Serial Squadron HYBRID BLU-RAYS
Great Squadron restorations of longer serials burned on Blu-Ray disks for higher image and audio quality
NOTE: HYBRID BLU-RAYS ARE NOT THE SAME FORMAT AS STANDARD BLU-RAYS BUT A SPECIAL FORMAT DESIGNED TO HOLD AND PRESENT 5-7 HOURS OF SD SERIAL CHAPTER CONTENT IN THE HIGHEST QUALITY POSSIBLE BY ALLOWING IT TO BE PRESENTED IN NEARLY UNCOMPRESSED FORM ON A BLU-RAY DISK.
NOT ALL PLAYERS WILL BE ABLE TO READ THEM.
PLEASE READ THIS ARTICLE BEFORE YOU ORDER A HYBRID BLU-RAY DISK.
Blu-Ray and DVD media are both designed to hold 2 hours or so of content. And the average movie serial contains 3 1/2 to 5 hours of chapters; in the case of some silent titles with 3-reel episodes, maybe even 7 hours worth or more. In order to fit (especially) an entire 15 chapter serial onto a DL-DVD in SD or Blu-Ray in HD requires a great deal of video compression. And the more video is compressed, the less sharp or smooth it will look and the lower the quality of the sound.
Since BD-Rs hold so much content (20gb worth), Hybrid Blu-Rays — SD files burned on a Blu-Ray disk — are actually the most practical way to burn a complete serial onto any sort of digital media because they can spread out SD video on their 20gb of space in nearly uncompressed form, which allows the data to spread out, results in a sharper picture, smoother motion, less grain, and very clear audio.
There's only one catch in the format, however, and that is that not all Blu-Ray players are equipped with protocols to be able to access the format. Despite the fact that the guy who sold you your Blu-Ray player told you it was "top of the line," and that it would play anything, that doesn't guarantee it contains internal instructions on how to deal with SD video burned on a BD-R. Some players access the menus with no problem at all. Some will choke on the menu but allow you to play the files on the disk using the player's built-in menu, as one would play MP4 files on a USB drive, and some just don't know what to do and will not load anything. So it is necessary for you to have a player which have a built-in protocol which will allow access the Hybrid Blu-Ray format for video to load properly. And it's important you know about that before you order a serial in H-BR format.
PLAYERS WHICH DO NOT HAVE THE PROTOCOL TO LOAD HYBRID BLU-RAYS
DO NOT ASSUME THAT YOUR BLU-RAY PLAYER WILL PLAY EVERYTHING BECAUSE YOU BELIEVE IT TO BE "TOP OF THE LINE."
Some Panasonic and Oppo desktop players and others may not have a built-in protocol to access the menus or files at all and are not recommended for use with these disks. Though they may have some internal menu settings which can be tweaked to accept the H-BR format, which would be different on any machine, or firmware upgrades for players may be available that you can download which will allow access to H-BRs.
SOME PLAYERS MAY DISPLAY TRACKS BUT NOT MENUS
PLAYERS THAT WILL PLAY H-BR
FORMAT DISKS FOR SURE
If you want to be able to be sure Hybrid Blu-Ray disk will load in a player you use, GET ONE OF THESE: We have confirmed that the
Sony BDP-X800 Ultra 4K HD Player
Sony BDP-1200
Sony BDP-s3100
Sony BDP-s5390
Samsung BD-DS300
Samsung BD-DS2500
Samsung BD-F5100
ONN portable 100009768
will all play these H-BRs and pretty much anything else you put into them, and many are available on eBay for about $30. Some Playstation players will also will also play the hybrids without any difficulty.
If in doubt, and you want something that will play the hybrid disks for sure, order a Sony BDP-s3100 from eBay and hook it up into your system. You won't be sorry if you do, because you will be able to play anything you order on this page, which are many of the great Squadron restorations in the closest sound and video quality to the original restored transfers possible.
