Get well soon, Molly
Music industry legend Molly Meldrum has undergone surgery overnight to relieve swelling on his brain after he fell from the roof while putting up Christmas decorations at his Richmond home.
I reckon for most Australian Gen-Xers with an interest in music, Molly Meldrum is just someone who’s always been there, as host of Countdown, then later on Hey Hey.
As a kid I used to regularly watch Countdown on a Sunday afternoon, always keen to see what had made it into the top ten. I can’t claim I liked all the music, but was fascinated by the music videos and live performances.
I remember watching the psychedelic music video to Ashes To Ashes. (Released August 1980, so I must have been about 10.) My mum looked at the TV and made some remark along the lines of how strange it was. I recall getting all self-righteous and saying back “you wouldn’t understand” — as if I had some deep, knowing connection with it.
Despite for a while living a short distance from the ABC’s Ripponlea studios, I never actually went along to a recording of Countdown, though my sister did once. She came home with a freebie LP of Cyndi Lauper.
Molly popped up on the Queen documentary recently aired by the ABC, in archival footage, interviewing Freddie Mercury. I know he’s still active as well, so his influence is still felt in the music industry, and I’m sure many will be wishing him a full and speedy recovery.
Tags: Countdown, Molly Meldrum, music
4 comments
Spotted at Minotaur
I’ve shopped at Minotaur Books for decades. I first found it in the early 80s when it was at the top end of Swanston Street. Then it moved to a multi-level shop in Bourke Street. Then to its current home in Elizabeth Street.
It’s always had way more cool stuff than I could afford to buy, though for some time in the mid-80s I was buying Doctor Who Monthly regularly.
Nowadays my kids love going there. Spotted last week…
Doctor Who “Lego” (compatible bricks):
…and, who would like a Doctor Who Myki holder?
(Sanctuary Base 6, for those who don’t remember it, was the base from the David Tennant story The Impossible Planet/The Satan Pit.)
Tags: Doctor Who, Lego, Minotaur Books, Myki
2 comments
“Oh no! Maybe the Genius Bar can fix it.”
Picture from Channel 7′s Sunday Night story about the Suruwaha tribe of Brazil.
Anybody got any better caption ideas?
Tags: Apple, Brazil
7 comments
Pondering 5.1 surround-sound systems
I was looking at what DVD/Blu-Ray 5.1 systems I can get on my credit card points (because this is not something I want to or can afford to spend Real Money on).
Some options include (eg the highest-specced ones I have enough points for):
Samsung HTD5300 5.1CH 3D Blu-Ray Home Theatre System — which gives the impression of looking ugly and perhaps being under-powered, with piddly little speakers, though it does claim to be 1000W. Has an iPod dock. FM-only tuner; I like to listen to AM, but that’s not fatal, as I can use another radio or listen online.
LG HB806TGW 5.1ch 3D Blu-Ray Home Theatre System — 850W. Aesthetically pleasing. Only has FM tuning. Seems to be able to playback off USB. No mention of an iPod dock.
Panasonic Home Theatre System SC-BTT370GNK — Aesthetically pleasing. Appears to only have FM. Includes iPod dock.
I’m pondering three questions:
1. (Most importantly) which might give the best sound? They seem to retail in the $400-700 range, so I know they’re not going to be as high fidelity as $1000+ systems, but that would be out of my budget. Of course it’s become impossible to search the web for reviews of consumer electronics, because Google tells you about eleventy billion web sites which claim to have reviews, but in fact merely announce when you visit that you can “Be the first to review this product!”
All things being equal, I’d probably lean towards the Panasonic.
2. CEC appears to be a technology that allows devices to control one another via HDMI cables. If my Samsung TV has AnyNet(which is their version of CEC), would a Panasonic Blu-Ray receiver with VieraLink (which is their version) or an LG with SimpLink be able to control it?
3. Hmm, I wonder if the two with iPod docks are compatible with my (relatively ancient) fourth-generation iPod, which I got in 2005 and is still going strong? (Panasonic lets you download manuals, but that part of their web site appears not to be working.)
Anybody got any advice for me?
Tags: 5.1, Blu-ray, surround-sound
7 comments
News-junkies’ summary of TV news bulletins
I was thinking that for news junkies like me, it’d be nice to have a quick reference to when it’s possible to tune into a news bulletin on free-to-air television. With ABC News 24, this is easier than ever before, but in fact there are numerous times when other channels air substantial (10+ minutes) bulletins when ABC News 24 is showing other things, such as The Drum.
I’ve included shows like Today, Lateline and Afternoon Live which include a regular news bulletin, even though some of these are probably shorter than 10 minutes long. I’ve excluded non-Australian bulletins, such as the BBC News shown overnight on ABC News 24.
The symbols used below are:
* State-based news (all others are national)
+ Time varies
# Live webcast available
Weekdays:
Saturdays:
Sundays:
See any errors? Let me know.
Tags: ABC News 24, Media, news, television news
3 comments
How to get ABC iView on your Samsung television
I’d heard ages ago that there was a Samsung ABC iView app in the works. It’s now out, but some kind of screw-up means it’s visible to newer (2011) Samsung television owners, but not owners of last year’s models.
Thanks to wiser people than me on the ABC iView forums, here’s how you do it, by changing the TV’s country and thus getting it to re-install the default apps:
(Note: take care here; this is at your own risk. As noted in the comments, MitH had problems with this after misreading the instructions. If things go wrong, you may need to contact Samsung support.)
1. Start @Internet TV
2. Press Fast-Forward, 2, 8, 9, Rewind. Leave about half-a-second between each button press and it should go to a menu that allows you to choose the country.
3. Choose something other than Australia. Go through the terms and conditions and wait for it to install the default apps for that country.
4. Do steps 2 and 3 again but this time choose Australia.
You should find the ABC iView app has appeared.
Yes, it’d be nice if it just appeared automagically on its own. Perhaps Samsung just aren’t publicising it yet, getting ready for some big launch.
I’ve played around with it, and it looks excellent. The navigation is never going to be as easy as via a computer, and unfortunately it’s not on iiNet’s free zone, but it’s much nicer to be able to watch programmes on the couch than sitting by the computer.
There’s only one puzzling thing: why do the Internet@TV apps (any of them) occasionally refuse to start, citing “Network interference”?
It’s not wireless interference, as I’ve got a LAN cable plugged into the back of my TV. It doesn’t seem to kick-in when there’s particularly high usage of our internet connection.
Just one of those mysteries; something I’ll investigate further as I get time.
What does WTFN stand for? (Keep it clean)
When their logo pops up on the telly at the end of some production, I often wonder what, if anything, WTFN stands for.
Their offices in Hawthorn East have the logo above the entrance.
Any suggestions welcome. But keep it clean.
(If the photo looks distorted, it’s because I took it from the tram zooming past. The original picture looks even more skewed, proving that my new phone may be rather nifty, but like the old one it has issues with objects moving sideways at speed.)
Tags: television
15 comments
Doctor Who boxer shorts? Seriously?
Now I’ve seen everything.
(Spotted in Target Bourke Street. There were also some 4th Doctor designs.)
Tags: boxer shorts, Doctor Who, Target
7 comments
