How Good Can it Get?

We used to be thankful for the good old video recorder – can you still remember them? You know, the tapes which lasted an hour or two, which often used to cut off the end of the film you really wanted to tape if it was not long enough, the ones which used to chew up the ribbon wrecking your happy moments forever.

Then we found the joys of DVD and the benefits were numerous. A much longer capacity so that you could fit so much onto one small disc, and they were much tougher than their predecessors. Quality was also vastly improved over the old tapes.

Then came blu-ray which though it looks like a regular DVD, is superior in quality with a high definition image.

I did begrudge it a little at first, I must admit, as it meant forking out for a new machine and I have to start to build up my disc collection from scratch.

But there are so many other benefits too, apart from the actual quality of the picture. You can stream photos and films from the main house computer, so you can easily look at your photo albums on the wide screen and you can also access the internet to watch BBC and ITV player so that you need never miss a programme.

Looking for good London plays

I have to take a trip down to London in a few weeks, so I’m currently reading reviews of all the big London plays before I go so I can book a ticket for a show before I go. I’ve always been a huge fan of the theatre, and every time I visit London I try to fit a show in at the same time if I can.

However, I have to say that my last few choices when it comes to plays have not been very good. So this time I’m doing my homework and reading up on each play so I can make an informed choice.

Portable speaker systems for music on the move

portable speaker systems come in all shapes and sizes, from tiny, compact devices that cleverly fold away, to larger, docking-type systems that accommodate iPods and other MP3 players.

One of the most important aspects when it comes to choosing portable speakers is volume. I’d argue that this is even more important than sound quality, as even the highest quality sound is meaningless if you can’t hear it properly.

Speakers generate volume by moving large columns of air. Obviously, then, the smaller the speaker, the less volume it can generate. So when you’re looking at portable speaker systems with a view to buy, be sure to pump up the volume and find out what it’s capable of.