ve read that using a camcorder with a video in helps to bypass it, but since I don’t have one (and they’re expensive secondhand) that’s not really an option…

Oh, and Paramount TV channel in the UK have started showing The A-Team. Unfortunately the pilot had the usual cuts, so I am doubtful the music will be intact when they get to season 3. You never know though!

If anyone can help out with a way of circumventing the macrovision, please do let me know. I have a Panasonic VCR feeding into a Panasonic ES10 DVD Recorder.

Thanks

Post
#1296611
Topic
The A-Team Broadcast Restoration (Released)
Time

The Special Edition Blu-ray set has now been launched in the UK.
The advertised differences are more around the inclusion of commentary tracks on selected episodes, and collectors postcards.

Has anyone bought it and checked if any of the edits on the first set have been addressed (unlikely I know)?

Can’t bring myself to spend another £150 for such minor differences, but if by some miracle the episodes are unedited I may be swayed 😃

Post
#1296223
Topic
Info: Forces TV (UK tv channel) beginning <strong>Quantum Leap</strong> re-run tonight
Time

Yep, definitely cropped.
I’ve also checked if it’s got any extra material at the sides (The Dukes of Hazzard went for a 16:9 image and had some extra which slightly reduced the amount lost from top and bottom) but it appears exactly the same as the US Blu-ray.

Fingers crossed the few edits on the Blu-ray set are present when they get to those episodes, but I’m not hopeful!

Post
#1296066
Topic
Info: Forces TV (UK tv channel) beginning <strong>Quantum Leap</strong> re-run tonight
Time

Have you seen this thread?

(https://originaltrilogy.com/topic/Quantum-Leap-Complete-Series-with-ALL-of-the-Original-Music-Restored-Project/id/55144)

Seems to suggest that there’s no real audio problems with either the US or the UK Blu-ray set, but a couple of syndicated episodes which we may be lucky enough to get broadcast unedited.
Could be wrong though, as I’m by no means knowledgeable on the series.

Hope this helps

Post
#1291711
Topic
Info: Discussion on <strong>80's cartoons</strong> on DVD....bad aliasing (jaggies)!
Time

To me that looks pretty good! If I had one comment it would be that I think some of the noise reduction might be a little aggressive. For example, if you look at the shot of Laserbeak flying around 18:20,he vanishes for a moment and then reappears. My files sourced from my US DVDs don’t have that issue, but for the most part I thought they were very good.

Also be aware that the animation quality in Transformers varies greatly. The other episodes in Season 1 are nowhere near the standard of the 3 part pilot!

henryperu77 said:

Hi…

I tried a new encode, i stabilized, cleaned and upscaled it to 1080p check it out

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fD_f7Oz8PLfYnhfQa19Yx1e4YA2IdzlH/view?usp=sharing

2 audios - Spanish/English

Post
#1270260
Topic
Droids Series Complete Set. Reconstruction from multiple sources. V1.0 is out! (Released)
Time

Danfun128 said:

Why resize to 720p? What resolution are you recording to anyways? You should just leave it in SD IMO.

I have to agree (to a point).
If you could go back and capture again at a higher resolution that would probably provide the best possible result.
Upscaling to 720p may make the filtering marginally more effective, but I think that benefit would be lost by the fact the image will be scaled twice (once to 720p then again when viewing to either 1080p or 2160p).

You could turn it all on it’s head though… Capture again at highest resolution you can, run all filtering, then resize back down to SD. I know of professional restoration projects that followed that work flow for DVD releases.

Post
#1262880
Topic
Help Wanted: Knight Rider restoration
Time

A brief update - not good news I’m afraid!
The source I had for the missing stereo episodes sent me his captures yesterday. Unfortunately, even though the VHS tape box had the stereo box ticked, the actual content appeared to be mono. Now I’m not sure if this is because the actual broadcast was mono, or if the recording was incorrectly labelled as stereo.
To clarify, I’m sure the information provided to me by the contact was genuine, just the tapes didn’t contain what he believed they did.

Anyway, the hunt continues.
PJ-1978 - I can see you haven’t been here since your original post, but if you do revisit at some point, please can you get in touch if you have any recordings of these 2 episodes that were made using a NICAM VCR. Thanks!

Again, I am also happy to look at the minor credits differences, but don’t have the ability to calatogue them since I don’t have access to original recordings. If anyone wishes to provide the summary of these I can see what is possible.

Post
#1255105
Topic
Help Wanted: Knight Rider restoration
Time

Wow that certainly was a long post, but very interesting!

I’ve read it twice to try and take in everything you’ve mentioned but will probably need to read it a couple of times more!

Your knowledge is incredibly impressive - certainly far greater than mine, and arguably the most comprehensive I’ve come across to date (and you’re up against some stuff competition!)

I’m not opposed to tackling credits differences, as my goal is to get the most accurate recreations of the series original broadcast. One thought though, which might be complete rubbish… Is there a chance the original UK broadcasts differed to those in the US? I.e. Could the credit difference be due to this?

I’ll leave these differences to one side for now, as I’m interested to read your (and other readers) thoughts on that.