THE ROCKETMAN COLLECTION
H-BLU-RAY UPGRADE
Featuring Tristram Coffin, George Wallace, Roy Barcroft and Judd Holdren
THREE COMPLETE SERIALS
KING OF THE ROCKET MEN
RADAR MEN FROM THE MOON
ZOMBIES OF THE
STRATOSPHERE
And Extras:
All 3 theatrical trailers
A mini-documentary
"The Origin of Rocketman"
An interview with mega-collector Bob Burns, owner of the Rocketman costume.
8 3/4 hours,
SD video on Blu-Ray disk
Disk is set up with 7 consecutive menus you can click back and forth through showing all files and will play through.
Jeff King dons the helmet and rocket pack and becomes the flying superhero called Rocketman, then Commando Cody of Cody Labs takes them over and journeys to the Moon to stop Retik, Ruler of the Moon from plundering Earth, then Larry Martin uses them in his fight against invaders from Mars.
Influenced by: Bulletman, for whom the original story in the first serial was written.
Influenced: Iron Man, The Rocketeer
View Online Video: Chapter 3
AVAILABLE NOW
Note: This title is a Hybrid Blu-ray, a special format designed to present 5-7 hours of SD content with higher quality picture and audio than a DVD can contain. A Hybrid Blu-Ray is NOT the same thing as a Standard Blu-Ray and not all Blu-Ray Players are equipped with the protocol to read them. Do NOT assume your player will play it because you just wish to believe it has super-powers and can play everything. It might not, and if it doesn't, the problem isn't the disk.
Order this disk ONLY if you have a Sony BDP-s3100, Sony BDP-s390, Sony BDP-1200, Sony BDP-s5390 or ONN portable model 100009768 Blu-Ray player or another player you have tried playing a Hybrid Blu-Ray on and can load it.
THE SPIDER'S WEB
H-BLU-RAY UPGRADE
(1938, 15 Chapters)
Starring Warren Hull, Iris Meredith and The Octopus
D: Ray Taylor, James Horne
The mysterious white-robed Octopus raids one industry after another in a systematic grab for power. The Spider, a masked vigilante who looks upon the underworld as his own private shooting gallery, is feared by criminals and civilians alike. When these two powerful figures fight to destroy each other, the result is bloody mayhem. An exciting pulp story come to life, packed with non-stop action.
Influenced: All pulp-avenger-style serials and films which followed, including the Darkman series, and the Spider-man comic book (in which another web-costumed character also swung on lines between buildings in the city and had an arch enemy named Octopus!) The Spider was the first costumed pulp character to appear on a movie screen.
Transfer Quality: From 16mm; transfer quality excellent, very sharp picture, stabilized, exposure-corrected, with normalized and noise-reduced audio. Blu-Ray conversion improves motion and tone smoothness and sharpness. BEST QUALITY AVAILABLE OF THIS TITLE.
SHIPPING NOW
Note: This title is a Hybrid Blu-ray, a special format designed to present 5-7 hours of SD content with higher quality picture and audio than a DVD can contain. A Hybrid Blu-Ray is NOT the same thing as a Standard Blu-Ray and not all Blu-Ray Players are equipped with the protocol to read them. Do NOT assume your player will play it because you just wish to believe it has super-powers and can play everything. It might not, and if it doesn't, the problem isn't the disk.
Order this disk ONLY if you have a Sony BDP-s3100, Sony BDP-s390, Sony BDP-1200, Sony BDP-s5390 or ONN portable model 100009768 Blu-Ray player or another player you have tried playing a Hybrid Blu-Ray on and can load it.
DRUMS OF FU MANCHU
HYBRID BLU-RAY UPGRADE
✦✦✦✦ (15 Chapters)
Featuring Henry Brandon and Robert Kellard Directed by William Witney and John English
A dacoit knife that nearly misses British investigator Nayland Smith's head tips him off that megalomaniac Fu Manchu and his evil Si Fan society are in California. Fu desires a scroll which will lead him to the tomb of Genghis Khan (whose sacred scepter will, he says, help him conquer Asia), and kidnaps Dr. Parker, a scientist who knows its location. The scientist's son and Dr. Petrie go in search of him, and Fu Manchu leaves no stone unturned as he terrorizes and destroys his enemies with poison darts, booby traps, assassins, ancient torture devices, and unseen, ominous drums which are a warning of impending doom.
