Comments on: Remastered Star Trek TOS now available via iTunes

By: Dave3

Dave3 — Sat, 31 Mar 2007 03:00:16 +0000

Slayve: Did some digging and as far as I can gather, only one release-type of downloadable HD Star Trek:TOS remasters exist. Star Trek.com states:

Microsoft's Xbox 360 is now offering HD and standard-definition downloads for some of the Original Series Remastered, as well as the first three seasons of "Star Trek: Enterprise," plus the movies "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" and "Star Trek Generations." You can either purchase or rent titles, but you must be an Xbox Live member at the Silver or Gold level. Prices vary and the costs are set in "Microsoft Points." For more information, visit the Xbox Live Marketplace.

and, TrekMovie.com (which stylizes itself as the source for Trek remastered) says:

Apple’s iTunes store and Microsoft’s Xbox Live service. Both services offer entire seasons of Star Trek, with some remastered episodes mixed in with non-remastered episodes. As more episodes are produced and aired, they are then added later to these services. The Xbox Live service offers the episodes in 720p HD.

Since neither website specifically cite the Xbox release as the 'uncut' versions, we're left assuming that they're the same as the iTunes releases. Using the powers of science and logic acquired from decades of watching Trek, I checked into the running-time of Balance of Terror, Miri, and The Naked Time on both iTunes and Xbox Live Marketplace, and they each matched up at 50 minutes, which Dr. Geek assures me is the proper runtime for pure, uncut episode of TOS.

By: Slayve

Slayve — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 20:23:15 +0000

Just wondering if anyone knows if the ST:TOS eps available on Xbox Live are remastered or the syndicated versions. I’m assuming the latter, but hope springs eternal!

By: Dr. Geek, Ph.D.

Dr. Geek, Ph.D. — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 18:24:10 +0000

Good point, Dave. HD will be the way to go… eventually. I’m just not sure that I want to wait that long (and buy the necessary equipment) when I can watch what I want right now for a relatively modest price (about the same as three DVD movies).

By: Dave2

Dave2 — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 18:20:22 +0000

The remastered versions of the show have reinvigorated my love of The Original Series. So many of the episodes are just as relevant today than they were back then (if not more so), and make for fascinating viewing.

I’ve bought a few favorites from iTunes, but the reason for the remastering is to prep the show for an eventual release in HD format, so I’ll probably wait until the DVD-HD/Blu-Ray sets go on sale to make my season purchases.