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Idea: MAX HEADROOM - a preservation?

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 (Edited)

http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:csm25GbG_UJcqM:www.serieslive.com/img/series/casting/max_headroom.jpg
When looking in storage for my Indiana Jones stuff, I found a bunch of VHS tapes I made of Max Headroom. This was recorded off of Sci-Fi Network when they had a Maxathon Marathon of the entire shows run. This show was GREAT, and after watching a few episodes, it still holds up very well today. The transfers look great, and this show can not be found in an offical release. I don’t have the BBC version of the pilot, or the talkshows. This is just the prime time network run episodes.

Anyone think this needs preservation?

“First feel fear, then get angry. Then go with your life into the fight.” - Bill Mollison

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I'd love to see a Max Headroom DVD preservation!

I used to be very active on this forum. I’m not really anymore. Sometimes, people still want to get in touch with me about something, and that is great! If that describes you, please email me at [my username]ATgmailDOTcom.

Hi everybody. You’re all awesome. Keep up the good work.

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Nahhh that's a bad bad idea...



Hellz yeah DO IT!!!!!

“My skill are no longer as Mad as the once were” RiK

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I have Max Headroom on DVD. I don't know what the quality is as I've never taken the episodes out and watched them. Hm.
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I was told that there's a few sets for sale on the auctions, but that they are missing some scenes / shots where the person who was recording the original forgot to start recording the program after the adverts. I let my VCR run, and change tapes on the adverts well before the tape runs out. :-)

After "Thunderball" is done (and it's close0, I'll have a go at Max.

“First feel fear, then get angry. Then go with your life into the fight.” - Bill Mollison

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Originally posted by: FanFiltration
http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:csm25GbG_UJcqM:www.serieslive.com/img/series/casting/max_headroom.jpg
When looking in storage for my Indiana Jones stuff, I found a bunch of VHS tapes I made of Max Headroom. This was recorded off of Sci-Fi Network when they had a Maxathon Marathon of the entire shows run. This show was GREAT, and after watching a few episodes, it still holds up very well today. The transfers look great, and this show can not be found in an offical release. I don't have the BBC version of the pilot, or the talkshows. This is just the prime time network run episodes.

Anyone think this needs preservation?



I have tapes from the original ABC broadcasts, I also have a tape of the original BBC Pilot as well as some of the Max Headroom Cinemax shows, If you need anything contact me.
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I have a kid-sized Max Headroom elastic belt with magnetic buckle. That thing rules.

I used to be very active on this forum. I’m not really anymore. Sometimes, people still want to get in touch with me about something, and that is great! If that describes you, please email me at [my username]ATgmailDOTcom.

Hi everybody. You’re all awesome. Keep up the good work.

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I'll get to work on Max as soon as I get the Thunderball preservation, and another major fan edit out in the next month.

This show would work best as "XviD-XOR.avi" type torrent files no?

“First feel fear, then get angry. Then go with your life into the fight.” - Bill Mollison

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I have this series on 3 DVDs, but I am looking for a better DVD version. Is there a plan to do that?
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I was just watching Matt Frewer on Sci-fi's new series Eureka, and was telling my wife about Max Headroom. I would love to see a preservation of this series. I have it downloaded as avi's but would like to see a full DVD preservation. I still remember the first time I ever saw the blipverts scene when Channel 4 broadcasted the show.
where have i been all this time ?
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I was curious if anyone ever put together a nice DVD version of the Max Headroom adventure series?

I have the usual torrent version (all .avi files) that's been around for years, but half of the episode won't play on my Phillips DVD5140. The 5140 is a great DVD player that plays most data (no WMV or WMA files even though the sale page at Amazon says it does), but half of the episodes have one or the other of the codecs that won't play on the 5140.

If there is no VIDEO_TS high quality version around, I'll try to transcode the .avi versions that I have to more useful codecs.

So, folks... any ideas?

~leesa

Writer/Artist/Musician/Upstart

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Nice.
You know if you all go and vote on TVShowsOnDVD.com an official release is more likely (studios really do watch that site).

Dr. M

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I remember seeing the blipverts scene (on video) when I was young as well - that exploding body scared the shit out of me!

There was a recent ident or advert for either Channel 4 or E4 that had a crusty looking Max Headroom on it, played as ever by Matt Frewer. Worth having a look on YouTube for.
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And here it is!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKt7AJLIFL0

I was referring to a different, shorter version which has been withdrawn from YouTube.
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Hiya:

Wow... I'm surprised anyone was paying attention... Yay!!!

Going to TVShowsOnDVD won't really help. From what I understand Max is one of their top rated unreleased shows... and the reason it is in limbo is because of ownership. Lorimar used to own part of it... but Lorimar was sold... and... but... and... It gets very complicated.

I did some work for a company that tried to license it a few years ago and it was a nightmare just trying to figure the ownership.

If you go to http://www.maxheadroom.com/ there is much info on the whys and wherefores.

