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Sci-fi Channel's Star Trek Special edition (a WIP) — Page 2

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So ... 9 months later ... no luck guys?

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pittrek said:

So ... 9 months later ... no luck guys?

I still have not received any response.  I am a bit bummed as well.

:(

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10 months later I can't say I found a better source. I guess nobody else had luck ? :)

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Hi. I just became aware of this thread and wondered if anyone found good quality copies of the entire run of the airings. I found my videotapes and may have all of them, which were recorded on a VHS Hi-Fi VCR, with a flying erase head in SP mode and look good. I would have to catalogue them more fully to confirm that all the segments are intact. Are there still people interested in seeing them? I also have copies of ABC’s version of The Wrath of Khan in terrific quality taped off-air onto SuperBeta and the original theatrical version of The Undiscovered Country on VHS. Thanks.

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ST2112 said:

Hi. I just became aware of this thread and wondered if anyone found good quality copies of the entire run of the airings. I found my videotapes and may have all of them, which were recorded on a VHS Hi-Fi VCR, with a flying erase head in SP mode and look good. I would have to catalogue them more fully to confirm that all the segments are intact. Are there still people interested in seeing them? I also have copies of ABC’s version of The Wrath of Khan in terrific quality taped off-air onto SuperBeta and the original theatrical version of The Undiscovered Country on VHS. Thanks.

Oh God YES, I would sTILL love to see good quality copies of the Sci-Fi channel versions, if nothing else then at least the interview bits. Could you post some screenshots from your ABC version of Khan? “Some” version has appeared online, but still, if your version looks better there is still way for improvements. Was the theatrical version of TUC released on VHS? I thought only the first “director’s cut” god a LD/VHS release.

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pittrek said:

ST2112 said:

Hi. I just became aware of this thread and wondered if anyone found good quality copies of the entire run of the airings. I found my videotapes and may have all of them, which were recorded on a VHS Hi-Fi VCR, with a flying erase head in SP mode and look good. I would have to catalogue them more fully to confirm that all the segments are intact. Are there still people interested in seeing them? I also have copies of ABC’s version of The Wrath of Khan in terrific quality taped off-air onto SuperBeta and the original theatrical version of The Undiscovered Country on VHS. Thanks.

Oh God YES, I would sTILL love to see good quality copies of the Sci-Fi channel versions, if nothing else then at least the interview bits. Could you post some screenshots from your ABC version of Khan? “Some” version has appeared online, but still, if your version looks better there is still way for improvements. Was the theatrical version of TUC released on VHS? I thought only the first “director’s cut” god a LD/VHS release.

Seconded. Always good to hve more preservations.

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Thanks for the quick reply! I’ve never posted a comment on any type of forum, so please be patient with me and if I do something wrong, I gladly accept constructive criticism. As for TUC, no, the theatrical cut was never released “officially”. However, I bought a VHS copy at a convention before the video came out (1992). I haven’t seen it in a while, but I believe it looks very good and doesn’t have any annoying logos or timecode markers all over it. I will check. I will try to provide you with a screen grab of the ABC TWOK cut soon. I also am in contact with the SciFi Channel ST SE group on Facebook. I understand that a couple of their members have posted some of those segments online and have seen others. I will try to get my copies transferred to DVD this summer. I will keep you informed.

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I just realized, and please forgive the ignorance, how do I post a screen capture on here?! I’m obviously NOT of this century. Or the previous one…

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Your links all work. To have them show up in your post you need to use the direct link URL, (ending in JPG) and copy paste them into the following:

![](your link goes here)

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Where were you in '77?

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SilverWook, thank you. Is this correct? If not, could you please give me exact instructions? I appreciate your patience and time and wish I was more knowledgeable! I hope that pittrek finds the pictures suitable as well. These pics are all taken from a DVD I made of my original Beta recording, in SP. The Beta would still be a little better in quality than the DVD copy, of course. Also, the Beta machine I have utilizes a Digital Picture enhancement and that circuitry cannot be turned off. All in all, I think the quality is very good.Does it measure up to what’s already out there? The other picture is of my original Sci-Fi Channel ST:SE videotapes.
http://s33.postimg.org/ayy53xldr/pp5.jpg, http://s33.postimg.org/ajryvki9r/jtyww.jpg, http://s33.postimg.org/hmiduys1r/image.jpg, http://s33.postimg.org/sgm1ro70f/hme.jpg, http://s33.postimg.org/qu6hhaqnz/jnryjyt.jpg, http://s33.postimg.org/6r58o7s73/km2.jpg, http://s33.postimg.org/bjsu4vr0e/DSC08760.jpg







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Look at how I edited your post, lather and repeat. 😉

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Where were you in '77?

