HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: jayj@fc.hp.com (Jay Johannes (Lvld))
Subject: Re: Jaws/Blues Brothers CAV
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1993 19:20:13 GMT
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Fort Collins Site
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1.8 PL6]

 (WAUGH@SLACVM.SLAC.STANFORD.EDU) wrote:
In article <memo.896278@cix.compulink.co.uk>, andre@cix.compulink.co.uk (Cygnus
Software Ltd) says:
>
>A local store which specialises in rare records and CDs recently started
>selling laserdiscs. They've not only been getting new releases, but also some
>older titles and second-hand discs. So, what can anyone tell me about 3-disc
>boxed CAV sets of Jaws and The Blues Brothers (NTSC)? They have one set of
>Jaws, and two of the Blue Brothers (one of which is still sealed). I've never
>seen any mention of them in any of my catalogues - are they just deleted
>titles, and if so are they collectible and/or is anyone interested in them?

Both of these are early discovision releases.  I have a fair number of
these from the early days. You will generally find a so-so transfer at
best, and a good chance of laser rot.  About 1/3 of my discovision stuff
now shows signs of rot.  About the transfer, you need to realize that
this was the early days of video.  They would generally take whatever
release print they had laying around and transfer that.  Expect to see
reel change markings, scratches, and even dirt and dust.  I have a copy
of a ski promotional disc from the period where there is a hair stuck in
a corner for the entire length of the film!

In spite of this, I enjoy my old discovision discs, especially those
heavy on special effects.  It is fun to analyze sequences and see how
they accomplished stuff.  For example, I am originally from the
Milwaukee area, and it is fun to step through the Blues Brothers to see
where Chicago freeways suddenly become downtown Milwaukee (the bridge
they drive off of) and to look at the buildings of the period.  

  Regards,
    Jay
Xref: sparky rec.video.releases:4407 rec.arts.sf.starwars:10524
From: joshuali@aludra.usc.edu (Joshua Ling)
Newsgroups: rec.video.releases,rec.arts.sf.starwars
Subject: Re: ***** THX Star Wars/Abyss LASER DISCS COMING!!! *****
Date: 25 Jan 93 18:16:56 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
NNTP-Posting-Host: aludra.usc.edu

In article <1993Jan24.073822.10816@bpdsun1.uucp> rmf@bpdsun1.uucp (Rob Finley) writes:
>
>As for THX, I have seen this in credits of other movies.  Could this
>mean that the movies were remixed in a THX approved dubbing theater?

YES! This means it was RECORDED in a THX Theater. Please don't get it
confused with meaning that you just saw it in a THX theater. If you see
THX in the credits IT DOESN'T MEAN THE THEATER IS THX.

>As for Surround on the Box:  I have found that most movies made in
>the last ten years or so have Dolby Surround.  In the case of the P&S
>edition of Star Wars and Empire Strikes Back, the boxes are strangely
>devoid of the Dolby Surround but definitely have Dolby information.

A lot of films were released in surround way before sourround was available
for the consumer market.

  _________   _   ____    __  __  __  _   ____    ___   | Josh Ling
           |   \      \     \   \   |  \      \      |  | Trilogist   
  (     |    /_ |  |_ /            / /_ |  |_ /   (    <O>   Extraordinaire
__  \   |       \     \___    |    |    \     \___  \   |O  joshuali@usc.edu
    /   |   /    \ |      |   /   / /    \ |        /  /|L\==_
							      \
Xref: sparky rec.video.releases:4406 rec.arts.sf.starwars:10523
From: joshuali@aludra.usc.edu (Joshua Ling)
Newsgroups: rec.video.releases,rec.arts.sf.starwars
Subject: Re: ***** THX Star Wars/Abyss LASER DISCS COMING!!! *****
Date: 25 Jan 93 18:12:27 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
NNTP-Posting-Host: aludra.usc.edu

In article <HAGERMAN.93Jan22113422@rx7.ece.cmu.edu> hagerman@ece.cmu.edu (John Hagerman) writes:
>I'm curious why this is so exciting.  Current laser disks still hold
>525 line images, right?  And letterboxing reduces the resolution.  I
>believe the quality is better than tape, but still: it seems like it
>would be better to just wait a couple of years for HDTV.  That image
>will blow away anything you can buy available today.

