5.1DD is almost ALWAYS 448kbps. My recent Little Mermaid restoration used the old DVD's audio (which according to sources is sonically identical to the laserdisc (and theater) release). I couldn't understand why they had used 384kbps since, well, no-one uses 384kbps for 5.1.
That's a good reason, and even with the lower bitrate it still kicks the ass of that DEHT mix.
...Which may be why DTS generally comes off as superior on DTS DVDs: It's more of an enthusiast format. That and I think the people at DTS don't like to compromise on their audio quality.
Your explanation of the runtime makes a LOT of sense. It's possible they had a cut that ran long, expecting to trim it later. But it is more likely that there was only one version they distributed for preview.
Not that I'm aware. Looks like the scene TV cap or we wait for a DVD release. Pavenmental: what is the general quality of the rough cut?
ReverendBeastly: You DON'T have a Sci-Fi pile? How did you get left off the list? In fact I forgot to check mine... hold on... no... no...no.... ah wait... no... no... hey! Damn it, I don't have a Sci-Fi pile either!
I'm mad because I keep promising myself I'll build a home media PC with an HD capture card for just this sort of thing. Even at SD resolutions HDTV resized tends to look better than most analog broadcasts.
When would be tonight 10pm est on SciFi (just your local listings ). How much I don't understand. As far as what to do with it, I assume you could just mail it directly to whoever will be assembling this... sounds like Psycho_Dayv has volunteered for that.
True HD isn't necessary since this will end up as a DVD. 720x480 should be good as long as it's pretty clean (near DVD quality). The problem with the capper scene's releases is they tend to lower the resolution to improve compression. (Though I don't expect to be blown away by the quality from the rough cut.)
Thinking this over it'll take some restraint while editing (and possibly some OTHER episodes). The final cut is likely to have footage (and voice overs) not in the rough cut (not just fx) because of changes made to fit continuity. They probably shouldn't be used. I also suspect some scenes from the original version might have been relocated to other episodes to help introduce characters you would know if the pilot aired intact. Also, the whole thing with Three-Eye/Third-Eye was in the original novel (though differently and I don't know if it was planned for the pilot).
Morgan should be introduced as watching him for breaking one of the Laws of Magic, we probably would have gotten an explanation of Bob here, and he should meet Bianca for the first time in the pilot.
Any edit will probably have to restrict itself to just replacing footage with cleaner footage and finished fx and not adding anything new. Just my thoughts.
Oh, don't get me wrong, the version pavemental has will be welcome even if it is shorter than other cuts. If it's shared, please keep it in full quality.
But it could definitely be recut with (completed) footage from the final broadcast. I'm guessing this is what Psycho_Dayv intended when he called for a preservation.
Edit: Since we need an HD cap for such a purpose, it will re-air tonight during the Dresden Files Mini-Marathon (10pm Eastern). I have no ability to cap TV that won't look grainy and crappy... someone here REALLY needs to do this.
The first two episodes that aired were production numbers 3 and 4.
The true first episode aired last week called "Storm Front" based (loosely) on Jim Butcher's first book by the same name. Sci-Fi Channel commissioned a two hour movie pilot but had no room in their schedule to air it (and time constraints in completing it).
As a result it was cut down to fit a one hour slot and altered to fit continuity with the episodes that would air before it. It suffers terribly from this hack job.
Yes, I'd like to see this, but there is a good chance only the rough cut with temporary effects exists. It was suggested (I don't remember where) that it might again see the light of day complete, but would not fit the continuity of the rest of the series.
You know this edit always sounded nearly impossible mostly because of the condition of the Skull Cowboy scenes.
Having seen a lot of the After Effects work being done lately, I'm starting to wonder if a little CG work and some audio processing of the actor's voice would make this edit more realistic than first thought.
Currently there is a stalled Song of the South restoration in the works.
If you missed the releases there has also been an extended L.A. Story and a restored edition of the Little Mermaid.
As far as a true fan edit goes, I'm still looking for the right project. Star Trek: TMP was promising, but it sounds like a lot of people are jumping on that one (finally). I was recently really furious with the ending of L4yer Cake (though swapping an ending isn't a very serious change).
Honestly, I don't know, the Matrix was just something I was really emotional about since I consider the first film one of the greatest of all time. It's like there was a Casablanca 2 and 3 and they starred Ben Stiller and Drew Barrymore or something. Ok maybe not, but I felt they had to be completely dismissed, or rebuilt. I haven't come up with another movie I've felt that way about... yet. Maybe I'll rewatch the Whole 10 Yards.