Info and forum posts by 'Giz'

RE: Futurama theme in new Coke ad

I *think* the origional tune was done by Pierre Henry back in the 60`s. It was called `Psyche Rock` and by all accounts was well ahead of it`s time. I know fat boy slim did a mix (the malpso mix) of this tune a few years back, but Futurama brought it too the masses.

It`s still a kick-ass track today! I`ve got in mp3 somewhere.......

RE: Bicycles

Yeah - I don`t leave it anywhere. Far too risky.

Even just convincing the insurance company that you`ve actually spent that much on bike is an effort!! Still - works out cheep if you compare it to the sort of money golf clubs charge for a years membership.....

RE: Lord Of The Rings DVD--Extended Version

I think I know the answer to this anyway but I`ve gotta ask......

If you buy the extended version will it be possible to watch the cinema released version? i.e. are the extra`s incorperated in some way that you can optionally watch them? I want to be able to watch the origional film *as well* as the extended version.

RE: Sky digibox problem

I`ve had this problem on and off for ages now. The `turn it off; wait; turn it back on again` solution worked for a couple of months, but then it wouldn`t come back even after doing this. Because it was just over a year since I had the system installed I had to pay £60 to get someone to come out and look at the box. They sent it off, told me it would be 2 weeks before I got it back, and gave me a Oh-My-God-I-Can`t-Believe-It`s-So-Slow Amstrad box. 6 weeks later my Pace unit finally turned up. Next day, you guessed it, `satilite signal not received`. To say I was p***ed off was a slight understatment!

Anyways, after about an hour spent bitching to thoes nice (!) people at Sky CS another engineer turned up and replaced the LNB. That was 3 days ago and no sign of any problems so far.

If you`re still covered with the one year warrenty get it sorted now. I waited and ended up having to pay £60 for the privilege of spening hours on the phone to Sky CS and having to watch a crappy box for 6 weeks!

RE: Bicycles

It`s also worth picking up and reading something like MBUK or What Mountain Bike. They often have review of the low end (sub £400) bikes and you`d be surprised at the difference between some of `em.

If you`re after something a little more juicy I can recommend a Ellsworth Isis from Freeborn in Horsham. Rides like a dream, but then you`d expect it too for £2,000! I`m very happy with my new one though :D

RE: I think it`s time for a..........BRUCE CAMPBELL FORUM! =)

Does anyone know if Evil Dead 3 is coming out on Region 2 DVD? I`m a big fan of all 3 and have `em on vid - but had to buy the latest versions of ED 1&2 as they came with commentry. Now I *need* the 3rd one also!

RE: Whats your favourite movie quote?

Ah, yes. That`s the chap. Cheers Clayts - gold star to you.

RE: Black Hawk Down - Just too `American`!!!

I`ve got no problems with Americans - one of my closest friends and ex-housemate is a Yank. But you`ve got to admit that the American sterotype is quite amusing to us Brits. Like any sterotype *some* people in the country will conform to it - most won`t. Before Steve moved out here he was having a converstion with a bloke he`d met (he was around 16) and told him he was going to move to England with his parents. This guy says "Oh, England. So, what language do they speak out there then?"

Gotta laugh......

RE: Whats your favourite movie quote?

My fav ever is from Withnail & I, and I can`t for the life of me remember exactly what it is! It`s when `I` confronts Withnail in the bedroom having just escaped `a buggery`

"What`s all this tactical necessity and calculated risk? This is my arse, naked in a bedroom!"

Just done a quick search on the net and I can`t find any reference to this quote at all! Gold star to the first person that can tell me if the above quote is correct (I`m not sure about the 2nd part).

RE: Playstation 2 Scratching Your Discs?

I`ve also seen this on my copy of Teken. However, it happened after a party and I suspect it was down to the PS2 getting kicked over at some point while the disc was still spinning. I`d be interested to hear if this can really happen in normal operation.

When is Farscape season 3 coming to DVD?

Does anyone know when Season 3 is going to be released?

RE: PS2 Games & Play247

Play247 are great. Good prices - Great service. I`ve ordered a couple of PS2 games from them and they`ve arrived with no problems. I just wish they`d hurry up and get stocks of GTA3!

Shawshank Redemption at play247 for £7.99

Due for release 10/09/01. Not sure if this price is a mistake - seems very low for a new release, but I love this film and I`m ordering my copy now!

http://www.play247.com/play247.asp?page=title&r=R2&title=1983

RE: What`s the first site you log on to when going online ?

I can`t believe no one`s mentioned http://news.bbc.co.uk/. Also, http://www.theregister.co.uk/ is normally 2nd or 3rd. Hmmmm, spot the news junkie....

This item was edited on Thursday, 30th August 2001, 16:35

Is there a trick to getting a PS2 to output Dolby Digital?

I don`t use my PS2 as my main DVD player, but I`ve just bought an optical cable for it to get better sounds from the games, so I thought I`d just check it was all setup correctly. Anyway, plugged it into my amp and tried to play a DVD expecting the amp to tell me it detects DD. Not so - I only seem to get a pro logic signal. But, same disk in my DVD player into the other digital connection on the amp results in DD being recognised and displayed on my amp.

Am I missing something here??

RE: Sound from TV shows/movies through DVD speakers!?

I don`t know the details of your setup, but if you`ve got a phono out on your TV then just run a standard phono cable from the TV out to a spare in on your amp.

RE: Hifi system ..... or ....... seperates .........?