Then YOU can wait the 5+ years for HDTV ($5,000) and the HDTV Laserdisc
player ($1,500+).
I want to watch them NOW.
From: jpb@calmasd.Prime.COM (Jan Bielawski)
Newsgroups: rec.video.releases
Subject: Re: Has the The Prisoner ever been released on LD ?
Keywords: The Prisoner, Laserdiscs, Japanese Imports, Big Bucks
Date: 26 Jan 93 19:37:17 GMT
Organization: Computervision, San Diego, CA

In article <1993Jan19.032631.11471@welchgate.welch.jhu.edu> peterli@welchgate.welch.jhu.edu (Peter Li) writes:
<I am curious to know if the cult favorite The Prisoner
<by Patrick McGoohan ever been released ?
<

	Yes.  It was released on Image discs I believe but they went out
of print and are not being reprinted due to some legal nonsense.  There 
were actually two printings if I remember correctly: after the first one
a better source was found and the second pressing was made from this higher 
quality source.  Something like this anyway.

	Jan Bielawski
	Computervision, San Diego
	jpb@calmasd.prime.com
Newsgroups: rec.video.releases
From: jimr@mothra.rose.hp.com (Jim Ranlett)
Subject: Naked Gun 2-1/2:  LBX vs P&S
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 17:28:31 GMT
Organization: Hewlett-Packard
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL8.4]

Another question-

Does anyone know details of Naked Gun 2-1/2 pan & scan vs letterbox releases?
Specifically, is there any loss (or 'gain') of info in the p&s release vs 
the letterbox release?

I've been told that the p&s is the same as the letterbox release except that
the matte was opened, thereby showing more info at top/bottom of picture
not intended to be seen.  So in this case, there is more info (albeit 
'unwanted') in the p&s release rather than less (side info is not lost.)

Does anyone know about this particular movie?

Thanks again,
Jim Ranlett

Newsgroups: rec.video.releases
From: aad@siemens.com (Anthony Datri)
Subject: Re: compleat tex avery #1
Organization: Siemens Corporate Research, Princeton (Plainsboro), NJ
Distribution: rec
Date: Tue, 19 Jan 1993 16:54:26 GMT


>eric.walker@channel1.com writes that the Compleat Tex Avery set is
>expensive.  I'm sure it's been mentioned here before, but I couldn't
>find it, so I'll ask: how expensive, exactly?

US $99.95 list.  I'll get it for a 10-15% discount with no tax, but have no
idea what it'll be like in Sweden.
-- 

======================================================================8--<
From: acw@goofy.apple.COM (Eeyore's Evil Twin)
Newsgroups: rec.video.releases
Subject: Re: Has the The Prisoner ever been released on LD ?
Summary: The Prisoner is available on Japanese imports.
Keywords: The Prisoner, Laserdiscs, Japanese Imports, Big Bucks
Date: 22 Jan 93 00:43:14 GMT
Organization: Apple Computer Inc, Cupertino, CA

In article <1993Jan19.032631.11471@welchgate.welch.jhu.edu> peterli@welchgate.welch.jhu.edu (Peter Li) writes:
>I am curious to know if the cult favorite The Prisoner
>by Patrick McGoohan ever been released ?
>
>Thanks,
>Peter Li

If you are a really serious Prisoner fan, I saw just the thing for you:
a Japanese import 3 box set of The Prisoner for only (insert drum roll
here) $534.  This dealer was unwilling to sell the 3 boxes individually,
but another dealer may not have that restriction.  Boxes 1 and 2 had
6 episodes each, and box 3 had 5 episodes.  I guess they didn't include
the alternate version of "Chimes of Big Ben."  Any one needing the
dealer's name can email me, and they do accept credit-card orders via
phone.  Oh yeah, each box had 3 disks and they were all CLV.

--

Regards,

Art Willis
acw@apple.com
From: atc@waikato.ac.nz
Newsgroups: rec.video.releases
Subject: Unusual Horse racing CAV LD sell
Date: 28 Jan 93 09:16:18 +1300
Organization: University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand

I have a rather odd but rare CAV laser disc for sale.
Its out of a gambling machine.
The disk is a series of horse races with special frames stating things like
Place Your Bets
(May have some info on odds, I'm not sure)
Hold all bets
The horses race down the track...
Results of race 

This disk is in NTSC format, there are some scratches but its not in bad
condition. No visible Laser Rot.
It was mastered in 1982 (possibly), definately by Pioneer.
Its double sided.

