Friday, June 27, 2014

Movie review: They Came Together doesn't come together

They Came Together,” a spoof of romantic-comedy conventions, is a one-joke movie, but it's a joke told well, by people who know how. Movie review: 'They Came Together' here.

They Came Together


In Movie Theaters: Friday, June 27, 2014 Limited

Director: David Wain

Cast:

Amy Poehler . . . Molly
Paul Rudd . . . Joel
Cobie Smulders . . . Tiffany
Christopher Meloni . . . Roland
Max Greenfield . . . Jake
Bill Hader . . . Kyle

Companies: Lionsgate Films

Storyline:

They Came Together begins with the kind of smarmy self-awareness that is more self-serving than humorous. On a night out with another couple (Bill Hader and Ellie Kemper), Molly (Amy Poehler) and Joel (Paul Rudd) recount the story of how they got together. The pair preface their tale by defining themselves as typical rom-com characters: he “vaguely but non-threateningly Jewish,” she a hopeless klutz. For the first act or so of the film, most of the dialogue foregrounds generic tropes with a wink, like the thin connection between Molly as a local candy shop owner meeting Joel, high-ranking member of a candy conglomerate hell-bent on establishing a total monopoly.


The non-threateningly attractive, amiable Paul Rudd is an easy guy to like. Maybe even to fall in love with…unless he’s a corporate drone working for the ultra-behemoth conglomerate that’s about to put your quirky, independent candy store out of business! Then he’s just a dreamy boy you could fall in love with but you won’t, damn it! You just won’t!

Director David Wain likes him, though. He likes him well enough to cast him as the lead in every single one of his films, including his latest, They Came Together.

For the provocatively titled newest effort, Wain collaborates with co-writer Michael Showalter, who helped him pen another Rudd vehicle, the cultish gem Wet Hot American Summer. Where that film lampooned summer camp films, the latest effort sends up New York City rom/coms.

Both films are endearingly silly, insightful, packed with genuine talent, and loaded with laughs. Rudd is joined this time around by reliably funny Amy Poehler as maybe the love of his life, if they can get past that candy store thing and a couple dozen other hurdles.

Wain is not just after the big, obvious genre clichés, either – though not one is safe. He’s equally adept at uncovering small, overlooked crutches of the romantic comedy and skewering those, as well. So what went so wrong?

Nothing feels fresh, for starters. So many films have poked fun at romantic comedy clichés that the satire is stale. The humor is broad when it needs to be, targeted at times, and often very funny, but utterly and immediately forgettable.

Just as problematic is that the 83 minute running time feels bloated. Jokes are repeated so incessantly that they lose potency, and Wain’s film has trouble mocking the tired and familiar without feeling a little spent itself. It plays like extended sketch comedy, some of which is spot-on, though too much of it is filler.

With laughs to be had, sight gags galore, priceless cameos, an enviable cast and a quick run time, it’s hardly the worst way to spend a little time in the air conditioning. You know, since Wet Hot American Summer doesn’t stream on Netflix.

See the movie trailer here:


More movie reviews are here:

Film Review: ‘Transformers: Age of Extinction’
Transformers Energon- The Complete Series DVD Collection New Cover and Release
John Goodman, Ken Watanabe Are Autobots in Transformers: Age of Extinction

Monday, June 23, 2014

Convert DVD movies to MOV with multiple audio & subtitle tracks

This article tells how to convert DVD to MOV with several languages (audio tracks), so we can watch them on iDevices smoothly.

If you have some DVD movie collections, you may wonder how to play DVD movie on your iOS devices with the option of switching audio tracks to get different languages. However, not all videos output from a multi-track DVD can keep the original video effect, intact audio tracks and subtitles in different languages. How to have complete movie content yet unimpaired audio/video/subtitle components after copying DVD?


Don't worry, this DVD to multi-language MOV tutorial will help you out to backup DVD to MOV keeping all your wanted audio tracks. So you can watch them on iPad, iPhone, iPod touch smoothly.

To accomplish all the tasks, Pavtube ByteCopy is really recommended. This ByteCopy works as the pro version of normal Blu-ray/DVD ripping tools, which is capable of rolling off Blu-ray/DVD protection and transcode your movie to MOV format with best quality.

Mac version is available here: Pavtube ByteCopy for Mac; well support Mac Mavericks!

How to copy DVD to MOV with multi-track for playback on iOS devices?

Step 1. Launch ByteCopy and load disc

Click the "Load file(s)" icon to import DVD disc, DVD ISO image files and DVD folder.



Step 2. Choose Multi-track MOV

Click the "Format" drop-down list and choose "Multi-track Video > Multi-track MOV(*.mov)" for IOS devevices.



Step 3. Adjust settings (Optional)

Click "Format" to adjust video settings like video size, bitrate, frame rate, etc.

Switch to "Audio" tab, you can free choose wanted audio tracks and set the audio channel.


Step 4. Start conversion.

Back to main interface and click the big "Convert" to start converting DVD to multi-track MOV for playback on iPad, iPod, iPhone. After conversion, click "Open output folder" to quick locate the converted video.

Transfer and watch Multi-track MOV videos on iDevices

1. Get a multi-track player installed on iDevices

Search words like "multitrack player" on App Store and you can find plenty of players that support multi-track mov. I use VLC Media Player for IOS so just show how it works in this guide:

Find VLC for iOS in AppStore and install it to your iOS devices.

2. Transfer your multi-track MOV videos to iDevices via iTunes.

Connect your iDevices to your PC via USB cable, switch to App tab, find VLC icon, click "Add" to add converted multi-track mov into this app.

3. Play multi-track MOV movie with desired audio track with VLC on iDevices.

Open VLC app on your iPad or iPhone, find the transferred mov video and you are able to select any audio track when you watching the movie on iDevices.