Transfer Quality: Excellent, from Jack Mathis' original print-down from Republic Pictures' negative, mostly stable, excellent sharpness and grey tones. The Blu-Ray upgrade offers smoother motion, clearer picture and sound, and smoother and sharper image quality.
Blu-Ray Contents: Complete serial
Special Features: Introduction by Fu Manchu author William P. Maynard
PROJECT COMPLETE
Available Now
Note: This title is a Hybrid Blu-ray, a special format designed to present 5-7 hours of SD content with higher quality picture and audio than a DVD can contain. A Hybrid Blu-Ray is NOT the same thing as a Standard Blu-Ray and not all Blu-Ray Players are equipped with the protocol to read them. Do NOT assume your player will play it because you just wish to believe it has super-powers and can play everything. It might not, and if it doesn't, the problem isn't the disk.
Order this disk ONLY if you have a Sony BDP-s3100, Sony BDP-s390, Sony BDP-1200, Sony BDP-s5390 or ONN portable model 100009768 Blu-Ray player or another player you have tried playing a Hybrid Blu-Ray on and can load it.
THE REX BENNETT COLLECTION
HYBRID BLU-RAY UPGRADE
(30 Chapters)
Featuring ROD CAMERON
Directed by William Witney and John English
The complete serials
SECRET SERVICE IN DARKEST AFRICA and
G-MEN VS. THE BLACK DRAGON
Both on the same Blu-Ray disk
An inexhaustible one-man army takes on Nazis in Africa and Japanese spies in two wildly action-packed serials.
PROJECT COMPLETE
Available Now
Note: This title is a Hybrid Blu-ray, a special format designed to present 5-7 hours of SD content with higher quality picture and audio than a DVD can contain. A Hybrid Blu-Ray is NOT the same thing as a Standard Blu-Ray and not all Blu-Ray Players are equipped with the protocol to read them. Do NOT assume your player will play it because you just wish to believe it has super-powers and can play everything. It might not, and if it doesn't, the problem isn't the disk.
Order this disk ONLY if you have a Sony BDP-s3100, Sony BDP-s390, Sony BDP-1200, Sony BDP-s5390 or ONN portable model 100009768 Blu-Ray player or another player you have tried playing a Hybrid Blu-Ray on and can load it.
DAREDEVILS OF
THE WEST
H-BLU-RAY UPGRADE
The amazing long-lost Republic serial now available, only from the Squadron!
(Republic, 12 Chapters)
Featuring Allan Lane, Kay Aldridge and Robert Frazer
D: John English
Cavalryman-on-special-assignment Duke Cameron offers to help lovely June Foster build a stage line through the Comanche Strip after her father is slain in a wagon train attack masterminded by crooked land baron Martin Dexter. Dexter and his henchmen Ward and Turner, and crooked lawyer Silas Higby relentlessly conspire and attack Cameron and Foster, who are forced to try and survive an exploding runaway stagecoach, a flaming prison, powder kegs in a runaway mine car, a plunge into a vat of flaming alcohol, being shot at the edge of a cliff, and tied up and thrown into a covered wagon to be set on fire.
A fantastic, stunt-filled cliffhanger filled with wild, berserk action which even includes "the two Tontos," Chief Thunder Cloud and Jay Silverheels together in one scene.
A few once-missing sections of audio have been re-created with music, sound effects and dubbing of the original dialogue by Rick Deacon (as Duke Cameron), Eric Stedman (as Dexter) and Allyson Malandra (as June Foster).
Transfer Quality: Excellent, super-sharp picture, very high quality. Blu-Ray conversion improves motion and tone smoothness and sharpness.
