B5 Coming to HBOMax January 2021

[Jan]

Beginning January 26, B5 will be on HBOMax:

https://pressroom.warnermedia.com/us/media-release/hbo-max/hbo-max-highlights-january-2021

No word of whether it's the 'new' versions or not. Guess we'll see.

[Looney]

I REALLY do not want to pay for that subscription.

Hopefully it will be good for the show.

[sense8ional]

Available now. The show has been remastered by scanning the original negative at 4K resolution while upscaling the CGI with minimal adjustments in HD (2K). The final output was HD. The remastering process took 6 years to complete.

https://www.engadget.com/babylon-5-remastered-hbo-max-digital-download-080058907.html

A Warner Bros. spokesperson told Engadget that Babylon 5 Remastered has been scanned from the original camera negative. The film sequences were scanned in 4K and then “finished,” or downscaled, back to HD, with a dirt and scratch clean-up, as well as color correction. The show’s CGI and composite sequences, meanwhile, have been digitally upscaled to HD with only some minor tweaks where absolutely necessary.

Warner Bros. says that the remastering process has taken around six years to complete and was a “labor of love” for all involved. The studio was reluctant to talk about the listings for a “Remastered” version of the show that popped up on Amazon and iTunes late last year. The apparent error tipped off the fan community that something was in the works. The studio also declined to comment about if this would lead to a Blu-ray release, although given the show’s release on HBO Max, that seems pretty unlikely.

[AstroBoy]

Available now. The show has been remastered by scanning the original negative at 4K resolution while upscaling the CGI with minimal adjustments in HD (2K). The final output was HD. The remastering process took 6 years to complete.

https://www.engadget.com/babylon-5-remastered-hbo-max-digital-download-080058907.html

My first question is this, if this really took over 6 years, how the hell did word not leak out that this was happening? I mean nothing is kept secret for very long in Hollywood goings on. I get the fact that they didn't involve Joe as he was as surprised as we were when the new versions showed up on-line last year.

Next question is; what happens if this takes off for WB/HBO Max? Could this lead to new B5 material being produced? What's JMS' stake in the TV arena, can they do a new series without him? I doubt that we as a fan base would accept him being shut out from his creation were a reboot or continuation be produced.

GAHHHHH!!!!!!!

[sense8ional]

It just so happens that in 2013, or 6 years before the release of the show to iTunes at the end of last year, that they said they were actively looking into it. I don't think they were kidding.

https://www.giantfreakinrobot.com/sc...mmer-hope.html

Babylon 5 is an extraordinarily important franchise to all of Warner Brothers. So much so that it is of course very much on the minds at everybody at Warner home video, and bringing Babylon 5 to a next generation shall we say, is very much on the minds of everyone involved. The fact that the show was post produced on video tape and FX were done on video tape makes bringing another iteration a very expensive proposition. But it is being discussed in the highest of quarters.

There might be hope, but there is nothing to report that’s a fact. Let’s just say that the powers that be are very smart and they know the fan desire is out there.

I also don't think it's likely the show is going to take off in such an explosive way that you have to "worry" about a continuation/reboot..

[Jan]

What's JMS' stake in the TV arena, can they do a new series without him? I doubt that we as a fan base would accept him being shut out from his creation were a reboot or continuation be produced.

In theory - maybe. We do know that JMS has to have some involvement in any new B5 projects but it's unlikely he could demand creative control. Could it help the possibility of JMS being able to get financing for a feature? Again, maybe, but probably not terribly likely. Could it lead to something new on TV? I think it would have to be one *huge* take-off for that to happen.

So I think the thing to do is be glad that it's available for potential new fans to find, just as we were when it was included in Amazon Prime here in the US.

[LateArrival]

Been seeing word this week about the new-and-improved 4:3 version of B5 appearing on HBO Max, with side mentions to Itunes and Amazon. Read previously on this site that the 4:3s appeared on Itunes and Amazon last November. Is this week's HBO Max release the same as what began appearing in November, or is it a special upgraded version? Noticed the streaming change from 16:9 to 4:3 last month, but one recent article implied that the online version of The Gathering was now the 1998 Special Edition. On checking today, looks to still be 1993 as it has Stewart Copeland's musical score.

[Ubik]

This is all superb news for the show and the fandom in general. I've seen a lot of very positive reactions on Reddit, etc. Yet to see the restored 4:3 versions. I'll likely wait for a sale on Amazon.

[sense8ional]

Been seeing word this week about the new-and-improved 4:3 version of B5 appearing on HBO Max, with side mentions to Itunes and Amazon. Read previously on this site that the 4:3s appeared on Itunes and Amazon last November. Is this week's HBO Max release the same as what began appearing in November, or is it a special upgraded version? Noticed the streaming change from 16:9 to 4:3 last month, but one recent article implied that the online version of The Gathering was now the 1998 Special Edition. On checking today, looks to still be 1993 as it has Stewart Copeland's musical score.

It's the same remaster, but those earlier releases (iTunes, etc.) were in SD resolution, while HBO Max is HD. But it's possible even the earlier releases have been updated to HD now (in fact, I think so).

[LateArrival]

It's the same remaster, but those earlier releases (iTunes, etc.) were in SD resolution, while HBO Max is HD. But it's possible even the earlier releases have been updated to HD now (in fact, I think so).

Yes, looks like the previous Nov 2020 4:3 SD and the new Jan 2021 HD versions are now both available on Amazon Prime Video semi-simultaneously, but may need to click on More Purchase Options to cycle between them. Pricing looks to be $29.99/season for HD and $29.99/season for SD, while Per Episode it is $2.99/each for HD and $1.99/each for SD. The 1993 SD version of The Gathering is still available for both versions as a Season One Bonus Video which seems to need to be purchased independently ($0.00) under Season One. The remaining six TV Movies are still available in SD for $1.99/each plus the separate HD version of TLT is still there for $22.99. Does not appear to be a steaming version of the 1998's The Gathering (?yet?). When the Jan 2021 B5 episodes are started/paused, a little "HD" now appears in the lower left corner of the screen.

[AstroBoy]

Has anyone seen any other problems with the HBO Max version aside from the missing scenes in Babylon Squared?

[Jan]

Has anyone seen any other problems with the HBO Max version aside from the missing scenes in Babylon Squared?

I hear that "Hour of the Wolf' is missing the teaser.

Here's info on contacting HBO Max that somebody posted to the Zocalo Today FB page:

Okay Here's the email Address To contact HBO Max And tell him about the issue with Babylon 5 Click on this link
https://help.hbomax.com/ContactUs
Then At the very bottom Click on contact Then on the drop-down menu Select HBO Max Under issues Then scroll down to the bottom of that page And click on the email Button I would have posted just an email address But they don't show you what the email address is

[gs4291]

Has anyone seen any other problems with the HBO Max version aside from the missing scenes in Babylon Squared?

I’m trying to collate all the reported issues at http://b5remasterissues.wordpress.com. Submissions are very welcome, and please share the link anywhere else you think there’s an interest.

Thanks for reposting those HBO Max contact details Jan - I’m trying to collate those as well so will update the site.

[gs4291]

Breaking News! The scenes missing from Babylon Squared and The Hour of the Wolf have now been restored on HBO Max, and there are reports of them being restored on some Roku Apple TV apps as well. With luck this means the corrections will eventually be updated on all platforms.

If anyone has had successful correspondence with WB/HBO over these issues, I'd encourage you to direct them to the site http://b5remasterissues.wordpress.com as there are a small number of more cosmetic issues, some of which can hopefully be fixed as well.

[Jan]

Thanks for the update, GS4291!!