Category: Tech

Let’s Get Physical Media

At the start of the year I wrote about my first experience with trouble reading a manufactured CD (rather than burned media).

Never Before

Now I’ve encountered a case of DVD rot.

No surprise, it’s a Warner DVD.

Warner Bros. will supposedly make good on replacements when possible, by writing to them at whv@wbd.com. But I don’t want to go through the hassle.

The set appears to still be in print, so I ordered a new copy. If Popeye volumes 2&3 show the same problem then I’ll contact Warner.

If nothing else, this site is useful for checking on some things. I see that I wrote about the Popeye set nineteen years ago today, having paid exactly the same price that I paid again a few minutes ago.

Popeye Is Eye-Popping!

Spotted in the Wild

Something I’ve seen before in videos from movie sets, I saw again yesterday while watching Everyone is Lying to You for Money.

DogRat-approved Sony MDR-ZX110 headphones, often available for a measly ten bucks, seem to have become a new standard for audio monitoring in the field. You can buy ten or more pairs for what a pair of Sony MDR-7506 headphones costs.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NJ2M43M

Standard Disclaimer: This is not a paid endorsement.

Flock Them

Some cops can’t resist the temptation to misuse Flock license plate readers for personal reasons. Here’s an example in a town that isn’t too far from here.

https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/stow-police-officer-accused-of-misusing-flock-camera-police-databases/3999797/

MIT Technology Review has some insights and suggestions regarding the Flock system.

https://www.technologyreview.com/2026/08/17/1142200/what-flocks-defenders-are-missing/

Dark Pink

For the second time, I have enjoyed seeing and hearing the fantastic ‘Pink Floyd – The Dark Side of the Moon – Official Planetarium Show’ at this venue.

I wasn’t able to confirm the model(s) of the two video projectors, but they’re the JVC DLA-NZ9 and/or the newer NZ900 model. Special lenses are used to fill the image across the huge dome ceiling.

The audio quality was just as good as the image, and easily the best I have ever heard playing The Dark Side of the Moon. An album that was released — ulp! — just as I was about to graduate from high schoool.

The sound was effortlessly loud and completely free of harshness in the way that professional grade systems can be. The bass was massively powerful and deep, with no breakup whatsoever. Such an audio/video treat!