Well, I once asked Drinnan why he never seems interested in industrial action, staff cuts and corporate instability at APN (who just happen to own the only daily newspaper in New Zealand's largest media market) and the response was, shall we say, chilly.

Tell me he's not one of its…

APN parent could go into administration

One of Independent News and Media's biggest shareholders has said that the company could go into administration, despite the company securing a third extension to its €200 million ($A344m)…

And he goes on to muse on the Bennett story, asking why do the media fail to ask tough but obvious questions before running a story?

Well, I once asked Drinnan why he never seems interested in industrial action, staff cuts and corporate instability at APN (who just happen to…

Just, you know, that some of his stuff is fascinating in the the same way as ew-yuk, I just stepped in some muck.

We're not that far off the trigger-point for the minister declaring a digital switchover date, and at that point Sky will have to play sensibly.

Does Drinnan lurk here? This week he not only fails to have a shot at Media7, he leads with a leak from Coleman that a Prime/Freeview…

Is it too late for a petition for an appeal against this stupid decision?

Not quite. The Balmoral Says No group are, as I understand, planning to appeal to the Environment court.

For what definition of "stops improving"?

He'll be buying up big at the restaurant at the end of the universe.

Here's why having a McDonalds in a quiet suburban street is a really bad idea:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sI5om_3TwEI&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.balmoralsaysno.org.nz%2F&feature=player_embedded

the great genius of MySky is that old folks can use it.

Based on recent observations, I worry that it advances senility by allowing aging people to have something they want to watch on telly for the entirety of their waking hours, rather than forcing them (through a lack of…

Although I have to say I never cared for Chris Petit's stuff in Time Out much. I bet there's more people on the end credits of some of James Cameron's movies than turned up to form the audience for most of Petit's glum films.

Well, better glum than dumb, I…

For what definition of "stops improving"?

The singularity would suit me nicely.

Oh, yeah! Forgot to mention (O/T, sorry), for anyone who might've missed it that, despite massive community opposition, McDonalds' application for consent for a Balmoral "restaurant" has, with minor restrictions, been granted.

A savage servility slides by on grease...

I'm waiting until technology stops improving before spending on anything new.

For what definition of "stops improving"?

Another advantage of the Dolby technology is that if you slipped a couple of the dichroic filters into the colour wheel of a Texas Instruments-based DLP projector you could show proper 3D movies on the wall of your living room. Bugger – I was hoping my 42in LCD panel would…

It's really that old argument again – genre work (whether comics, TV, books, or films) cannot be Serious because it's genre.

And the corollary, that if it's Serious then it's not Genre – and the further corollary that there is no Serious Genre... hence literary critics can scorn eg. science…

Most American films come now in one size only: XXL. Dragged down by their own size, they're monster productions, buried under the weight of cast and crew, whose end credits last longer than a short story

Not that size has anything to do with merit in an absolute…

I like to think my hero Raymond Durgnat, who never let critical rigour come between him and a good time at the movies, would have greatly appreciated the impending crop of 3D movies. Especially James Cameron's Avatar.

I spent the best part of the…

Hey, anybody out there who can tell me a solution for sending tv from Sky, PC etc to HD tv wirelessly please. I have wireless n

There was talk, back in 2007 of wireless HDMI but no news since.
However, this could be interesting to those…

Can anyone recommend a <$200 Freeview HD box?

I reccommend getting telstra internet (if you are in a cable ready 'hood) then get a splitter for the cable coming out of the and an RCF converter (about $5 worth of bits from Dick Smith).

Voila great reception (mind you it doesn't give me TVNZ…

Can anyone recommend a <$200 Freeview HD box?

You can buy mine :-)

I upgraded to the Freevo recording thing after a few months, and it's now sitting in its box.

So when analogue signal is switched off, all our old TVs will only be good for playing DVDs and (gasp) VHS tapes?

No. They will however need a freeview box (or a Sky one) to view television.

We're not that far off the trigger-point for the minister declaring a digital switchover date

The Freeview site says in part:

At 60% digital homes (primary TV only) a target date will be set. At 75% digital homes or 2012 (whichever is earliest) they will set a date. A one…

Media extenders weren't that suitable is there anything else now or in the immediate future.

3D = crap for people who wear glasses...

BEOWULF 3D at the iMax was pretty awesome full colour 3D and the glasses fit over the top of mine.

3D = crap for people who wear glasses...

Fear not! The new giant-fly 3D glasses I tried out to see the U2 movie went over my Big Nerdlinger Tortoiseshells no sweat. (They don't look as cool as the old-school red and blue 3D glasses, admittedly, plus wearing two pairs of…

Sam's right, webweaver: the great genius of MySky is that old folks can use it.

Haha! So can I! It's not the programming/using the gadgets I have problems with (they're like computers once they're plugged in, and I can do computers...) – no I mean literally the plugging in is…

The most interesting presentation was by Shaun Brown (SBS, ex-TVNZ). I could share some of his comments, if people are interested.

Sure enough. I will do that tomorrow. Tonight I have to read my way through the final draft of my student's 50,000 word masters thesis.

