Archive for outubro, 2010

Canopus 77010138100 ADVC-55 A/d Converter External – Only $149.95!

segunda-feira, outubro 25th, 2010

Canopus 77010138100 ADVC-55 A/d Converter External. Canopus 77010138100 ADVC-55 A/d Converter External

Product: Canopus 77010138100 ADVC-55 A/d Converter External – Only $149.95!

List Price: $229.00

Amazon Price: $149.95
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ADVC55 is ideal for capturing analog video into FireWire-equipped notebook and desktop editing computers. There are no drivers to install and ADVC55 does not require a power supply when used with a 6-pin DV cable. Broad video equipment and software compatibility ensures ADVC55 provides a long product life and a high return on investment.ADVC55’s intelligent usability allows for easy setup and connection in any video environment. Automatic input signal detection and convenient front / back connectors ensure easy setup and operation. At the heart of ADVC55 is Canopus’ proprietary DV codec chip providing the industry’s best picture quality preservation during analog-to-DV conversion.

  • Brand: Canopus
  • Model: 77010138100
  • Dimensions: 1.10 pounds

Features

  • Connects to all Widely Used DV and Analog Video Equipment.
  • Compatible with Windows and Mac OS DV Editing Systems.
  • Compatible with Leading Editing and DVD Authoring Applications Including Canopus EDIUS, Canopus Let’s EDIT, Sonic Foundry Vegas , Final Cut Pro
  • No Need to Install Drivers or any Software Applications.
  • Powered by IEEE-1394 (FireWire) Connector ( Using the 4-pin IEEE-1394 connector requires the ADVC55 AC Kit, sold separately ).

Very pleased with the performance5
I originally purchased ADSTech DVD Xpress to transfer some old VHS tapes to DVD. Well, it was a piece of [...] that never worked. I decided to suck it up and purchase this substantially more expensive converter.

I’m glad I did. It has worked flawlessly, and the output looks great. I have had no problems whatsoever, and have already transferred 10 2-hour videos. Some outside reviews have complained about this converter not including a separate power supply, even though it does have that capacity. Instead, it gets its power from the firewire connection. I have experienced no issues resulting from this.

All in all, a great little piece of equipment!

Excellent Capture Device5
This device is a very good non-professional capture device. It seems a bit pricey but it is definately worth it. There are several reasons to like it. It is compatable with whatever operating system you have. This is because it does not require you to use their software and drivers. None are included, but don’t worry. All operating systems have some kind of capture software bundled with them. I use cyberlink Power Director. Another reason to like it is you do not need a external power device. THIS ONLY APPLIES IF YOU HAVE A 6 PIN FIREWIRE (1394) PORT ON YOUR COMPUTER. If you have a 4 pin firewire port, you will need a 4 pin to 6 pin cable. If you have no port firewire port whatsoever, you cannot use this device. Also, it is a high quality device. The quality hardware is the reason this device is so expensive. Don’t waste any money with cheaper devices. If you do, you will end up throwing the cheap one away. The cheap ones rarely work right. Three cheers for Canopus!!!

High Marks fro the ADVC-55 A/D Converter5
The ADVC55 was easy to use and did exactly what I expected it to. I was able to transfer VHS tapes to a Digital format on my Mac. I was surprised how much memory was required for the analog to digital transfer process, though that was alleviated with the purchase of a new external storage drive.

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New CQ-1600 16 Channel 320GB Security DVR with H.264 Compression Format – Only $399.99!

segunda-feira, outubro 18th, 2010

New CQ-1600 16 Channel 320GB Security DVR with H.264 Compression Format

New CQ-1600 16 Channel 320GB Security DVR with H.264 Compression Format – Only $399.99!

