BBC Shakespeare: The Hollow Crown, BBC2 / BBC HD

[Northender]

You go too far there.

Sorry - I was somewhat irritated last night at being messed about by inaccurate on-screen announcements, hence two deplorable departures from my usual standard of accuracy in referring to Henry V and Richard III.
I'm pleased to discover (thanks to Stanley Stewart) that Henry IV Part 1 is to be repeated on BBC4 tonight.

[JimD]

Our hard drive recorder also appeared to adjust for the revised start time. Trouble is, it appears to have stopped recording at the original end time for the broadcast.

[Northender]

So did our hard drive recorder. Trouble is, it appears to have stopped recording at the original end time for the broadcast.

That's what I was afraid might happen, which was why I was prepared to wait until it actually started so that I could start a 'live' recording. The electronic programme guide kept changing the start, but not the finishing, time.

[Northender]

Our preset DVD recorder started recording at exactly the time the play actually started.

This is a great improvement on what the old videorecorder could manage.

Out of interest, at what time did it stop recording?

[Nick Armstrong]

That's what I was afraid might happen, which was why I was prepared to wait until it actually started so that I could start a 'live' recording. The electronic programme guide kept changing the start, but not the finishing, time.

The last announcement I heard from Inverdale was that it would start at 9.15, so I overrode the electronic guide and manually set it to record everything on the HD channel from 9.15pm to 3am. I find I have a chunk of tennis, then the play, then the Irons documentary about the plays, then the start of some film afterwards. My PVR allows me to split and rename recordings so I can now divide it up and delete what I don't want.

I watched the initial section of the play - not so impressed so far as I was last week. Irons is so obviously 'performing' (as usual) that it's unconvincing, and Michelle Dockery likewise (Downton refugee) is awful I think. But the scenes with Falstaff look wonderful and when things between him and Hal get serious, there are signs the production may find its feet. And that's the heart of the play, so still worth a watch...

[mercia]

do we feel that the location shooting, with real castles, real horses, real fires in real fireplaces etc. etc. adds anything to the plays? or is this the only way to make it palatable to the modern audience? will it make seeing a stage performance a let-down henceforward?

[JFLL]

I'm pleased to discover (thanks to Stanley Stewart) that Henry IV Part 1 is to be repeated on BBC4 tonight.

I set my recorder to record last night from 9.00 to 12.15, so as to get Jeremy Irons's programme on Henry IV afterwards. So when I came to look at the recording this morning I found that I had an hour of tennis, the whole of the play but only 15 mins of the Irons programme. Does anyone know if that is being repeated tonight as well as the play?

A problem these days is that there seem to be fewer programmes which have scheduled repeats. It was the same with the two Schama programmes on Shakespeare. I suppose the BBC will say 'You can always use the iPlayer'. But it's not the same. I wonder how many people, like us, have a sitting-room which is blessedly computer-free, and don't want to go to another room and sit in front of a desk to watch a TV programme.

[JimD]

At the close of tonight's delayed screening of "Henry IV, Pt 1, we were told that there will be a repeat transmission at 21.00 hrs, (tonight, Sunday, 8 July) on BBC 4. in place of "Amadeus:Director's Cut". This, presumably, will also allow time for Jeremy Irons on the Henrys to follow the main feature, as it did tonight on BBC 2.

It seems to be set up on BBC4 as described. So is my recorder. I assume no other hysterical sports event will take priority this time.

[Nick Armstrong]

I wonder how many people, like us, have a sitting-room which is blessedly computer-free, and don't want to go to another room and sit in front of a desk to watch a TV programme.

I'm one of those people... I have desktop and a laptop in the same room as the TV and I would still rather see a programme on the big screen - esp here where it's a visual feast in HD. That said, my PVR allows us to watch iPlayer on the TV and that is very useful as the quality and streaming are very impressive.

[amateur51]

I'm one of those people... I have desktop and a laptop in the same room as the TV and I would still rather see a programme on the big screen - esp here where it's a visual feast in HD. That said, my PVR allows us to watch iPlayer on the TV and that is very useful as the quality and streaming are very impressive.

Apologies for the off-topicness of this but we've wandered a fair way already - have you tried any on the 3D offerings on HD, Caliban?

Ain't technology marvellous

[Nick Armstrong]

Apologies for the off-topicness of this but we've wandered a fair way already - have you tried any on the 3D offerings on HD, Caliban?

Ain't technology marvellous

Nah not interested in 3D, mate

[Nick Armstrong]

That's what I was afraid might happen, which was why I was prepared to wait until it actually started so that I could start a 'live' recording. The electronic programme guide kept changing the start, but not the finishing, time.

The benefits of Twitter - had one been following him, "Hal" himself was trying to keep people up to speed with a suitable quote:

Tom Hiddleston @twhiddleston
"What a devil hast thou to do with the time of the day?" HENRY IV PART I will air an hour later than scheduled. 10:00pm BBC TWO. 15 minutes!

[amateur51]

Nah not interested in 3D, mate

Well I have to say for matters more to do with space and moolah, I'm not interested in most of the technobobbins being talked about but I do find it all fascinating.

Me? I'd be happy if there was more decent stuff like these Shakespeares to watch - once again the radio offers much more choice & volume than telly

And the picture is better

[Anna]

If a sporting event over runs then why not carry on with the transmission via the red button? I think the Olympic coverage will mainly be red button choice. I did catch some of the Shakespeare, not impressed at all with Irons but will give it another go tonight.

[Stunsworth]

Apologies for the off-topicness of this but we've wandered a fair way already - have you tried any on the 3D offerings on HD, Caliban?

I watched a bit of the tennis yesterday, and it works well. Not sure if it will catch on for anything other than one off events though. It probably looks better on a larger screen than mine - 42" - as the screen will cover more of your angle of view.

Remember that because of the way it's transmitted you lose half of the horizontal resolution, and the way the glasses work means that the picture is dimmer than a normal 2D transmission.