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Thank you! You really CAN teach an old man new tricks. I’m grateful for the help. Can I now edit my post again and delete the links, or will all the pictures go away from my post if I do? To everyone else, STOP LAUGHING!! I grew up in a galaxy close, close by, but was always intimidated by these computer thingys. I couldn’t even find the power button on my TRS 80… By the way, in 1977 I was seeing this movie you may have heard of, “Star Wars”, at my local cinema 9 times. END OF TRANSMISSION…

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You can if you want to, but there’s no real need. We’ve only had that image code for a short time, and it even took me a while before it became second nature.

And I cut my computer teeth on my Dad’s TRS-80 Model III, so I can relate. 😉

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Where were you in '77?

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Those Star Trek II pictures looks really great. Are you willing to digitize it AND the Sci-fi channel special editions?

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So long as you still have the original tape, you might be able to try some different captures. My personal copy was recorded on VHS at the four hour EP speed, but I was able to transfer it with a Panasonic AG-1980, and got decent results. Mine is missing a few seconds at the commercial breaks from hitting the pause button back in '84. I didn’t have a lot of tapes at my disposal back then!

I’ll wager your recording has better audio.

I wonder if my Betamax has the same circuitry?

Just out of curiosity, do you have anything else on Beta?

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Thanks. Yes, I have already transferred the ST II Beta to a DVD using a Toshiba DVD recorder, in SP speed. The DVD is where the photos I posted came from. I also use several other Panasonic DVD recorders, some that can record on DVD-DL discs. I don’t have any type of computer video capture device and due to recent problems with my crap Dell laptop I can’t use any video editing programs. I had to buy an external DVD drive to complete a recent transfer of 23 Beta/VHS/Hi-8/Digital8 tapes and making around 70 copies of the finished DVD’s for a school district project. I don’t think I could have the SF ST:SE videos done before the end of summer, though. And unless I can get my computer fixed, they would all have to be directly recorded from VHS to DVD’s. Would either you or SilverWook happen to live anywhere in the Illinois/Indiana region? Thanks again. I’m glad that these tapes that have sitting around for nearly twenty years (carefully stored!) can be of use to fellow fans.

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SilverWook, actually the 4 hour speed on a VHS was LP, EP was the lousy quality 6 hour speed (on a T-120), unless I’m mistaken. My SF ST:SE VHS’ are all recorded in SP on T-160 Hi-Fi tapes. If they were transmitted in stereo, then mine should be as well, as I have always been a stickler for stereo recordings. Utilizing a flying erase head also keeps transitions and breaks seamless, without the annoying “rainbow lines” effect on regular VHS recordings. To the best of my knowledge, only the Beta HF-870D model had a Digital Picture feature. It would say so prominently on your machine if it’s present. Yes, I have hundreds, if not more, hours of recordings on Beta tapes, mostly documentaries, a few tv shows and clips/reviews/interviews, etc. of science fiction movies and tv shows, all recorded since the early 1980’s. Is there anything in particular you’re looking for? Thanks again for all of your help!

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Yeah, I got them mixed up. I should burn my college degree for making that error! 😉

Playback of slow speed recordings were a crapshoot on anything other than he deck that made the original recording. A lot of consumer decks have trouble with them, as they were not officially part of the VHS specs as laid down by JVC. I don’t think EP was even advertised on my Panasonic editing deck, it can’t record at that speed in any case. It does do SLP, but why any sane person would want to record professional stuff at that speed is a mystery. The really expensive S-VHS editing systems I used in college couldn’t play anything except SP.

Not sure what year ABC began broadcasting in stereo. I live in California, and I don’t recall seeing a stereo logo on any ABC shows until around 1986. '84/'85 is when NBC began, but a lot of their shows were just being run through a processor for fake stereo. Miami Vice was a notable exception. My crappy cable company wasn’t passing the stereo signal until much later anyway.