Money-saving Trip:

ByteCopy($42) + Video Converter Ultimate($65) = Only $79.9, Save $27.1
ByteCopy($42) + DVD Creater($35) = Only $44.9, Save $32.1

Friday, June 20, 2014

Everything is Awesome! Lego Movie DVD Review

When word got out that there was going to be a LEGO movie, it seemed like a ridiculous idea. Great News is that it is on DVD,  everything is Awesome for us!



Detailed info:

Release date: February 7, 2014
                         Tuesday June 17, 2014 (dvd)
Genre: Family
Running time: 100 min.
Director: Phil Lord, Christopher Miller
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures
Producer(s): Roy Lee, Dan Lin
Screenplay: Phil Lord, Christopher Miller
Cast: Chris Pratt, Will Ferrell, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett, Nick Offerman, Alison Brie, Charlie Day, Liam Neeson, Morgan Freeman


Film Description:

An imaginative, uproariously entertaining film for parents and children alike, The Lego Movie matches satire with shameless fun.

Wicked Lord Business (Will Ferrell) is determined to destroy the Lego universe and rebuild it using glue - which goes against the very nature of Lego. Mistaken for the only surviving Master Builder, ordinary Lego construction worker Emmet (Chris Pratt) is selected to lead a group of figures on a mission to put a stop to Lord Business's evil plan. He is helped by wise wizard Vitruvius (Morgan Freeman), tough girl Wyldstyle (Elizabeth Banks) and DC superhero Batman (Will Arnett), but can he find something extraordinary within himself in order to save the world?

The LEGO Movie Movie Synopsis:

Emmet (voice of Chris Pratt) is an ordinary, rules-following, perfectly average LEGO minifigure who is mistakenly identified as the most extraordinary person and the key to saving the world. He is drafted into a fellowship of strangers on an epic quest to stop an evil tyrant, a journey for which Emmet is hopelessly and hilariously underprepared..

It is really great, I think it is extremely funny. Emmet is such a hilarious minifigure and the song 'Everything is awesome' suits him perfectly. I liked every part of it except the fact that it turns out that the whole movie is just a toy, apart from that I love it and definitely recommend it.

You have to watch this movie, can't miss it! A great family movie.

THIS IS A MUST WATCH! I saw this movie the day it came out! it is great!

Wath the official main trailer of the Lego movie on Youtube:


Sunday, June 15, 2014

2014 Father's Day Special Offer- 30% OFF Pavtube Video Converter Ultimate /iMedia Converter for Mac

Now it’s time to celebrate that all-important guy in your life—dad. Dad is notoriously the toughest family member to shop for. If you've waited until now to pick up this year's Father's Day Gift, then you're going to need a great idea — fast.

Luckily, to celebrate Father's Day with you, Pavtube Studio launch a huge Coupon Code as the 2014 Father's Day Special Offer. Up to 50% off for your beloved dad! Backup your dad's favorite Blu-ray/DVD movie to iOS/Android gadgets, HD TV, home theatre or game console. Even better you can make a father's day video for your beloved dad on your own! It’s more precious than just picking up something on store casually!


Her are Pavtube Great Deals and Specials at Father's Day 2014 weekend

1. 50% OFF Pavtube DVDAid (Win/Mac) as Father's Day Gift 2014

With this professional DVD ripping tool, playing DVD movies on DVD player at home has never been a problem for you. And you can now freely enjoy your favorite DVD movies on the road without worrying about the issues they jump on the most crucial scenes and are prone to scratches.

2. 30% OFF Pavtube Video Converter Ultimate/iMedia Converter for Mac as Father's Day Gift 2014

An all-in-one solution to fast convert Blu-ray/DVD and various videos to virtually any video/audio format for watching on any Android/iOS/Windows devices. Save a 100% intact BD M2TS/ DVD VOB movie without extras.Backup 3D Blu-ray movies to 3D video for watching on 3D devices with pleasant quality. 

3. 20% OFF Pavtube ByteCopy (Win/Mac) as Father's Day Gift 2014

An easy to use Blu-ray and DVD movie ripping program is capable of ripping 3D Blu-ray discs, 2D Blu-ray Discs and standard DVDs to required video formats. Most important, it can lossless BD/DVD to MKV backup with multiple audio/subtitle tracks and convert BD/DVD to Multi-track MP4, MOV, AVI for watching on Plex, Roku 3, WDTV Live, Popcorn and more HD media players.

Like our Facbook page to get it Now! Expires on June 21, 2014. Never miss it!


More money saving bundles can be found here: 


How to Rip/Backup Best 2014 Blu-ray Discs?

Summer is a hot yet cool season for watching Blu-ray movies with your best friends and family. In this article, we will introduce the fast and easiest way to copy and rip 2014 Blu-ray movie without any loss of quality.

Summer Holiday is coming and at this time, people can take a swim or go to beach for a cool summer vocation through enjoying soft sea breeze and cool seawater. Are you wondering if there is a cool way to enjoy the Blu-ray movies which is new released like Capital, Devil's Knot, Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, Non-Stop, True Detective: Season 1, etc. for pleasure with others at this comfortable summer?



However, as we now, most Blu-rays are hard to be backed up due to region code and disc encryption protection, you'd better to use Pavtube BDMagic to copy 2014 new Blu-ray movies to your computer or external flash drive, or you can rip them to iPad Air, Galaxy Note 3, Google Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HDX, or any other pads and phones. Here we will provide a tutorial on how to copy & rip Blu-rays at blazing speed with high quality. You can merge the converted video files into one and freely add SRT,ASS, SSA subtitles.

How to Copy, Backup and Rip 2014 Blu-ray Movies 

Here we have 300: Rise of an Empire Blu-ray as an example to demonstrate how to copy & rip Blu-ray movies with BDMagic.



Step 1. Run Pavtube BDMagic and import disc.

Click this icon to load disc from BD drive, IFO/ISO or folder. I also noticed if you have a ISO file to import, it will recognize the ISO file automatically with no need to run virtual driver and mount ISO files firstly. Good design. (Mac version is BDMagic for Mac)



Step 2. Choose format.