The only other name on the disk is Rodesch and Associates, no doubt the people
who produced the video material for the disc.

I'll take offers on it & I will post anywhere in the world for free if the
price is right.

Come on there must be some horse racing enthusiasts out there. ;-)

-- 
Andrew Chambers
Computer Services
University of Waikato
New Zealand

ATC@WAIKATO.AC.NZ
Newsgroups: rec.video.releases
From: bverreau@netcom.com (stargazer)
Subject: Re: Mr. Smith Returns! (was: Criterion list summary)
Summary: preorder catalog available
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1993 02:43:20 GMT

In article <1993Jan19.072812.19389> moriarty@tc.fluke.COM (Jeff Meyer) writes:
> In <1993Jan18.091453.8960@netcom.com> bverreau@netcom.com (stargazer) writes:
>
>>  "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" (1939)
>>
>> This one just popped up on Pioneer's new disc list [14 Jan; RCA; $39.95].

Price correction:  "MSGW"  RCA/Columbia #30064 BW CX CLV 14Jan/93  $29.95

I just received an LD preorder catalog with over 400 new titles [about a
third of which are already out].  Obviously, I can't list them all here,
but the following are identified as Criterion releases:

BURMESE HARP, THE (JPNZ)  #CC1314L Mid-Dec/92  $49.95
CALL IT HOME:  THE HOUSE THAT PRIVATE ENTERPRISE BUILT (1992)
  #V1057L BW CAV 16Dec/92  $49.95
FALLEN IDOL, THE (1948)  #CC1307L BW D CX CLV Soon  $49.95
MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH (1976 uncut European version, widescreen)
  #CC1312L DS CLV CAV Jan/93 $34.95
MONTY PYTHON & THE HOLY GRAIL (1975 widescreen)
  #CC1311L DS CLV 16Dec/92  $49.95  [in stores now]
SILENCE, THE (1963 Swedish)  #CC1309L BW D CX CLV 09Dec/92  $49.95
SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE (1973 Spanish)  #CC1221L D CX CLV Soon  $49.95
VINCENT:  THE LIFE AND DEATH OF VINCENT VAN GOGH (1989)  Soon  $[?]

Non-Criterion, but worthy of note:

DELIVERANCE (1972 widescreen)  Warner #12482 D CX CLV CC Soon  $34.98
DIRTY HARRY (1971 digital widescreen)  Warner #12483 SS CX CLV Soon  $34.98
INVADERS FROM MARS (1953)  - #ID7639JO D CX CLV CAV Soon  $39.95
PINOCCHIO (1940 remastered)  Disney #239AS DS CLV 26Mar/93  $29.99 [also CAV]
QUO VADIS (1951 remastered)  MGM/UA #ML100276 D CX CLV 30Dec92  $39.98
SWING TIME (1936)  TURNER #ID8560TU BW D CX CLV Soon  $29.95

And the one you've all been waiting for:  [:-]
BARBARELLA (1968 widescreen)  Paramount #LV6812-WS D CX CLV 11Mar93  $34.95

Anyone wishing to receive the complete "Future Release Catalog" can write:

  Laser Disc Exchange, 1404 Old County Rd., Belmont, CA 94002

   [NB, I have no connection with this store other than as a satisfied
    customer.  I have never mailordered from them, but I do like to
    take advantage of their 15% preorder discount.]
--
Bernie Verreau					bverreau@netcom.COM
Netcom - Online Communication Services 		Redwood City, CA
Newsgroups: rec.video.releases
From: moriarty@tc.fluke.COM (Jeff Meyer)
Subject: Re: Holy Grail - availability
Reply-To: moriarty@tc.fluke.COM (Jeff Meyer)
Organization: The John Fluke Mfg. Co.  /a.k.a. The Gizmonics Institute/
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1993 23:05:13 GMT

In <llu5c5INNegt@news.bbn.com> clements@bbn.com (Bob Clements) writes:

>Aaaaaaargh!
>
>I just got off the phone with Sight and Sound.  I was making my
>every-other-day-or-so call to see whether they got any more stock
>of MP&tHG.

I've never seen an LD disappear off the shelves faster.  A local LD dealer
must have had 70 in on a Friday night; all gone by Monday morning.

