Author Archives: Stephen Dawson

G-Code and Showview and standards confusion

Posted on February 22, 2004 by Stephen Dawson

Australia is an odd market for home entertainment equipment. We are small (20 million) but the market here has mixed and matched the standards used in the US and Europe, each of which are huge (300-ish million). One example is … Continue reading →

Posted in Equipment, Video | Leave a comment

Harman Kardon DVD 30 revisited

Posted on February 20, 2004 by Stephen Dawson

Yesterday I received the most recent edition of Sound and Image which, as usual, contains a number of my articles. Amongst others it has my rave review of the Harman Kardon DVD 30 DVD video/audio player. I like this player … Continue reading →

Posted in CD, Equipment, Testing | Leave a comment

Price falls on Yamaha RX-Z9 receiver

Posted on February 17, 2004 by Stephen Dawson

Now that didn’t take long. Yamaha’s do-everything RX-Z9 home theatre receiver has just fallen in price here in Australia, from $AUS11,999 to $9,999. Perhaps the strong Australian dollar has something to do with it. Or is it getting cheaper overseas … Continue reading →

Posted in Equipment, Value | Leave a comment

Yet another mislabelled DVD

Posted on February 17, 2004 by Stephen Dawson

A nice chap from MGM Home Entertainment returned my call this evening regarding my previous post. He seemed quite upset about the error and is looking into it. Excellent response. Following my discussion with him, I checked out another MGM … Continue reading →

Posted in DVD | Leave a comment

False Advertising on DVD covers, or I want my money back!

Posted on February 15, 2004 by Stephen Dawson

While many hate pan and scan presentations of widescreen movies on DVD, I am convinced that the worst possible way of presenting a widescreen movie is in non-anamorphic letterboxed format. The best way — and the way the great majority … Continue reading →

Posted in DVD | Leave a comment

The Flexible Brain

Posted on February 14, 2004 by Stephen Dawson

A couple of months ago I remarked on the misformatted picture of Saddam Hussein: What is interesting is that the distorted image is still recognisably Hussein. The image processing and facial recognition circuitry in the human brain is truly an … Continue reading →

Posted in Imperfect perception | Leave a comment

The Economic way of looking at things

Posted on February 13, 2004 by Stephen Dawson

David Friedman, a scholar in law and economics, has published several fascinating books over the years including one of my favourites: The Machinery of Freedom. His latest (next?) book, Future Imperfect, is available on the Web in draft form, complete … Continue reading →

Posted in Computer | Leave a comment

Film ratings, a private alternative

Posted on February 13, 2004 by Stephen Dawson

When I was a student at Sydney University in 1976/77 I heard over the air waves for the very first time the F word. It was broadcast on the student-run low-powered experimental University radio station. And its broadcast was somewhat … Continue reading →

Posted in Cinema | Leave a comment

Star Wars finally to come to DVD

Posted on February 11, 2004 by Stephen Dawson

It has taken forever, seemingly, but the release of the first three (in chronologically filmed-time terms) Star Wars movies onto DVD has been announced. The date is set for September this year. Here’s part of what the press release has … Continue reading →

Posted in Disc details, DVD | Leave a comment

Philips backs recordable DVDs in a big way

Posted on February 11, 2004 by Stephen Dawson

The Australian arm of electronics giant Philips says that it won’t be selling VCRs any more. Philips seems to be the first of what will eventually be many makers pulling out of the field, although I expect that it won’t … Continue reading →

Posted in DVD, Equipment, Recorders, Video tape | Leave a comment