So they either assume all ComicCon attendees are just there for the "babes" and they're all men (well, I'm a dyke – perhaps I'm the target audience too), but…

To what extent would Coraline freak the fuck out of my kids, should we choose to take them with us?

The book creeped me out. Looking forward to the flick. Might not take my youngest The Wolves In The Walls freaked him out enough, and that was a picture book.

Wait – is it going to be the stereogram thing all over again? I might just kill myself to save time.

Nah, not that bad. If the old-school blue & red lens 3D glasses work for you you'll be fine. If not, headache city.

Its all well and good and gosh-oh-wow, except for the 10-20% of the population who for various reasons can't see it.

Wait – is it going to be the stereogram thing all over again? I might just kill myself to save time.

Its all well and good and gosh-oh-wow, except for the 10-20% of the population who for various reasons can't see it. If your eyesight varies significantly from one eye to the other, odds are 3D won't be that wonderful for you. That's fine when its an option, but…

The blessed Freeview DVR is good, but there's one big difference: the remote. The MySky remote works well, it's sculpted and solid, and it doesn't have a million buttons.

Torchwood: Children of Earth was just warmed over Quatermass with some chaste gay attraction thrown in. I thought it weak.

@Russ

Home 3D may be closer than you think, just to confirm my slight geekiness I reveal I read The Register:
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2009/07/23/fujifilm_3d_w1/

Note it takes 3D video and you…

do any of these new thingamybobs come with an installer geek person who can plug everything in right?

My gadget illiterate father can program his Mysky HD...I cannot. This is a first in our relationship and he is quietly very pleased with himself.

I can't work out if technology is…

I have been thinking about upgrading my…

As for the rest of this conversation – it's all waaaay too gadget-geeky for me! Goes right over my head, it does. All I want to know is do any of these new thingamybobs come with an installer geek person who…

One (online) presentation was a gee-whizz thing on Zillion TV, which is proposing that it will get income by getting people to click on embedded ads--earning 'loyalty' points' for the more ads they click on. The trade-off would be downloadable movies, TV programmes etc.

The was a wave of sniggers…

That's my point – when even the most mainstream end of the comic spectrum is in that territory, it speaks positively for the whole medium.

It's really that old argument again – genre work (whether comics, TV, books, or films) cannot be Serious because it's genre. And it's always been…

I went to the "From Broadcast to Broadband--Is That It?" one day conference in Christchurch on Saturday (marking the 25th anniversary of the NZ Broadcasting School). One (online) presentation was a gee-whizz thing on Zillion TV, which is…

Gosh Mark, you're an even bigger comics geek than me if you've been following the Marvel U that closely lately. Which villain is it?

At 6'4", I'm a bigger geek than almost anybody ;)

Basically the sort of territory explored by V For Vendetta before it became fashionable to discuss.

…

....rotten TV reception?

If you get an OK UHF signal (e.g. you can pick up Prime TV reasonably well) , AND you are in a terrestrial Freeview zone then yes – just plug in a FV UHF decoder and your reception problems for all the major free-to-air channels are over.…

Apologies if this has been asked before, but if I buy a freeview box will it fix my rotten TV reception?

It may do. The digital HD signals tend to be stronger than the analog ones, where available.

And according to the coverage map, it is available on Waiheke.

Apologies if this has been asked before, but if I buy a freeview box will it fix my rotten TV reception?

Quite possibly....

I have a Freeview HD box that uses UHF terrestrial signal.

My house is line of sight with Wiatarua, so it was no surprise to get beautiful…

Gosh Mark, you're an even bigger comics geek than me if you've been following the Marvel U that closely lately. Which villain is it?

Norman Osborn, the original recipe Green Goblin. God, why do I know this stuff...

Apologies if this has been asked before, but if I buy a freeview box will it fix my rotten TV reception?

There are 2 sorts of freeview – satellite (which will solve your TV reception problem) but has not-so-good HD – and terrestrial, from a local TV tower which will…

The joy of comics (as I've recently rediscovered after a 10+ year absence) is that under the surface of the arrested adolescent explosions and robots and wizards, is some very savvy exploration of media, culture and politics.

As an example from the most mainstream of the mainstream, the central plotline…

some Freeview HD boxes are already available at <$200, which is pretty appealing.

Apologies if this has been asked before, but if I buy a freeview box will it fix my rotten TV reception?

Most of what I've seen is a bit meh but where the format has really clicked for me has been documentaries.

I second Craig's opinion on Coraline but the best use of digital 3D so far has been the U2 concert flick. That was when I saw the potential of…

To what extent would Coraline freak the fuck out of my kids, should we choose to take them with us?

Let's put in the standard caveat here: I don't know your kids, so their personal freak out thresholds are a mystery.

There's nothing gross or graphically violent in the film,…

Also, in real life the thought of my mother showing up in my dreams with buttons for eyes is Not. Fun. At. All.

Dear Craig,

To what extent would Coraline freak the fuck out of my kids, should we choose to take them with us?

Post the launch of Windows 7, I think there may be a real shift to just using a computer, as Windows 7 makes watching Freeview (incl. HD) straightforward, although there are still some issues over the EPG.

