Categories
Film TV

DVD vs Blu-Ray picture quality

I never quite believed I’d see much of the difference between DVD and Blu-Ray on an 80cm (32 inch) TV. But with brand-name Blu-Ray players now below $100, and releases such as the complete set of Star Wars movies out on Blu-Ray, this past Christmas seemed like the right time to jump in and try  ... [More]

Categories
music TV

Get well soon, Molly

Music industry legend Molly Meldrum has undergone surgery overnight to relieve swelling on his brain after he fell from the roof while putting up Christmas decorations at his Richmond home. — Bedside vigil as Meldrum fights for life I reckon for most Australian Gen-Xers with an interest in music, Molly Meldrum is just someone who’s  ... [More]

Categories
Consumerism Doctor Who

Spotted at Minotaur

I’ve shopped at Minotaur Books for decades. I first found it in the early 80s when it was at the top end of Swanston Street. Then it moved to a multi-level shop in Bourke Street. Then to its current home in Elizabeth Street. It’s always had way more cool stuff than I could afford to  ... [More]

Categories
TV

“Oh no! Maybe the Genius Bar can fix it.”

Picture from Channel 7’s Sunday Night story about the Suruwaha tribe of Brazil. Anybody got any better caption ideas?

Categories
Geek TV

Pondering 5.1 surround-sound systems

I was looking at what DVD/Blu-Ray 5.1 systems I can get on my credit card points (because this is not something I want to or can afford to spend Real Money on). Some options include (eg the highest-specced ones I have enough points for): Samsung HTD5300 5.1CH 3D Blu-Ray Home Theatre System — which gives  ... [More]

Categories
News and events TV

News-junkies’ summary of TV news bulletins

I was thinking that for news junkies like me, it’d be nice to have a quick reference to when it’s possible to tune into a news bulletin on free-to-air television. With ABC News 24, this is easier than ever before, but in fact there are numerous times when other channels air substantial (10+ minutes) bulletins  ... [More]

Categories
Geek TV

How to get ABC iView on your Samsung television

I’d heard ages ago that there was a Samsung ABC iView app in the works. It’s now out, but some kind of screw-up means it’s visible to newer (2011) Samsung television owners, but not owners of last year’s models. Thanks to wiser people than me on the ABC iView forums, here’s how you do it,  ... [More]

Categories
TV

What does WTFN stand for? (Keep it clean)

When their logo pops up on the telly at the end of some production, I often wonder what, if anything, WTFN stands for. Their offices in Hawthorn East have the logo above the entrance. Any suggestions welcome. But keep it clean. (If the photo looks distorted, it’s because I took it from the tram zooming  ... [More]

Categories
Clothes TV

Doctor Who boxer shorts? Seriously?

Now I’ve seen everything. (Spotted in Target Bourke Street. There were also some 4th Doctor designs.)

Categories
Retrospectives TV

RIP Sarah Jane Smith

Right from the very beginning, the companions in Doctor Who were our (the viewers’) representatives on the voyage. For me growing up, the archetype for this character was Sarah Jane Smith, played by Elisabeth Sladen. She was there just as I got into the show. The innumerable repeats of 70s episodes in Australia during the  ... [More]

Categories
TV

When I were a lad

I was noticing the other week that Isaac referred to some past golden age “when I were a lad”. I asked him if he knew where the expression came from. He didn’t. Where it comes from (at least in our house) is the Four Yorkshiremen sketch, which has been adopted by Monty Python, but in  ... [More]

Categories
Consumerism Retrospectives TV

There’s at least a dozen ways to save our petrol

M was telling me about an ad from the 70s telling people to save petrol. I had absolutely no recollection of it, but sure enough, Mr Youtube had it… What a cracker! I couldn’t figure out why they made the cartoon people nude, but a comment suggested it was to grab people’s attention. Perhaps I  ... [More]