Boxcutters - An Australian TV Podcast - Latest Comments in boxcutters episode 111

Re: boxcutters episode 111

kerrie — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 01:45:33 -0000

I was watching the ABC, but did a bit of channel flicking during the evening to see what the others were up to. Seven didn't seem very different from any other coverage - the 'boring bits' seemed quite intact - except for annoyingly bright and whirly graphics and little animations (my sister said "too many colours!") and something called The Tower of Power. Classy. ("Deal!") I also caught Helen Coonan describing Labour's broadband plan as "pie in the sky" - small chuckle. Missed Nine's shredder completely. Laughed at Kerry O'Brien's gaffe re an ABC victory (yay!) and shared his frustration with the annoying crowd.

But I'm a happy camper :-)

Re: boxcutters episode 111

David Boxcutter — Sun, 25 Nov 2007 22:49:25 -0000

Did anyone else hear Red Kezza’s gaff regarding the “ABC, I mean ALP victory”?!

That was particularly cool, because at the time he was referring to Maxine McKew, who of course is a former ABC colleague.

Re: boxcutters episode 111

fourthof5 — Sun, 25 Nov 2007 22:39:03 -0000

Joe Hockey wasn't just devistated. He seemed rather angry at the fact that people had the audacity to vote out the Liberal Party. Your right though. It was a joy to watch. Yeah ok I was a channel slut.

Re: boxcutters episode 111

catbrain — Sun, 25 Nov 2007 18:54:49 -0000

Did anyone else hear Red Kezza's gaff regarding the "ABC, I mean ALP victory"?!

I was at a party where one of the householders chose to watch (please don't hurt me) the Sunrise coverage... It was quite peculiar - at times quite serious, then alternating with stupid graphics (cartwheeling Howard cartoon, anyone?) and hamminess. (It sounds like Nine were trying to be like them in that respect, with the whole shredder routine.) Nevertheless, a devastated Joe Hockey was a joy to watch.

Would have loved to have seen the Michael Kroger/Robert Ray exchange on Nine - Kroger saying that Labor wasn't going to get the 30 seats predicted, followed by Ray deadpanning that Labor were devastated at only getting 23.

Re: boxcutters episode 111

Ross — Sun, 25 Nov 2007 07:59:55 -0000

That is terrible about Matt Price...

Barrie's message was very nice but it did have the feel of hopelessness about it.

Very sad.

Re: boxcutters episode 111

Brett — Sun, 25 Nov 2007 07:11:21 -0000

Unfortunately, I was stuck in enemy territory, DJing a 40th birthday last night. During the speeches, they actually said they'd be out of a job on Monday with the loss of Howard.

Consequently, all I had to go on over the night was the ABC mobile app and then watching back the SBS coverage that I'd recorded (it was actually set for RocKwiz and the usual music movies they're showing on Saturday nights.) Having seen snippets of coverage from the other channels today (Sunday), SBS' was as dull as dishwater, even with the best efforts of Karen Middleton.

It's turned out to be a bittersweet day, though, with the news tonight that Matt Price has lost his battle with cancer, passing away over the day, after Barrie Cassidy mentioned him this morning on Insiders, saying he was going well. Vale Matt.

Re: boxcutters episode 111

Bolden — Sun, 25 Nov 2007 06:20:32 -0000

I flicked around, settling for the ABC, but you think Sky was early, channel 9 was (and I kid you not, this was the graphic they used) running Howard's picture through a shredder before 8 saying he'd lost his seat! That said, they ran Turnbull at the same time through it too.

Yeah, the crowd at the ABC was pretty annoying, they also went nuts when the ALP got the 76 seat. I did like Kerry O'Keefe defending the accused 'Labor rent a crowd' by saying, no they are probably cheering the Chaser boys who are up to something down there.....;)

Re: boxcutters episode 111

fourthof5 — Sun, 25 Nov 2007 04:52:26 -0000

Ah but you are all forgetting.... COONAN!! I forget which channel she was on, but she did say that a labor victory was... "pie in the sky". Which I got a kick out of.

I actually watched it on Sky. I liked their graphic a little better, which took in the two party preferred and gave the score. The ABC had labor well behind the libs for half the night via the graphic. Which, to this voter, was annoying.

Re: boxcutters episode 111

David Boxcutter — Sat, 24 Nov 2007 03:43:28 -0000

Watching ABC election coverage. I love how whenever they show the seat of Benelong, with former Kerry O'Brian cohort Maxine McKew possibly winning - there are massive cheers coming from the floor. Classic.

Although I wish whoever's phone that is would turn the ringer off and put it on vibrate. So annoying.

I'm going to call it now. Nooooooooo Howardo!

Re: boxcutters episode 111

kerrie — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 18:57:56 -0000

I'm not thanking you for that fucking banana phone song, though. (*runs round in circles hitting head* Get out! Get out!)

Re: boxcutters episode 111

kerrie — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 18:46:50 -0000

I'm so happy to find a place where other election nerds like myself get a kick out of Antony Green and his stats and graphs - I thought it was just me! I no longer feel alone. Thanks Boxcutters.

(I should make an ad.)

Re: boxcutters episode 111

David Boxcutter — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 19:20:55 -0000

Adam, I highly recommend the LG LST-6100P

It will output several different resolutions, from 1080i down to SD. It's not the cheapest HD receiver, but it's very good. Go into JB Hi-Fi, and if you hassle one of the salespeople, they should knock $30 or so off the price.

