[Eriamjh]

The season is only half over. It's not common for shows to be renewed before they are even done. (Although it's not a good sign, either.)

[mrtew]

Speaking of the second half of the season.... when is the next episode being shown in Canada and can it be seen in HD and if so on what channel? I just moved here a few months ago and just got a HDTV for xmas!!!!

[Dark Helmet]

Originally Posted by mrtew 

Speaking of the second half of the season.... when is the next episode being shown in Canada and can it be seen in HD and if so on what channel? I just moved here a few months ago and just got a HDTV for xmas!!!!

Jan 21 and it doesn't air in High def.

P.S. Where or what is "Maple Leaf State!"?

[mrtew]

Originally Posted by Dark Helmet 

Where or what is "Maple Leaf State!"?

It's from my favorite Five Iron Frenzy song.

[Dark Helmet]

Originally Posted by mrtew 

It's from my favorite Five Iron Frenzy song.

So where did you move to in Canada and why?

[mrtew]

Originally Posted by Dark Helmet 

So where did you move to in Canada and why?

I moved here because they film Battlestar here of course! What do you think??? Geez. No I moved to Ontario for socio-political reasons. Mostly for freedom and equality and to get away from Bush. And the fact that Canadians are so nice is just a bonus. So's the Battlestar thing too.

[reader50]

Originally Posted by Peter 

Slashdot | Battlestar Galactica DVD Movie In the Works?

is it true it hasnt been renewed for a 4th series?!

Slashdot isn't the most reliable source.

[jokell82]

Originally Posted by reader50 

Slashdot isn't the most reliable source.

Probably because /. isn't a source at all. They link to the source and then have a discussion about it.

[PBG4 User]

Originally Posted by Dark Helmet 

Jan 21 and it doesn't air in High def.

P.S. Where or what is "Maple Leaf State!"?

Here in the US, previous seasons are rerun in hi-def on the Universal HD (UHD) channel Sunday nights at 8PM EST.

[scottiB]

Originally Posted by PBG4 User 

Here in the US, previous seasons are rerun in hi-def on the Universal HD (UHD) channel Sunday nights at 8PM EST.

Tomorrow night, UHD is showing part 1 of the mini-series; part 2 next week; and season three begins January 27th.

I need to find a way to pull it from my cable DVR...grumble...grumble....

[PBG4 User]

Originally Posted by scottiB 

Tomorrow night, UHD is showing part 1 of the mini-series; part 2 next week; and season three begins January 27th.

I need to find a way to pull it from my cable DVR...grumble...grumble....

Get the Firewire SDK from developer.apple.com . Then get a 6pin to 6pin firewire cable (you probably already have one). Then read this article. I successfully did this last year using a Motorola cable box and Comcast cable.

[Eug]

Originally Posted by mrtew 

I moved here because they film Battlestar here of course! What do you think??? Geez. No I moved to Ontario for socio-political reasons.

You should have moved to BC. Then you could have stalked Starbuck and posted pix here.

P.S. Even in Ontario there are lots of anti-US jokes, which I find irritating. But this isn't the PoliWar forum so I'll stop here.

Originally Posted by PBG4 User 

Get the Firewire SDK from developer.apple.com . Then get a 6pin to 6pin firewire cable (you probably already have one). Then read this article. I successfully did this last year using a Motorola cable box and Comcast cable.

One of the drawbacks of living in Canada...

The Firewire rule isn't the same in Canada as in the US. Thus, while our cable boxes have Firewire, the Firewire ports are non-functional. The Firewire SDK doesn't do anything with those Canadian boxes. The same model cable boxes work fine in the US with the Firewire SDK.

[Eug Wanker]

Battlestar Galactica in HD is coming in 2007 on HD DVD. w00t!

[Dark Helmet]

Originally Posted by Eug Wanker 

Battlestar Galactica in HD is coming in 2007 on HD DVD. w00t!

It almost makes me want to get an HD-DVD drive for my 360 just for that even though I have blu-ray.

I don't think I am that crazy though.

[Eug Wanker]

Maybe we can host an HD frak party in Toronto.

[mrtew]

Originally Posted by Dark Helmet 

Jan 21 and it doesn't air in High def.

So what is that "Behind the Scenes: Battlestar Galactica: A behind-the-scenes look at the series, including interviews with the cast and crew." thing that's airing tonight at 8PM? Is that new or some old thing from two seasons ago?

[Wiskedjak]

Originally Posted by mrtew 

So what is that "Behind the Scenes: Battlestar Galactica: A behind-the-scenes look at the series, including interviews with the cast and crew." thing that's airing tonight at 8PM? Is that new or some old thing from two seasons ago?

