<P> The first episode to be released to syndication was "Balance of Terror" on the weekend of September 16, 2006 . Episodes were released at the rate of about one a week and broadcast in a 4: 3 aspect ratio . Despite the HD remastering, CBS chose to deliver the broadcast syndication package in Standard Definition (SD TV). The HD format is commercially available through Blu - ray, or by download such as iTunes, Netflix, and Xbox Live . </P> <P> While the CGI shots were mastered in a 16: 9 aspect ratio for future applications, they are broadcast in the U.S. and Canada--along with the live - action footage--in a 4: 3 aspect ratio to respect the show's original composition . If the producers were to choose to reformat the entire show for the 16: 9 ratio, live - action footage would have to be cropped, significantly reducing the height of the original image . </P> <P> On July 26, 2007, CBS Home Entertainment (with distribution by Paramount Home Entertainment) announced that the remastered episodes of TOS would be released on an HD DVD / DVD hybrid format . Season 1 was released on November 20, 2007 . Season 2 had been scheduled for release in the summer of 2008, but it was cancelled when Toshiba (which had been helping finance the remastering of the show) pulled out of the HD DVD business . On August 5, 2008, the remastered Season 2 was released on DVD only . For this release, CBS and Paramount used discs without any disc art, making them look like the "Season 1 Remastered" HD DVD / DVD combo discs, despite having content only on one side . Season 3 was released on DVD only on November 18, 2008 . On February 17, 2009--Paramount announced the Season 1 of TOS on Blu - ray Disc for a May release to coincide with the new feature film coming from Paramount . The second season was released in a seven disc set on Blu - ray in the U.S. on September 22, 2009 . The third season was released on Blu - ray in the U.S. on December 15 . With the release of the "Alternate Realities" box set, remastered Original Series episodes were included in a multi-series compilation for the first time . It is unknown if future compilation releases will exclusively use the remastered episodes or not . </P> <P> In region 2 and region 4, all three seasons of the remastered Original Series became available on DVD in the slimline edition (in the UK and Germany in steelbook editions) on April 27, 2009 as well as the first season in Blu - ray . </P>

When did paramount announce the remastered release of star trek for tv