Click "Format" drop-down list and choose proper format for different using.

To copy 300: Rise of an Empire Blu-ray to hard drive, here are two solutions:

1. Click the "computer" icon on the top to output 1:1 Blu-ray/Blu-ray file exactly the same as original.

2. Select "Copy > Directly Copy" in format list to output an intact m2ts file of the main title.



Step 3. Change video specs. (Optional)

If you are not satisfied with default specs, then click "Settings" to enter Profiles Settings windows. You can customize video frame rate, bitrate, size and other settings freely. (It does not work for directly copy)

Step 4. Start conversion.

Click the big red "Convert" to start backing up or converting your Blu-rays movie. Usually backup will be quicker because it does not need to do trancoding.

After the conversion, click "Open output folder" to quick locate converted files. Connect your hard drive to computer and transfer them into it.



See also:

How to Backup Disney Copy-Protected DVD Discs for watching
Effortlessly Convert Disney’s Blu-ray movies without quality loss on Mac
Rip DVD movies to your portable media players

Friday, June 13, 2014

Review: Star Trek The Next Generation – Season 6 Blu-ray

Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 6

Release Date: June 24, 2014
Blu-Ray Disc • 6 Discs
CBS Home Entertainment



Seven months after Season 5 hit shelves, we've arrived at the next stop on the journey through Star Trek: The Next Generationremastered for high definition Blu-ray. Next Gen's sixth season consistently ranks highly with fans, bringing together some of the series' most memorable and hard-hitting episodes. This year of adventures feels like a definite step-up compared to the somewhat uneven fifth season, with very few episodes encouraging me to hit the fast-forward button.

With the absence of creator Gene Roddenberry following his death in 1991, the show gradually started to embrace a less Utopian attitude to 24th century life, incorporating issues such as espionage ("Chain of Command"), piracy ("Starship Mine"), violence ("Descent, Part I") and even torture ("Chain of Command"). Naturally, this all made for much meatier storylines and succeeds in adding tremendous depth to many of the characters (especially Picard and Riker, who both undergo significant development in the sixth season).

The penultimate year of TNG always felt like Star Trek at its finest to me. Indeed, both co-producer Ronald D. Moore and actor Brent Spiner don't hesitate in naming this as their favorite season. It's like a box of 26 different chocolates, each with their own unique flavor; whether you have the desire to boldly go on a galactic romp ("The Chase"), revisit history - both past ("Ship in the Bottle", "A Fistful of Datas") and future ("Relics"), delve into a psychological thriller ("Frame of Mind") or confront the deepest questions of life ("Tapestry"), love ("Lessons") and existence ("The Quality of Life") - Season Six has everything you need.


 
Remastering Quality

Two years down the line, and Star Trek: The Next Generation's massive remastering project is entering its final hours. As I type this review, the team over at CBS Digital in Los Angeles are putting the finishing touches to TNG's final season (due out later this year). After cutting their teeth on the first season back in 2012, this group of industry professionals have perfected their individual techniques to create a product which consistently draws rapturous praise from hundreds of thousands of fans across the globe.

Rebuilding this elaborate and technically challenging 25 year old TV show from the original 35mm film - element by element - is made to look like child's play when you watch the final product. The stunningly recreated visual effects are all seamlessly integrated into freshly scanned HD footage, hiding the labyrinthine nature of the project that the CBS Digital team are confronted with on a daily basis.



Check out the sections below for a more comprehensive breakdown of the remastering effort this season, but if you're going to take away just one headline from this review then let it be this - the work on display in Season 6 is quite possibly the most impressive yet. The picture is virtually flawless and the visual effects are incomparable to anything I've seen previously. On to the analysis!I. Live Action Footage

The task facing people like CBS Digital's Sarah Paul, Sean Sweeney and Kiki Morris is gargantuan in nature: hunting through hundreds of original 35mm film reels to track down every last second of negative needed to rebuild the show from scratch. Sarah takes on her job as if it's a military operation - every episode is broken down element by element in meticulous detail and at any one time she knows what she has and what she needs. Naturally with a show as complex as Star Trek: The Next Generation, film is misplaced over the years and when that happens the team have no choice but to resort to upscaling existing SD footage. The fifth season was hit comparatively hard by this issue, but thankfully the same can not be said for Season 6. CBS has managed to locate every piece of film necessary to ensure that the sixth season Blu-rays are presented entirely in high definition with no upscaling - fantastic news!

In standard definition, each season of TNG seems to be afflicted with its own particular problem. The old SD copies of TNG's sixth season (and likewise Deep Space Nine's first, which was filmed at the same time) are incredibly soft, far more than earlier TNG seasons. It's difficult to establish with any degree of certainty why the 1991-1992 seasons suffered so badly, but they've always stuck out to me like a sore thumb. Now for the good news - the newly scanned high definition live-action footage of Season 6 on Blu-ray looks phenomenal. Excluding the odd soft focus shot sprinkled throughout the season ("Time's Arrow, Part II" has the highest amount of 'hazy' soft focus shots, although this is clearly an artistic choice) the new HD image is pin-sharp. The crispness of the newly scanned 35mm print is mindblowing - just wait until you see the colors in episodes like "A Fistful of Datas"!

CBS Digital's Marvin Hildebrandt is responsible for adjusting the color timing of the HD footage to ensure a consistent look over the series. Colors are once again vibrant and pop off the screen in stark contrast to the faded and uneven color timing which plagued the SD master tapes. Flesh tones appear realistic, and the slight red tint which was noticeable on some of the previous sets isn't quite as pronounced here. Black levels are well balanced for the most part; However there are some instances when blacks overwhelm dark scenes, crushing out fine detail (this is particularly noticeable in some of the Celtris III cave shots from "Chain of Command"). This is unfortunate, and extreme care should be taken if a darker-toned show like Deep Space Nine is ever remastered!