Sounds like something new. Will I watch it? Probably not. It's likely just to remind less fanatical viewers than ourselves that the show is starting up again soon.

[reader50]

I've been thinking about the download system for awhile. I originally thought it was EM based, and used the transponders as buffering relays to get around lightspeed & range issues. However, later episodes make this impossible.

It is established that the upload side happens fast enough to beat a bullet to the head, or a chemical explosive nearby. Using common bullet velocities, that establishes an upper limit of 100 microseconds to complete an upload before brain damage starts. It's also established that an upload works if a Resurrection Ship is within a few lightyears. Even more interesting, a physical virus is believed able to infect a Resurrection Ship if an upload happens. That requires a physical transfer, not just information. Note that while the Cylons suspected this, it hasn't actually been seen to happen.

Based on the new data, the upload side has to be based on Jump technology. A minute portion of a Cylon's brain is transferred, with the Jump range being somewhere around 5 lightyears. The writers assume the Colonial systems can reliably calculate jumps up to 5 LY, and the Cylons can calculate them farther for ships, using specialized biological computers to calculate the jump.

Another interesting note. The Cylons apparently spent the silent 40 years doing a lot of R&D on Jump tech in general (along with cloning tech). They have some type of FTL communication system, probably a hardware version of the upload system. ie - jump a minute data node. In Torn, about halfway through:

A D'anna: Trouble is, we know almost nothing about the missing BaseShip's status.
A Doral: We've received a garbled distress call, then silence. Not surprisingly, their Hybrid sent us a confusing set of data. Our Hybrid is analyzing it.

At the time, the BaseShip sent to the Lion Nebula was lightyears away. Far enough that it's beyond Resurrection Ship range. This is established slightly later, when they decide to visit the sick BaseShip and send Baltar aboard.

A D'anna: Make sure the Resurrection Ship knows to stay behind, out of range

I'd guess the hardware communication version has longer range than a personal upload. The Hybrid would have the calculation resources of the BaseShip's Jump computer, that would suggest a communication range of 10-20 LY, since it's not currently established just how far a BaseShip can jump.

This might also explain why a Resurrestion Ship leaves it's Jump engines spun down. Powering them up might prevent any other Jump activity within the ship, ie - receiving uploads.

[Cadaver]

Originally Posted by reader50 

I've been thinking about the download system for awhile...

Wow. That's a lot of work. I like it.

[Dark Helmet]

Originally Posted by reader50 

Using common bullet velocities, that establishes an upper limit of 100 microseconds to complete an upload before brain damage starts. It's also established that an upload works if a Resurrection Ship is within a few lightyears. Even more interesting, a physical virus is believed able to infect a Resurrection Ship if an upload happens. That requires a physical transfer, not just information.

What a buzzkill, you just turned BSG into Star Trek

[mrtew]

Originally Posted by Dark Helmet 

What a buzzkill, you just turned BSG into Star Trek

Nah, I think he has some good points!

[goMac]

Originally Posted by Eug Wanker 

Battlestar Galactica in HD is coming in 2007 on HD DVD. w00t!

Just in time for me to get my HD TV and my 360.

[Dark Helmet]

Originally Posted by mrtew 

Nah, I think he has some good points!

I didn't say he was wrong I was just saying it was more typical of Trekies with the technobabble nitpicking.

BSG has ALWAYS let the characters and story drive the story while Star Trek has relied more on the technology to take them places or save the day, and technobabble to fill plot holes. It is all very unsatisfying most of the time.

The BSG writers have continuously tried to avoid any technobabble and not make the technology take centre stage. Sometimes this means some things don't entirely make sense but throwing in a long winded scientific explanation to how things work helps but it can easily take over and doesn't drive the story much.

It took them 2 seasons before we knew how the downloading worked to some degree but it doesn't make the story or characters all that much more interesting knowing about upload speeds, distance, etc.

They concentrate more on the physiological, spiritual and political reproductions of dying and downloading over technobabble which is make the show so different, interesting and better.

[silverflyer]

Originally Posted by Eug 

You should have moved to BC. Then you could have stalked Starbuck and posted pix here.

P.S. Even in Ontario there are lots of anti-US jokes, which I find irritating. But this isn't the PoliWar forum so I'll stop here.



One of the drawbacks of living in Canada...

The Firewire rule isn't the same in Canada as in the US. Thus, while our cable boxes have Firewire, the Firewire ports are non-functional. The Firewire SDK doesn't do anything with those Canadian boxes. The same model cable boxes work fine in the US with the Firewire SDK.

why stalk starbuck, I want to stalk racetrack...mhm mhm mhm that girl is fine.