Have mine, though.  "Nik!"

                  Selections from TOP 10 THINGS OVERHEARD DURING BILL
                      CLINTON'S SPEECH:

                       9. "I'm sorry, sir. There's no 'Mondale' on the
                           guest list."
                       8. "I can't believe this! He's staring right at me!
                           He wants me to come on stage and dance with him!"
                       5. "Damn! Why can't I change the channel? Oh,
                           because I'm actually here."
                       4. "Run for your lives - it's Woodrow Wilson!"
                       3. "I wish they'd stop pointing the TV cameras at me
                           whenever he says something about gay rights."
                       2. "Let's go Dukakis - those balloons aren't gonna
                           inflate themselves."

                                     -- Late Night with David Letterman
---
                                        Moriarty, aka Jeff Meyer
INTERNET:     moriarty@tc.fluke.COM
Manual UUCP:  {uunet, uw-beaver, sun, microsoft}!fluke!moriarty
CREDO:        You gotta be Cruel to be Kind...
                 **>> Keep circulating the tapes <<**
From: geoff@hpkslx.mayfield.HP.COM (Geoff Badger)
Newsgroups: rec.video.releases
Subject: Re: West Side Story from Columbia House
Date: 25 Jan 93 17:13:33 GMT
Organization: HP Response Center Lab


According to a book of LaserDisc reviews that is quite reliable, the MGM/UA
version (which is the Columbia House one) is VERY similar in quality to
Criterion. I am going to buy this disc myself at some point.

- Geoff
From: hal@radio.wkar.msu.edu (Hal Prentice)
Newsgroups: rec.video.releases
Subject: Re: Question about I, Claudius
Date: 21 Jan 93 16:06:12 GMT
Organization: Broadcasting Services, Michigan State University
NNTP-Posting-Host: prentice.wkar.msu.edu

In article <hal.91.727629961@radio.wkar.msu.edu> hal@radio.wkar.msu.edu (Hal Prentice) writes:
>From: hal@radio.wkar.msu.edu (Hal Prentice)
>Subject: Re: Question about I, Claudius
>Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1993 15:26:02 GMT
>In article <1993Jan21.001059.14271@eecs.nwu.edu> kaufman@eecs.nwu.edu (Michael L. Kaufman) writes:
>>From: kaufman@eecs.nwu.edu (Michael L. Kaufman)
>>Subject: Re: Question about I, Claudius
>>Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1993 00:10:59 GMT
>>In article <hal.87.727454600@radio.wkar.msu.edu> hal@radio.wkar.msu.edu (Hal Prentice) writes:
>>>I have the LD I, Claudius and it is the uncut version.  All the decadence, 
>>>mayhem, and other goodies are intact.
>>
>>I am sorry, but you're wrong. Here's one way to tell. After Caligula kills his
>>sister, he walks out of the room, Claudius looks in, and (in the uncut version)
>>the door swings open and you get a quit look of her hanging there. On the LD,
>>the scene fades out after Claudius looks in.
>>
>>Michael
>>
Oops, spoke too soon.  I read Caligula instead of Claudius.  Anyway, I was 
thinking that entire scene where Caligula disembowels his sister, etc. which 
was cut when PBS reran the series.  Interestingly, the PBS cuts were much 
more severe on this most recent run than the original run back in the 70's.  
Also, when the series was made available independently to individual PBS 
stations and CBC in the early 80's the series was uncut.  Regarding the 
Claudius opening the door sequence, I don't remember seeing what you 
describe in any of the runs.  That whole sequence was the first place I 
looked when I got the set.


----------------------------------------------------------------------
Hal Prentice, FM Program Manager      Michigan State University
WKAR-FM, 283 Communication Arts Bldg  East Lansing, MI 48824-1212 USA
Internet: hal@radio.wkar.msu.edu      Bitnet: hal@radio.wkar.bitnet
----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: "eric walker" <eric.walker@channel1.com>
Newsgroups: rec.video.releases
Subject: looney tunes lds
Date: 26 Jan 93 09:08:15 EST
Reply-To: "eric walker" <eric.walker@channel1.com>
Distribution: rec
Organization: Channel 1 Communications