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List Price: $599.00

Amazon Price: $399.99

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New CQ-1600 16 Channel 320GB Security DVR with H.264 Compression Format Description:

Support 1 audio-in, 1 audio-out to record sounds. Support VGA output to monitor. Support IR remote control. System auto recovery after power reconnected. PTZ camera operations through RS-485. Support Always / Time Schedule / Motion Detection / Sensor Triggered / Network recording. Support TCP/IP, DHCP and PPPoE network connection. Support to operate with USB mouse. Recording Resolution: 720×480, 720×240 and 360×240 (NTSC). Search Mode: Date & Time, Calendar, Event (Alarm, Motion, Audio)

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #5491 in Consumer Electronics
  • Brand: Cyanics
  • Model: CQ-1600
  • Dimensions: 2.20″ h x 10.40″ w x 13.20″ l, 7.50 pounds

Features

  • 16 Channel with H.264 Compression format providing crystal clear images with real time performance.
  • Remote Operation: Allows single-channel viewing of live displays without changing display settings on IE browser
  • Support USB flash drive and network backup. Monitor Outputs: 1 BNC, 1VGA, 1SPOT Display Mode 1,4,8,16
  • Allow live display, record, playback, backup and network operations at the same time.
  • Support remote surveillance up to 5 users simultaneously.
  • 4 different adjustable levels for motion detection sensitivity and quick search.
  • Alarm trigger recording will send snapshot to designated e-mail.

Customer Reviews:

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Crimestopper RS-4 Remote Car Start with Keyless entry, Data Port, Turbo timer, Gas and Diesel Discount!

domingo, outubro 17th, 2010

Crimestopper RS-4 Remote Car Start with Keyless entry, Data Port, Turbo timer, Gas and Diesel. Crimestopper RS-4 Remote Car Start with Keyless entry, Data Port, Turbo timer, Gas and Diesel

Product: Crimestopper RS-4 Remote Car Start with Keyless entry, Data Port, Turbo timer, Gas and Diesel Discount!

List Price: $169.95

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Compare Prices on Crimestopper RS-4 Remote Car Start with Keyless entry, Data Port, Turbo timer, Gas and Diesel

Crimestopper Remote Start System with Two Way Remotes has turbo timer mode, 3 programmable modes allows engine to continue running from 1-5 minutes after key removal. There are 3 remote start options single press, double press, or press and hold for 2 seconds. Programmable engine sensing modes includes ultra-smart tachless, tach sensing and pre-set starter crank time tach mode (rpm sensing) or smart tachless mode (for greater reliability: smart tachless mode will monitor vehicle battery when vehicle is started and will continue to monitor for entire remote start cycle). Five on-board relays for remote start outputs programmable “wake-up” ignition on unlock gas or diesel engine operation (programmable wait-to-start output for diesel engines), selectable run time for 12, 24, 36 or 48 minutes idle down mode infinity run mode programmable self-start mode between 1-4 hours makes (3) start attempts and dedicated negative start output 2-new style extended range 4-button transmitters with protective sliding cover for accidental button press with DPII technology.

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #11411 in Automotive
  • Brand: Crimestopper
  • Model: RS-4
  • Dimensions: 1.80 pounds

Features

  • 3000 feet rage works on gas and diesel
  • Data port for easy installation
  • 2 vehicle operation
  • Double unlock pulse
  • Sliding cover on remote to prevent accidental start

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Duracell Powersource Mobile 100 – Buy Now At Amazon!

sábado, outubro 16th, 2010

Duracell Powersource Mobile 100

Duracell Powersource Mobile 100 – Buy Now At Amazon!

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List Price: $139.99

Amazon Price: $30.24

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Duracell Powersource Mobile 100 Description:

The Duracell PowerSource Mobile 100 is a compact rechargeable source of portable power for AC and USB-powered devices. It will extend the runtime of mobile electronics such as an iPod, BlackBerry, video camera, cell phone, and can provide up to two hours of extended runtime for your laptop. The Duracell PowerSource Mobile 100 has one AC outlet and two USB charge ports, so you can run or charge multiple devices simultaneously. You no longer have to carry extra cords, chargers and device-specific batteries.