[Dark Helmet]

Am I the only one that didn't know Hotdog is Edward James Olmos's real life son?

[reader50]

Dark Helmet, several responses.

The ST technobabble had a habit of not always working for science we already knew. In other words, unverified filler, which is insulting to the audience. My calculations were real. I used a bullet velocity of 1,000 MPH (approx Mach 1.5, 447 meters per sec). Allow a 2-inch (50 mm) penetration of the head before you enter the brain and start doing damage. It works out to ~100 µSeconds, less if the bullet travels faster - say, a rifle bullet at close range.

The writers indicated somewhere (interview? battlestarwiki response?) that the mechanics of the download process would remain a mystery to the Colonials for some time to come. This implies that the writers have worked out how it operates, and the limitations. In other words, it's fair game to try for the details.

ST had a problem of making the tech do whatever was convenient each week. BSG mostly avoids that, and tries to live within the limits of their established tech. Having the downloading be Jump-based actually works better than an unexplained wireless download of terabytes (exabytes?) within microseconds that works across lightyears.

[Dark Helmet]

Originally Posted by reader50 

Dark Helmet, several responses.

The ST technobabble had a habit of not always working for science we already knew. In other words, unverified filler, which is insulting to the audience. My calculations were real. I used a bullet velocity of 1,000 MPH (approx Mach 1.5, 447 meters per sec). Allow a 2-inch (50 mm) penetration of the head before you enter the brain and start doing damage.

I am not doubting your claims but rather if the audience or writers care about those technobabble specifics or if it helps the characters or story any. So far they have clearly said they don't care.

Star Trek had scientists to consult with technobabble so they were based on scientific theories etc and not just made up stuff. The fans hated it, the actors hated it, the writers hated it but always used it as a fall back to solve any problem.

[jokell82]

Originally Posted by reader50 

Dark Helmet, several responses.

The ST technobabble had a habit of not always working for science we already knew. In other words, unverified filler, which is insulting to the audience. My calculations were real. I used a bullet velocity of 1,000 MPH (approx Mach 1.5, 447 meters per sec). Allow a 2-inch (50 mm) penetration of the head before you enter the brain and start doing damage. It works out to ~100 µSeconds, less if the bullet travels faster - say, a rifle bullet at close range.

The writers indicated somewhere (interview? battlestarwiki response?) that the mechanics of the download process would remain a mystery to the Colonials for some time to come. This implies that the writers have worked out how it operates, and the limitations. In other words, it's fair game to try for the details.

ST had a problem of making the tech do whatever was convenient each week. BSG mostly avoids that, and tries to live within the limits of their established tech. Having the downloading be Jump-based actually works better than an unexplained wireless download of terabytes (exabytes?) within microseconds that works across lightyears.

You're also assuming that the downloading requires the brain to be functioning. If they can remember everything that happens to them during their death, it stands to reason that the download happens immediately following...

[goMac]

Originally Posted by Dark Helmet 

Am I the only one that didn't know Hotdog is Edward James Olmos's real life son?

I noticed this a while ago.

[Dark Helmet]

A year ago my best friend was at Jammers sisters (or cousin I forget) wedding in BC and she sat at the table with Jammer talking to him and found out he was an actor, not having heard of BSG at the time she wasn't that interested though.

In December I made her and her boyfriend watch every BSG from the start and now that they are huge BSG fans and are pissed they never interrogated Jammer at the wedding

Weird thing this is the the same friend of mine whos sister was going to be Boomers costume stand in.
Damn Canada is small

[Eug]

Originally Posted by Dark Helmet 

A year ago my best friend was at Jammers sisters (or cousin I forget) wedding in BC and she sat at the table with Jammer talking to him and found out he was an actor, not having heard of BSG at the time she wasn't that interested though.

In December I made her and her boyfriend watch every BSG from the start and now that they are huge BSG fans and are pissed they never interrogated Jammer at the wedding

Weird thing this is the the same friend of mine whos sister was going to be Boomers costume stand in.
Damn Canada is small

I have seen most of the Canadian BSG actors on Stargate SG-1 (which is also filmed in Vancouver).

In addition, I have seen the Simon Fraser University grounds on BSG, The 4400, and Stargate SG-1.

[olePigeon]

Originally Posted by Dark Helmet 

A year ago my best friend was at Jammers sisters (or cousin I forget) wedding in BC and she sat at the table with Jammer talking to him and found out he was an actor, not having heard of BSG at the time she wasn't that interested though.

In December I made her and her boyfriend watch every BSG from the start and now that they are huge BSG fans and are pissed they never interrogated Jammer at the wedding

Weird thing this is the the same friend of mine whos sister was going to be Boomers costume stand in.
Damn Canada is small

Kevin Bacon is in there someplace.