The cast and crew weren't given many chances to shoot on location during the show's penultimate season, but each of the three episodes that feature outdoor locations has a distinct feel to it: the hazy streets of 19th Century San Francisco in "Time's Arrow, Part II"; the classic sepia-esque Western look in "A Fistful of Datas" and the distinctive alien lighting of Lore's unnamed planet in "Descent, Part I". The high definition experience gives these locations a wonderfully immersive other-worldly quality that really draws the viewer in. San Francisco and Deadwood are especially fun in HD - I was freeze-framing on many of the shots to pick out newly visible store-signs and street posters!



Scenes filmed in low lighting generally perform much better thanks to the new high definition transfer, although I feel compelled to add a caveat here. While there are indeed huge improvements in episodes such as "Rightful Heir" (the underground monastery at Boreth looks particularly moody and atmospheric thanks to the new details visible), overly strong black levels have crushed out some detail in other episodes ("Chain of Command" is particularly affected - the texture of the away team's dark uniforms is no longer discernible in some scenes).



Small intricate details in sets, costumes and makeup are finally made visible in high definition. This is especially noticeable in the sixth season due to the softness of the original SD master. You'll have great fun picking out the various aliens stood around the dom-jot game in "Tapestry" (watch out for the Tailhead - a more familiar sight on DS9's Promenade!); meanwhile, you're bound to marvel at the terrifying Solanogen-based lifeforms in "Schisms" who look scary as hell in high definition - the makeup and costume hold up remarkably well! A few other things that especially stood out to me - the costumes in "Ship in a Bottle" and "A Fistful of Datas" look particularly rich in HD, and the makeup on aliens like Jo'Bril ("Suspicions") now boast some amazing detail that has always been lost due to the limitations of standard-def.

Finally, I can't write about Season Six without mentioning "Birthright". At long last we get our first glimpse of the Deep Space Nine sets in high definition. Both the promenade and replimat are represented here and they don't disappoint. The replimat looks especially colorful, with the flora decorating the ceiling sparkling in HD. The brief glimpse of Morn made me smile warmly, and his Lurian makeup only serves to tease the viewer more about the prospect of a DS9 remastering project. Come on CBS, sort out the budget and make it happen!



II. Visual Effects

CBS Digital's work recreating the visual effects for Star Trek: The Next Generation has been consistently superb. As the show became more complex through its run, the team have refined their technique and kept ahead of the curve to ensure their work continues to meet the high expectations of fans. This project is a labor of love for so many of the team behind it, and it really comes across in the final product. To take on the last three seasons of TNG consecutively is no mean feat, but judging by the results on display here, CBS-D have once again risen to the occasion and turned out some beautiful work.

Planet-Creator Extraordinaire Max Gabl is firing on all thrusters once more with another collection of alien worlds that look like they could have just been photographed by NASA. Max has a wonderful talent for mixing realism with fantasy in his art and through collaboration withEric Bruno's compositing team, the Enterprise never looks out of place entering orbit of one of the new planetary creations. So what caught my eye in Season 6? Tagra IV from "True Q", the newly-designated gas giant Deinonychus from "A Fistful of Datas" and the beautiful planetary collision in the Detrian system from "Ship in a Bottle" (which I raved about in this article) all deserve worthy mentions. However, I reserve some of my highest praise for the varied shots in "The Chase" - one of my personal favorites from Season 6 - and the firestorm-plagued Bersallis III from "Lessons". Bersallis in particular looks utterly terrifying from orbit, with the huge scale of the firestorms clearly visible. The destruction of Indri VIII in "The Chase" as well as Loren III are stunningly recreated. Max had a full plate this season but has risen to the challenge with customary aplomb - great work, Max!



From the raging firestorms of Bersallis III in "Lessons" to the destruction of Indri VIII in "The Chase", Max Gabl knows his planets!

Eric Bruno and his visual effects compositing team at CBS Digital habitually up their game so each season things have a tendency to look that little bit more sleek and effortless. Eric himself worked on the beauty-shots of the Enterprise docked at Deep Space Nine in "Birthright, Part I" and has done a stand-up job of giving us our first taste of the station in high definition. DS9 is no longer flat and lifeless - the new shot screams grandeur and elegance with subtle shadows and sparkling lights giving the station a beautiful sense of scale and power. Rusted exposed hull plates jump off the screen in shocking shades of pink and yellow that haven't been seen since the model was first filmed. Shots like this are a perfect example why CBS needs to lock down aDeep Space Nine remastering project before talented people like the gang at CBS Digital move on to bigger and better things.



It's worth mentioning a couple of other stand-out moments from this season's visual effects: "Relics" and "The Chase". The Dyson Sphere ("Relics") remains one of the more alien and mysterious objects encountered in the Star Trek universe. At the time the episode was produced, its imposing scale was unprecedented - the design team put together some incredibly complicated maquettes and matte paintings whose details were all but lost in the murkiness of standard definition. Thankfully we can finally see the sphere in all its glory. It's almost Borg-like in design - complex hull panels criss-cross the surface and stretch off far into the distance giving the impression of a truly huge size. Rusted features on the surface are also visible, leading us to believe that the sphere is ancient in origin. Detail like this is a joy to see, and I'm left dumbstruck knowing that it was there all along, hidden under the murk of standard def.



Finally, "The Chase" gives us the chance to see some pretty awesome starship encounters as the Enterprise warps around the galaxy looking for the key to life's very existence. There is some beautiful compositing work on display here, especially as the Cardassian ships engage in combat against the Klingons and the Enterprise. I don't think these models have ever looked so good. I can't thank the team enough for their work - they've done Star Trek proud, something which I'm sure every fan who watches these Blu-rays can agree on!



Wow! The Enterprise is struck by Cardassian fire in "The Chase". Doesn't she look amazing?

