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We had a hurricane a few months ago and I lost power for two weeks and cable for three. I could not watch tv. So I read books, talked to people, went places, Did things.

And I figured out just how STUPID 99% of the crap I was watching was. I mean, I would come home from work and turn on the TV. It would play for hours and i would surf... watching a bit of this or that etc.

I have not turned it back on since my power and cable was restored, except to watch specific shows... and if they are not good I turn it off.

I no longer feel the need to run tv constantly hoping to be entertained but accepting whatever comes along.... for hours at a time.

I would recommend that America limit its tv use to 2 hours a day and get out and do stuff.

I haven't watched TV in over 4 months.  I've watched DVDs, and messed around online and stuff, but no TV.  I simply am not interested in anything that is on anymore.

Babylon 5 kicks ass over every incarnation of Star Trek.

Someone should let Spike TV know that Star Trek is lame and replace it with a re-run of Babylon 5.

-mark

Best comedy I've ever heard.

I enjoy watching TNG, DS9, Voyager, but not the original or Enterprise.  And, from what I remember about Babylon 5, it sucked.  Very very much.

Well I guess there is something to be said for an engaging storyline with deep character integration, physics that actually seem realistic and a well thought out story with a beginning and an end.  All aspects that Star Trek lacks.  The only cool thing in TNG was the Q, they needed to have more episodes of him smurfing with the crew of the enterprise.

If you think Babylon 5 sucked then I guess you just did not get it.  The same goes for Lord of the Rings.  Anyone who thinks LoTR is not a great story needs their head examined.

-mark

I have ditched watching TV - except for news. Its just filled with reality tv, home decorating, or soaps -

Out of all human talent and ingenuity in the world -  its a morass of zombification and living death.

Man, this horse sure is tall...LOL

Well I guess there is something to be said for an engaging storyline with deep character integration, physics that actually seem realistic and a well thought out story with a beginning and an end.  All aspects that Star Trek lacks.

Yeah, DS9 was lamer than smurf.  It only had a 7-year storyline with a beginning and an end. And who gives a smurf about physics? If's smurfing SCI-FI! You telling me that the fizzics in B5 were more realistic than in DS9? Luser.

Well I guess there is something to be said for an engaging storyline with deep character integration, physics that actually seem realistic and a well thought out story with a beginning and an end.  All aspects that Star Trek lacks.

Yeah, DS9 was lamer than smurf.  It only had a 7-year storyline with a beginning and an end. And who gives a smurf about physics? If's smurfing SCI-FI! You telling me that the fizzics in B5 were more realistic than in DS9? Luser.

Maybe people who care about smurf being halfway realistic care about physics.  DS9 was the best Star Trek series though, I'll give you that.

Actually B5 won an award for special effects, but I guess pears in that industry don't know smurf about good work on a shoestring budget.  I think the SFX were pretty damn good considering they started out doing it all on Amiga renderfarms using Lightwave 3D.

You have your opinion, I have mine.  I feel that B5 overall is a better product than the Star Trek franchise.  Of course B5 is more soap opera like than pure Sci-Fi, so whatever.

-mark

  I think the SFX were pretty damn good considering they started out doing it all on Amiga renderfarms using Lightwave 3D.

Maybe but (and I'm no Babylon 5 expert) at some point, they used Macs and Electric Image.

  I think the SFX were pretty damn good considering they started out doing it all on Amiga renderfarms using Lightwave 3D.

Maybe but (and I'm no Babylon 5 expert) at some point, they used Macs and Electric Image.

All the effects in B5 we're rendered in Lightwave from what I understand.  Lightwave even used to come with one of their models.  I think they went to Alpha machines running NT after the Amiga.  I have played with Lightwave on a 1Ghz Alpha and it was damn fast several years ago.

I would guess that Foundation Imaging has a slew of tools at their disposal.

-mark

Ok, you know better than me, but I have a mid 90s (when it was Mac only) Electric Image brochure that says it was used in Babylon 5.

  I think the SFX were pretty damn good considering they started out doing it all on Amiga renderfarms using Lightwave 3D.

Maybe but (and I'm no Babylon 5 expert) at some point, they used Macs and Electric Image.

All the effects in B5 we're rendered in Lightwave from what I understand.  Lightwave even used to come with one of their models.  I think they went to Alpha machines running NT after the Amiga.  I have played with Lightwave on a 1Ghz Alpha and it was damn fast several years ago.

I would guess that Foundation Imaging has a slew of tools at their disposal.

-mark

Ok, you know better than me, but I have a mid 90s (when it was Mac only) Electric Image brochure that says it was used in Babylon 5.

It is possible.  Electric Image is used quite a bit for the actual rendering.  I am pretty sure all the modeling was lightwave though.  In a field like 3D, you basically keep migrating to the fastest box, so I am sure they did quite of bit of switching around between platforms during its five year run.  I know most if not all of the CGI in Star Trek was done with Electric Image.

-mark

avkills- not being a dick here, but since you did it twice I just thought you might wanna know that past-tense "was" is "were", not "we're".

Thanks, I do that a lot, I try to proof my posts, but sometimes stupid things slip through. 

-mark

I MET CAPTAIN PICARD, YOU FOOL !
ON MARS, I SWEAR !!
THAT'S ALL FOLKS !!!

As a baby boomer who grew up on the original, It amazes me that Star Trek is singled out as being stupid when I see how successfull all these "reality" shows and other such rot have become.  Perhaps some of use enjoyed the best the medium had to offer at the time while appreciating the message behind the glitz.......it is totally a pleasure to watch an episode that no one else seems to get......but, that's just me.