[Peter]

any word if its been renewed yet?
*panics*

[Dark Helmet]

SCI FI Wire | The News Service of the SCI FI Channel

"Caprica, the original Six model, will make a fateful decision at the end of the first new episode, "Rapture," which also marks Battlestar Galactica's debut in a new timeslot on Sunday nights. "She kind of feels that, maybe, like Athena [Grace Park], ... she can be accepted by the humans," Helfer said. "And I think she feels a little bit of turmoil and not sure which side she should be on."

I saw a hint of this when D'Anna ran off with Baltar to the planet. Should be interesting but I sorta like Evil 6.

[greenamp]

Well, we got a tinsy clue about who one of the final five may be: someone Deana felt compelled to sincerely apologize to. That narrows it down to 2 or 3 of the main human characters. I thought at first it was Adama, but now I'm thinking Starbuck b/c of the last scene.

Good ep.

[Visnaut]

Yeah, they really made it seem as someone that D'Anna knew. I'm not convinced it's Starbuck though, that would be too easy.

It'll be interesting to see how Baltar fares now that he's back with the fleet. What will it take to keep him alive?

[Dark Helmet]

I think it is Starbuck as they have always made her out to be "Special" with above average abilities.

Anyway, what 6 defected? Any old Six or Caprica 6?

I assume they put D'Anna in storage because Lawless' schedule didn't fit or they couldn't afford her evey week rather than a real plot reason. No doubt she will be brought back one day as she knows things.

[RAILhead]

I enjoy D'Anna's cleavage a lot.

[exca1ibur]

Darn, I missed the first half. Almost forgot it premiered tonight. Torrent time I guess. I hoped they would only kill off Starbuck. Oh well, there is still time.

[Buckaroo]

Originally Posted by exca1ibur 

Darn, I missed the first half. Almost forgot it premiered tonight. Torrent time I guess. I hoped they would only kill off Starbuck. Oh well, there is still time.

It'll be available on iTunes tomorrow.

I don't think it's Starbuck, that would be too easy. I don't think it's Adoma either. Who else could it be?

[Buckaroo]

I suspect that it is Helo.

[goMac]

Originally Posted by Buckaroo 

I suspect that it is Helo.

You think? That would mean the hybrid child is not a hybrid at all.

[Buckaroo]

Originally Posted by goMac 

You think? That would mean the hybrid child is not a hybrid at all.

That's what I was thinking. Hmmmm. I don't know. When do you think they will let us know? The very last episode?

[Buckaroo]

Originally Posted by goMac 

You think? That would mean the hybrid child is not a hybrid at all.

I think your right, it can't be Helo. How about Apollo's wife? It has to be someone we don't expect.

[RAILhead]

Didn't she call him/her sir? Would that mean she has some sort of respect for the person? Maybe the orig Pres?

[Dark Helmet]

Originally Posted by Buckaroo 

That's what I was thinking. Hmmmm. I don't know. When do you think they will let us know? The very last episode?

I think in the podcast they said we would learn of SOME of the remaining 5 by the end of the season.

Question. After Athena was shot where was the resurrection ship hiding? They also wasted no time cleaning her up and taking her to the baby on the basestar.

[Eug]

Cally is one of the final 5. Cally roolz all in surprises in this show!

Anyways, great episode.

[bstone]

Originally Posted by Eug 

Cally is one of the final 5. Cally roolz all in surprises in this show!

Anyways, great episode.

Proof?

[Eug]

Originally Posted by bstone 

Proof?

Just a half-joking guess.

[goMac]

Originally Posted by Eug 

Cally is one of the final 5. Cally roolz all in surprises in this show!

Anyways, great episode.

I think Cally could be, although that would make her child a hybrid.

I have a guess as to who the head lost 5 Cylon is. But my choice is rather... unconventional. But stick with me here.

I think the head final 5 Cylon, the god figure one, is Doc Cottle.

Why? From a writing perspective it makes sense. He's a minor character. Making him the head Cylon won't force any rectconning or story conflicts. Story wise, he's had a lot of influence over the Cylon child, putting him in a position to keep track of the Cylon child. He's had contact with Three, as Three implied. Doc Cottle has shown no bias between humans and Cylons. And he's minor enough that it would be a huge shocker if he did end up being an important Cylon the whole time.

I'm ruling out the Adama's. We already know there is a prequel series about them, and that their family predates the Cylons. Given that this establishes human births for all of them, they can't be part of the final 5 (unless the final 5 aren't actually robots).

On my hit list for who else could be in the final 5 is Kara, Roslyn, Cally, and maybe still Helo.