PROJECT COMPLETE
Order now
Note: This title is a Hybrid Blu-ray, a special format designed to present 5-7 hours of SD content with higher quality picture and audio than a DVD can contain. A Hybrid Blu-Ray is NOT the same thing as a Standard Blu-Ray and not all Blu-Ray Players are equipped with the protocol to read them. Do NOT assume your player will play it because you just wish to believe it has super-powers and can play everything. It might not, and if it doesn't, the problem isn't the disk.
Order this disk ONLY if you have a Sony BDP-s3100, Sony BDP-s390, Sony BDP-1200, Sony BDP-s5390 or ONN portable model 100009768 Blu-Ray player or another player you have tried playing a Hybrid Blu-Ray on and can load it.
THE HOPE DIAMOND MYSTERY
H-BLU-RAY UPGRADE
Featuring Boris Karloff, Grace Darmond and George Chesebro
A very dark story about the curse of the Hope Diamond, with introductory openings by one of its real-life former owners.
Death and terror follow in the path of the terrible jewel as it passes through many hands in two different ages.
This serial was Boris Karloff's first major film role and his part in it, the apparently immortal high priest Dakar who searches for the stolen jewel through the ages, foreshadows his character in THE MUMMY.
Upgrade to Blu-Ray for smoother motion and sharper picture.
PROJECT COMPLETE
Available Now
Note: This title is a Hybrid Blu-ray, a special format designed to present 5-7 hours of SD content with higher quality picture and audio than a DVD can contain. A Hybrid Blu-Ray is NOT the same thing as a Standard Blu-Ray and not all Blu-Ray Players are equipped with the protocol to read them. Do NOT assume your player will play it because you just wish to believe it has super-powers and can play everything. It might not, and if it doesn't, the problem isn't the disk.
Order this disk ONLY if you have a Sony BDP-s3100, Sony BDP-s390, Sony BDP-1200, Sony BDP-s5390 or ONN portable model 100009768 Blu-Ray player or another player you have tried playing a Hybrid Blu-Ray on and can load it.
BEATRICE FAIRFAX
HYBRID BLU-RAY UPGRADE
✦✦✦✦ (15 Episodes)
Featuring Grace Darling and Harry Fox
The charming if frequently xenophobic episodic series from 1916 featuring advice to the lovelorn reporter Beatrice Fairfax and her amusingly comical sidekick Jimmy Barton, reporter, shot in Ithaca, New York by the Wharton studio.
Stories range from the whimsical to romantic to tragic; they are sometimes mysteries or action stories as well. An amazing increase in quality in this title from the previous DVD editions; motion, sharpness and audio quality all much improved. Highly recommended, looks and sounds really nice. About 7-8 hours of content.
PROJECT COMPLETE
Available Now
Note: This title is a Hybrid Blu-ray, a special format designed to present 5-7 hours of SD content with higher quality picture and audio than a DVD can contain. A Hybrid Blu-Ray is NOT the same thing as a Standard Blu-Ray and not all Blu-Ray Players are equipped with the protocol to read them. Do NOT assume your player will play it because you just wish to believe it has super-powers and can play everything. It might not, and if it doesn't, the problem isn't the disk.
Order this disk ONLY if you have a Sony BDP-s3100, Sony BDP-s390, Sony BDP-1200, Sony BDP-s5390 or ONN portable model 100009768 Blu-Ray player or another player you have tried playing a Hybrid Blu-Ray on and can load it.
THE PHANTOM EMPIRE
H-BLU-RAY UPGRADE
Featuring Frankie Darro
and Gene Autry
(Mascot, 12 Chapters)
Directed by Otto Brower, B. Eason
When a radio performer discovers a strange underground city ruled by Queen Tika, who wishes to keep her kingdom secret from the “surface people” she despises, his two bumbling friends, and young Frankie and Betsy and the Thunder Riders Club ride “to the rescue.”
