The Grand Tour - The Boyz Are Back

[BroadAmbition]

Very recently we treated ourselves to a Quantum Dot4 new flatscreen TV.  It transpired that MrsG has Amazon Prime, and as a side issue there are programmes that can be streamed to our new TV.  This was somewhat of a welcome surprise to me.  It also was a surprise to discover my boy has  'Netflix' account so now we have access to that too (Being enjoying catching up on 'Still Game')

Anyuroadup, this morning I was awake far too early so I sat, watched and thoroughly enjoyed watching 'The Grand Tour'  Yes, Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May are back on our screens.  Mr Chris Evans - That is how you make and present a motoring show.  I enjoyed every minute.  Looking forward to the next one.  'The Boyz Are Back in Town'

Griff

[Maxwellian]

I loved it as well. Looks like the series can only get better.

[ScrumpyCheddar]

Spot on there Griff....

It was brilliant from the start and what an intro....love the bit when Armie Hammers parachute didn't open and see him hit the ground with a thud and Clarksons face was a picture....  Shame it wasn't Chris Evans hitting the ground ha ha...

And the Ebola test track with the old woman's house.. Well it's the old RAF wroughton airbase near Swindon... 

Its great the 3 are back on the screen I'm so glad I bought my firestick... 

The BBC must be thinking oh dear what have we done... well they've got Flop Gear with Matt LePlonk... and it's 3 viewers lol...

So looking forward to next weeks instament.... of 

[SueH]

Watching it at the moment, through the laptop.  TV too old!

Such fun.  Have missed them!

[Polly]

Great stuff! I loved the opening sequence, and it just went on being fun, we got Prime specially and it was worth getting after all. 

[SueH]

Hi.  The same for us the only reason to get Prime was for this.

Now, do we needed replace the TV??? 

[deebee29]

Had Amazon Prime for ages and watched it this afternoon.

I really enjoyed it.

The three personalities just work together and show how to make this type of program.

I didn't hate Top Gear or Chris Evans for that matter but the Chemistry just wasn't there.

BBC should have completely changed the format for it to have any chance  of being a success in my opinion.

 

[Paul]

I'm not a Chris Evans fan, and said so before the latest series of Top Gear aired. I wasn't looking forward to it and didn't enjoy it. But .... respect Mr Evans. He didn't want to do it, was "persuaded" by BBC top brass, tried it, didn't pull it off and was big enough to admit so and walk away. Quite who could present Top Gear in the current format I'm not sure. The BBC should have completely changed to format to suit the presenters they had, rather than try and turn Chris Evans into a miniature Jeremy Clarkson. 

Loved Grand Tour, three people doing what they are good at. 

[JennyMorgan]

Jonzo, don't dismiss Sony. In the last few weeks my wife & I have trawled our local TV shops doing comparison tests and, for us, Sony was noticeably a superior image. 

[deebee29]

We have a Roku 3 and it gets all the apps... Now tv, netflix and amazon etc. as well as all the catch up stuff.

I can also digitise all my dvds & bluerays and store them on a NAS drive and watch them through the Roku 

it's a great bit of kit

 

[deebee29]

I use mac & a program called Leewo blueray & dvd ripper and it works great, I've tried various others for pc over the years but this is by far the best I've used. I think they do a pc version as well.

I know it's a grey area but I do own all the discs and the copies are for my own use so believe that's ok.

the process is quite straightforward and you can select just the main movie and or any of the extras. And choose the output file fomat ( usually mp4)

 

[MauriceMynah]

I am a member of Amazon Prime ( If "member" is the right term ) but you are all talking double dutch to me.

How do I watch something from Amazon Prime?

Do I need to buy a new TV? I hope not as we have several, Two Panasonic Vieieieiereaiaoas ( one 32", the other 55" ) and a Pioneer 60". Newest one is the Panasonic 55" bought 2011 or 12. That one is connected to the web.

Edited to ask, We have a boxed set with one disc that has corrupted. Can I use Amazon Prime to replace that disc?

[ScrumpyCheddar]

Amazon firestick £34.99 Currys... 

Plug into HDMI socket in the back of your TV and follow the simple instructions and with in 5 mins it's up and running..  I'm no tech guru but I done it and was well chuffed..

My TV is 7 year old LG plasma it works a treat on there..  

Also you get 30 day free Amazon Prime free view so you can watch 4 episodes of Grand Tour free... 

Also you get 30 day free trial of Netflix.. 

Its worth every penny so far...

 

[Siddy]

I've got Sony TV's around the house and buy them for work in canteens meeting rooms etc all linked to my phone so I have control save getting remotes at work.

Android version I can't fault my 43" in my den has everything connected and no issues, A note on these tv's when they do a update tell it to do it when you switch off as they can take a while. They have Prime and Youview plus but our aerial needs sorting so can't use that also install apps to watch free film.