And I'm not really sure…

Cannot see the appeal. You all need to get out more... life is actually 3D you know.

Most of what I've seen is a bit meh but where the format has really clicked for me has been documentaries. "Real life" but not the sort of thing one normally gets to…

You've seen Eastern Promises, right?

The higher-end Sony and Samsung TVs also now have USB ports and play avi files, which is quite sexy too.

We're going to overlook this use of 'sexy' in relation to "ways to connect your TV to other electrical stuff" this once.

But keep it up, and Nigel Latta will…

life is actually 3D you know.

Yeah, but the graphics aren't much good. And I only get one playable character. And he's a bit of a dick.

Also, in real life the thought of my mother showing up in my dreams with buttons for eyes is Not. Fun. At. All.…

For that kind of money, you could pick up a mac mini and an eyetv..

Ah. But only one tuner ...

But when the producers of Glee (a feel-good college glee-group TV drama that recently piloted to some acclaim) turn up, we're way out of classic geek territory.

But while ComicCon is on the verge of becoming a victim of its own success — passes sold out almost three months early…

Freeview will only really get going when digital tuners appear in all new TVs

About half of the Freeview tuners being sold are integrated in TVs already, which is a reasonable start. OTOH, some Freeview HD boxes are already available at <$200, which is pretty appealing.

The higher-end Sony and Samsung TVs also now have USB ports and play avi files, which is quite sexy too. Given that the large majority of avi files probably involve a breach of copyright, you have the hardware side of Sony battling the content side. Again. Same thing applies to kit with YouTube apps built-in.

and Sky is forced kicking and screaming to allow…

You all need to get out more... life is actually 3D you know.

So I hear. Life is even 3D inside your house, I understand. But life doesn't have EXPLOSIONS! (At least, not unless you're rather unlucky.)

Seriously, the argument could be made that any visual entertainment whatsoever is a…

life is actually 3D you know.

Yeah, but the graphics aren't much good. And I only get one playable character. And he's a bit of a dick.

But seriously, was I the only person who thought Jackson had a platonic crush on Liv Tyler considering how often everything ground…

The next model down — same features apart from the Blu-Ray and a smaller HDD — looks a better bet at $1297.

Sort of. The difference in value between a 250Gb hard drive and a 500Gb one is currently, what, $40?

WTF?

Cannot see the appeal. You all need to get out more... life is actually 3D you know.

Only reason I watched all three.

And I sat through 'em in the vain hope Viggo would have a catastrophic wardrobe malfunction. We both got had. :) Guess I've just got to hang out for the promised flash of John Barrowman's meat and taters in Torchwood...

TiVo at $800 is going to be flying out the door faster than the Panasonic, which has a rumoured NZD 2K price point.

Right you are. Harvey Norman is taking pre-orders at $1999.

The next model down — same features apart from the Blu-Ray and a smaller HDD — looks…

what an ordeal for you Craig..

Oh, I suffer for my art. :) But seriously, was I the only person who thought Jackson had a platonic crush on Liv Tyler considering how often everything ground to a halt so we could have vaseline-smeared sequences of her staring pensively out of…

Freeview will only really get going when digital tuners appear in all new TVs and Sky is forced kicking and screaming to allow Prime to screen.

(Although…

The convergence of comic-con and the film industry represents – to me – the huge flaw in current Hollywood film making: their products are all aimed at children, or adults with Peter-Pan complexes (nee geeks).

Um, I'd respectfully suggest that arrested adolescents would find Battlestar Galactica/Caprica or __Torchwood: The Children…

and Liv Tyler's rack?

what an ordeal for you Craig..
Coraline sounds like a nicely woven drug metaphor, will look out for it.

Am I alone?

Certainly not. Also, perhaps not quite the big movie spectacular but I'd love to see Whale Rider in 3D.

PlayTV vs getting Freeview was the only way my wife (She Who Controls All) would allow the purchase, and now she want's answers...

I can certainly imagine Blomkamp touching some raw nerves in places like the US, Europe and even his native South Africa where immigration and treatment of minorities are very hot political issues.

And by the same token I can understand why Jackson is playing down the political dimension of the…

Gullible consumer admission: I would love to watch some big movie spectaculars in 3D. Am I alone?

No, but am I really going to find LoTR any more interesting because I'm instinctively dodging orc heads and Liv Tyler's rack?

District 9 — which emerged after studio politics sank the Halo movie Jackson was going to make with South African director Neill Blomkamp — looks great.

Certainly does, and it looks like its going to be, shall we say, a little more edgy and politically charged than Alien Nation. I…

You can't pirate bums-on-seats entertainment.

Vast untapped markets waiting to be milked. I often wonder what exactly motivates some of those execs.

They get to the great white hope of the cinema: 3D.

Fuck James Cameron and his bloated disaster pron, anyone who can should haul arse and see Coraline — Henry 'Nighmare Before Christmas' Selick's charmingly creepy stop motion adaptation of Neil Gaiman's charmingly creepy novella. I saw it on Sunday,…