To highlight every piece of work done with the visual effects this season is an impossible task. There's simply too much here to cover in a review - especially when I know you're all wanting to read this as early as possible! So I'll end the visual effects section with a cute story from "Realm of Fear". This perfectly illustrates how the most innocuous looking shot on screen can mask days upon days of frustrating and repetitive work for the guys at CBS Digital. We all know the plot - Lt. Barclay encounters strange lifeforms inside a transporter beam which look a bit like giant worms and turn out to be stranded crewmembers of the science vessel U.S.S. Yosemite. Those giant worms were actually puppets whose complex movements were filmed and then composited over the transporter beam to give the cool final effect. I had the pleasure of visiting CBS Digital while this particular shot was being worked on, and discovered that the original production team had filmed dozens upon dozens of different takes of this giant worm, all moving in subtly different patterns over different time-spans. It transpired that no notes existed indicating which takes had been used in the final episode, so staff at CBS Digital had to painstakingly go through take after take trying to match by eye each movement with the blurry low-resolution SD master. Another perfect example why these guys are perfectionists - they'll work tirelessly around the clock to ensure that even the tiniest details are correct.

Verdict time. It's a no-brainer: Season Six represents another perfect example of CBS Digital's quality work bringing TNG into the high definition 21st century. If ever there was an example where more than five stars were necessary to grade the product, this would be it!Bonus Material

Roger Lay, Jr. and Robert Meyer Burnett are back again with another multi-part documentary covering the history of TNG - "Beyond the Five Year Mission: The Evolution of Star Trek: The Next Generation". There's no reunion special on this set - the duo had planned to get a collection of TNG directors together but couldn't find a date that worked for everybody. Nevertheless, fans have a new trio of audio commentaries, deleted scenes and bloopers to keep them occupied.

So what about that documentary? “Evolution” combines three thirty-minute segments, “The Lithosphere”, “The Biosphere” and “The Noosphere”.

“Part One: The Lithosphere” is frustrating - it's almost as if this part doesn't know what it wants to be. The first half of it is purely dedicated to Deep Space Nine. Now I'm a huge Niner, but this stuff really felt out of place to me - numerous archival interviews with Colm Meaney, Michael Piller and Rick Berman, talking about the premise of the show and the pilot, all interspersed with numerous (SD) clips from "Emissary". I understand DS9 launched during TNG's sixth season, but there are almost no references to TNG here. I'd love to have heard the TNG crew's reactions when they discovered a new series was on the way. At one point Rick Berman hints at potential dischord ("it wasn't really a conflict, but things got a bit crazy"), but this is never followed up on! Meanwhile the second half of this part is a rather abbreviated compilation of snippets from creative staff including Naren Shankar, René Echevarria and writer Morgan Gendel. There are a couple of cute anecdotes in here (I enjoyed René's story of how he wanted to kill Will Riker in "Second Chances"), but things are all too brief and the documentary chops unrelated stories together in a rather haphazard fashion.




“Part Two: The Biosphere” is a marked improvement on the disappointing first part. Production Designer Richard D. James and Director of Photography Jonathan West both own this half-hour segment with some truly fascinating stories about their roles in the production of Star Trek. Listen out for James retelling how he convinced the producers to get rid of the expensive plexiglass windows from sets like the Observation Lounge after they plagued the film crew with unwanted reflections. Meanwhile West talks about his involvement all the way back on Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, filming Spock's death sequence and catching pneumonia on Ceti Alpha II! Throw in some cool info about the reconstruction of the classic Enterprise bridge in "Relics" and Rick Berman revealing how Stephen Hawking rewrote some of the jokes in his "Descent, Part I" appearance and this segment is sure to entertain!



“Part Three: The Noosphere” pulls together interviews with the principal cast on Season 6 and features the long awaited appearance of Guinan actress, Whoopi Goldberg. The Whoop is on strong form recalling how both Rick Berman and Gene Roddenberry couldn't believe that a film-star at the peak of her career would want to guest on Star Trek. That said, my favorite part had to be when she apologized for saying "bullshit" only a few seconds into her interview! John de Lancie also shines in this segment - listen out for his famous dinner-party allegory and his intellectual breakdown of geek culture at the end of the segment. I found myself really enjoying this part, maybe a touch more than the second part. Nicely done!

Gag Reel: This season's gag reel comes in slightly shorter than Season 5's at 5:20 but it doesn't pull any punches when inducing more fits of laughter. Right from the opening shot of Jonathan Frakes confronting Geordi with a drill(!) in "Aquiel" to Whoopi Goldberg's distaste for Ferengi scientists ("Suspicions"; "Do you think that Ferengi f**k killed himself?!"), you're guaranteed five minutes of raucous hilarity!



Audio Commentaries: The set contains three audio commentaries, newly recorded especially for this set.

6x18 "Relics" with Ronald D. Moore and Mike & Denise Okuda
6x19 "Tapestry" with Ronald D. Moore and Mike & Denise Okuda
6x23 "Frame of Mind" with James L. Conway and Jonathan West

Deleted Scenes: It's such a treat watching through deleted footage that's never been seen before - especially for a show as special as TNG. But when said footage includes an almost legendary clip of the late Jimmy Doohan which was culled from "Relics", things are taken up a notch. We have an accompanying article which breaks down every single deleted scene included on this set with full review commentary and screengrabs - watch for it coming to TrekCore next Thursday, June 19th!

Summing up the bonus content on offer here, I couldn't help but feel that the documentary could have been confined to two parts. The first part really is superfluous. Still, parts 2 and 3 don't disappoint and served up enough fascinating stories and anecdotes to keep me interested. Here's hoping that Roger and Robert have some surprises in store for the seventh season - let's go out with a bang, guys!

The Bottom Line? Simply divine, and probably my favorite TNG Blu-ray release so far. Fantastic episodes, breathtaking HD remastering and a whole load of great new bonus features. If you only buy one of these Blu-ray seasons, make sure it's Season 6!

