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Recently just read that the reason we don't have any re-masters, or new re-releases on streaming, is the original film was destroyed. Was pretty bummed. I tho

Recently just read that the reason we don't have any re-masters, or new re-releases on streaming, is the original film was destroyed. Was pretty bummed. I thought it was just in some legal limbo that would be resolved eventually, not gone forever.

throwanem 2y ago
There is a remaster. It's quite good.
- SG- 2y ago
  yes, I beleive the remaster uses AI upscaling.
  - compsciphd 2y ago
    the remaster uses the masters that were made. i.e. film for the non CGI aspects (which is just film so scans nicely) and composited / fully CGI printed to the film, but that was all rendered at SD TV resolutions (so is effectively upscaled).
  - TiredOfLife 2y ago
    You beleive wrong.
- EndsOfnversion 2y ago
  There are several issues with remastering Babylon 5: 1) the variable frame rate: live action is 24p anything with CG is effectively 60p (both in a 60i container). This is difficult to do in HD. 2) a lot of the source materials for the CG are scattered to the winds, and the surviving stuff is in semi-obscure formats, that make re-rendering expensive. A few people on youtube have posted fan restorations of the CG based on source-material that have fallen into their hands, and it looks pretty good… but I can’t see WB making the same effort to restore the CG further. Maybe as AI upscaling improves - it might look better. 3) Questions around 16:9 vs 4:3 framing. Either way - great show - but HD doesn’t do some of the aets any favours.
  - throwanem 2y ago
    A full series remaster in 4:3 HD came out a few years ago. It looks a lot better than you seem to assume it would. You might want to check it out.
SG- 2y ago
the original film wasn't destroyed, but all the 3D assets were lost/destroyed making a remaster impossible. they had an idea to simply re-render it all at maybe higher resolution and possibly higher resolution textures/effects but that proved impossible with the data loss. when they recently made a new movie a few years ago they used fan models for getting a 3D B5 going.
- 3eb7988a1663 2y ago
  Are the original assets that important? Presumably they are potato quality relative to modern expectations and have to be recreated anyways. So long as you did not require perfect fidelity, pixel-to-pixel rendition, but something within the spirit of the show. Rendering some space blobs seems attainable by a guy with Blender and Unreal.
  - mixmastamyk 2y ago
    Many of ships were made with curves, that can be scaled up to 8k just like a svg. Of course they'd need other improvements but it would be great to start with the originals. Probably can be recreated but it raises the possibility of not keeping the spirit.
- compsciphd 2y ago
  not all of the models were destroyed, someone got a hold of some of the models and scenes and rendered them at 1080p, they were on youtube for a while at least.
- FrustratedMonky 2y ago
  I'd think that they could just take all space/ship shots, and completely start from scratch and it would look good. The changes in tools from then to now, I'd think armatures on internet could look better than something from 90's. So I'd think someone that is motivated with money, some streaming service, could re-create these.

throwanem 2y ago

There is a remaster. It's quite good.

SG- 2y ago
yes, I beleive the remaster uses AI upscaling.
- compsciphd 2y ago
  the remaster uses the masters that were made. i.e. film for the non CGI aspects (which is just film so scans nicely) and composited / fully CGI printed to the film, but that was all rendered at SD TV resolutions (so is effectively upscaled).
- TiredOfLife 2y ago
  You beleive wrong.
EndsOfnversion 2y ago
There are several issues with remastering Babylon 5: 1) the variable frame rate: live action is 24p anything with CG is effectively 60p (both in a 60i container). This is difficult to do in HD. 2) a lot of the source materials for the CG are scattered to the winds, and the surviving stuff is in semi-obscure formats, that make re-rendering expensive. A few people on youtube have posted fan restorations of the CG based on source-material that have fallen into their hands, and it looks pretty good… but I can’t see WB making the same effort to restore the CG further. Maybe as AI upscaling improves - it might look better. 3) Questions around 16:9 vs 4:3 framing. Either way - great show - but HD doesn’t do some of the aets any favours.
- throwanem 2y ago
  A full series remaster in 4:3 HD came out a few years ago. It looks a lot better than you seem to assume it would. You might want to check it out.

SG- 2y ago

the original film wasn't destroyed, but all the 3D assets were lost/destroyed making a remaster impossible. they had an idea to simply re-render it all at maybe higher resolution and possibly higher resolution textures/effects but that proved impossible with the data loss. when they recently made a new movie a few years ago they used fan models for getting a 3D B5 going.

3eb7988a1663 2y ago
Are the original assets that important? Presumably they are potato quality relative to modern expectations and have to be recreated anyways. So long as you did not require perfect fidelity, pixel-to-pixel rendition, but something within the spirit of the show. Rendering some space blobs seems attainable by a guy with Blender and Unreal.
- mixmastamyk 2y ago
  Many of ships were made with curves, that can be scaled up to 8k just like a svg. Of course they'd need other improvements but it would be great to start with the originals. Probably can be recreated but it raises the possibility of not keeping the spirit.
compsciphd 2y ago
not all of the models were destroyed, someone got a hold of some of the models and scenes and rendered them at 1080p, they were on youtube for a while at least.
FrustratedMonky 2y ago
I'd think that they could just take all space/ship shots, and completely start from scratch and it would look good. The changes in tools from then to now, I'd think armatures on internet could look better than something from 90's. So I'd think someone that is motivated with money, some streaming service, could re-create these.