I have a good bud who is a A/V engineer... and we are gonna try to transcode the .avi ones that I have... and hopefully they'll play smoothly on DVD players that play data... I'll let everyone know...

We also might then try to make a VIDEO_TS version. The .avi versions I have wouldn't "Popcorn" to VIDEO_TS without substantial problems because of the odd codecs... But if we transcode them first... who knows.

I have three different VHS versions... The Bravo version has awful sound... high end distortion. The Sci Fi Channel ones are cut... It is so disappointing. Someone should make .avis from the Japanese LD box set that came out years ago.

Any more info from you folks would be greatly appreciated!

Thanx for those who chimed in!

~leesa

Writer/Artist/Musician/Upstart

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http://www.tvsanctum.com/detailpages/detail_maxheadroom.html

My outlook on life - we’re all on the Hindenburg anyway…no point fighting over the window seat.

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Thanx Ziz! I haven't any first hand experience with this specific version... but I haven't heard of any decent versions on DVD (VIDEO_TS)... so, hopefully soon, I'll make a free version for all of us.


~leesa

Writer/Artist/Musician/Upstart

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leesa, does this mean you are ordering the tvsanctum version?
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ab5tract said:

leesa, does this mean you are ordering the tvsanctum version?


I can't really afford it at this point. I haven't heard any reports of really good versions out there, and I assume most everyone selling these are probably using the same source... I could be very wrong, but the odds lean toward this being just one of the usual.

I do have a copy of the .avi versions that are readily available as torrents all over... and have made a VIDEO_TS version with the first 4 episodes. It looks pretty decent. I'm chatting with a good friend who is a digital video engineer, and we're trying to figure if it will look much better if I expand the bit rate and only put 3 on a DVD. It all depends on just how good the source material is... expanding crap is just expanded crap.

I also assume that it's possible that that is how these other companies have created their DVD versions (But always remember: When you "assume..." you make an ass outta Uma Thurman).

Either way, hopefully I'll have something to post (probably on demonoid, unless you have other suggestions) pretty soon.

There is a LD Japan box set of Max with a few episodes. If the quality of these are good, it would be nice to digitize these... but I have no resources for them.

If you have any other info, I'd love to hear it.

Thanx so much for being involved.

~leesa

Writer/Artist/Musician/Upstart

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leesa said:

ab5tract said:

leesa, does this mean you are ordering the tvsanctum version?


I can't really afford it at this point. I haven't heard any reports of really good versions out there, and I assume most everyone selling these are probably using the same source... I could be very wrong, but the odds lean toward this being just one of the usual.


Very true. It was silly of me to get excited that that release would be different. We'd have heard about a high-quality source by now.
leesa said:


It all depends on just how good the source material is... expanding crap is just expanded crap.


That sounds like a good candidate for a signature.

leesa said:


Either way, hopefully I'll have something to post (probably on demonoid, unless you have other suggestions) pretty soon.


I might be willing to host them on a traditional server. I'm getting quite tired of torrent shaping (even FiOS is doing this to me now) and hate rapidshare. PM me if you want to give it a shot. We could do this as an initial "seed" that gets removed relatively quickly, but goes to enough people so that newsgroups/rapidshare/demonoid all see releases.

leesa said:


There is a LD Japan box set of Max with a few episodes. If the quality of these are good, it would be nice to digitize these... but I have no resources for them.


A "few" episodes might only make us more thirsty. It would be nice though.

leesa said:


If you have any other info, I'd love to hear it.


Nope, just enthusiasm :)
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ab5tract said:

That sounds like a good candidate for a signature.

What's a signature, sir?

I might be willing to host them on a traditional server. I'm getting quite tired of torrent shaping (even FiOS is doing this to me now) and hate rapidshare. PM me if you want to give it a shot. We could do this as an initial "seed" that gets removed relatively quickly, but goes to enough people so that newsgroups/rapidshare/demonoid all see releases.
That sounds great... I'm not sure how a traditional server would work(?)  Rapidshare sucks... ZShare or megaupload are much more user-friendly in terms of D/Ling many files.  As familier as I am with torrent groups... I am equally or more unfamilier with newsgroups (I tried to get the Spinal Tap from a newsgroup via an nzp file that i D/Led from Rapidhsare... and honestly I have no idea how to work it.  I've never used newsgroups).
Nope, just enthusiasm :)

Enthusiasm is always a good thing...

I guess the original poster for this forum isn't around any more...  So, I started another thread at:
 
http://originaltrilogy.com/forum/topic.cfm/Max-Headroom-Preservation-Project/post/324571/

 

Writer/Artist/Musician/Upstart

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Digging this up from the depths...

 

Anything happening with this?  I found the whole series on a torrent, and while it looks good, it's taken from TechTV and they chopped down the opening credits to bare minimum.  Anyone know if the original credit sequences are out there to be had?

My outlook on life - we’re all on the Hindenburg anyway…no point fighting over the window seat.