One cheer for the Post Office, three cheers for Amazon

Further to the recent theft of some DVDs from my mail box, the Post Office do seem genuinely concerned and even sent a bloke round to take a look and to apologize again. The management company keep calling my wife and apologizing but are too scared to speak to me directly.

However, Amazon are the real heroes of the hour, because they have apologized (!!) and despatched the DVDs a second time. You really can't ask more than that, can you!

It really is quite astounding how much cheaper some DVDs are from Amazon compared to HMV in Hong Kong. I look at some of the prices in HMV in total disbelief, I really do. Amazon deduct VAT from the prices if they are shipping to Hong Kong, and this just about makes up for the shipping charges, as long as you order a few items in each shipment.

Apparently the problem with stuff being stolen is so serious that some companies use boxes that will fit through most letter boxes and refuse to ship anything bigger than a single DVD to addresses in Hong Kong.

Comments

[d fresh]

I don't know if it's bad form, but I prefer VCDs. It's like getting a movie for half the cost of going to the theatre.

And, even though I should return to the States, I'm taking that thing with me, because I can always watch movies for like $7.00 US.

DVD prices are astounding!

[Chris]

I have mixed feeling about VCDs. The quality of some of them is pretty good, but even the best are noticeably inferior to DVDs, especially if you have a good TV. The factors I consider are the quality of the source material and whether I'd be likely to watch it repeatedly, and then I usually buy the DVD!

DVD prices generally aren't too bad in Hong Kong: I bought Finding Nemo in Blockbuster when it came out, and it was only HK$118, which is about what it would cost for two people to watch it - once - in the cinema.

[Phil]

Eek. VCDs. eugh. I suppose it might have something to do with the fact that I bought my Dolby Digital amp in 1997 when I was playing Laserdisks in 5.1. I won't even let VCDs touch any of my a/v equipment because I am worried poor quality ones might damage the optical tracking mechanism. I am a quality freak I confess - and I do have a large TV. The sound is awful and the picture awful - how can you enjoy the film as the filmaker intended?

[Chris]

You can't, can you. My wife borrowed (or was given) a VCD of the Robin Williams film "What Dreams May Come". It's a horrible, mawkish, pseudo-religious film about dying and going to heaven, but in the cinema or on DVD I understand it is visually stunning. Not on VCD, it ain't!

[d fresh]

After reflection, I think you men are correct.

I just tried to watch Twelve Monkeys in VCD format, and I found it lacking.

I also hate that when you get to the half way points, when the disk stops, it usually won't begin in the same place on the second disk.

Aggravation. Oh, and the best time I ever had was watching Infernal Affairs Two on a Flat Screen (this thing was huge) inside Fortress. Me and the guys that worked there were playing around with it to see how loud it could be.

Then a manager started yelling at us, and they all scuttled off, leaving me watching that one guy getting shot near the elevators.