  • Brand: Duracell
  • Model: PowerSource Mobile 100
  • Format: CD
  • Dimensions: 7.90″ h x 3.80″ w x 8.40″ l, 2.00 pounds
  • CPU: AMD Athlon 1 GHz
  • Memory: 128000MB DRAM
  • Hard Disk: 1GB
  • Processors: 1
  • Native resolution: 640×480
  • Display size: 669.2913385827

Features

  • Combines a 100 Watt inverter with a lightweight, high-output lithium-ion battery pack
  • 3-prong AC outlet charges or powers cell phone, IPod , BlackBerry or video camera
  • Provides up to 2 hours of extended run time for laptop
  • Temperature, overload and low-battery voltage shutdown protection
  • Rechargeable from vehicle or home

Customer Reviews:

OK but not great3
This unit charges my two ipods and my camera as I expected it would. It would not charge my friend’s iPhone through the USB port although it would charge through the iPhone AC adapter. It extended my laptop by 30 to 45 minutes — I had expected more. One thing I didn’t like is that when the device itself is plugged into AC, it will not charge anything.

Hours of power…4
I have a DS and a PSP and both worked fine with it. I had a little bit of trouble trying to charge my iRiver Clix via the USB port, but I think it might just be the software with the Clix. When my Clix has power and I plug it in, it just says USB connected but it won’t charge. However, if I drain all the power from the Clix then it will charge because it never goes into the Clix OS. It is what it is; portable power. It does tend to get a bit toasty when it’s being used, so hopefully you have a little leg room where you use it. It is actually smaller than I thought it would be: 5.5 x 3.25 x 1.5 (approximately).

It works.5
Some people don’t know the details about power supplies like this. This one requires a long answer.

The PowerSource will provide about 45 Watt Hours. It has a limit of 60 watts from the battery and 80 watts from the 12 volt input. It has a 100 Watt surge limit for a short time.

Translation: the run time depends on your computer and the existing charge level when you plug it in to the PowerSource.

If your laptop batteries are run down, the PowerSource probably will NOT operate it.
If you remove the batteries it may work. It may also work to charge with the laptop off.
If you run it with the 12 volt input it may operate your laptop.

The reason for this is; your laptop uses twice as much power to run if it charges the batteries at the same time.

It will work, if you plug the laptop into the PowerSource before you run down the batteries.

I tested my HP dual core laptop watching movies over the WIFI link. It ran 1 hour and 35 minutes on the PowerSource then 2 and a half hour on its own batteries. Same test, next day, same results.

This would be 4 hours on an airline flight. It will power a Zune or IPod for a long time.
The more powerful the laptop, the shorter the battery life. Your mileage may vary.

It includes a special plug that work on some airlines power jacks.

Many smart phones use a specially wired charger to charge from the wall and will only charge from a computer IF the computer has a data connection to the smart phone. A different USB cable will not help, unless it is wired special. A cheat that works on some Smart Phones is to plug it in then reboot the smart phone.

I recommend it.

Amazon.com
The Duracell Powersource Mobile 100 is a revolutionary new stand-alone power solution for the traveler on-the-go. Employing a powerful battery pack and having both AC and USB outlets, you’ll never find yourself without a convenient power source for all your mobile electronics. Duracell Powersource Mobile 100 makes carrying multiple cords, chargers, and device-specific batteries a thing of the past.


Duracell Powersource Mobile 100
runs multiple devices for hours.

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Popeye the Sailor: 1933-1938, Vol. 1 Reviews

segunda-feira, outubro 4th, 2010

Popeye the Sailor: 1933-1938, Vol. 1. Popeye the Sailor: 1933-1938, Vol. 1

Product: Popeye the Sailor: 1933-1938, Vol. 1 Reviews

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The plot lines in the animated cartoons tended to be simple. A villain, usually Bluto, makes a move on Popeye’s “sweetie”, Olive Oyl. The bad guy then clobbers Popeye until Popeye eats spinach, which gives him superhuman strength. The fundamental character of Popeye, paralleling that of another 1930’s icon, Superman, also invokes traditional values possessing uncompromising moral standards and resorting to force only when threatened, or when he “can’t stands no more”! The first volume includes 58 (7-10 min) theatrical blk & white shorts from 1933 to 1938 and 2 two-reeler 20 minute color cartoons. (Notable shorts: * POPEYE THE SAILOR MEETS SINDBAD THE SAILOR was an Academy Award� Nominee. Betty Boop appears in a cameo as a hula dancer in the 1st short “Popeye The Sailor”)