CSL>With all this chatter about the Tex Avery disc, could someone tell me roughl
CSL>what's on the three Looney Tunes 5-disc sets? I can afford one set only, and
CSL>would like a good representative batch from each of the major characters (e.
CSL>Road Runner, Bugs, Daffy, Porky, etc). I'll probably go for set 1 or 2 (give
CSL>the various adverse comments on the framing of set number 3), and get it
CSL>before the 25% discount offer at Ken Crane's finishes at the end of the mont

Ted Turner's "Golden Age Of Looney Tunes" box set collections only
contains the Warner Bros. cartoons that he owns - i.e. made before
1948.  The classic cartoons of the fifties, including the entire Road
Runner series and most of Chuck Jones' greatest cartoons, are not part
of this collection.  The box set do contain some great cartoons,
including nearly all of Bob Clampett's work ("The Great Piggybank
Robbery," "Tortoise Wins By A Hare," "The Big Snooze," "Draftee Daffy"
and others - but I haven't seen the rare "Coal Black and de Sebben
Dwarfs" included) and some of Friz Freleng's best toons ("Bugs Bunny
Rides Again," "Pigs in a Polka," "Bucaneer Bugs"), but they also
contain many cartoons that are less than great and, IMHO, not really
worth getting, such as the "Sniffles the Mouse" cartoons, some of the
old "signs coming to life" cartoons, Chuck Jones' less-than-
spectacular early cartoons like "Elmer's Candid Camera" or "Ghost
Wanted," "I Love To Singa," Tex Avery's Warner Bros. cartoons (some of
which weren't that great), and others.

IMHO, all of these "extras" really don't make the boxed sets worth
getting, simply because there are so many cartoons on there that I
just don't like.

Watch "TNT Toons!" or any syndicated show that plays Turner's Warner
Bros. cartoons, and you'll see what cartoons are included in the boxed
sets.

Oh, and there's at least one MORE boxed set on the way: a five-disc
set of Tom & Jerry cartoons.
---
  SLMR 2.1a  "Ad Nausaeum:" Commercials that make you puke.
--
Channel 1 (R)   Cambridge, MA
From: Rob_Rosenhouse@hq-bbs.wisdom.bubble.org (Rob Rosenhouse)
Newsgroups: rec.video.releases
Subject: Re: Why is "Tron" so hard to find?
Date: 25 Jan 93 05:37:03 GMT
Organization: Headquarters BBS (Morristown, NJ)

In a message dated Mon 25 Jan 93  0:31, Indiv35@imsor.dth.dk (henrik Sahlho
wrote:

 IS> A friend of mine is looking for a VHS (PAL) cassette of "Tron", the
 IS> 1982
 IS> sci-fi flick. We rented this a couple of years ago so its definetely
 IS> available
 IS> on video, but when my friend went to the video-store the other day,
 IS> they said
 IS> that this movie could not be ordered anymore. Several other stores
 IS> said the
 IS> same thing. I noticed that it isnt on the LBX list of PAL-VHS
 IS> cassettes posted
 IS> a couple of weeks ago.

 IS> So what's the story: Is this movie currently on general release or
 IS> what?

 IS> I seem to remember somebody posting something about this issue a
 IS> couple of 
 IS> months ago, but I have forgotten what the posts concluded...

Tron has been on moritorium for many years.  They are about to release it
again soon.  The date escapes me at the moment, but I will post it if I can
find it.

Rob


-- Via DLG Pro v0.995

If responding by EMAIL, please use the address below:
 
Rob_Rosenhouse@hq-bbs.wisdom.bubble.org
Headquarters BBS 1-201-672-8944
From: brown@vidiot.UUCP (Vidiot)
Newsgroups: rec.video.releases
Subject: Re: Dolby Surround and Star Wars
Keywords: Star Wars, Dolby, Surround
Date: 21 Jan 93 22:49:11 GMT
Reply-To: brown@vidiot.UUCP (Vidiot)
Distribution: rec
Organization: Vidiot's Hangout

In article <1993Jan19.223025.20499@acuson.com> hsu@acuson.com (William Hsu) writes:
<I am new to this group, excuse me if this question has been asked earlier.
<
<I just recently purchased the VHS version of the Star Wars Trilogy.  To my
<disappointment, I found out that all three tapes were not mixed with Dolby
<Surround.
<
<Is there any reason why this is the case?  Of all the film releases, why
<Star Wars...  :-(

