Next up - Tristan und Isolde, Seattle 1998, Armin Jordan conducting and Ben Heppner/Jane Eaglen`s first pairing.

Eric,

I'll pass on these two, if only because I'm rather busy right now, and I know they'll have a good home with Stanley. Since you mention space considerations, might I take this opportunity of mentioning that as well as the standard DVD box, there are a couple of alternatives which are useful space-savers: the slimline, which is the same height and depth as the standard, yet only 7mm thick, so that twice as many DVDs can be packed into the same space; better still, there is also a double slimline box, which fits two DVDs into the same space.

There are also smaller boxes with the external same dimensions as a CD case, but made of the same material as DVD boxes, and permitting the insertion of similar wrap-around labels. These come in single and double versions, too, though the all the doubles that I have located so far have the spine on a long, rather than a short side, of the box, thus necessitating either a separate shelf or else storing so that the top of the box is visible.

Morning all

Stanley - is the Peter Grimes the one which was televised in colour and repeated some time in the mid 1980s?  I think I remember recording that on betamax (yes, I was one of those).

Thanks for the info re cases.  I tend to keep all my home-made cds in files which resemble photo-albums made by Arrow File.

  # 5           Yes, Eric, the 1969 "Grimes" was last shown in 1991.   Presumably, I recorded on a time-setting as I always include the company logo and, on this occasion, the recording starts on the opening credits - a reminder that BBC2 used to start, promptly,  at the advertised time before we got saddled with interminable promotional waffle between programmes!   In fact, I must have been absent since I was only able to establish the recording date as Alan Bennett's 'The Insurance Man' is on the same video and the end title shows 1991.

I rate the Snape Maltings recording as quite the best, although I also favour the Vickers/Colin Davis, too, but I shall pass smartly on this issue as it can create a furore on these boards.     As it happens, a foremost MB poster told me that he acquired a pricey copy on NTSC, in b/w, with execrable sound and confirmed that my off-air recording, now on DVD, was indeed, a vast improvement.

   I know what you mean by the hiss problem on early VHS equipment.  This morning, I was transferring A Tippett documentary, "Songs of Experience", together with MTs "New Year" from video to DVD.  The soundtrack 'rasp' from my first Panasonic recorder brought forth a range of expletives but - I am technically inept - by fiddling with the video remote control, audio monitor, the 'mix' option solved the problem.

Sorry that I was pipped-at-the-post re The Met 'Parsifal' but I have a more than ample collection and, as in the days of my vinyl collection, the hunt is often the best part of the enterprise.   I'll pass on your alternatives, however, and like Laurenz Melchior commented when the swan failed to arrive in 'Lohengrin',   "Mr Stage Manager, vat time's the next schwan?"

Do let me know if you are interested in the 1969 "Grimes" as I'll happily do a transfer with my compliments.   And I'll keep a sharp eye for your 'special offers'.

A word of clarification since I`ve had a couple of queries sent to me.  All tapes are normal VHS, not S-VHS, and where it says something like JVC EHG180 that`s just an indication of the grade of tape used.

All tapes are audio only and the picture content will either be a black screen or satellite-channel information. They do not contain moving pictures of the performances (for the avoidance of doubt)!