DVD Features:
Documentaries
Featurette
Music Only Track
Other

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #8067 in DVD
  • Brand: Warner Brothers
  • Released on: 2007-07-31
  • Rating: NR (Not Rated)
  • Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
  • Formats: Animated, Box set, Black & White, Closed-captioned, DVD, Original recording remastered, NTSC
  • Original language: English
  • Number of discs: 4
  • Dimensions: .50 pounds
  • Running time: 416 minutes

Features

  • The plot lines in the animated cartoons tended to be simple. A villain, usually Bluto, makes a move on Popeye’s “sweetie”, Olive Oyl. The bad guy then clobbers Popeye until Popeye eats spinach, which gives him superhuman strength. The fundamental character of Popeye, paralleling that of another 1930’s icon, Superman, also invokes traditional values possessing uncompromising moral standards and res

This Is The Real Thing… At Long Last !!!!5
This is it, Popeye cartoon fans! We have dreamed about it, wished for it, and hoped for it. Warner Brothers Video, by arrangement with King Features Syndicate, is issuing here the first 60 ORIGINAL Fleischer Studios Popeye cartoons. Wonderful! These fantastic cartoons are being released in chronological order of their theatrical release, FULLY RESTORED from the original negatives in beautiful black and white, UNCUT, with all Paramount titles restored. Volume 1, 1933-1938, is a 4-disc collector’s edition. Also included in this release are the first two Three-Color-Technicolor two-reel specials: “Popeye the Sailor Meets Sinbad the Sailor”, and “Popeye the Sailor Meets Ali Baba’s Forty Thieves”. If that isn’t enough, 5 hours worth of bonus materials are included: Audio commentaries from Mark Kausler, Jerry Beck, Mark Evanier, and others. More features include restrospectives on Popeye and Max Fleischer, behind the toons featurettes, and bonus shorts.

So many of us remember seeing many of these vintage Popeye shorts when we were kids, and fondly remember the incredible animation from those early Fleischer Studios Popeye’s. In 1933, the original Popeye voice was done by William Costello. Sometime in 1935 he was fired and The Sailor Man’s voice was taken over by Jack Mercer, who kept at it for the remaining duration of these great cartoons. Remember that wonderful muttering in those early years by Popeye? That was the great Jack Mercer. Who could forget that fantastic “Is that so?” and all the other regular mutterings that Popeye would utter, more so especially during the Fleischer years. Bluto was fantastic, too, with some great back-and-forth quips between himself and his rival. His voice was delivered by William Pennell from 1933-1935, then Gus Wickie from 1935 until his death in 1938. The voice of Olive Oyl was delivered by Mae Questel.

So, all you Popeye fans… this is what we have been waiting for many a year. Throw out all your other Popeye videos and DVDs. Get rid of your VHS tapes that you made from the Cartoon Network. Destroy (with pleasure) all of those horrible colorized Popeye’s made infamous by Mr. Turner. Animation historian Jerry Beck says that “your eyes will POP at the restorations. If you’ve never seen them you are in for a revelation.” At long last…the first official release of the Max Fleischer cartoons on DVD. Without a doubt, you will be absolutely, positively delighted!!!

So much more than spinach. . .5
As a lifelong fan of classic animation, I simply could not be more THRILLED at the prospect of finally owning restored versions of the Fleischer Popeye cartoons. Other reviewers have expertly detailed the contents of this set, so I’d like to take a moment to try and convince/convert those folks who may not know and love these things as much as I do. . .

There has been, as long as I can recall, a misconception about Popeye cartoons. I recently had this discussion with a good friend, who could not understand why I was so excited about this release. She, like so many people, was raised on the color Popeye cartoons made in the 1960’s. “They’re all the same,” she complained. “Popeye and Bluto fight over Olive Oyl, and Popeye eats spinach and beats up his rival. Big deal.” And you know something? Based solely on the cartoons my friend had seen, she was right. She knew nothing of these original black & white gems made by the Fleischers beginning in the early 1930’s. And while the voice of Popeye in most of those shorts is the same (Jack Mercer) as the later ones, that’s where the similarities end. The early ‘toons are full of creative gags, ad-libs and boundless energy. Plus, they have the inimitable Fleischer style, which can also be found in Betty Boop and, later, the first Superman cartoons.

