Comics UK

A technology question which I hope some brainbox may be able to answer.

I heard that the Talking Pictures channel was coming to Freeview but it turns out you need a HD receiver. Can I buy a HD set top box and then watch it on my non HD tv? Alternately can I buy a HD tv and start watching straight away?

You should be okay using an HD box with your current TV. I've got a Humax Freeview HD box (HDR 2000T) and it has a choice of the following resolutions when using an HDMI cable: 576i, 576p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p. Even with the box set to 1080, it still outputs an SD (576i) signal via the AV (composite) output. I don't have a scart lead handy to test but I'm sure that would be the same.

A TV with a Freeview HD tuner would work straight away but if you get a box like my Humax then you have a recorder as well.

Edited to add: Depending on its age, your current TV might be capable of displaying 720p (these sets were usually marketed as HD Ready).

I already have two hard drive freeview recorders with dvd recorders on them so I might just go for a HD tv (not HD ready as I have found out the difference). I doubt if I'll be wanting to record any of the old films or tv shows on Moving Pictures so just a tv will suffice.

I thought Julie Newmar was dead but there is a full page interview with her in today's Daily Express and a new photo shows her looking pretty good. She is to do Catwoman's voice for a new Classic Batman animated series with Adam West and Burt Ward reprising their roles too,

I wonder why Julie wasn't in the film? (Lee Merriweather played the role) And Eartha Kitt played `Catwoman` in the third & Final `Batman` series! Julie appeared in one of the `Monkees` 1966 episodes "The Monkees Get Out More Dirt" I think was the episode.

I saw that Monkees episode a couple of years ago and it looks like she pinches Davy Jones's bottom judging by his reaction.

Lee Meriwether was most famous for her part as the scientist in The Time Tunnel, she was a bit too nice to be Catwoman - did not exude menace.

I believe the original plan was to make the film first, then the series, but the series was brought forward. I think it was simply the case that Newmar was unavailable for the film.

Eartha Kitt would have never been considered for Catwoman in the first series of `Batman` Jan May 1966; but by the third series from Summer 1967 to early 1968 Social change was happening so quickly in the USA a `black` actress was not the stigma it would have been just 18 months earlier!

Eartha Kitt had the best Catwoman voice, but she was too short for the part; Catwoman needs to be nearly as tall as Batman. Lee Merriweather looked right, but she didn't have the lunatic edge of Julie Newmar's Catwoman. Newmar was really good at dangerously mad funny characters.

...Somehow 'Thanks For Everything, Lee Merriweather' doesn't have quite the same ring to it!

Not quite retro but going through some VHS tapes this week I came across an episode of the Weakest Link which featured actors from the Star Trek tv shows including Kirk, Geordie La Forge, Q, Balana Torres, The Holographic Doctor, Wesley Crusher, Quark? (Armin Shimmerman) and Tasha Yar. Haven't checked to see if it is on youtube.

Just checked and it is on youtube, also spotted a doctor who and a glamour girls edition.

Rather then start a new thread i'll post my peeve here.

Whoever thought of putting the ball numbers beside the team names down the side of the screen for the FA cup draw knows nothing about football. Does anyone, when the number is called out, look across to see what team that is rather than wait the three quarters of a second until the team name is called out? Its pointless. The whole point of the draw is the thrill of hearing the name of the team called out and no sane person would refer to the names at the side of the screen. Am I right?

Those with no interest in football need not respond - I know there are a few of you.