I’ve been trying to track down the ABC broadcast of The Shining from ‘83’ or '85. Also the Ewok tv movies, as there are some slight differences from the versions released on home video.

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EP and SLP are the same thing, on VHS at least.

"Right now the coffees are doing their final work." (Airi, Masked Rider Den-o episode 1)

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They’re both equally crappy, and enabled several bargain basement video labels to release movies that would give many brands of VCR’s tracking fits. I had one EP mode tape of rare cartoons that was so bad, even the AG-1980 couldn’t cope with it. Only a cheap VHS player I used to keep around for the occasional rental tape could track it well enough to make a DVD transfer. Maybe I should have held onto that machine!

Beta had a much better image at it’s slower speeds. I’m surprised no studio took advantage of it to release longer films on one tape.

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Yes, I tried to never record anything I wanted to keep in either LP or EP (SLP) speed. All of my Sony VHS machines always stated that “Playback of tapes recorded in LP mode cannot be guaranteed”. They couldn’t record in it, either. I still have a JVC Super VHS deck that I use with some tapes I recorded on it. I started with tapes from 1977, with my personal first recordings beginning in 1983. I started with Beta and was so disappointed when I had to incorporate VHS into my life. It was an abysmal format, but Sony slit their own throats by not licensing their technology to other makers like JVC did. It was always a crap shoot with whether a network or cable company consistently delivered a stereo broadcast but I always had stereo decks since they became available. I do recall sell-through Super VHS titles of movies including “Raiders of the Lost Ark”, but not any Star Trek titles. I know I don’t have “The Shining” or the Ewok movies on Beta, sorry. I know I have some Star Wars related television programs on VHS, however. I used to have every Star Trek series on Beta, but tossed them when the DVD’s started becoming available.

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ST2112 said:

Thanks. Yes, I have already transferred the ST II Beta to a DVD using a Toshiba DVD recorder, in SP speed. The DVD is where the photos I posted came from. I also use several other Panasonic DVD recorders, some that can record on DVD-DL discs. I don’t have any type of computer video capture device and due to recent problems with my crap Dell laptop I can’t use any video editing programs. I had to buy an external DVD drive to complete a recent transfer of 23 Beta/VHS/Hi-8/Digital8 tapes and making around 70 copies of the finished DVD’s for a school district project. I don’t think I could have the SF ST:SE videos done before the end of summer, though. And unless I can get my computer fixed, they would all have to be directly recorded from VHS to DVD’s. Would either you or SilverWook happen to live anywhere in the Illinois/Indiana region? Thanks again. I’m glad that these tapes that have sitting around for nearly twenty years (carefully stored!) can be of use to fellow fans.

Even straight VHS > DVD recorder recording would be fantastic to have 😃 I unfortunately live on a different continent then you guys 😃

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ST2112 said:

Yes, I tried to never record anything I wanted to keep in either LP or EP (SLP) speed. All of my Sony VHS machines always stated that “Playback of tapes recorded in LP mode cannot be guaranteed”. They couldn’t record in it, either. I still have a JVC Super VHS deck that I use with some tapes I recorded on it. I started with tapes from 1977, with my personal first recordings beginning in 1983. I started with Beta and was so disappointed when I had to incorporate VHS into my life. It was an abysmal format, but Sony slit their own throats by not licensing their technology to other makers like JVC did. It was always a crap shoot with whether a network or cable company consistently delivered a stereo broadcast but I always had stereo decks since they became available. I do recall sell-through Super VHS titles of movies including “Raiders of the Lost Ark”, but not any Star Trek titles. I know I don’t have “The Shining” or the Ewok movies on Beta, sorry. I know I have some Star Wars related television programs on VHS, however. I used to have every Star Trek series on Beta, but tossed them when the DVD’s started becoming available.

If you can compile a list of the Star Wars, Trek, and related stuff, that would be most helpful. You might have something in better quality or something that we don’t have at all. 😃

Some Trek tv specials have never seen a home video release, or only came out as part of Japanese Laserdisc boxsets which are still hard to come by, and terribly expensive.

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