Be Prepared

It has come to my attention that my DVD recorder with hard drive will not record things in widescreen. In theory you can change the format to widescreen, but only to watch stuff. Once you try to record something, it squashes it down to the old-fashined screen size and shape.

This made my Prof. Brian Cox DVDs look very peculiar. There is this tall, slim man made even taller and slimmer.

You can guess, can't you? I may be skint at present, but one day soon I will be able to record Bobby from the TV in widescreen when Season 7 goes on to Channel 5. (Season 6 got lost when my Sky+ Box died last year, or I would have discovered this shortcoming sooner.)

So I went and blew some dosh on a new recorder:

(Sorry there's a big gap, it's all part of the picture.)

First, I had to get as many copies as I could find time for of everything I have on the old player. Along with Season 8, I had Guy and Pelham.

I decided to record the S8 episodes in the order in which they were shot. Now, although I don't intend to ditch the old machine, if being unplugged leads to its losing the programmes on the hard disc, it won't be a complete tragedy.

Meanwhile, I can't understand a word in the instruction manual for the new one!