The thing I like most about LG is that their remote control units are actually designed well, for humans. All the buttons are in the right place, and not cluttered. It also has buttons for controlling the TV power, volume and channel - so you should only need the 1 remote. It can be programmed to control different brands of TV, not just LG.

Re: boxcutters episode 111

FulltimeCasual — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 18:14:53 -0000

Hey, the bingo card up loaded yesterday didnt have NSW on it for some reason, so i've re-uploaded it.

Now includes,Bennelong, Wentworth, Parramatta, and of course, Eden Monaro.. :)

http://www.fulltimecasual.com/?p=238

Re: boxcutters episode 111

Adam D — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 08:30:11 -0000

A couple of weeks ago I tried to buy a HD set t... er, DTT receiver, and the bloke in the shop said it won't output to a 4:3 CRT television. Everything I've seen, read and heard since says otherwise. Annoyed.

Re: boxcutters episode 111

catbrain — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 06:40:57 -0000

Nice one, FTC!

Re: boxcutters episode 111

FulltimeCasual — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 05:36:22 -0000

hey, antony green groupies, download the pdf election bingo card i made at work today..

its just a collection of all the seats that antony will be watching on the night, and if more than ten fall to labor, then bingo!

get it here:

http://www.fulltimecasual.com/?p=238

Re: boxcutters episode 111

Nigel P — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 00:37:01 -0000

Mine is on top of my set of boxes, so therefore its a "set-top box". Of course thats because all the vents are in the top of the stupid thing.

Re: boxcutters episode 111

Bolden — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 21:02:05 -0000

Re: boxcutters episode 111

David Boxcutter — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 20:43:30 -0000

Sorry, I just can't use that initialism for set-top box. It pains me. It's like syphilis or something. Sexually Transmitted Bubos?

Re: boxcutters episode 111

Bolden — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 18:24:53 -0000

Yeah, it is an americanism alright!

It is weird considering if they integrate a STB into a TV, it's simply called a HD tuner. But aren't they really called Digital Terrestrial Receivers (as a Digital Radio Receiver is called also) - and it's actually more American that we've lazy-fied it to STB.

And to be honest, I've never actually thought about the name of the STB anyway. I've always had an integrated HD Tuner ;)

Re: boxcutters episode 111

David Boxcutter — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 18:16:50 -0000

Set-bottom-boxes although interesting doesn’t have the same ring to it!

Which is why we should simply call them receivers. "Set-top box" always seems like a horrid Americanism to me, like "SUV".

I mean, it has "box" in its name! How vague is that? The name doesn't even indicate what it is - just that it's box-shaped and goes on top of something. Bizarre.

Re: boxcutters episode 111

Bolden — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 17:58:19 -0000

Re: SD - yes technically a HD tuner will normally show the downscaled HD signal on an SD TV. I didn't want to muddy the waters too much, as people (as we've seen in the podcast) can be confused enough, but yes you are right.

Set-bottom-boxes although interesting doesn't have the same ring to it!

Re: boxcutters episode 111

David Boxcutter — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 17:49:40 -0000

If you have an SD TV and STB you cannot watch HD channels, if you have a HD TV and STB you will be able to watch both HD and SD channels.

Technically, not true. You don't need an HD TV to watch HD channels, you just need an HD set-top box. Decent set-top boxes will downconvert the signal to fit your SD TV. (But what's up with calling it a "set top box" anyway? With the current LCD and plasma screens, they are too thin to balance a box on the top, so they go beneath the TV)

In fact, you don't need a TV at all, you can just get an HD tuner for your computer, and turn it into a HD recorder.

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Boxcutters - no mention of the new season of The Mighty Boosh that just started? You guys must really fear the jazz.

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Re: Top Gear.

An Australian version would be just disastrous. Whoever came up with this idea doesn't understand how long it took for Top Gear to mature into the amazing show that it is, and the unique chemistry it requires for the whole production - both in terms of the presenters' talent, and the visual sophistication of cinematographers who have experience and passion for shooting cars and landscape.

I recently downloaded a season of Top Gear from 1992. Apparently the show goes back at least as far as 1988. The only really recognisable part of the show is the theme song, and Jeremy Clarkson. He has his usual inimitable style, but the other presenters in those days were like government employees making public safety announcements.

Can you believe they even did things like cover rally car racing? That totally killed the old episodes for me. One minute they would be doing their car reviews, the next moment they are giving you the results of that weekend's rally race in excruciating detail. God it was boring. Motorsports has to be the world's most boring thing. Funny how Top Gear can make the ordinary consumer car fascinating, but professional racing still seem like John Howard on <strike>boxcutters</strike> morphine.

Re: boxcutters episode 111

Bolden — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 17:17:53 -0000

No probs.

Yes, based on my understanding, the 3 (yes 3) Ch 10 SD channels will be showing whatever is on FTA - say House. Then depending on what 10 want to do, they can obviously just show House on the HD channel or something else.

There is an article in The Age today adding more information - interestingly, they were talking about showing Formula 1 on the HD channel, live. Then rebroadcasting it later on FTA. That said, right now, prior to the change to HD programming that they are talking about. Although not all the time right now, House would be showing on ALL of the SD and HD channels at the same time as FTA.

Link

Re: boxcutters episode 111

Ross — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 16:59:03 -0000

Thanks Bolden

So what happens with for example Ten, when they have a separate schedule for HD like they are launching soon?

Does that mean House will be in SD because it is on the regular channel not their HD channel?