I hope that those of you who only know Popeye from the later, bland incarnations will check out this set. Forget Poopdeck Pappy or Popeye’s nephews (those these will eventually surface in the Fleischer versions); this is the REAL POPEYE in all his elastic, mumbling glory.

Essential viewing for Popeye enthusiasts, and anyone interested in the early history of animated sound cartoons.

P.S. I wish I could get back all the money I’ve blown on cheapskate VHS and DVD versions by Goodtimes, etc. Those things are headed for a garage sale faster than you can say “I yam what I yam!”

Here’s everything you get — and the top five reasons to buy it5
Well, blow me down! As a Disney writer, I didn’t think I’d like these competing cartoons from the golden age of Mickey Mouse. But I was wrong! Like the best early Mickey shorts, these Popeye cartoons are truly entertaining and funny, with boundless energy and many creative gags. Whether you’re a classic animation fan or just someone looking for something different, here are five reasons you should buy this set:

1. All of the cartoons are from Popeye’s original Fleischer Bros. incarnation, when the series had its most cockamamie characters (including the Sailor Man in all his gruffy, mumbling glory), cockeyed plots, fluid animation and detailed backgrounds.

2. The shorts are the original, black-and-white, uncut versions, fully restored from the master negatives and never before made available to the public.

3. Unlike the more familiar 1950-1960s Popeye cartoons, these don’t all have the same plot! Yes, Bluto tries to kiss Olive Oyl in a couple, but otherwise the stories on this set jump all over the place. In one (”Lost and Foundry”), Baby Swee’pea saves Popeye and Olive from being crushed.

4. Each disc comes with a full slate of extras, including documentaries, featurettes and rare bonus cartoons, most of which are early silent films and ten of which star Koko the Clown. Altogether there are more than five hours of bonus features.

5. Ten cartoons have audio commentaries, featuring film and animation experts such as Jerry Beck and Leonard Maltin.

Here’s a complete rundown on what you get:

DISC 1
1. “Popeye the Sailor” (1933) (with commentary)
2. “I Yam What I Yam” (1933)
3. “Blow Me Down!” (1933)
4. “I Eats My Spinach” (1933)
5. “Seasin’s Greetinks!” (1933)
6. “Wild Elephinks” (1933) (with commentary)
7. “Sock-a-Bye, Baby” (1934) (with commentary)
8. “Let’s You and Him Fight” (1934)
9. “The Man on the Flying Trapeze” (1934)
10. “Can You Take It” (1934) (with commentary)
11. “Shoein’ Hosses” (1934)
12. “Strong to the Finich” (1934)
13. “Shiver Me Timbers!” (1934)
14. “Axe Me Another” (1934)
15. “A Dream Walking” (1934) (with commentary)

Bonus features on Disc 1 include a feature on early animation (”Mining the Strip, Elzie Segar and Thimble Theatre”), a 43-minute documentary on Popeye’s early career (”I Yam What I Yam: The Story of Popeye the Sailor”) and a profile on Olive Oyl (”Me Fickle Goyl, Olive Oyl: The World’s Least Likely Sex Symbol”). Bonus silent cartoons from other studios (all based on comic strips) include “Colonel Heeza Liar at the Bat” (1915), the Mutt and Jeff short “Domestic Difficulties” (1916) and “Krazy Kat Goes A-Wooing” (1916).

DISC 2
16. “The Two-Alarm Fire” (1934)
17. “The Dance Contest” (1934)
18. “We Aim to Please” (1934)
19. “Beware of Barnacle Bill” (1935) (with commentary)
20. “Be Kind to ‘Aminals’” (1935)
21. “Pleased to Meet Cha!” (1935)
22. “The ‘Hyp-Nut-Tist’” (1935) (with commentary)
23. “Choose Your ‘Weppins’” (1935) (with commentary)
24. “For Better or Worser” (1935) (with commentary)
25. “Dizzy Divers” (1935)
26. “You Gotta Be a Football Hero” (1935)
27. “King of the Mardi Gras” (1935)
28. “Adventures of Popeye” (1935)
29. “The Spinach Overture” (1935)
30. “Vim, Vigor and Vitaliky” (1936)