Back to the more significant changes…

A-Team

Currently I have the VHS release with the complete Jumpin’ Jack Flash scene, but unfortunately it has macrovision and I have no means of getting a decent quality capture onto the PC. Shame as the tape playback seems to be of a high quality for VHS.
I have an off air recording of the Cheeseburger in Paradise and Dedicated follower of fashion sections of the relevant episodes but again, not a perfect solution as the quality is average at best. If you have recordings of these scenes that were made with a NICAM VCR (or any other digital device) I would be VERY interested in seeing if we could sort something out.

Finally, the missing pre-credit teasers can be recreated using audio from the DVD releases of season 3,and the season 2 teasers that a kind person from this site has already shared. The video can be taken from the episodes themselves, unless there are any cases where the teaser contains footage not used in the actual episode.
This task is on my to do list, but will take some time to complete, so I am reluctant to tackle it just yet, as sods law they’d release a US set with them all intact just after I finish!!!

Onto Knight Rider…

I have a very promising lead for obtaining the last two stereo tracks I need for season 4 (Knight of the Juggernaut and Burial Ground). Not sure if they’ll actually surface, but watch this space…

The 2 parters on the Blu-ray have indeed been changed via a disc exchange programme, as with the A-team set. That gives you all of the 2 parters uncut.

Again, I’m interested in tackling credits differences, but it’s way beyond my knowledge to spot the differences! Depending (as already said) on people’s opinions on credits differences, if you feel you have the desire (and patience!) I’m happy to do the editing where possible, but would need to know the following:

A) The episode name and details of the part that differs.
B) If the sound / video exists in another episode, then the name of that episode.

To be honest, cases where the credits are over a part of the episode itself are unlikely to be fixable by taking from another source, without a drop in picture quality, and then I really have to weigh up if it’s worth it. If it’s a case of adding one in, it might be possible if the font can be matched, but airbrushing one out that shouldn’t be there is a different matter!

Look forward to hearing your thoughts

Post
#1201864
Topic
The A-Team Broadcast Restoration (Released)
Time

A minor update, but nothing positive to report. I bought the German season 3 DVD set as it was a good price, but sadly both the English and the German soundtracks are edited.
On a slightly more unbeat note, I have been in contact with a keen fan from the US who has an extensive history of recordings of both A-team and Knight Rider. He has provided me with off air recordings of the two cut sections, but as it is not a digital source there is a noticeable different in quality to a DVD/Blu-ray source.
They are however a last resort fallback plan, if no other sources come to light.

Post
#1192191
Topic
Wallace &amp; Gromit in &quot;The Wrong Trousers&quot; - Original Audio Preservation (Released)
Time

ElectricTriangle said:

They’re asking if they use the same transfer. If they do, then the US bluray is the one worth working from, as it’s 1080p progressive and can be sped up to 25fps easily, whereas the AUS BD would have to be deinterlaced. (the BD spec only allows 25/50fps in an interlaced form.)

True, but if the source is truly progressive, then the 1080i50 stream will be identical to what a 1080p25 would’ve been if it were a permitted format. If there is any hint of interlacing (such as scrolling credits) then it would’ve been intended on the original version. There would be no interlacing created by making it 1080i50,unlike NTSC would have.

Post
#1190920
Topic
Wallace &amp; Gromit in &quot;The Wrong Trousers&quot; - Original Audio Preservation (Released)
Time

alloneword said:

Baobab Archiver said:

Hi all

I am a casual fan of the Wallace and Gromit adventures. I wasn’t aware it was a victim of music cuts (one of my pet hates!)
I have the UK DVD release from 2000. Does anyone know if this is an uncut version? I know it will be the correct framerate, and would be happy to provide a PAL sync to the TV rip if it is required. Ideally the Australian Blu-ray would be the best visual source, but no-one around here seems to have access to it…

All UK PAL DVD’s have the music edits. I have the AUS BD but sadly no Blu Ray drive to rip it with.

Ah that’s a shame.
Ironically I have a Blu-ray drive for ripping, but no disc to rip!

Post
#1190916
Topic
Wallace &amp; Gromit in &quot;The Wrong Trousers&quot; - Original Audio Preservation (Released)
Time

Hi all

I am a casual fan of the Wallace and Gromit adventures. I wasn’t aware it was a victim of music cuts (one of my pet hates!)
I have the UK DVD release from 2000. Does anyone know if this is an uncut version? I know it will be the correct framerate, and would be happy to provide a PAL sync to the TV rip if it is required. Ideally the Australian Blu-ray would be the best visual source, but no-one around here seems to have access to it…

Post
#1181331
Topic
Help Wanted: Knight Rider restoration
Time

No stereo track on “Burial Ground” Spike repeat. Now a long wait for when/if Forces TV show it.
Not looking hopeful though…

I’m running out of places to check for both of these. Might need to see if there’s any foreign channels broadcasting the series (without dubbing obviously).
Anyone able to help with that?

Or if anyone has some off air recordings in stereo… Please get in touch. I’m sure we could sort something out that would be mutually beneficial 😃