Box sets

[Paul]

I just finished all four seasons of the original Knight Rider.  It's not quite as good as I remembered it, but is definitely 80's!  I suppose tastes change.  Have you watched any 80's TV show box sets lately?

[Badders]

Erm... Well let me see.

The A-Team
Battle of the Planets
Ulyses 31
Terrahawks

I need to get out more 

Truth be told, I never left the 80s.

Pete.

[RobertB]

Have you watched any 80's TV show box sets lately?

Lately?  I'm still trying to catch up on boxed sets from the 60's and 70's.    However, a few months ago I was watching the second season of Airwolf.  Now all I need is season 3. 

                   Truly,
                   Robert Bernardo
                   Fresno Commodore User Group
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[RobertB]

...I was watching the second season of Airwolf.

Whoa, I just discovered Airwolf vs. Knight Rider on YouTube.com!  Just one in a series of Airwolf vs. ________ !  Creative editing at its best. 

                  Take a look,
                  Robert Bernardo
                  Fresno Commodore User Group
                  http://videocam.net.au/fcug
                  The Other Group of Amigoids
                  http://www.calweb.com/~rabel1/
                  Southern California Commodore & Amiga Network
                  http://www.sccaners.org

[RobertB]

     At a friend's house on Sunday, I got to see Airwolf vs. Blue Thunder, Airwolf vs. Firefox, and Airwolf helps Rambo rescue the soldiers (o.k., that last title is not exact but it's out of Rambo II).  Yeah, Airwolf made mincemeat out of Blue Thunder (which did not have much in the way of offensive capabilities).  It was hard to believe that Airwolf could destroy Clint Eastwood in Firefox.    I liked the pithy Dirty Harry sayings thrown into that video.  And Airwolf should have more of a hand in destroying the Russian chopper (basically it was more of wingman to Rambo and his mission).

                Ah, what if scenarios,
                Robert Bernardo
                Fresno Commodore User Group
                http://videocam.net.au/fcug
                The Other Group of Amigoids
                http://www.calweb.com/~rabel1/
                Southern California Commodore & Amiga Network
                http://www.sccaners.org

[Rorshach]

Picked up a single dvd of Terrahawks last year.  I'd missed that in the 80's but was good to see it now.  This summer I picked up complete set of another older Gerry Anderson series, that is UFO. this one not animated in any way like many of his others.  But its not 80s, the series was produced in '69 and '70.  Next on my list will be Space:1999 or one of my 80's faves.  Perhaps some Doctor Who.  lots to choose from.

[RobertB]

     For Christmas I received a box set of t.v. show, Boston Legal, season 4 (in fact, two of the same boxed set... now what will I do with the duplicate?)  Now all I need is season 5.

               Needed for my Shatner fix, 
               Robert Bernardo
               Fresno Commodore User Group
               http://videocam.net.au/fcug
               The Other Group of Amigoids
               http://www.calweb.com/~rabel1/
               Southern California Commodore & Amiga Network
               http://www.sccaners.org

[Paul]

The box sets are pretty cheap these days.  My wife picked up four seasons of Three's Company for $15 each; I got Season 1 and 2 of Gilligan's Island for $20.  It's a good time to grab them on DVD, because I think they're clearing out DVD's to make way for Blu-Ray.  Thing is, considering the format most of these shows were shot at, I can't imagine the image and sound quality getting any better than DVD.

[Rorshach]

Just recently picked up first season of knight rider at Zellers for $10. Have yet to watch it but as a fan I soon will be.

[RobertB]

It's a good time to grab them on DVD, because I think they're clearing out DVD's to make way for Blu-Ray.  Thing is, considering the format most of these shows were shot at, I can't imagine the image and sound quality getting any better than DVD.

Actually, 1960s shows were shot on 35mm film which has far more resolution than even 1080p video.  So, if a studio wishes to release a series on Blu-ray, it is not impossible... Star Trek: the Original Series and the Prisoner being two 1960's shows released in Blu-ray.  Next up is the original Twilight Zone being released in Blu-ray (though the video engineers' work is cut out for them since some of the TZ shows were shot to 2-inch quad videotape which doesn't have very good resolution compared to video nowadays).

                Truly,
                Robert Bernardo
                Fresno Commodore User Group
                http://videocam.net.au/fcug
                The Other Group of Amigoids
                http://www.calweb.com/~rabel1/
                Southern California Commodore & Amiga Network
                http://www.sccaners.org

[Paul]

This is true, but a lot of 80's shows were shot on videotape.  It was a higher quality videotape than the VHS used in most homes, but when stored in DVD format, I can't imagine the videotape getting any better.  You can really tell the difference between film and videotape on a DVD; a show like The Incredible Hulk, which was filmed, looks very crisp; while a show like the A-team, shot on videotape, looks noticeably softer and lower resolution.

Also, considering what I used to watch Gilligan's Island on the first time around, the upconverted DVD's look brilliant!   

[Paul]

Just recently picked up first season of knight rider at Zellers for $10. Have yet to watch it but as a fan I soon will be.

I got 2, 3 and 4 that you're free to borrow when you're done with Season 1.

One warning about Season 1: Do not watch the included Knight Rider 2000 if you do not want to be disappointed. 

[RobertB]

This is true, but a lot of 80's shows were shot on videotape.  It was a higher quality videotape than the VHS used in most homes, but when stored in DVD format, I can't imagine the videotape getting any better.

Agreed.  The original videotape, when shot at a certain resolution, cannot be forced to a higher resolution.

You can really tell the difference between film and videotape on a DVD; a show like The Incredible Hulk, which was filmed, looks very crisp; while a show like the A-team, shot on videotape, looks noticeably softer and lower resolution.

Sorry to disagree there.  The A-Team was shot on film, as were all of Universal's prime-time drama/adventures productions in those days.  However, comedy shows like Three's Company, Maude, All in the Family, etc. were shot using videotape.  If the A-Team looks softer on DVD, blame the transfer process or lower-quality film elements used in the transfer.

              Truly,
              Robert Bernardo
              Fresno Commodore User Group
              http://videocam.net.au/fcug
              The Other Group of Amigoids
              http://www.calweb.com/~rabel1/
              Southern California Commodore & Amiga Network
              http://www.sccaners.org

[RobertB]

For Christmas I received a box set of t.v. show, Boston Legal, season 4...

O.K., Boston Legal is not from the 1980's, now that I think of it.    For Christmas I also received Mission: Impossible, season 5... not exactly from the 1980's, either.  However, I hope CBS/Paramount will release the two seasons of the 1988 Mission: Impossible t.v. show.

               Trying to stay on-topic,
               Robert Bernardo
               Fresno Commodore User Group
               http://videocam.net.au/fcug
               The Other Group of Amigoids
               http://www.calweb.com/~rabel1/
               Southern California Commodore & Amiga Network
               http://www.sccaners.org

[RobertB]

...I was watching the second season of Airwolf.  Now all I need is season 3. 

On tonight's episode of NCIS, the character Tony DiNozzo spoke a few lines about Airwolf, naming lead actor Jan-Michael Vincent and the unforgettable character's name of Stringfellow Hawk.

              A Universal show paying homage to another Universal show,
              Robert Bernardo
              Fresno Commodore User Group
              http://videocam.net.au/fcug
              The Other Group of Amigoids
              http://www.calweb.com/~rabel1/
              Southern California Commodore & Amiga Network
              http://www.sccaners.org

P.S. About once a season for the last 3 seasons on NCIS, there has been a reference to the Commodore 64.  I can never catch it on the video recorder!