Extras on Disc 2 include a 30-minute historical documentary with lots of clips, “Forging the Frame: The Roots of Animation 1900-1920,” the featurette “Sailor’s Hornpipes: The Voices of Popeye,” a profile on Wimpy (”Wimpy the Moocher: Ode to the Burgermeister”) and three more silent shorts: “Bobby Bumps Puts a Beanery on the Bum” (1918), the Felix the Cat cartoon “Feline Follies” (1919) and “The Tantalizing Fly” (1919) with Koko the Clown.

DISC 3
31. “A Clean Shaven Man”
32. “Brotherly Love”
33. “I Ski – Love Ski – You Ski” (with commentary)
34. “Bridge Ahoy!”
35. “What – No Spinach?”
36. “I Wanna Be a Lifeguard”
37. “Let’s Get Movin’”
38. “Never Kick A Woman”
39. “Little Swee’pea”
40. “Hold the Wire”
41. “The Spinach Roadster”
42. “Popeye the Sailor Meets Sindbad the Sailor” (double-length, color, with commentary)
43. “I’m in the Army Now”
44. “The Paneless Window Washer”
45. “Organ Grinder’s Swing”

Disc 3 bonus features consist of two featurettes, “Blow Me Down! The Music of Popeye” and “Popeye in Living Color: A Look at the Color Two-Reelers” and six early Out of the Inkwell shorts with Koko the Clown: “Modeling” (1921), “Invisible Ink” (1921), “Bubbles” (1922), “Jumping Beans” (1922), “Bed Time” (1923) and “Trapped” (1923).

DISC 4
46. “My Artistical Temperature”
47. “Hospitaliky”
48. “The Twisker Pitcher”
49. “Morning, Noon and Night Club”
50. “Lost and Foundry” (with commentary)
51. “I Never Changes My Altitude”
52. “I Likes Babies and Infinks”
53. “The Football Toucher Downer”
54. “Proteck the Weakerist” (with commentary)
55. “Popeye the Sailor Meets Ali Baba’s Forty Thieves” (double-length, color, with commentary)
56. “Fowl Play”
57. “Let’s Celebrake”
58. “Learn Polikeness”
59. “The House Builder Upper”
60. “Big Chief Ugh-Amugh-Ugh”

Bonus features on Disc 4 include profiles on Swee’pea and Bluto (”Me Lil’ Swee’pea: Whose Kid is He Anyway?” and “Et Tu Bluto? Cartoondom’s Heaviest Heavy”), three more Out of the Inkwell Koko shorts (”A Trip to Mars” (1924), “Koko Trains ‘Em” (1925) and “Koko Back Tracks” (1927)) and a two-minute follow-the-bouncing-ball oddity “Let’s Sing with Popeye” (1934).

To sum up, this set is a real treat for any cartoon buff and a must-have for any student of animation or pop culture. But beyond all that, it’s just plain fun.

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Sapphire and Steel – The Complete Series Lowest Price!

domingo, outubro 3rd, 2010

Sapphire and Steel - The Complete Series

Sapphire and Steel – The Complete Series Lowest Price!

Compare & Purchase Sapphire and Steel – The Complete Series at Amazon by clicking here!

List Price: $99.95

Amazon Price: $54.49

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Sapphire and Steel – The Complete Series Description:

The spiritual precursor to The X-Files, SAPPHIRE & STEEL is one of the most atmospheric, mysterious and compelling television programs ever made. Joanna Lumley (Ab Fab, Cold Comfort Farm) and David McCallum (The Man From U.N.C.L.E.) star as alien investigators sent to earth to monitor and police ruptures in time. Defying convention at every turn, SAPPHIRE & STEEL spread six adventures over 34 episodes, keeping viewers constantly in suspense and heightening the tension with its distinctively claustrophobic sets (only one tale used any location footage), stark lighting and ethereal music. Combined with the deeply ambiguous stories, this created a distinctly unsettling and riveting experience. Now, SAPPHIRE & STEEL is ready to capture the minds of a new generation of fans with this comprehensive DVD collection, which features every moody minute of the revolutionary show.