That is strange, since I thought they were.  Then again, I have the letterbox
laserdisc versions.  Since the Dolby Surround is part of the stereo soundtrack,
it is a pain to remove it.
-- 
      harvard\                          spool.cs.wisc.edu!astroatc!vidiot!brown
Vidiot  ucbvax!uwvax..........!astroatc!vidiot!brown
      rutgers/            INTERNET:vidiot!brown%astroatc.UUCP@spool.cs.wisc.edu
                                   brown@wi.extrel.com
Newsgroups: rec.video.releases
From: kimp@rpi.edu (Phil Kim)
Subject: re: LD of MODERN TIMES: TOC or not TOC
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1993 06:01:27 GMT

In article <1993Jan28.054234.29194@uhura.neoucom.edu> wlrc@uhura.neoucom.edu (William R. Cruce) writes:
>The image is windowboxed so that nothing is lost on monitors with
>overscanning.
I thought old films were windowboxed because of the aspect ratio of 
1.17:1.
Newsgroups: rec.video.releases
From: trond@smith.phys.ucalgary.ca (Trond Trondsen)
Subject: Re: Alien 3 disc is indeed crap
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 93 20:33:06 GMT
Organization: Institute for Space Research

In article <4792@vidiot.UUCP> brown@vidiot.UUCP (Vidiot) writes:
>
>it easier to see the bands.  Notice the vertical lines of various black
>levels.  This is caused by non-linearity of the D-to-A converter in the TBC.
          |^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
          |
	  Explain, please.

Sincerely,   

-- 
_/_/_/_/ _/_/_/   _/_/_/_/  _/    _/  _/_/        Institute for Space Research
  _/   _/    _/  _/    _/  _/_/  _/  _/  _/           University of Calgary
 _/   _/_/_/    _/    _/  _/  _/_/  _/   _/               LA1OEA/VE6NOR
_/   _/   )_/  _/_/_/_/  _/    _/  _/_ _/             trond@phys.ucalgary.ca
Newsgroups: rec.video.releases,rec.arts.sf.starwars
From: kanefsky@halcyon.com (Steve Kanefsky)
Subject: Re: ***** THX Star Wars/Abyss LASER DISCS COMING!!! *****
Organization: The 23:00 News and Mail Service
Distribution: usa
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 02:55:10 GMT

In article <CFORTIER.93Jan22181757@genghis.news> cfortier@genghis.news (Chris Fortier) writes:
>In article <1jmrlpINN5br@lynx.unm.edu> lazlo@triton.unm.edu (Lazlo Nibble) writes:
>
>   paul@pj.tmc.edu (Thorongil) writes:
>
>   >> So if you have a Home THX system, you hear EXACTLY what the sound
>   >> engineers heard in the studio.
>   >
>   > The point still is this.  If you walked into a room with one of these
>   > fancy setups, could *you* tell which setup it was after watching the
>   > movie?  I doubt it because the difference between the two is so small.
>
>   The difference between what "two"?  Again: THX (home or theatre) is not an
>   encoding system, it is a *quality standard*.  A THX label on a home
>   video release would be a guarantee of a high-quality audio and video
>   transfer.  Quality differences between transfers are certainly noticable;
>   we discuss them here all the time.
>
>
>Yes and no.  My understanding of THX systems is this:  In order to use the THX
>label, the component must meet a very stringent standard (I don't know what
>it is) and must meet the specification's standards within a certain level of
>tolerance.

THX is more than a quality standard.  There are many non-THX components
of higher quality than THX-certified components (especially with respect
to speakers).  The most important thing about THX is that it attempts to
close the loop between recording and playback.  A recording which is
played back in a THX theater or home system should sound pretty close to
how it sounded to the engineer, if he recorded it in a THX recording
studio.  Thus, a THX remaster of a recording might just mean that it was
remastered in a THX studio, although the Dolby matrix encoding is
exactly the same.

Regardless of whether you buy into the technical details of home THX (such as
bipolar surround speakers, rapid and random pitch shifting of the rear 
channels to give the illusion of separate rear channels, or a high-frequency
rolloff to counteract the high-frequency boost that recording engineers
use to counteract the high frequency rolloff that the ISO spec calls
for), the idea of closing the loop between recording studios and home
playback is certainly a good idea.

--
Steve Kanefsky