Influenced: Star Wars, The Phantom Menace, The Empire Strikes Back
Transfer Quality: Excellent, wet-gate transfer which minimizes artifacting. Scored with period music from 78s and 1930s music libraries. The Blu-Ray upgrade offers smoother motion, clearer picture and sound, and smoother and sharper image quality.
View Online Video: Chapter 3
PROJECT COMPLETE
ORDER NOW
Note: This title is a Hybrid Blu-ray, a special format designed to present 5-7 hours of SD content with higher quality picture and audio than a DVD can contain. A Hybrid Blu-Ray is NOT the same thing as a Standard Blu-Ray and not all Blu-Ray Players are equipped with the protocol to read them. Do NOT assume your player will play it because you just wish to believe it has super-powers and can play everything. It might not, and if it doesn't, the problem isn't the disk.
Order this disk ONLY if you have a Sony BDP-s3100, Sony BDP-s390, Sony BDP-1200, Sony BDP-s5390 or ONN portable model 100009768 Blu-Ray player or another player you have tried playing a Hybrid Blu-Ray on and can load it.
PERILS OF NYOKA
HYBRID BLU-RAY UPGRADE
✦✦✦✦ (15 Chapters)
Featuring Kay Aldridge, Clayton Moore and Adrian Booth
Directed by William Witney
The great exotic adventure serial in superb quality, the best available.
PROJECT COMPLETE
Available Now
Note: This title is a Hybrid Blu-ray, a special format designed to present 5-7 hours of SD content with higher quality picture and audio than a DVD can contain. A Hybrid Blu-Ray is NOT the same thing as a Standard Blu-Ray and not all Blu-Ray Players are equipped with the protocol to read them. Do NOT assume your player will play it because you just wish to believe it has super-powers and can play everything. It might not, and if it doesn't, the problem isn't the disk.
Order this disk ONLY if you have a Sony BDP-s3100, Sony BDP-s390, Sony BDP-1200, Sony BDP-s5390 or ONN portable model 100009768 Blu-Ray player or another player you have tried playing a Hybrid Blu-Ray on and can load it.
NEW RESTORED EDITION
THE PERILS OF PAULINE
H-BLU-RAY UPGRADE
Featuring Pearl White, Crane Wilbur and Paul Panzer
All existing content newly transferred, restored, stabilized and scored, with a complete episode guide video and documentary about the serial and later projects it influenced. A comprehensive and amazing new edition of the serial that started it all, with appropriate new intertitles as well. Highly recommended.
PROJECT COMPLETE
Available Now
Note: This title is a Hybrid Blu-ray, a special format designed to present 5-7 hours of SD content with higher quality picture and audio than a DVD can contain. A Hybrid Blu-Ray is NOT the same thing as a Standard Blu-Ray and not all Blu-Ray Players are equipped with the protocol to read them. Do NOT assume your player will play it because you just wish to believe it has super-powers and can play everything. It might not, and if it doesn't, the problem isn't the disk.
Order this disk ONLY if you have a Sony BDP-s3100, Sony BDP-s390, Sony BDP-1200, Sony BDP-s5390 or ONN portable model 100009768 Blu-Ray player or another player you have tried playing a Hybrid Blu-Ray on and can load it.
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"Jan of the Jungle" in
THE CALL OF
THE SAVAGE
H-BLU-RAY UPGRADE
(1935, 12 Chapters)
Starring NOAH BEERY JR.,
DOROTHY SHORT, HARRY WOODS
and WALTER MILLER
Young Jan's parents are murdered in the jungle by a rival for his parents' secret formula and Jan is still sought by his killers long afterward. He meets up with Mona, who has ties to a lost city, and Borno, who protects her. Both have secrets and in the latter half of the serial the cast discovers the mysterious hidden city and the action speeds up, and deathtraps and intrigue in the castle take over. This is a serial that not a lot of people have seen and doesn't get talked about much because it starts off with a lot of exposition before it peps up. But not a bad one at all. The leading man is a bit pale for a jungle boy but friendly enough and the supporting cast is very good.