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

How to download YouTube videos - save to your PC, laptop, iPhone, iPad or Android device

Back in September 2013, YouTube announced it would be adding offline viewing to its mobile apps, allowing you to watch YouTube videos on your daily commute, or anywhere you don't have an internet connection. However, that's still not a reality - we're all waiting for the official app to follow in iPlayer's footsteps.



The good news is that it's easy to download YouTube videosto watch later, and here we'll show you how to save them to your PC, smartphone or tablet, reglardless of whether you have an iOS, Android, Windows Phone or Blackberry device.

Also see Download and Convert Dailymotion Video to MP4 for watching offline.

For the ethics and legality of doing this, see: Is it legal to download YouTube videos? How to download YouTube videos using your PC's web browser

There are many ways to download YouTube videos, either using a browser plug-in or simply by pasting the URL of the video into another website. Here we’ll use KeepVid, but Freemake Video Converter and Freemake Video Downloader are also good alternative options if you want a piece of software which can also convert the downloaded videos into other formats (see below for yet another option: ChrisPC Free VideoTube Downloader).

1. Head to www.youtube.com and find a video you want to download. Copy the URL from your browsers address bar. Clicking in the address bar is usually enough to highlight it, but clicking three times should also do the job. Press Ctrl-C to copy the highlighted address.



2. Head to keepvid.com and click in the box to the left of the Download button. Press Ctrl-V to paste your copied URL and click Download. You’ll see the available versions of the videoappear below.



3. From the list, choose the format you want. We recommend MP4 for the best compatibility, and go for the highest quality – in this case it’s 720p. Simply click the link to start the download – ignore the flashing adverts around the page which are not download links at all.



4. Look in your ‘downloads’ folder, or click the downloaded video in your browser’s status bar (we’re using Chrome here) to watch the video. You can also copy the file to another computeror transfer it to another device.



How to download MP3 music from YouTube

Sometimes you might want to download only the audio from a video on YouTube. The process is almost identical to the one described above, but instead of using KeepVid.com, browse to http://www.listentoyoutube.com/ and paste the URL of the video into the obvious box.



If the conversion doesn't happen automatically, click the blue Go button, and you will see the progress. Finally, click the download link when it appears. Then, you can treat the file like any MP3, transferring and synching it to an MP3 player, smartphone or tablet.How to download YouTube playlists in one go

Keepvid is a useful website for the occasional YouTube video, but if you want to download lots of videos, or a playlist, then try ChrisPC Free VideoTube Downloader

When installing it, be careful not to additionally install other programs (RelevantKnowledge), so read the instructions and information carefully, clicking Decline whenever offered anything that isn't ChrisPC Free VideoTube Downloader. Clicking Decline won't cancel the installer, and the software will eventually download and install.

The interface is relatively basic, but the beauty of the program is that it automatically addsvideos whenever you copy the URL in your browser. Do this by highlighting the URL in the browser's address bar when you are on the video page you want and pressing Ctrl-C.

To download a playlist, first click on the playlist in YouTube, and copy the URL from your browser's address bar as for a single video. All videos within the playlist will be added to VideoTube Downloader. You can click the Process all files button to download them all.



Whenever you copy a YouTube URL, you will see the video thumbnail and details appear in FreeVideoTube Downloader. Click the orange download button to save it to your hard drive. At the bottom left are options for downloading different versions (always go for the highest resolution available) and converting the dowloaded file to a format compatible with your mobile device. This is rarely necessary as virtually all YouTube videos can be downoaded as MP4 files, which iPhones, iPads, plus Android smartphones and tablets can play natively.

For Android devices, simply copy the MP4 files(s) to the appropriate folder, typically Movies, using Windows Explorer. You can then play it back using the Gallery app or another videoplayer.

If you have an iPhone or iPad, import the file into iTunes and then sync it to your iOS device. Alternatively, you can drag and drop the file(s) to your iPhone or iPad via the Apps tab when you click on your devie in iTunes. All you need is an app, such as Good Reader or another video playback app which can transfer files using this method.

Of course, you can download YouTube videos directly to your smartphone or tablet without using your PC, laptop or Mac at all:

How to download YouTube videos directly to your smartphone or tablet - iPhone, iPad and Android

There are many free apps available on Google Play and in Apple's App Store, but we've found that TubeMate is a great choice for Android, while Tube Downloader - Free Video Download (by RoyalDevs) works well on an iPad or iPhone.

All apps work in the same way. They include a web browser, which usually has YouTube, or the mobile version of YouTube, set as the homepage - or a bookmark. You use the browser to find a video you like, just as you would on your PC. When the video starts playing, a message will pop up asking if you want to download (or save) the video. Tap this and the video will be downloaded.



There may be options to name the file, or choose which quality to download, but when downloaded, your videos should be accessible via a separate tab within the app, labeled Files or Videos. You can watch these whenever you like, without an internet connection.

Tips:If you want to get the videos from Youtube to playback freely on PC,  laptop, tablets, like iPad, iPhone and Android devices with one tool, Pavtube YouTube Converter is such an extremely easy-to-use downloader and converter program to help you.

Overall, it can download and convert FLV/F4V videos from different online video websites, including but not limited to YouTube, Myspace, Yahoo Video, Google Video, MTV, Dailymotio, etc. with unrivalled speed and quality. More than downloading and converting online videos, the local videos stored on your computer's HDD are also supported. You can convert local videos for playback on various tablets, smartphones, media players and game consoles.

From: http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/how-to/photo-video/3492830/how-download-youtube-videos/

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Monday, June 9, 2014

Rip DVD movies to your portable media players

This article shows how to remove your DVD protection and rip them into MP4 format, so that you can playback the movies on your portable media players.

If you have a batch of DVD movies and want to put them to portable media players for playback such as iPhone, iPod, BlackBerry, PSP, 3G mobile phones, what should you do?


Here, the quickest way I recommend is to rip DVD movies to MP4 files formats so we can view these movies on any media player.