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #34234 in DVD
  • Released on: 2004-12-28
  • Rating: NR (Not Rated)
  • Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
  • Formats: Box set, Color, NTSC
  • Original language: English
  • Number of discs: 6
  • Running time: 918 minutes

Customer Reviews:

More than a mere ‘precursor of the X-Files’!5
Nice to see this show finally get released by mainstream channels. (current fans will have found the set elsewhere…)

If you’re a fan of The X-Files, you’ll LOVE Sapphire And Steel. Especially if you prefer intellectual horror above quantitive gore, guts, and circus acts. Made between 1978 and 1982, this low-budget BBC series used inventive plotlines, a strong atmosphere, and strongly written and acted characters to sell it self. And it packs a whollop. Indeed, some of the stories are so complex that they could be benefitted from a second viewing. (pity VCRs didn’t exist when this show was first aired!)

I personally recommend Story 2 (”The Railway Station”) for first viewing. It’s got the series’ premise down pat and despite a lengthy 8 episodes, remains taut and gripping all the way through so the padding to fill out the timeslot isn’t noticed. The story puts a new dimension on ghosts and their influence, and episode 8 has some excellent make-up and a grizzly resolution.

Story 4, “The Man Without a Face” is another fan favorite. The malignancy in this story puts photography in a different light. Either by imprisoning people in photographs or taking them out, this story is inventive – and suitably horrific. The final episode isn’t as strong as it could have been, but the rest of the story more than makes up for it.

Story 6, with a working title of “The Petrol Station” features a new type of enemy for Sapphire and Steel. This one doesn’t use horror in the way the other stories had, but it is highly enjoyable and also keeps one’s interest. It’s also the series’ finale and, as many BBC Sci-fi series’ go, this one isn’t particularly pleasant.

Story 1, “Escape through A Crack in Time”, while having a very good introductory episode, ultimately falls apart halfway through and the denouement rather misses the point of its preceeding episodes. Revolving around children’s’ fairy tales, this one tries to give a deeper meaning to the tales. As it is an introductory story, you’ll note some differences that were not in subsequent stories. As story 2 is so perfect, P J Hammond was quick to correct the errors he’d made. It’s still worth a watch, if for episode 1 alone. As with stories 3 and 5, this one is 6 episodes long and contains some padding.

Story 5, “Dr McDee Must Die”, was not written by P J Hammond, who wrote the other stories. It feels more like a Doctor Who story. It’s got its moments, but is overall mediocre.

Story 3, “The Creature’s Revenge”, is the one and only turkey. Indeed, it’s a turkey complete with beaks and claws. Watch it for the sake of completeness and the introduction to Silver, who is seen again in story 6 of course. But what little plot exists is padded out so extensively that re-watchings are mandatory. and, unfortunately, this story is so dull and uninvolving that re-watching is simply impossible to do. The plot, as far as I can make it out to be, revolves around some human science teams traveling back in time a couple thousand years to experience how their ancestors lived in 1980. There’s a creature that kills on contact for some reason, the pair taking the role of a 1980 couple (despite being ~25 years different in age) are being tormented by visions of wild animals or food animals, and their futuristic but disguised pod is basically an old apartment building (both outside AND inside, sigh…) with a cheap mod and 1979-looking aluminium kitchen table set as a visual effect for the inside of another pod. Episode 1 is actually reasonably good and its cliffhanger is marvelous, but it totally fails after that.

There were some audio commentary extras that were interesting, but not spectacular.

The menu system looks nice, but a “Play all” button would have been nice.

The packaging for the region 1 (US) version is vastly superior to any of the other region releases available. It’s uniform and has a proper feel.

The audio transfer is reasonably well, no argument here.

The video transfer is quite good, though it’s clear that only a mundane amount of video restoration was used; the prints could have benefitted from a full restoration/embellishment process to eliminate the problems that the source tapes have (the only real problems are with the cameras and recording equipment of the time. Skin tones look great and there’s little artifacting to be found.) But that would be very expensive, the show is British therefore the British owners would do the actual restoration work, and this is a niche show. Besides, I’ve seen far, far worse.)

