New Top Gear

[Zelandeth]

If I ever get around to digging my Philips VR2020 out of hibernation and convincing the blasted thing to work for more than ten minutes I should be able to get better quality copies as I have it on V2000. Sadly anyone who has ever seen the innards of that series of VCRs will tell you that they are probably about as complicated as a Saturn V rocket. Weigh about as much too.

It's on the "get round to it one day" pile.

[Homer]

The Reassembler was one particularly good example.

I generally like the stuff may does but the Reassembler did not do it for me... It actually put me to sleep very quickly...

I watched it once thinking this is going to get interesting any minute now.... and it didn't.

[CitroJim]

If I ever get around to digging my Philips VR2020 out of hibernation and convincing the blasted thing to work for more than ten minutes I should be able to get better quality copies as I have it on V2000. Sadly anyone who has ever seen the innards of that series of VCRs will tell you that they are probably about as complicated as a Saturn V rocket. Weigh about as much too.

It's on the "get round to it one day" pile.

Wow! Didn't realise you had one of those Zel Now that brings back a few memories!

I'll be happy to spend some time with you and it when it comes to reviving it

[Hell Razor5543]

I once got a VHS VCR for free, as it would not handle the tapes. It turned out a light bulb had failed. I replaced this 5V bulb with a 12V bulb. Not only did this do the job, it virtually guaranteed the bulb would not blow again in the future.

[Zelandeth]

I did at one point have machines covering all the main video formats working. The V2000 one was rescued from a skip at school. At least it lacks any belts... everything is direct drive. It is however fiendishly complicated, and most faults seem to require the entire thing to be taken to bits. Of course several critical multiway connections are hard wired too, meaning you need to desolder 30000 wires. The thing being so big and heavy (can't remember the actual weight, but it's north of 20kg) makes it doubly awkward to work on.

The Ferguson (3V55?) VHS one is more likely to get sorted first. That's got something wrong with the speed control making it run at exactly half speed...just ran out of time due to the house move on that one.

Don't have a Betamax machine any more - never actually had any tapes of my own in the format, and it never really interested me to the same extent as V2000. The quality difference was nearly indistinguishable to VHS in the real world too - unlike V2000 which when set up right gives what I'd describe as "studio quality" reproduction. Reckon that's why they were so popular in education, you could get away with making copies of copies of copies to a far greater extent, plus the ability to show totally clear freeze frames was a bonus in a classroom I guess.

[wurlycorner]

Latest Top Gear is brilliant though, you can see where the money they have saved on overpaid presenters has gone.

Really? Facebook comments seem to suggest it's just yet another rehash of the same tired old formula...

And about as popular now as a dose of the clap...

I'd agree with the Facebook comments Jim, I found it all a bit 'samey' tedious too.
Time to save the Beeb's money and do something more interesting with it.

To say the BBC should 'save money' by stopping making TG is wholly inaccurate. TG is a significant money earner for the BBC - and always has been since 'new' TG came along.

So actually, stop making TG = stop making other programs due to lack of funding.

[Gibbo2286]

Really? Facebook comments seem to suggest it's just yet another rehash of the same tired old formula...

And about as popular now as a dose of the clap...

I'd agree with the Facebook comments Jim, I found it all a bit 'samey' tedious too.
Time to save the Beeb's money and do something more interesting with it.

To say the BBC should 'save money' by stopping making TG is wholly inaccurate. TG is a significant money earner for the BBC - and always has been since 'new' TG came along.

So actually, stop making TG = stop making other programs due to lack of funding.

Well I know the original was a huge money earner but has the new lot been as successful I'm not sure?

[Hell Razor5543]

Something to consider is that the BBC sells their content to other broadcasters across the Globe. While it costs money to make programs, if they bring in a profit (especially a sizeable one) they will continue being made.

[CitroJim]

Something to consider is that the BBC sells their content to other broadcasters across the Globe. While it costs money to make programs, if they bring in a profit (especially a sizeable one) they will continue being made.

Yes, very true and judging from some overseas TV stations I've seen in my travels even the most mediocre of BBC stuff is an order of magnitude better than their usual stuff - even same-old, same-old TG...

And I suppose it has to be remembered that in some parts of the world TG is loved beyond all reason... No doubt the BBC is continuing to cater for those markets...

[Zelandeth]

Just thinking of TG as a brand rather than a TV show, I guess it's worth mentioning that I'm still a subscriber to the paper magazine. It doesn't seem to have gone downhill notably in the last few years. Still always full of nice photography and seems well written. Just the right balance between facts and humour to keep me entertained for a few lunchtimes of reading.

[MikeT]

TG is huge in America - that's likely why it's so profitable. "Popular" and "profitable" Doesn't make the shows any less infantile imo.

[CitroJim]

"Popular" and "profitable" Doesn't make the shows any less infantile imo.

Never a truer word spoken Mike!

[Paul-R]

“No one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public.” **

Not just the American public.

** A near quote from the American journalist and commentator H L Mencken.

[NewcastleFalcon]

On revive an ancient thread day......it ain't really "New" Top Gear now but I came across it yesterday by accident. Yes it's merely a filler for the airwaves before the MOnday night main double-header of Only Connect and University Challenge.

Lots of vroom, vroom , vroom, in an overgrown schoolboy-ey way, and about as motoringly irrelevant to me that you could possibly get. Yes surprise surprise, I find I am definitely not the target audience for the show!

So what was on. Series 26 Episode 3
Matt LeBlanc and Chris Harris are both tasked with reviewing the new Bentley Continental GT, (great I might buy 2)
...while Rory Reid tests the new Renault Megane hot hatch. (no comment must have been on before I switched on)
...Out on track, Chris attempts to tame the scariest Porsche 911 of all time. (or the most irrelevant Porsche 911 of all time unless you have a racing Circuit in your back yard)
...Gregory Porter is the studio guest. (I would have prefered him singing a couple of songs)

All a matter of Personal Opinon of course...like I said I know I am not the target audience!

Regards Neil

[Mandrake]

I thought Matt LeBlanc had left ?