We did a lot of researches online and finally got this SW named Pavtube DVDAid (Windows based); it has a simple yet very easy-to-use UI, and has a large output list that supports various formats. The most important thing is it accepts my every disc, which Handbrake and Jack the Ripper couldn't. The Mac version is Pavtube DVDAid for Mac.

For people who want to backup all the audio tracks or subtitles, you are suggested to try Pavtube ByteCopy.

How to rip DVD to MP4 format for iPhone, iPod, BlackBerry, PSP

Step 1. Load disc

Insert the DVD disc you want to rip into your computer DVD drive. Click "Load files(s)" to import DVDs. Pavtube DVDAid will auto decrypts identifies the DVD and shows DVD contents and info on the main interface.


Step 2. Choose format.

Here recommend "Common Video > H.264 Video(*.mp4)" as it's most acceptable by most mobile devices.



Step 3. Adjust output settings (Optional)

Click "Settings" to change video size, bitrate, frame rate and audio specs.



Step 4. Start conversion

Click "Convert" in the main interface to start the conversion (batch conversion supported). After conversion, click "Open" which is below the "Settings" to find the converted video.

Use a USB drive to transfer the ripped MP4 media file to your portable devices. It’s super easy to rip DVD movies, right? When you are going to rip DVDs, you cannot miss free try Pavtube DVDAid. You can free download it here.

Related articles:

How to Backup Disney Copy-Protected DVD Discs for watching
Alternative way to Play newly DVD on PS4
Rip DVD to Side-by-Side 3D MP4 for playing on Mac

Thursday, June 5, 2014

Which recordable DVD format should I buy?

There are two main formats: “dash” (DVD-R/RW) and “plus” (DVD+R/RW). There’s not much difference between them. This article explains which recordable/writable DVD format should you buy.

Recordable DVDs capable of storing music, video and data files are inexpensive and available in a variety of formats, including DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW and DVD-RAM. When you're recording DVDs for others to access and view the discs' content, purchase and use DVD-R discs. DVD-R discs will play in stand-alone DVD players, DVD recorder/player devices and computer DVD-ROM drives.



DVD-R Discs

DVD-R discs work in both modern and in older DVD players. The ability to play in older devices is known as backwards compatibility. In this case, the backwards compatibility encompasses Blu-ray, progressive scan, computer DVD-ROM and portable DVD players. The discs can hold 4.7 Gigabytes of data and are compatible with DVD recorders and computer-based DVD burners. You can only record on the discs one time and you must finalize the discs once you finish recording on them. To finalize, select "Finalize" or a similar word option when prompted by your DVD recorder or burner.

Television and Other Video Recordings
DVD-R discs can also hold television, movie and other video recordings as well as video content from the Internet. Depending on your DVD recorder or burner, you can mix video and picture files on the same disc. Once the disc is finalized, you can play it on any DVD player -- the pictures will play as a slideshow and the videos will play in the order they appear on the DVD-R disc.

DVD+R

DVD+R discs are similar to DVD-R, but may not play on all DVD players including older DVD players and computer systems with older DVD-ROM units. DVD+R discs only allow you to record on them one time and you must finalize the discs before playing them back in another DVD player.

Availability

DVD-R and DVD+R discs are available at retail, computer and electronics stores as well as from online electronics outlets. The discs are also available at discount stores and online outlets that specialize in DVD discs and accessories.

From: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/type-recordable-dvd-need-others-can-recording-27628.html

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

The Differences between Recordable Blu-ray Disc Formats BD-R and BD-RE

For recordable DVD disc, there are seven formats: DVD+R, DVD-R, DVD+RW, DVD-RW, DVD-RAM, BD-R and BD-RE (Blu-ray discs). They offer different features and not all are compatible with all recorders.

If you are interested in getting a DVD or Blu-ray drive to burn some data off to an external disc that you can store in a safe deposit box or for some other reason, then the sheer number of formats and versions can make the task quite confusing.


For example, there are five different formats for DVDs and Blu-ray discs have even more formats! In this article, I’ll try to break down the different types of formats without worry about a lot of technical details that you’ll find when you read about the differences on other sites. I personally just want to know the main differences, what works better and what’s best suited for burning as a consumer.

We have introduced DVD+R, DVD-R, DVD+RW, DVD-RW, DVD-RAM in Can I play my recorded DVDs in other DVD players - What are the DVD Formats? and next we will introduce BD-R and BD-RE to you.

Blu-ray discs (BD-R and BD-RE)


When it comes to Blu-ray disc formats, it’s really confusing, so I won’t even mention the stuff that’s really not important. Basically, there are only a couple of formats you need to worry about as a consumer and those are BD-R (Blu-ray disc recordable), BD-RE (Blu-ray disc recordable erasable), BDXL (multi-layer disc recordable), and Mini-BD.

There are two formats of Blu-ray disc capable of recording high-definition programming when used in a Blu-ray recorder. BD-R discs are write-once-only discs whereas BD-RE discs can be recorded on over and over again. These offer typically 6.5 hours of high-definition (HD) quality and between 10 and 13 hours of standard definition (SD) quality. However, both types are also available in dual-layer (DL) formats that offer twice these recording times.

Again, this is a very basic overview of the different formats for DVD and Blu-ray, but hopefully it gives you enough to understand what everything means without getting overloaded in lots of useless details. Any other questions about what type of disc your should burn, post a comment here and I’ll try to help. Enjoy!

Read more: 

Friday, May 30, 2014

Backup and Convert recorded FIFA World Cup Videos in 2014 & 2010 with Top Qualtiy

This articles is about how to copy popular recorded FIFA World Cup Videos. If you have no ideal how to deal with yourWorld Cup Videos in 2014 & 2010, here are collections of tips ,tools  and solutions to help you.