Transfer Quality: Rank Cintel transfer From 16mm; very good-excellent; stabilized, exposure-corrected, with normalized and noise-reduced audio. Blu-Ray conversion improves motion and tone smoothness and sharpness.
PROJECT COMPLETE
ORDER NOW
Note: This title is a Hybrid Blu-ray, a special format designed to present 5-7 hours of SD content with higher quality picture and audio than a DVD can contain. A Hybrid Blu-Ray is NOT the same thing as a Standard Blu-Ray and not all Blu-Ray Players are equipped with the protocol to read them. Do NOT assume your player will play it because you just wish to believe it has super-powers and can play everything. It might not, and if it doesn't, the problem isn't the disk.
Order this disk ONLY if you have a Sony BDP-s3100, Sony BDP-s390, Sony BDP-1200, Sony BDP-s5390 or ONN portable model 100009768 Blu-Ray player or another player you have tried playing a Hybrid Blu-Ray on and can load it.
THE DESERT HAWK
H-BLU-RAY UPGRADE
(15 Chapters)
Featuring Gilbert Roland and Mona Maris
with Billy Bletcher
Thrilling, epic serial with exotic Arabian setting featuring Gilbert Roland in a dual role as the rightful Caliph of a kingdom and also his evil usurping twin brother. Billy Bletcher (Voice of the Lone Ranger) appears in an amusing role as a comical but quite capable magician. Lots of action and virtually no stock footage, with a solid cast and swordplay too -- destroys the myth that all Columbia serials aren't good. It's tons of fun.
A nice transfer enhanced by light warm and cool color tones as appropriate to indoor and outdoor scenes.
PROJECT COMPLETE
ORDER NOW
Note: This title is a Hybrid Blu-ray, a special format designed to present 5-7 hours of SD content with higher quality picture and audio than a DVD can contain. A Hybrid Blu-Ray is NOT the same thing as a Standard Blu-Ray and not all Blu-Ray Players are equipped with the protocol to read them. Do NOT assume your player will play it because you just wish to believe it has super-powers and can play everything. It might not, and if it doesn't, the problem isn't the disk.
Order this disk ONLY if you have a Sony BDP-s3100, Sony BDP-s390, Sony BDP-1200, Sony BDP-s5390 or ONN portable model 100009768 Blu-Ray player or another player you have tried playing a Hybrid Blu-Ray on and can load it.
LINDA STIRLING
2-SERIAL SET
THE TIGER WOMAN/
THE BLACK WHIP
H-BLU-RAY UPGRADE
Featuring Linda Stirling, Allan Lane, George J. Lewis
Contains both full serials, THE TIGER WOMAN and ZORRO'S BLACK WHIP, with original trailers, featuring the fan-favorite heroine, on one BR disk.
In The Tiger Woman Linda is a jungle goddess who engineer Allan Lane tries to protect from destructive white men who want to plunder the riches and oil in her South American kingdom, and in Zorro's Black Whip she plays the first female costumed Zorro-style masked avenger of the movies.
Also includes a mini-documentary about stunt woman Helen Thurston, the "Face Behind the Mask" in Zorro's Black Whip and a Linda Stirling Bio and slideshow.
Upgrade to Blu-Ray for smoother motion and sharper picture.
PROJECT COMPLETE
Available Now
Note: This title is a Hybrid Blu-ray, a special format designed to present 5-7 hours of SD content with higher quality picture and audio than a DVD can contain. A Hybrid Blu-Ray is NOT the same thing as a Standard Blu-Ray and not all Blu-Ray Players are equipped with the protocol to read them. Do NOT assume your player will play it because you just wish to believe it has super-powers and can play everything. It might not, and if it doesn't, the problem isn't the disk.
Order this disk ONLY if you have a Sony BDP-s3100, Sony BDP-s390, Sony BDP-1200, Sony BDP-s5390 or ONN portable model 100009768 Blu-Ray player or another player you have tried playing a Hybrid Blu-Ray on and can load it.