Category Archives: Rant

Consistent video

Posted on April 9, 2010 by Stephen Dawson

I’ve been having a look at the forthcoming Sherlock Holmes movie on Blu-ray, due for release on 6 May this year. Love it! Especially the sound. But this Roadshow Entertainment release does illustrate one common irritation. Actually, it seems to … Continue reading →

Posted in Blu-ray, BonusView, Rant | Leave a comment

Blu-ray reviewing – verity or result?

Posted on March 29, 2010 by Stephen Dawson

In comments on an earlier post, Peter draws attention to another negative review of The Fellowship of the Ring. This gives 3/5 stars for video quality. The other review suggests 2.5/5. Once again, the finger is pointed at digital noise … Continue reading →

Posted in Blu-ray, Cinema, Rant, Testing | 6 Comments

Saving the world, 13 grams at a time

Posted on March 7, 2010 by Stephen Dawson

Universal studios sent me a bunch of Blu-ray discs recently. One of them is a movie of which I had never previously heard. Called Home, it is apparently an environmental documentary. From the blurb: In 200,000 years, humans have disrupted the … Continue reading →

Posted in Blu-ray, Mysticism, Rant | 3 Comments

Am I to be forced into employment?

Posted on March 4, 2010 by Stephen Dawson

I don’t normally comment here on politics, despite having very strong views on the subject, because it isn’t usually relevant to home entertainment or to me writing about home entertainment. But when Robert Gottliebsen writes that people like me are … Continue reading →

Posted in Admin, Rant | Leave a comment

A Letter to a PR Company

Posted on February 11, 2010 by Stephen Dawson

Today I sent an email in the following terms today to a PR company for a large TV manufacturer: Meanwhile, I know you guys have just started this account, so I thought I’d take the opportunity to make a suggestion. … Continue reading →

Posted in Admin, Equipment, Rant, Testing, Video | Leave a comment

BBC says that it’s all in your head

Posted on December 3, 2009 by Stephen Dawson

Over on the AVS Forum Blu-ray Audio and Video Specifications Thread, we whinge, rightly, about average video bitrates of less than 20Mbps, sometimes even less than 15Mbps, on Blu-ray. Still we should keep things in perspective. Apparently the BBC HD … Continue reading →

Posted in Compression, Rant, Video | Leave a comment

Be Careful What You Write on Your Blog

Posted on October 8, 2009 by Stephen Dawson

CinemaSquid has drawn my attention to a report that the US Federal Trade Commission has set rules requiring ‘Consumer-generated media’ ‘to disclose if they are being compensated by a manufacturer, advertiser, or service provider when they review an item’. Apparently … Continue reading →

Posted in Admin, Rant | Leave a comment

‘NDAs are evil’

Posted on October 7, 2009 by Stephen Dawson

I just wrote a 650 word email to Twentienth Century Fox Home Entertainment. My editor, Jez Ford, used just three words to basically say the same thing in response: ‘NDAs are evil’. Trying to keep in contact with the various … Continue reading →

Posted in Blu-ray, Disc details, DVD, Rant | Leave a comment

A Decade of Tuning Tips (Part Two) – 2

Posted on September 28, 2009 by Stephen Dawson

Perhaps ‘the worst book ever written‘ was actually the second worst. A while back I mentioned this little pamphlet, and promised to come back to it. Well, here goes. First, the claim by the author, Jimmy Hughes: I have experienced … Continue reading →

Posted in Audio, Imperfect perception, Mysticism, Rant | 1 Comment

Manthropology – the worst book ever written!

Posted on September 28, 2009 by Stephen Dawson

There can be no doubt that Manthropology is the worst book ever written. Its prose is of a lower standard than that of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. It is shorter than the Holy Bible. It is less engrossing than … Continue reading →

Posted in Rant | Leave a comment