There is a rumor that the discs will not play the video at proper frame rate on some players. The discs will play, but the video has a film-like motion to it. As this series was shot on video tape, this effect isn’t normal. But even with this effect (it happens on my set-top player but not my computer’s DVD-ROM drive), I don’t find the effect jarring. In fact, I think it HELPS many of the stories because it feels like a film transfer. (only videophiles will care about the difference, but I thought I’d say it anyway. :-) )

A&E released this set. So it’s no surprise that this set is as solid as it is. Definitely a buy for fans. Easily worth a renting for newbies and ultimately worth the buy.

British Cult Sci-fi at its best4
I was very happy to learn that Sapphire and Steel was FINALLY coming out on DVD. Once I got the set and watched the series, I was not disappointed. The show has an eerie, claustrophobic feel that makes it unlike many other shows out there. One can forgive the limited sets and average quality video effects because the stories are so entertaining and original (A creature that exists in photographs, a darkness that lives off of the bitterness of the dead, time itself being a destructive force, etc.).

While the show itself is excellent the DVD’s themselves don’t live up to their potential. The extras are rather thin (although the introduction voice-overs by P.J. Hammond and Shaun O’Riordan at the beginning of each assignment are very insightful). The other problem is that the episodes were not transferred from PAL to NTSC (the U.S. video encoding standand) properly so the video images have a slightly jerky film-like motion to them. (Episode 5 of Assignment 5 is the only episode that was transferred properly) Although the problem is not distracting, it is a shame that A&E couldn’t have got it right the first time. Maybe this set will be rereleased with the flaws fixed (as they did for some episodes of Space:1999).

Overall, this is a great series that anyone who likes original writing and spooky atmosphere will enjoy. A must have.

Welcome back Sapphire and Steel, on DVD at long last!5
This was a real attempt at intelligent sci-fi and though I loved it I knew it would never be a hit in the way that the X-Files was, simply because it was far too intelligent for your average sci-fi watcher.

I was amazing it lasted as long as did.

I am really glad the whole series is on DVD as the VHS versions are real clunkers in that each adventure is on two tapes, so you end up with a HUGE collection of video tapes if you wanted the whole series.

I think Joanna Lumley and David McCallum are great as Sapphire and Steel, two beings sent to sort out rips and problems in time that could devastate the universe if left unchecked.

My favourite adventure was the railway station, it was very atmospheric but all of the adventures had their own merits and I loved the quirky way that Lumley and McCallum bounced off each other, one wry, the other droll, both human but not human.

Many people think this series has dated badly but I actually think it has done okay, considering it was a pioneer in its own genre and well worth buying and watching again just for the sheer brilliance of what the writers and producers were trying to do in a time of bad hair, bad clothes, bad songs, bad movies and even badder actors!

Amazon.com
One of the oddest shows ever mounted for mainstream British television, Sapphire & Steel was one of ITV’s many short-lived attempts at grabbing the sci-fi cult status of the BBC’s Doctor Who. Ex-Man from U.N.C.L.E. David McCallum and ex-Avenger Joanna Lumley play human-looking incarnations of the eponymous substances, mysterious investigators working at the behest of an apparent God of Order and zipping about TARDIS-like to cope with anomalies in the time-stream that manifest as apparent supernatural forces in remote English locales like an isolated farmhouse (Adventure One), a deserted rural railway station (Adventure Two) and a high-rise block of flats (Adventure Three).

McCallum and Lumley play their “medium atomic weights” with blank style and a few touches of baffled humor, not to mention visual flair in the case of Lumley’s blue fashions and occasional glowing eyes. But the lengthy serial format, strictly limited guest casts, and claustrophobic confinement to studio sets tend to mean individual serials straggle on with a great deal of repetition, as six- or eight-part stories seem to take forever to get moving and then resolve. Shot on video, with a few strange 1970s effects (evil follow-spots, floating pillows), this remains prime cult material, though it’s hard to sit still for more than one episode at a time. –Kim Newman

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