Hey guys - even if /when a cracking fan LD transfer (like the XO project) comes out and craps all over the official release, it won't embarass or shame LFL one bit. Because people, in general, wont either know or care. Bearing in mind no-one will be able to get hold of it, the impact it would have would be extrmemely limited - even if it was featured in the press: "A group of fans have released a fantastic laserdisc to DVD conversion that puts the official releases to shame! Except you cant see it. Er, move along......"

And there is no way that LFL will release the OT in the2007 box set - it says quite specifically that this is the only time they will be available ON DVD........so they will hold back for HD. That is why no work has gone into it. To get you to buy it yet again.
2004 SE DVDs - only SW DVDs available - so we buy it
2006 GOUT - only theatrical release on DVD ever - so we buy it
2007 - Saga box set - with all the extras and BTS stuff we should have had first time - so we buy it
2009/2010 - HD individual releases of all 6 films - with theatrical release having been cleaned up 'especially for this Hi-Def presentation' - so we buy it.

Its just LFL very very cynically making money. If they release a cleaned up 5.1 surround set of the OUT this time, we would be far less likely to buy it again in 2 years. Regardless of how you feel about the 'lack of care' they have given to the release, they really do know how to squeeze money out of the fans.

Dont get me wrong - I love the fan-preservations (I even tried one myself hahaha) but now that we have 'succeeded' to the point of getting LFL to release the theatrical cut, the issue for most average fans has been settled.