Don't forget having tv's on the networks you can send pics,music,vids from your laptop or fones. My fav is a jpeg with a large t onto and send to the room tv and sometime a large pot arrives other times it seem to produce some white noise but you learn to block that out.

 

 

[Siddy]

5 years cover at various places free, Costco has good returns, John Lewis, RicherSounds there cover if you don't use i return the cover after 5 years years and get your cash back.

Sony centre Leeds sorting deals out for me.

Quick note on the Sony Tv is rear sockets just check the wall mount that it doesn't have a large sq section covering them.

End of the day check out the menu systems to check you get on with it depending it's just going to sit on hdmi 1 sky box or your off to make it work for you with it's online options.

Last year when we moved in here I couldn't get a Sony to fit and got a Samsung what a pain in the rear that is to remote to and keepss losing link to my server for music.

There so dam light these days.

 

[Wonderwall]

I just don't get the Clarkson love in .  He's obnoxious and rude, who's ego let him give a work mate a slap. Some people appear bullet proof. If someone punched my son in an unprovoked attack, I could think a better form of punishment than another lucrative tv contract.

I realise I am in a very small majority with that one. 

It would indeed be a boring world if we all liked the same thing.

[quo vadis]

Jezza for Prime Minister

[VetChugger]

You and me both Wonderwall, now a minority of two! Actually I quite like James May when they drag him away from the other two. Loved his electric guitar and lawn mower restoration thing!

[donnygeoff]

3 hours ago, quo vadis said:

Jezza for Prime Minister

And on that bombshell.............

[SEAMASTER]

Fantastic glad there back, can not wait to watch them next week. Well done amazon. 

[unclemike]

not interested, used to watch the old series but they have reached their sell by date,the only one worth watching is may on his own in other shows

[LondonRascal]

I was looking forward to watching this - and did not want to read any reviews of it prior to so I went in without having any idea what may be.  I'd also ignored the teaser trailers Amazon had released prior to the show's airing.

I think while it does have an American feel to things, it certainly has been produced to try and appeal to a larger audience and certainly you can see how this feels very much Top Gear but to my mind is going to be like an end of season Top Gear special - every week. That is the difference and something the BBC cannot compete with is the sheer scale and budget Amazon can throw at such programmes. 

However what let it down for me was the audio - it feels muddy, mixed down too much and not punchy enough.  I'm not just talking about the choice of the music used - but the car's themselves their engine nose, gear changes, tyre screeching - all this was really worked on with Top Gear, loud and added a great deal to the visuals with Grand Tour missed out on, but frankly that seems a thing with some other America shows I have noticed in the past they do tinker with sound, adding sound, removing it, just not sure how to describe it but it could have been more vivid.

I'm pleased Amazon got the trio because I am more happy to pay for Prime and get added benefits, like free one day delivery on lots of items a bunch of included films and content and then a stand out show, I'll certainly be looking forward to next weeks episode!

 

[Timbo]

I treated myself to a quick snippet to see the guy's walk onto the set...but then I'm saving the rest of the shows for a Christmas binge. I have to admit to being a bit of a fan of Amazon original series. Lucifer is currently my favourite. Well written, excellent script.

Robin is quite right about the sound on the productions coming across from 'Trumpton'. This is a legacy from the decades of crap TV and TV sets produced in the US. I'm talking quality of sound production and quality of the 'gubbins' in the set. We are spoiled here in the UK with the BBC and the Radiophonics workshop being at the forefront of sound production and quality in film and television for many years. American advertising still uses a trick called 'set rumble'. This is the 'Heeeeere's Johnny' or an announcer at the wrestling. The speakers in the TV set's of Trumpton were so shoddy that they would rattle and buzz in the cabinet and a sound at the right frequency would buzz the set making your average US family viewer, with the TV on as background noise, look at the set. Part of my personal aversion to television in general is a result of me trying to watch TV while I was in the States. Even five years ago a colleague in the States was showing off his new TV set and the 'Super Surround Sound' which was just a wall of bland...with the Sony TV buzzing and rattling in the adverts still.

Thanks for the heads up on Grand Tour Robin I think I will pop the show through the lap top with the Beats Audio and run Audacity to give the show's sound some tweak while I get my Christmas fix of fast cars and schoolboy humour. Looking forward to this!

[ranworthbreeze]

No doubt our Michael will let me know how the first program went when we get home, he has had the Amazon fire stick since Christmas and has watched a few programs but was waiting with bated breath for the trio to come onto the screen.

Clarkson is like Marmite, personally I like Clarkson but not Marmite.

Regards

Alan

[SueH]

Our Amazon Fire Stick has just arrived, will now be spending many a happy minute seeing if it works on the HDMI splitter.  

Only two HDMI sockets on the TV.  The home cinema is on one and currently the Freesat box and laptop are connected to the splitter.  Watch this space.