As one of the most influential events, ranking only second to Olympic, FIFA World Cup is doomed to be the cradle of exciting games and legend and bring football lovers wonderful moments. So many football fans choose to go to Brazil to see the 2014 FIFA World Cup live and record exciting moment to share with friends who cannot at the spot to enjoy live games or just for future back-enjoy on their iPhone, iPad or Samsung when they leave Brazil and back their own country.



It is wise to backup these heart-stirring World Cup shocking moments, since they not only deserve merely few seconds cheers, but a decade or even longer. To complete the FIFA world cup video record, not only past 2010 FIFA, but also the upcoming 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, here Pavtube Video Converter Ultimate or iMedia Converter for Mac is a top World Cup Video Converter to make up for the regret of missing the splendid moments.

It provides a hassle-free way to convert World Cup Videos happening on screen and convert the online FIFA World Cup records to mp4, wmv, mkv for play them on your iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows and other mobile devices at any time and place. The following guide will show you the details about how to copy and backup recorded FIFA World Cup Videos on Windows and Mac.

To begin:

Launch the program and add the movie you want to encode by clicking the "Add Video" icon on the main interface.



Click the “Format” drop-down list and choose HD Video>H.264 HD Video(*.mp4) for playing on your mobile devices. Or we can enter “H.264 MP4” in the small search box to quick locate matched presets. We can also choose presets like iOS/Android phone/tablet, etc. for particularly using.



Click “Settings” as bellow to check the source/target video size, bitrate, frame rate and other settings in one go; you will be able to know the target video size with different bitrate settings immediately.

The last thing you need to do is hit the “Convert” button to begin the conversion. Just wait a moment and then you can output the mp4 videos. Transfer the converted videos on your Apple/Android/Windows smartphones and tablets and then you can freely enjoy recorded FIFA World Cup Videos in 2014 & 2010 with top qualtiy! Have a fun of it!

Read more: 

How to Backup Disney Copy-Protected DVD Discs for watching
Effortlessly Backup Disney’s Blu-ray movies without quality loss on Mac
TiVo ATV Mac Solution: Play 2014 FIFA World Cup TiVo recordings Apple TV 3

YouTube Top Ten Most-viewed FIFA World Cup Videos

What exciting news it is! The much-awaited 2014 FIFA World Cup eventually comes knocking, which will definitely bring the world's fans a gala month. As a genuine football buff, you possibly can't wait to appreciate Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Andrés Messi and Franck Ribery splendid performance in this passionate land. Here are the most popular FIFA World Cup YouTube videos of all time, based on their total number of views.


Top 1 Most-Watched World Cup YouTube Video- FIFA 2002 Top Ten Super Skills

The Top 1 most popular world cup video on YouTube goes to the 2002 highlights collection which includes the splendid skills shot by Svensson - Sweden vs. Senegal, Mansiz-Brazil vs. Turkey, Figo-Portugal vs. USA ,Blanco-Mexico vs. Italy and more.

Top 2 Most-viewed World Cup YouTube Video -Sumo VS Beckham, Petit, Carlos

Maybe you would say the YouTube video is irrelevant with World Cup. Well, though it's a commercial ad for Pepsi with David Beckham, Raul, Roberto Carlos, Juan Sebstian Veron, Emmanuel Petit, Rui Costa and Edgar Davids, it's based on 2002 Korea & Japan World Cup that it applies the famous Japanese sumo wrestlers to compete with Beckham, petit, etc. And this funny YouTube video can burst your side with laughter.

Top 3 Most popular World Cup Video on YouTube-Ronaldo-All the 15 World Cup Goals



Wow, Ronaldo, one of the most prolific scorers in the 1990's and in the early 21st century, is a football player full of legends. He has played for Brazil in 97 international matches, amassing 62 goals and was a part of the Brazilian squad that won the 1994, and 2002 World Cups. During the 2006 World Cup, Ronaldo became the highest goalscorer in the history of the World Cup with his fifteenth goal. This most popular YouTube video shows you all of his world-record 15 World Cup goals.

Top 4 FIFA World Cup Video on YouTube-Zidane Headbutt

In case you are the big fan of Zidane, you must remember 2006 World Cup and the event that Zidane headbutted Materazzi because of Materazzi's insult. And finally he was sent off. This video is the reappearance of that scene.

Top 5 Most-preferred World Cup YouTube Video-World Cup 2010-TOP 10 Goals

The latest 2010 World Cup in South Africa is brimming with various surprises. In this video, you can look back on the top ten best goals made by Giovanni Van Bronckhorst, Keisuke Honda, Maicon, Diego Forlan, David Villa, etc.

Top 6 YouTube Most-Viewed FIFA Video-Cristiano Ronaldo VS Spain

This video shows a part of the fantastic match between Portugal and Spain, in which Ronaldo wears a white shirt and the Spain players are dressed in red uniforms. They offered a visual feast to the loyal fans.

Top 7 YouTube Best-loved World Cup Song on YouTube-Shakira-Waka Waka



Aside from the FIFA World Cup videos warmly received, the fair-sounding World Cup song is also indispensable. One of the most famous World Cup songs is 2010 South Africa World Cup theme music-Waka Waka. It becomes a global hit that transcends the time of the mundial.

Top 8 Most-watched World Cup Song on YouTube -Ricky Martin- The Cup of Life

Seemingly Ricky Martin is talking about something other than football in this song. But his rousing ludicrous screamer brings soccer anthems to a new level when it makes charts worldwide and officially sets off the so-called Latin music explosion when he performs it on the Grammys.

Top 9 Well-received World Cup Song-Lagu Piala Dunia-The World is Ours

The upcoming 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil unveils its theme songs Todo Mundo and Dare (La la la). Now another newly-hot theme song The World is Ours comes to excite your ear. This song is awash with energy and passion, which is the very song for Brazil World Cup and hot summer.

Top 10 World Cup Song Prevailing on YouTube - R.Kelly -Sign of a Victory

It was the official anthem for the 2010 FIFA World Cup song by American singer R.Kelly. This song received generally positive critical reception and attracted over 9 million views.