Oh God. I`m going to recommend reading What Hi-Fi *again*!

I was in much the same position as you last year - I didn`t know anything about separates and was a little put off by the perceived complexity. Pick up a copy of What Hi-Fi and read some of their articles. Basically you`ll need a cheep multichannel amp, a CD/DVD player & a speaker set. Should be able to get the whole setup for under £500. If you want to talk to someone then go into your nearest richersounds (or similar) they should be able to help you out - just be aware that you might be able to buy the stuff for slightly less on line.

It really is worth the hassle for separates. You`ll get a far better sound and while you don`t need to upgrade it - if you want to, you can do it component by component rather than having to fork out on an entire new system.

RE: How important are cables???

Might be worth picking up a copy of WhatHiFi. The section at the back now has details of lots of AV leads - should be able to pick something out at the right price.

RE: A conspiracy theory for intelligent people

I think it`s rather interesting that the rest of the world have actually managed to push Kyoto through - it`s nice to see Europe standing on it`s own two feet a little more. If the US continues to have a stance contrary to the rest of the developed world on issues like this it might well lead to a shift in power away from the US and towards Europe/Japan - both of whom where crucial to getting (baby) Kyoto signed.

Bush`s stance on this really makes you realise how much better Clinton was! He might have been totally unable to keep his dick in his trousers, but at least he had 2 brain cells to rub together!

RE: Whats the last DVD everyone bought?

Crouching Tiger, and the latest Farscape box set.

RE: S-VIDEO

SCART is simply a type of socket for the end of a cable that can carry a number of different types of video signal. In the gererally accepted order of best to worst;

1) RGB
2) S-Video
3) Composite

Composite is the worst signal type and most of the free SCART leads you get with a TV will only carry composite signals. There isn`t too much difference between RGB & S-Video, but it`s generally accepted that RBG is better (but some people on some teley`s believe that S-Video is better - if in doubt try it and see).

If your SCART lead is fully wirted - i.e. every pin on the socket is connect through then the lead can carry any one of these 3 signals. You will need to ensure that your DVD can output the signal you want, as well as ensuring that your TV can receive it. Because of the different wirings TV`s often have an RBG SCART socket and a S-Video SCART socket - ensure that you plug the lead in the the correct socket for the type of signal you wish to use.

RE: Another New SKY question

Nice one clayts.

Just read the press release and one point in particular stood out....

Dolby Digital Compatibility - SkyPlus is compatible with Dolby Digital 5.1 [viewers should connect SkyPlus to a multichannel amplifier with Dolby digital decoding via the Optical Digital Output].


Wow - Finally, DD output from a digibox!

RE: Alien boxset £40 + p&p

Is the Alien Legacy box set Region 2 as well as R4? I believe it is, but wanted to check before ordering one from ezydvd.

RE: Hi Guys.......Ive just got cable modem:)

Grrrr, It`s *so* annoying that I can`t get NTL`s cable service in Southampton. An office mate just outside S`ton in a little village has just had it installed, but they still can`t service me in the city!

I`ve had BT`s adsl in my previous house and it`s nice, but I simply wouldn`t go near BT every again now - besides, £40+ is too much to pay. I think NTL have got the pricing spot on. Now, I`ve just got to wait until they can service my area.

RE: DENON DVD-F100 Multi Region Hack Required

I`ve got one as well, and there isn`t a software hack available. However, I`ve been looking around at sites that will chip it and the best value one I`ve found is linkonline (www.linkonline.co.uk). They`ll chip it for £55 (plus postage there and back). I`m currently trying to find out if anyone else has used them before and also if the chip will allow you to play R4 as well as R1 disks.

RE: New SKY question

Just quizzed one of the Sky chaps that was round checking my installation today. Apparently the service might be launched as soon as August and will probably carry a £10 per month charge.

RE: New SKY question

Any idea if they are going to charge a extra subscription? I`d hope not as you already pay a subscription and get all the programming info, but I could see sky trying to charge you extra because of the two tuners.

What`s the best mod chip to get for a player?

I`m looking to chip my Denon DVD-100 player and link can fit a Paragon D100 for £55 inc fitting which seems pretty reasonable. This seems to support R1, R2, & R0 but not R4. It also claims to support RCE.

Does anyone have any experience of this particular chip or any paragon chip? I`ve heard good things about techtronics chips, but also heard nightmares about their custom server and don`t really want to risk them getting their hands on my player.

What do people think is the best chip? Why, and where can you get it fitted?

RE: HMV Online

Yeah - sorry. Maybe I was a little `tetchy` yesterday ;-) It does annoy me when people are condescending though.

Getting back to the thread........... Does anyone actually know what`s in the sale yet? I`m starting to feel the need to burn some cash. I`m not really looking for anything in particular - just decent films that I haven`t got if they`re going cheap.

RE: HMV Online

How exactly does taking the p*** out of someone help? Don`t slag people off just because they know less than you. We all have to start somewhere.......

In answer to the question - yes, you can watch widescreen film on a 4:3 telly and you`ll get black bars along the top and bottom of the picture. This means that unless you`ve got a large TV the picture is going to be pretty small. Films can be filmed in different aspect ratio`s and some are `wider` than a widescreen tv (16:9) so even with a widescreen tele some films will still have (much smaller) black bars at the top and bottom. You normally get a whole host of modes on a widescreen TV to pull and stretch the picture about so no matter what the aspect ratio you can either watch it at the correct aspect ratio with bars or get it to fill the screen.