Watch in HD at TrekCore’s YouTube channel | Download original flv file (70.3 MB)

CBS Paramount have made the long-awaited announcement of Star Trek: The Next Generation’s release in high-definition. TrekCore can now confirm some of the finer details on the project:

• The sampler disc will contain the episodes Encounter at Farpoint, The Inner Light and Sins of the Father.
• The sampler disc will be released in the US on January 31st 2012, later than initially expected. The disc will be called ‘Star Trek The Next Generation – The Next Level’ and cost $21.99.
• All 178 episodes of TNG will be transferred to true high-definition 1080p and released in blu-ray format in season sets starting with season one ‘later in 2012’.
• CBS are returning to the original negatives of the show (over 25,000 reels of footage) and will recut the film to be transferred to high definition with 7.1 DTS Master Audio.
• Visual effects will not be upconverted from videotape, but instead recomposited.
• Longtime Star Trek figures Michael and Denise Okuda will act as consultants to the project.
• The event is described as a celebration of Star Trek The Next Generation’s 25th anniversary.
• Ken Ross, Executive Vice President and General Manager of CBS Entertainment, issued the following statement: “Fans have been clamoring for a high-definition release of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Transferring the series to high-definition presented difficult technical challenges, but our team has come up with a process to create true 1080p HD masters with true HD visual effects. We can’t wait to show fans how pristine the series looks and sounds with our upcoming Blu-ray releases.”